Monthly Archives: May 2025

Image source from Jesuits Ireland

Material distilled from Jesuits Ireland

First of all… Fr. John Sullivan “Santo Subito!”. For if there is anyone in Ireland that meets the criteria for canonisation, it is Fr. Sullivan. All other potentials, be they Frank Duff, Fr. Peyton or Fr. Willie Doyle maybe worthy causes, but Fr. John Sullivan has attested miracles on tap! What more do we need. Lets look at his story.

John Sullivan was born into a wealthy Protestant family in 1861 at Eccles Street, Dublin 8. His mother Elizabeth was a Catholic from Cork, and his father Edward was a protestant. The norm in those times for mixed marriages was to have the boys follow their father’s religion while the girls followed their mother’s. Thus John was baptised in the Church of Ireland parish of St. George on Temple Street. The family moved to Fitzwilliam Place, where they were to remain. Edward became Lord Chancellor and the family lived very comfortably.

In 1872, John went to Portora Royal School, Enniskillen. His name is inscribed on the Royal Scholars Honours Board in Steele Hall. After Portora, he went to Trinity College, Dublin, where he was awarded the Gold Medal in the study of Classics in 1885.

At the same time, John stopped attending church after the sudden death of his father. He lived comfortably from his inheritance, and was a likeable character. He was filled with out doors activities from cycling to mountaineering. He made important friends and was considered wise in judgement even in political circles. The women saw in him an elegible bacholar.

Nobody suspected his strong interior religious inclinations. He had a great love for the story of the conversion of St. Augustine. He had a growing like for the Catholic faith, that while hidden from public, did reveal itself from time to time while away in Kerry. He took an interest in Butlers lives of the Saints. In December 1896, at the age of 35, John was recieved into the Catholic Church in Farm Street, London. On learning this, his family were shell shocked, as they had no idea of his spiritual inclinations. For all intensive puroposes, John was a good ole boy, and a model protestant. Among the protestant community, there were mixed views, from anger to acceptance.

John’s life was to change as he became more active in his faith, doing good works and becoming more penetential. He volunteered some time to hospital and hospice visits, and helping the religious sisters at the convents. He was not shy of doing domestic work. John worked hard, even into the night.

In 1900 John entered the Jesuit novitiate in Tullabeg, Co. Offaly. His novitiate, lasted two years when he then took his first vows before going to St. Mary’s Hall, Stonyhurst College, England for further studies. He took his mothers crucifix as his vow crucifix, and this was be used as part of his healing ministry. In 1904 John Sullivan returned to Ireland, and went to Milltown Park for further studies. By 1907 Joh was ordained a priest. Shortly afterwards, he paid a visit to the Royal Hospital for Incurables, at Donnybrook. John gave many patients his blessing. He was visited a female patient, suffering from lupus in the head. She was already selected to be placed in a mental hospital. He prayed with the female patient for a good while. The next day her mind was completely restored of her mental health.

John was soon afterwards appointed to the staff in Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare, and it was here he was to spend the bulk of the rest of his life. The school marked a new chapter in his life.

He was not knowing for his teaching ability, but rather for his clever sensitivity when students were not engaging in educational activity. He was considered a good sport, by students who recognised their narrow escapes from trouble. He would remind them on moments where they had a close brush up with a stern teacher, that they should use their wit to do something useful and good, instead of engaging in useless mischief. Such timely advice gave the students a sense of shame, with a chance to remedy themselves. Fr. Sullivan was an ascetic priest, He would sleep on the floor, deny himself a full sleep, ate simple food, put stones in his boots, he prayed often.

He often attended the sick around Clongowes college, by foot or bicycle. He would visit hospitals, and send letters of consolation. He often heard confessions by the church near Clongowes. People came a great distant to confess their sins. People trusted in the power of his intercessory prayers, and many cure have been attributed to him.

An extraordinary case is recorded whereby a religious sister who suffered a serious accident resulting the need for amputation. A letter was sent to Fr. Sullivan, explaining her grave condition, and about a fever and delirium which had taken hold. The post the next morning at Clongowes, and Fr. John cycled twenty miles to the hospital that afternoon. He sought for the patient’s room and gave him­self to prayer by her bedside. After a some lenght, the nun’s restless tossing quietened, and the delirium ceased.

Fr Sullivan’s was gifted with prescience. One example, was of a daughter of a local family situated near Clongowes. Her father was at an advanced aged and had been sick for some time, but nothing that seemed life threatening. Fr Sullivan called over to the family unexpectedly surprising them when he asked to see the ailing father privately in his room, pre­sumably for confession. The family would hear Fr. Sullivan parting words saying, ‘My good man, you will be with God tonight.’ The father died peacefully very soon after.

Fr Sullivan was rector of Rathfarnham Castle from 1919. It was a place of eupllementary studies for Jesuits attending college. This era of Fr. John’s life was politically fraught, as Ireland wrestled its freedom from British Rule. Rathfarnham castle would through no fault of his own, be raided by the Black & Tans. It was while at Rathfarnham, Fr. John could meet his siblings regularly.

As the new independent Ireland emerged, Fr. John returned to Clongowes as a member of the teaching staff with the task of forming new leaders for the country. Kevin O’Higgins was one such student who later as a political leader, he was assassinated in 1927, sending shock waves around the country.

In 1928, a nephew of the assassinated general Michael Collins, by the same name, required the prayers of Fr. Sullivan. The infant Michael, suffered  infant­ile paralysis, with his leg bent as he suffered intense pain. Young Michael’s mother, Mrs Collins,  received a postcard from Fr Sullivan stating that he visited her child Michael who was by now going home and well. The nun at the hospital had taken the infant out of bed, and to her astonishment he kicked his leg while bathing him, as he appeared now quite normal. His trouble never recurred.

Another well attested ‘cures’ happned over the Christmas of 1932, just before Fr. Sullivan died. A young married woman suffered from vomiting. She could not re­tain  food and became emaciated. Her condition beame grave, and she received anointing of the sick prior to Christmas. By the 22nd December, she was losing consciousness when Fr. Sullivan was brought in to pray for her. The young woman seemed reluctant for any spiritual consolation. After Fr. Sullivan’s prayers, she regained some strength. On Christmas Eve, she managed to eat and retain her food. By Christmas day she was eating turkey and ham. Her doctor could not believe it, as she completely recovered.

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