Archdiocese mourns Father Kirk Ullery

Father Kirk Ullery is pictured at an 80th birthday Mass in his honor on Jan. 18, 2014, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in San Francisco. (Photo by Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)

June 21, 2020
Catholic San Francisco
 
Father Kirk Ullery, former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in San Francisco, died June 19 at Marin General Hospital at age 86, the Archdiocese of San Francisco announced. He had been struggling with his health in recent weeks at the hospital, following a slow decline at Nazareth House in San Rafael.
 
Born in Pittsburgh on Jan. 21, 1934, he was raised by Rosalie C. (Foster) and James E. Ullery, and attended Cathedral Grammar School in Altoona, Pennsylvania, through the sixth grade. Following a move to the Bronx, he completed his elementary school years at St. Gabriel School, and Cardinal Hayes High School, before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree at St. John’s University College in Queens.
 
Returning from service in the U.S. Army in Germany, Kirk entered San Luis Rey College in San Luis Rey, California, and went on to study for the priesthood at San Miguel Mission in San Miguel and the Franciscan Theologate in Santa Barbara. He was ordained for the Franciscans on December 18, 1965 by then-Archbishop Timothy Manning in Santa Barbara.
 
Father Ullery was assigned initially as chaplain at San Joaquin General Hospital, followed by two years on the faculty of St. Mary’s High School, both in Stockton. He then took up doctoral studies in English and drama at University of the Pacific in Stockton. Before completing his degree, he accepted an assignment at the Franciscan House of Formation in San Francisco. He took a leave of absence from the Franciscans in the 1970s, and for several years, served on the faculty of San Francisco Community College, teaching reading and basic education to adults.
 
He applied to the Archdiocese of San Francisco and was accepted by Archbishop John Quinn for ministry at St. Michael Parish in June 1979. After three years, he was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral, followed by a parochial vicar appointment at St. Edward Parish in San Francisco. He was incardinated into the Archdiocese on Oct. 30, 1984.
 
In 1991, he was assigned as Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Nearby All Hallows Church was closed two years later and was joined to Our Lady of Lourdes in 1997 under his leadership.

For more than 30 years beginning in the 1980s, Father Ullery served as chaplain to Handicapables (now known as Breaking Bread with Hope), which offers brings adults with disabilities together for Mass and fellowship each month. 

He retired on July 1, 2005, and lived independently for several years in the Mission.
 
From December 2009 until May 15, 2010, he came out of retirement to serve as administrator of St. Boniface Parish. He remained closely connected to the parish, before and after. For 10 years, he volunteered his time with the Gubbio Project, which, in collaboration with St. Boniface Church, provides hospitality and outreach to men and women seeking refuge from San Francisco streets during daytime hours.
 
For many years, he also celebrated Mass and volunteered his time at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in San Francisco. At Father Ken Westray’s invitation, he took up residence at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in 2016, and after two years, as his health was beginning to suffer, he moved to Nazareth House.
 
Father Ullery was the eldest in his family, and is survived by his brothers John and James, and his sister, Harriet. He is predeceased by his brother Thomas.
 
The funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, June 23, 11 a.m., at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 2320 Green St., San Francisco. The funeral will also be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintvincents.
 
Letters of condolence may be sent to the family as follows: Harriet Buckman, 249 Mulberry St.,
Naugatuck, CT 06770.