Msgr. Thomas P. Scannell, the oldest priest in the Arlington
Diocese, died April 4 at the age of 95. He had been living at
Powhattan Nursing Home in Falls Church since 2003. He
observed the 68th anniversary of his ordination to the
priesthood on March 19. The wake service will be held at St.
Michael Church in Annandale on Sunday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde will celebrate the funeral
Mass on Monday, April 11, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael
Church, where Msgr. Scannell was pastor for 33 years. Father
Christopher Pollard, parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish,
will be the homilist. Interment will be at Fairfax Memorial
Park. During his stay in the nursing home, Msgr. Scannell
received constant sacramental care from Msgr. John T.
Cilinski, a retired diocesan priest living at St. Agnes
Rectory. The late Jack Sullivan, a former St. Agnes
parishioner, also displayed unwavering devotion for many
years. Thomas Patrick Scannell was born Sept. 19, 1910, in
Brooklyn, N.Y., one of seven children of Daniel and Anna
Scannell. He attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass.,
on a football scholarship. At Holy Cross he met Louis
Flaherty, who would later become Bishop Flaherty of the
Richmond Diocese. Msgr. Scannell was impressed by the
family?s close ties to the Church and parish life while
visiting the Flaherty home in Norfolk. He was thinking about
a vocation to the priesthood by his senior year in college.
He attended the North American College in Rome where he was
ordained on March 19, 1937, just a few months after his
seminary classmate, the late Msgr. Francis L. Bradican. His
first assignment was as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart
Parish in Norfolk from 1937-41. He moved to Arlington as
assistant pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Parish from 1941-43.
He served as an Army chaplain from 1943-46 in England during
World War II. Msgr. Scannell returned to St. Charles Parish
as assistant pastor following his wartime service. His first
pastorate was at St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax
Station from 1951-53. During this time, he was appointed the
first director of Catholic Charities of Northern Virginia, a
position he held for five years. He was named founding pastor
of St. Michael Parish in 1953. One of his major
accomplishments was building a modern, octagonal church that
seats 1,200 people. He participated in the parish's 50th
anniversary celebration in November 2003 along with Bishop
Loverde and former pastor Father Jerome R. Daly (see photo
above). Msgr. Scannell had the foresight over the years to
purchase vast amounts of land in Fairfax County for the
Richmond Diocese that was later developed into parishes.
Young priests have spoken of him as a "priest?s priest,"
someone they seek out to hear about the challenges and joys
of the priesthood and parish life. Msgr. Scannell retired
from St. Michael Parish in 1986. He lived at St. Luke Parish
in McLean until 1993, when he moved to St. Agnes Parish in
Arlington. He celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for the 65th
anniversary of his ordination with students and parents at
St. Agnes Church on March 19, 2002. In the time it took Msgr.
Scannell to slowly walk from his chair to the lectern for his
homily, it seemed as though 25 years dropped away, judging by
his strong, resonating voice. "Well, children, fancy seeing
me here," he said in his native Brooklyn voice. "I surprise
myself. But, I?m very glad to be here for many reasons. I?m
glad to be alive. I?m glad to be who I am and I?m glad to be
able to talk with you and ? to give you some advice." He told
them it was going to be the same advice he always gives them.
"Almost 100 years ago, somebody gave me some advice," Msgr.
Scannell said. "I?m sure it was my mother. I was only two or
three years old. She told me I should never forget something
? that I was a child of God. What I?m telling you today is
the simple truth."
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