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PASSINGS
Fr. Anthony Gurnell 1929-2007
Fr. Anthony Gurnell, who led St. Joseph 's Parish in Cayucos from 1995 to 2003, died on July 5, 2007. He was 78 years old. A funeral liturgy was held at St. Philomene's Church in Sacramento and a memorial mass was held at St. Joseph's Cayucos on July 19.
A native of North Esk, County Cork , Ireland , Fr. Tony was on his way to a promising career in banking having studied at Rathmines College of Commerce in Dublin and Dublin University 's Trinity College . After he had received his certificate in the Practice and Law of Banking, and before he was to accept a promotion with a major bank, he surprised even some of those closest to him and answered the call to the priesthood which had tugged at him for years.
Fr. Tony attended St. Patrick's College Seminary at Thurles , Ireland from 1958 to 1964 and was ordained in June 1964 by Archbishop Thomas Morris for the Diocese of Sacramento. After two assignments as assistant pastor he served at three locations in the Sacramento Diocese as pastor, his last pastorship at St. Patrick's Parish in Placerville from 1983 to 1994.
In search of a less demanding parish after a diagnosis of prostate cancer limited his physical energies, Fr. Tony moved from Sacramento to the Monterey Diocese and served as Administrator at Cayucos from 1995 until his retirement in 2003.
Cayucos found in Fr. Tony a pious, devout priest who poured his heart into every ministerial moment. A typical weekday morning mass would include an impressive, well prepared reflection on the readings or the saint of the day. His sincerity found a resonance in the community he led.
Fr. Tony shared a gracious Irish hospitality with collaborators and visitors. His stories of Ireland would take the listener back to a day on a boat on the sea that was so vivid one could almost feel the mists against their face. He saw God's hand in the many challenges in his priestly and personal life and now enjoys the vision of God face to face. May he rest in peace.
- KJD
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