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Msgr. Phillp J. Reilly, who started a worldwide pro-life apostolate named the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, died November 30th at the age of 90. An unsung hero, not a celebrity priest, seemingly always in the background but spread the Helpers to six continents as he went out to the streets to bring wayward children back to God. There's a reason so many called him a "living saint" and their "spiritual father". He was this and more. Many genuinely look to Msgr Reilly as their spiritual father because he cared greatly about the person he was talking to. He made the presence of God palatable.In his presence anxieties melted, fears vanished, and you left emboldened with hope, joy and a holy energy to do God's will, and His will alone. For many years he battled with cancer most-likely contracted from countless hours under the sun doing sidewalk counseling, helping young mothers keep their babies. Towards the end of his life they had to just about fully remove his nose... a sign that he literally gave his body up for God's children. A reminder of how Jesus gave His body up upon the Cross in the greatest gift to humanity.
WATCH this Video of his 2014 Homily on Praying in Adversity:
David Beriet Founder 40 Days For Life said, Msgr. Philip J. Reilly was an early inspiration, mentor, and teacher to me when I first got started in the pro-life movement. Margaret and I spent a day with him in Brooklyn in 2001, where he taught us everything we needed to get our local pro-life efforts in Texas up and running. Several years later, we brought him to Texas to lead sidewalk counseling training and vigils, and he was always incredibly encouraging and supportive. Without Msgr. Reilly and Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, there never would have been a 40 Days for Life. May God grant him eternal rest. Well done, good and faithful servant!"We go for the conversion of hearts." "We don't get overly-emotional." "We go to help the mothers." "Mom, here's a Rosary for you." "Always remain prayerful." "Always have a sense of humor." "The sky's the limit if it doesn't matter who gets the credit." "And... we keep going."
Obituary of Msgr. Philip J. Reilly. He was born on June 21, 1934 to the late Philip and Susan (nee Boylan) Reilly in Maspeth,New York. He was a loving brother to the late Frances Moore, the late Susan Sullivan, the late Anna Celentano, Joan Kerrigan and Thomas Reilly. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, and many grandnieces and grandnephews. Msgr. Reilly attended St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy in Maspeth, Cathedral Prep and College, Brooklyn, and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, New York. Msgr. held a degree in theology from The Catholic University of America, a Master’s degree in Classics from Fordham University, and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the School of Medicine of Trnava State University in Slovakia. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1960. He first served as an assistant at St. Thomas More-St. Edmund in Breezy Point, NY in 1960 and then was assigned to St. Teresa of Avila, Richmond Hill from 1960 to 1965. In 1965 he was assigned to the faculty of Cathedral Preparatory Seminary where he would serve as Professor of Latin, Prefect of Discipline, and Academic Dean for 19 years. He was named Rector/Principal in 1984 and served there until 1991. He then was assigned Chaplain forthe Sister Adorers of the Most Precious Blood at the Monastery of the Most Precious Blood in Brooklyn in 1991 and served there until 2019. He retired to the Immaculate Conception Residence for Retired Priests in 2019 and was placed under the care of the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm in Ozanam Nursing Home after a fall in 2021.Msgr. Reilly’s heart was never far from the poor and marginalized. Since his ordination he was actively involved in many apostolic programs and charities including Bread for the World, the Naim Ministry for Widows and Widowers, Catholic Relief Services, and Natural Family Planning. In the mid-1960s with the rise of the movement to legalize contraception and later abortion Msgr. realized that if the right to life is not respected, all other programs, however well intended, are secondary to protecting life particularly at its earliest stages. As a result, Msgr. was at the forefront of almost every aspect of the pro-life movement.
In the late 1960s Msgr. Reilly began involved in lobbying efforts in New York State to prevent the legalization of abortion. When, in 1970, a law was passed legalizing abortionin New York State, he spent the better part of the next two years organizing pickets, demonstrations, and lobbying efforts to repeal the law. In 1974 Msgr. helped to organized the first National March for Life in Washington, DC the year following the Roe vs. Wade decision. In 1975 he began conducting all night prayer vigils in the Archdiocese of New York with the blessing of the Servant of God Terrance Cardinal Cooke. 1978 he took part in the first 100 mile walk for life through the desert in Death Valley, California. The theme was “Which way America? Into or Out of the Valley of Death?”. From May 1988 to September 1989 he participated in the National Rescue Movement which sought to save unborn children by blocking the doors of abortion facilities.
Proving his fearlessness, he was arrested on more than one occasion for these activities. Realizing that confrontation was becoming ineffective, in October of 1989 he, along with others, founded The Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, a pro-life apostolate which teaches a non-confrontational approach to abortion minded individuals and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a loving and prayerful presence outside of abortion mills. In June 1992 he persuaded John Cardinal O’Connor to lead a prayer vigil in midtown Manhattan which attracted well over 2,500 prayers and a large number of protestors. Reports on this vigil were carried by the three major television networks at the time and all major newspapers in New York. Thefacility that Cardinal O’Connor prayed in front of that day is now closed. In fact, over 25 abortion mills in the New York City area have closed after Helpers vigils. Cardinal O’Connor would later ask Msgr. to help him in starting the order of the Sisters of Life, which Msgr. was asked to teach and provide formation for this new order. At the time of Msgr. Reilly’s death there are Helpers chapters in over 40 states in the US and on 5 continents.
Source: https://www.kearnsfamily.com/obituaries/Philip-J-Reilly?obId=33948798
https://prolifehero.com/
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