CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF FARGO MOURNS DEATH OF
BISHOP EMERITUS JAMES SULLIVAN
June 12, 2006
It is with deep sadness that the Church of Fargo
announces the death of our beloved Bishop Emeritus James Stephen Sullivan.
Bishop Sullivan died the morning of June 12, 2006 at Rosewood on Broadway in Fargo. His death was
brought about by complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Bishop Sullivan was appointed Bishop of Fargo on April 2, 1985, and was
installed on May 30 of that year. He succeeded Bishop Justin A. Driscoll, who
died Nov. 19, 1984.
Bishop Sullivan retired on March 18, 2002, and resided at the rectory of Holy
Spirit Catholic Church in north Fargo, until moving to Rosewood on Broadway in
the Spring of 2006.
“Bishop Sullivan was a man of deep faith in God and commitment to the real
presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,” said Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, bishop of
the Diocese of Fargo. “His devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus
Christ, inspired much of his work both inside and outside of the Diocese of
Fargo. He was a strong spiritual leader for the Catholic faithful and a loving
father figure to the men who served as priests of the Diocese.”
Obituary of MOST REV. JAMES S. SULLIVAN, D.D.
BISHOP EMERITUS, DIOCESE OF FARGO
James Stephen Sullivan was born July 23, 1929, in Kalamazoo, MI,
the son of Stephen and Dorothy (Bernier) Sullivan. He attended St. Augustine
Elementary School in Kalamazoo and attended high school and two years of college
at St. Joseph Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Sacred Heart Seminary in
Detroit in 1951, then entered St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, MI,
where he received his theological training. He was ordained to the priesthood by
Bishop Joseph H. Albers on June 4, 1955, in Lansing, MI. He served as a parish
priest in Flint, Lansing and St. Joseph, all in Michigan. He served as secretary
for Bishop Albers and Bishop Alexander Zaleski, then served as Assistant
Chancellor and Vicar General to Bishop Zaleski, with additional assignments as
Vocations Director and Founder of Liturgical Publications in Lansing.
On Sept. 21, 1972, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Sicessi and Auxiliary
Bishop of Lansing. On April 2, 1985, he was appointed Bishop of Fargo and was
installed as the sixth Bishop of Fargo on May 30, 1985.
Bishop Sullivan served as Episcopal Liaison for the Cursillo Movement in the
United States, as President of the World Apostolate of Fatima and Episcopal
Liaison to the Catholic Marketing Association. He also served on the advisory
board of Catholics United for the Faith and several committees of the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Within the Fargo Diocese, Bishop Sullivan oversaw the formation of the Fargo
Catholic Schools Network and instituted the Opening Doors, Opening Hearts
program of evangelization. He saw to the funding of the Priest Pension Plan
through the Shepherd’s Care Campaign and improved the financial condition of the
diocese and parishes. In 1992, he began the diocese’s Annual Walk with Christ
for Life, a peaceful procession of prayer for an end to abortion. In 1993, he
was chosen by Pope John Paul II as one of the priests to address the
English-speaking youth attending World Youth Day in Denver, CO.
Bishop Sullivan retired on March 18, 2002, and resided at the rectory at Holy
Spirit Catholic Church in Fargo before moving to Rosewood on Broadway (Nursing
Home) in Spring 2006.
Surviving are three sisters, Barbara Jean Sullivan, Sister Marilyn Sullivan and
Rosemary Barnum, all of Kalamazoo; two nephews, Stephen (Galyn) Barnum and their
children, Trevor and Tyler, and James (Kris) Barnum and their children, Stephen
and Ashley, all of Kalamazoo; and numerous brother priests. He was preceded in
death by his parents, Stephen and Dorothy Sullivan, and his brother-in-law, Ted
Barnum.
Reception of the body: Thursday at 1 p.m., Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
Visitation: Thursday, 1 to 9 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Mary; and
Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Fargo.
Vigil service: Friday at 7 p.m., Cathedral of St. Mary
All-night Vigil Visitation: Friday at 9 p.m. continuing until 9 a.m.
Saturday.
Funeral Mass: Saturday at 10:30 a.m., Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo.
Memorials
In lieu of flowers, Bishop Sullivan’s memory can be honored through gifts to
scholarships in his name, sent to Mary Mother of Seminarians Scholarship --
Bishop James S. Sullivan, Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd, Suite A,
Fargo, ND 58104-7605 or Bishop James S. Sullivan Memorial Scholarship,
Fargo Catholic Schools Network Foundation, 5201 Bishops Blvd, Suite A, Fargo, ND
58104-7605.
The Diocese of Fargo seminarian scholarship fund supports candidates to the
priesthood who are attending Cardinal Muench Seminary and completing required
major seminary theology education. The Fargo Catholic Schools Network Foundation
scholarship supports children attending Catholic schools in Fargo, including
Sullivan Middle School, named for Bishop Sullivan.
To read the press release regarding Bishop Sullivan's death,
click
here.
To read more on Bishop James Sullivan's life,
check out the stories from the July/August New Earth.
Click here.
Download a high resolution photo of Bishop Emeritus Sullivan by
clicking here.
To read about Bishop Sullivan's Golden Jubilee celebrated in
2005,
click here.
