Early life

Patrick O'Reilly was born on December 24, 1833,^[1] in Cavan, Ireland, the son of Philip and Mary Conaty O'Reilly. The family immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts,. He attended St. Charles's College in Ellicott City, Maryland to study classics, then studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland.^[2]

Bishop of Springfield

Pope Pius IX appointed O'Reilly as the first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Springfield on June 18, 1870. ^[4] He was consecrated on September 25, 1870, by Cardinal John McCloskey, the youngest bishop in the United States at age 37.^[2]

During his time as bishop, the Catholic population of the diocese increased from 90,000 to 200,000; its priests from 43 to 196; its religious women from 12 to 321. O'Reilly laid the cornerstones of nearly 100 church, school or buildings. The hospital of the Sisters of Providence of Holyoke and the orphanages at Holyoke, Massachusetts, and Worcester, Massachusetts, were begun during his administration.^[3] O'Reilly persuaded the Sisters of Charity and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to set up congregations in the diocese. Mercy Hospital in Springfield developed from a Holyoke mission of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul.^[5]

According to author Stephen Kiltonic, O'Reilly was described as tall with "very kind gray eyes that would twinkle with humor". "The old folks, who remember him, speak of his quiet but convincing eloquence, his constant affability and kindness, his abiding trust in God that, to every cloud, gave a silver lining."^[6] Author William Byrne described O'Reilly as a supportive manager of his priests, allowing them to make decisions on their own.^[2]

Patrick O’Reilly died in Springfield of nephritis on May 28, 1892; businesses in Springfield closed for the day.^[1] He was buried in the vault below St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield.