O'Brien, longtime Georgia Catholic priest, dies in car wreck

<p>The pastor of one of the Augusta area's largest Catholic churches was killed in a traffic accident Thursday night, just weeks after moving to the church after nearly four decades of serving other Georgia congregations.</p><p>The Rev. John Joseph O'Brien, 61, senior pastor at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Grovetown, was killed Thursday night in a traffic accident.</p><p>"Father O'Brien was a priest of the people and a priest's priest," said Bishop J. Kevin Boland, of the Savannah diocese. "For 38 years, he has given outstanding and exemplary service to our diocese."</p><p>Columbia County sheriff's deputies said O'Brien was having dinner with other priests when he left to respond to an alarm at the church. When he returned at about 9:20 p.m., he apparently turned into the wrong parking lot and was struck by a Ford F-150 truck when he tried to turn back onto the Augusta area's busy Washington Avenue.</p><p>O'Brien was found at fault for failing to yield the right of way. But the truck's driver, Gregory Earle, 44, of Evans, refused a blood-alcohol test.</p><p>On Friday, current and former parishioners across Georgia were mourning their loss.</p><p>"He was a blessing, and he was a wonderful man," said Bobby Christine, the parish council president at St. Teresa. "Even though he was only with us a short period of time, we are so grateful for that period of time. It has been truly a blessing."</p><p>O'Brien had celebrated his first Mass as St. Teresa's pastor in June, but he had spent nearly 40 years in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah.</p><p>O'Brien served as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Valdosta for 13 years before being transferred to St. Teresa of Avila. He served as pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Port Wentworth, near Savannah, from 1978 to 1983.</p><p>He also served as pastor of Church of the Most Holy Trinity in downtown Augusta and in Albany, twice in Columbus and twice in Valdosta.</p><p>O'Brien was a native of Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, where he was ordained in 1969 before emigrating to the United States.</p><p>Funeral services are set for Wednesday in Savannah.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/8/93459