In Memory of Reverend Father Edward M . Gaffney, OP

Reverend Father Edward M. Gaffney, OP was called Home to God to receive the Crown of life on Monday, January 27, 2020 after a long and fruitful life of Dominican Priestly ministry. He was born on April 8, 1921 in Newark, NJ to Rose Crawford ad Edward Powell Gaffney, Sr. He entered the Order of Preachers in 1942 and was ordained on June 9, 1949 in Washington, DC.

Throughout his 71 years of priesthood Father Gaffney served at Holy Name Priory in Philadelphia, PA, preached numerous missions as part of the Dominican Mission Band, and was Director of the Retreat Center of Springbank, SC. For seventeen years he served patriotically as Military Chaplain in the Vietnam war. Following this, he served as Prior for four terms at St Dominic's Priory in Washington, DC, was on the faculty of Mt. Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD as Professor and Spiritual Director. In 2002, he was assigned as Chaplain to the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary in Lancaster, PA., where he spent eleven happy, prayerful years until he retired to the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Father Gaffney is predeceased by a sister, Lorraine Gaffney Durkin and survived by many nieces and nephews in the West Coast. Father is mourned prayerfully by the Dominican Nuns of Lancaster and missed lovingly by the many who frequented the chapel during his time here.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St Joseph Church, 5757 State Route, NE, Somerset, OH at 11:00 AM with prior Visitation at 10:00 AM on February 8, 2020 The Very Reverend Kenneth Letoile, OP, Provincial is Celebrant. Burial will follow with Military honors. Luncheon to follow at Parish hall.