Obituary for Father Charles Terence Quinn, O.P
Jubilarian
Born: Jul 13, 1925
Professed: Aug 16, 1949
Ordained: Jun 9, 1955
Died: Nov 7, 2019
Father Charles Terence Quinn, O.P., died peacefully in the evening of Thursday, November 7, 2019, at Cabrini ElderCare in Dobbs Ferry, NY, at the age of 94. Fr. Quinn faithfully served the Church as a priest for over 60 years, serving in the missions in Pakistan and the Solomon Islands, as pastor of Holy Innocents Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, and Prior Provincial for two terms. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Quinn, and his sisters Maua Riodan and Sr. Eileen Kieran, O.P.
Father Quinn was born July 13, 1925, in the Borough of Queens, New York City, as the fourth child to James and Anna (née O’Reilly) Quinn and named Charles James. He attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School in Astoria, NY, and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn, NY, and Yale University in New Haven, CT, for one year.
On May 25, 1943, he enlisted in the United States Navy. In February 1946, he was commissioned as an ensign and received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. He served at sea in the Caribbean and was honorably discharged on June 11, 1947.
He entered the Dominican Novitiate in 1948, at St. Rose Priory in Springfield, KY, and received the religious name Terence. He made his first profession at St. Rose Priory on August 16, 1949, and his solemn profession at Precious Blood Parish in Monmouth, NJ, in 1952. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph Priory in Somerset, OH, followed by theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. On June 9, 1955, he was ordained a priest at St. Dominic Church in Washington, DC, by Most Reverend Jerome Daniel Hannan. In 1956, he completed an S.T.L. at the Pontifical Faculty, and was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas House in Providence, RI, where he taught theology at Providence College.
In 1957, he joined the province’s mission in Pakistan and ministered there for fifteen years, serving in the Village of Loreto, Rahimyar Khan, Fatimapur, Khanewal, and the Village of Chak 133. On Aug 29, 1964, he was appointed Vicar Provincial of the Dominican Mission. He was appointed to a second term on April 8, 1969.
In 1972, he was elected as a delegate from the mission in Pakistan to the Provincial Chapter held in Washington, DC that year. On June 22, 1972, Fr. Quinn was elected Prior Provincial by the Provincial Chapter. He returned to the United States residing at St. Vincent Ferrer Priory while serving as provincial. He served for eight years being reelected on July 9, 1976.
In 1980, after completing his second term as provincial, Fr. Quinn moved to St. Mary Magdalene Rectory in Berkley, CA. In October 1981, he was assigned to Holy Name Priory in Philadelphia, PA, and assisted with parochial ministry. On October 1, 1982, Fr. Quinn was appointed pastor of Holy Innocents Parish in Pleasantville, NY, and superior of the Dominican community. He was reappointed for a second term on October 1, 1985.
In 1988, Fr. Quinn began missionary work in the Solomon Islands with Fr. Chris Cardone, O.P., and was assigned to the Province of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Region of Australia and New Zealand in March, 1989. He ministered in Nila, in the extreme western Solomon Islands, for two years and then in Gizo for one year. He returned to the United and was assigned back to the Province of St. Joseph in February, 1992.
In June 1992, he was assigned to St. Mary Priory in New Haven, CT, where he served in the parish and the chaplaincy to Albertus Magnus College. In September 1993, he was assigned to Sacred Heart Priory in Jersey City, NJ, and appointed pastor. In October 2001, after serving as pastor for eight years, he traveled to the Angelicum in Rome for a sabbatical. In May 2002, he was assigned again to Holy Innocents Rectory and assigned in the parish. In March 2010, he was assigned to St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, OH, and served in the formation community of novitiate. In March 2016, he was assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York, NY. In March 2018, he moved to Cabrini ElderCare in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
Born: Jul 13, 1925
Professed: Aug 16, 1949
Ordained: Jun 9, 1955
Died: Nov 7, 2019
Father Charles Terence Quinn, O.P., died peacefully in the evening of Thursday, November 7, 2019, at Cabrini ElderCare in Dobbs Ferry, NY, at the age of 94. Fr. Quinn faithfully served the Church as a priest for over 60 years, serving in the missions in Pakistan and the Solomon Islands, as pastor of Holy Innocents Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, and Prior Provincial for two terms. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Quinn, and his sisters Maua Riodan and Sr. Eileen Kieran, O.P.
Father Quinn was born July 13, 1925, in the Borough of Queens, New York City, as the fourth child to James and Anna (née O’Reilly) Quinn and named Charles James. He attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School in Astoria, NY, and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn, NY, and Yale University in New Haven, CT, for one year.
On May 25, 1943, he enlisted in the United States Navy. In February 1946, he was commissioned as an ensign and received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. He served at sea in the Caribbean and was honorably discharged on June 11, 1947.
He entered the Dominican Novitiate in 1948, at St. Rose Priory in Springfield, KY, and received the religious name Terence. He made his first profession at St. Rose Priory on August 16, 1949, and his solemn profession at Precious Blood Parish in Monmouth, NJ, in 1952. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph Priory in Somerset, OH, followed by theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. On June 9, 1955, he was ordained a priest at St. Dominic Church in Washington, DC, by Most Reverend Jerome Daniel Hannan. In 1956, he completed an S.T.L. at the Pontifical Faculty, and was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas House in Providence, RI, where he taught theology at Providence College.
In 1957, he joined the province’s mission in Pakistan and ministered there for fifteen years, serving in the Village of Loreto, Rahimyar Khan, Fatimapur, Khanewal, and the Village of Chak 133. On Aug 29, 1964, he was appointed Vicar Provincial of the Dominican Mission. He was appointed to a second term on April 8, 1969.
In 1972, he was elected as a delegate from the mission in Pakistan to the Provincial Chapter held in Washington, DC that year. On June 22, 1972, Fr. Quinn was elected Prior Provincial by the Provincial Chapter. He returned to the United States residing at St. Vincent Ferrer Priory while serving as provincial. He served for eight years being reelected on July 9, 1976.
In 1980, after completing his second term as provincial, Fr. Quinn moved to St. Mary Magdalene Rectory in Berkley, CA. In October 1981, he was assigned to Holy Name Priory in Philadelphia, PA, and assisted with parochial ministry. On October 1, 1982, Fr. Quinn was appointed pastor of Holy Innocents Parish in Pleasantville, NY, and superior of the Dominican community. He was reappointed for a second term on October 1, 1985.
In 1988, Fr. Quinn began missionary work in the Solomon Islands with Fr. Chris Cardone, O.P., and was assigned to the Province of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Region of Australia and New Zealand in March, 1989. He ministered in Nila, in the extreme western Solomon Islands, for two years and then in Gizo for one year. He returned to the United and was assigned back to the Province of St. Joseph in February, 1992.
In June 1992, he was assigned to St. Mary Priory in New Haven, CT, where he served in the parish and the chaplaincy to Albertus Magnus College. In September 1993, he was assigned to Sacred Heart Priory in Jersey City, NJ, and appointed pastor. In October 2001, after serving as pastor for eight years, he traveled to the Angelicum in Rome for a sabbatical. In May 2002, he was assigned again to Holy Innocents Rectory and assigned in the parish. In March 2010, he was assigned to St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, OH, and served in the formation community of novitiate. In March 2016, he was assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York, NY. In March 2018, he moved to Cabrini ElderCare in Dobbs Ferry, NY.