Thomas J. Quinlan
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Thomas J. Quinlan (born April 23, 1929) was a Roman Catholic priest
of the Richmond diocese
.
. He subsequently served at:
Father Quinlan was also the president of the priest senate in the Richmond diocese.
On May 19, 2008, Father Quinlan, along with Msgr. Thomas Carluzza and Father Robert J. McEleney, celebrated their Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood). Golden Jubilee Thousands of parishioners (from previous parishes and his then current parish) attended T.Q.'s Golden Jubilee Mass on May 11. Because so many people expressed an interest in joining T.Q. for this celebration, and because there simply wasn't enough room inside the church to accommodate everyone, Mass was held outside under a large tent.
Throughout his entire career as a Catholic Priest, T.Q. has emphasized the importance of caring for the poor, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. At his prior assignment, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, he founded a thrift shop in Poquoson, VA to specifically help the poor.
Father Quinlan is known for his "wake up" approach to teaching the Gospel and the message of Jesus Christ. His homilies tend to spark lively discussion within the communities he served. His style and approach to getting people involved in the Church and in the community, have occasionally generated interest in the media. PETA met its match!!!
A collection of Homilies, conversations, and references to T.Q. can be found here: T.Q. - Reverend Thomas J. Quinlan
As a retired priest, T.Q. continues his ministry of serving the sick, the poor and others in need.
retired Father Quinlan in June, 2005 from service at Holy Family in Virginia Beach. A Christmas Eve
homily, which made references to Mary's
birth canal, offended some members of the parish and was reported to Bishop DiLorenzo.
While Father Quinlan's homiletic language can be described as "salty" or "earthy," there were some instances of avant garde liturgical celebrations. According to local newspapers, Father Quinlan drove a Volkswagen down the aisle during a Palm Sunday
procession at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. At another Palm Sunday Mass, "T.Q" drove a three-ton forklift down the center aisle at The Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk VA. Jet Magazine, August 18, 1977 The "yellow brick road" imagery was a metaphor for Jesus' pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Father Quinlan occasionally costumed himself as The Grinch
or as Superman
at the beginning of a Mass
. Another endeavor included a psychedelic
Mass with lighting effects. While some parishioners and visitors had difficulty relating to the style and messages delivered by T.Q, over time, Father Quinlan developed a strong and loyal following.
Some of TQ's issues were not related to his colorful character, but to the fact he was an alcoholic who occasionally fell off the wagon. While some of his style could be offensive to some overly sensitive parishioners it was hard to tolerate him strolling into mass naked, drunk and chain smoking. He is a brilliant mind and there are few scholars of the Catholic Church who could match his knowledge of Church history. However, he could also be an over-bearing and condescending individual.
On 30 January 2006, The Catholic Virginian (the official newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond), printed the following regarding Fr. Quinlan:
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of the Richmond diocese
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
.
Career
Father Quinlan was ordained priest on May 1, 1958, and was named a curate at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. He subsequently served at:
- Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in AlexandriaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
(05/22/58 - 01/26/63) - Associate Pastor - Assumption Parish in Keyser, West Virginia (01/27/63 - 08/15/63) - Associate Pastor
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
(08/16/63 - 05/31/68) - Associate Pastor - Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Covington, VirginiaCovington, VirginiaCovington is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia, located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek. It is in Alleghany County where it is also the county seat. The population was 5,961 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Covington with Alleghany...
(01/01/68 - 12/06/68) - Pastor - St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Newport NewsNewport News, VirginiaNewport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
(12/07/68 - 07/26/71) - Pastor - Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Mount Vernon, Virginia AlexandriaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
(07/27/71 - 09/03/74) - Pastor - Basilica of Saint Mary of the Immaculate ConceptionBasilica of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Norfolk)The community began in 1791 as Saint Patrick Church with French Catholics fleeing the French Revolution and some of the earliest Irish Catholic immigrants to the United States as its first members. St...
in NorfolkNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
(10/01/74 - 06/01/85) - Pastor - Sabbatical and Runaway from the Bishop (06/01/85 - 05/25/86)
- St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church in TabbTabb, VirginiaTabb is an unincorporated community in York County, Virginia, United States, on the Virginia Peninsula. Major roads include U.S. Route 17 and State Route 134 ....
(05/26/86 - 06/11/00) - Founding Pastor - Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach (06/12/00 - 06/13/05) - Pastor
Father Quinlan was also the president of the priest senate in the Richmond diocese.
On May 19, 2008, Father Quinlan, along with Msgr. Thomas Carluzza and Father Robert J. McEleney, celebrated their Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood). Golden Jubilee Thousands of parishioners (from previous parishes and his then current parish) attended T.Q.'s Golden Jubilee Mass on May 11. Because so many people expressed an interest in joining T.Q. for this celebration, and because there simply wasn't enough room inside the church to accommodate everyone, Mass was held outside under a large tent.
Throughout his entire career as a Catholic Priest, T.Q. has emphasized the importance of caring for the poor, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. At his prior assignment, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, he founded a thrift shop in Poquoson, VA to specifically help the poor.
Father Quinlan is known for his "wake up" approach to teaching the Gospel and the message of Jesus Christ. His homilies tend to spark lively discussion within the communities he served. His style and approach to getting people involved in the Church and in the community, have occasionally generated interest in the media. PETA met its match!!!
A collection of Homilies, conversations, and references to T.Q. can be found here: T.Q. - Reverend Thomas J. Quinlan
As a retired priest, T.Q. continues his ministry of serving the sick, the poor and others in need.
Controversy
The Bishop of Richmond, Francis X. DiLorenzoFrancis X. DiLorenzo
Francis Xavier DiLorenzo is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii, and is currently the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia.-Early life and career:...
retired Father Quinlan in June, 2005 from service at Holy Family in Virginia Beach. A Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
homily, which made references to Mary's
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
birth canal, offended some members of the parish and was reported to Bishop DiLorenzo.
While Father Quinlan's homiletic language can be described as "salty" or "earthy," there were some instances of avant garde liturgical celebrations. According to local newspapers, Father Quinlan drove a Volkswagen down the aisle during a Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
procession at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. At another Palm Sunday Mass, "T.Q" drove a three-ton forklift down the center aisle at The Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk VA. Jet Magazine, August 18, 1977 The "yellow brick road" imagery was a metaphor for Jesus' pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Father Quinlan occasionally costumed himself as The Grinch
The Grinch
The Grinch is a fictional character created by Dr. Seuss. He first appeared as the main protagonist in the 1957 children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!...
or as Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
at the beginning of a Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
. Another endeavor included a psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
Mass with lighting effects. While some parishioners and visitors had difficulty relating to the style and messages delivered by T.Q, over time, Father Quinlan developed a strong and loyal following.
Some of TQ's issues were not related to his colorful character, but to the fact he was an alcoholic who occasionally fell off the wagon. While some of his style could be offensive to some overly sensitive parishioners it was hard to tolerate him strolling into mass naked, drunk and chain smoking. He is a brilliant mind and there are few scholars of the Catholic Church who could match his knowledge of Church history. However, he could also be an over-bearing and condescending individual.
On 30 January 2006, The Catholic Virginian (the official newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond), printed the following regarding Fr. Quinlan:
"The Rev. Thomas Quinlan, a retired priest of the Diocese of Richmond, can no longer celebrate the sacraments publicly. He can celebrate Mass privately. Bishop DiLorenzo said he took this action as a response to Father Quinlan's behavior that has 'engendered anxiety and emotional upset which interferes with an individual's religious experience.'"