"All I ever ask is that you remember me as loving you"

Remembering Father Jim Farrell

Fr. Jim Farrell, C.Ss.R., a native of Portland, OR, died June 11, 2009 from brain cancer at Providence Hospital in Portland. Fr. Jim was 79 years old.

Fr. Jim was surrounded by his siblings and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by sisters: Jessie Spencer (Spouse Harry), Lillian Mae, Mary Ellen Ward, Sharon, and brothers: Bernard (Bud) (Spouse Betty- still living), Ron (Spouse Betty- deceased), Bob, Joe (Spouse Joyce- still living), and Leonard (Spouse Barbara- still living). He is survived by Bernadine, Fred (Spouse Jean- deceased), & Larry (Spouse Nancy).

Jim Farrell was born March 14, 1930 in Portland, OR, one of 13 children. He made his first profession August 2, 1951, his final profession on September 2, 1954, and was ordained a Redemptorist priest on July 2, 1956. Fr. Jim’s first assignment was at Holy Redeemer Parish in Portland, where he served as parish priest from 1958 until 1962. The following year he would go to Whittier, CA to serve as parish priest at St. Mary of the Assumption parish.

Fr. Jim would spend the next 40 years or so in California serving as a missionary in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, except for the six years, from 1972 to 1978, he spent in Cortaro, AZ as the local superior and director of the Picture Rocks Retreat House. He returned to his beloved Holy Redeemer Parish in Portland in 1987 to serve as a missionary there until 1993. After 40-plus years on the road as an itinerant preacher, Fr. Jim retired in June of 2007 to Hofbauer House in Berkeley.

Jim’s love of family and neighbors as he grew up increased in scope as he followed his vocation and love of his newly acquired Redemptorist family. Through the rest of his priestly life, love of all families of God and his help in bringing all humanity to God was his mission in life.

One of Fr. Jim’s special loves was the St. Anne’s novena to “Good St. Anne,” held every year at St. Anne of the Sunset Church in San Francisco. The novena service is in its 102nd year; Redemptorists have been conducting the novena there since 1914.

You can make a donation to the Fr. Jim Farrell Fund by visiting the Donate page.

For a good-will offering, we would be happy to mail you a copy of this beautiful CD, Remembering Father Jim. All gifts will be applied to our formation programs. Please make your gift payable to the Redemptorists of the Denver Province and mail it to the attention of Sheila Drumm at 1230 South Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231. Thank you.