The whole of our Passionist Community and many friends were shocked to learn of the sudden death of Fr John Pearce CP on Sunday May 5th.
In the past couple of years, Fr John has been a member of the Passionist Community in Blenheim, New Zealand, where he was very content and happy. Previously, his main appointments were as Parish Priest at St Brigid’s Marrickville and St Paul the Apostle, Endeavour Hills.
John was born on July 6, 1950 and made his Passionist Profession on January 9, 1971 and was Ordained a Passionist Priest on February 28, 1976.
On the morning of his passing, we are told that he had given a great homily at mass and people really responded. He then went to visit a religious sister in the hospital and went on to the airport to go to a Rome meeting. He was on the plane as it taxied when he (presumably) had a heart attack. There was a doctor on board and he worked on him and as the plane had not taken off. It returned to the gate and John was taken to hospital, but there was nothing anyone could do. He died mid-afternoon on Sunday.
He will certainly be missed but we know he is one with God now and like Peter, in the gospel that John preached earlier that morning, John can now be saying ‘yes, Lord I love you’ face to face.
We pray for the repose of his soul; may he rest in the peace of the Lord.