Bishop Sullivan laid to rest

The Most Reverend Joseph M. Sullivan, a retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, was laid to rest after a funeral mass held at St. Ephrem’s on Wednesday, June 12.

Sullivan passed away on June 7 after being injured in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway on May 30 in Syosset, New York.

“We mourn the passing of Bishop Joseph Sullivan,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. “During his tenure, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens became a nationally recognized provider of social services. Even in retirement, Bishop Joe continued to serve on many boards for Catholic hospitals and health institutions. He epitomized the best of our Church’s teaching and the fundamental option for the poor. He was an outstanding priest.”

The Brooklynite attended St. Ephrem’s elementary school, and St. Michael’s Diocesan High School. He was ordained in 1956 by Archbishop Thomas E. Molloy in St. James Cathedral in Brooklyn. He has served on many human services board on the national, state, and local level, including chairmanship of the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens.

Borough President Marty Markowitz shared kind words about Sullivan. “All of Brooklyn joins me today in mourning the passing of Bishop Joseph Sullivan. Bishop Sullivan was not just a spiritual leader to Catholics in the Diocese—he set an example for followers of all faiths and creeds,” he said. “I was honored to know him and look to him, as did many elected officials, for guidance and insight throughout my career. Bishop Sullivan was Brooklyn’s spiritual Borough President whose leadership in the faith community cannot be overstated, and he leaves an enduring legacy of compassion and charity. My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family as we remember not just a great Brooklynite but a truly great man.”

Sullivan was waked at McLaughlin & Sons Funeral Home on June 10 and 11. He was buried at St. John’s Cemetery in Queens.