A native of Fremont, Nebraska, Monsignor Dennis Patrick O'Neil was the first of ten children born to Robert and Patricia O'Neil, who later moved to Montrose, California. Though O'Neil was reared Catholic, he was the great-grandson of one of the highest ranking officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-1800's, George Quayle Cannon. Cannon was a friend and confidant of church President and Prophet Brigham Young.
Ordained priest in 1966 after attending St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, he spent a large part of his priesthood ministering to immigrants and to the poor in California and Alaska. In the 1970's, he worked extensively with Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles and Orange counties who had fled to the United States after the Vietnam War. In the early 1980's, he was a missionary in the Diocese of Juneau, serving an area from Ketchikan to Skagway.
After returning to Los Angeles in 1984, O'Neil became pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in the Pico-Union district, where he encouraged door-to-door evangelization and small group meetings to reach out to Central American immigrants. He spoke fluent Spanish.
Working with immigrants and the poor continued to be a focus of O'Neil's ministry after he became Auxiliary Bishop of the sprawling Diocese of San Bernardino in 2001, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Macon on March 27 that year from Bishop Gerald Richard Barnes, assisted by Bishops Gabino Zavala and Stephen Edward Blaire.
He died suddenly two years later at the age of 63, of an apparent heart attack. His body was found in a kneeling position next to his bedside, as if he had been in prayer at the time of his death by a Catholic sister who had been sent to his home, the rectory at Christ the Redeemer church in Grand Terrace, near Colton, after the Bishop failed to show up to celebrate Mass. He had apparently died sometime after returning home following dinner Friday with friends.
Viewing, vigil service and funeral mass were held at St. Paul the Apostle church in Chino Hills, where he was consecrated bishop. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and Msgr. Gerald T. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino, led the concelebrated Mass. Interment followed at at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino.
Ordained priest in 1966 after attending St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, he spent a large part of his priesthood ministering to immigrants and to the poor in California and Alaska. In the 1970's, he worked extensively with Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles and Orange counties who had fled to the United States after the Vietnam War. In the early 1980's, he was a missionary in the Diocese of Juneau, serving an area from Ketchikan to Skagway.
After returning to Los Angeles in 1984, O'Neil became pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in the Pico-Union district, where he encouraged door-to-door evangelization and small group meetings to reach out to Central American immigrants. He spoke fluent Spanish.
Working with immigrants and the poor continued to be a focus of O'Neil's ministry after he became Auxiliary Bishop of the sprawling Diocese of San Bernardino in 2001, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Macon on March 27 that year from Bishop Gerald Richard Barnes, assisted by Bishops Gabino Zavala and Stephen Edward Blaire.
He died suddenly two years later at the age of 63, of an apparent heart attack. His body was found in a kneeling position next to his bedside, as if he had been in prayer at the time of his death by a Catholic sister who had been sent to his home, the rectory at Christ the Redeemer church in Grand Terrace, near Colton, after the Bishop failed to show up to celebrate Mass. He had apparently died sometime after returning home following dinner Friday with friends.
Viewing, vigil service and funeral mass were held at St. Paul the Apostle church in Chino Hills, where he was consecrated bishop. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and Msgr. Gerald T. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino, led the concelebrated Mass. Interment followed at at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino.
A native of Fremont, Nebraska, Monsignor Dennis Patrick O'Neil was the first of ten children born to Robert and Patricia O'Neil, who later moved to Montrose, California. Though O'Neil was reared Catholic, he was the great-grandson of one of the highest ranking officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-1800's, George Quayle Cannon. Cannon was a friend and confidant of church President and Prophet Brigham Young.
Ordained priest in 1966 after attending St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, he spent a large part of his priesthood ministering to immigrants and to the poor in California and Alaska. In the 1970's, he worked extensively with Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles and Orange counties who had fled to the United States after the Vietnam War. In the early 1980's, he was a missionary in the Diocese of Juneau, serving an area from Ketchikan to Skagway.
After returning to Los Angeles in 1984, O'Neil became pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in the Pico-Union district, where he encouraged door-to-door evangelization and small group meetings to reach out to Central American immigrants. He spoke fluent Spanish.
Working with immigrants and the poor continued to be a focus of O'Neil's ministry after he became Auxiliary Bishop of the sprawling Diocese of San Bernardino in 2001, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Macon on March 27 that year from Bishop Gerald Richard Barnes, assisted by Bishops Gabino Zavala and Stephen Edward Blaire.
He died suddenly two years later at the age of 63, of an apparent heart attack. His body was found in a kneeling position next to his bedside, as if he had been in prayer at the time of his death by a Catholic sister who had been sent to his home, the rectory at Christ the Redeemer church in Grand Terrace, near Colton, after the Bishop failed to show up to celebrate Mass. He had apparently died sometime after returning home following dinner Friday with friends.
Viewing, vigil service and funeral mass were held at St. Paul the Apostle church in Chino Hills, where he was consecrated bishop. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and Msgr. Gerald T. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino, led the concelebrated Mass. Interment followed at at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino.
Ordained priest in 1966 after attending St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, he spent a large part of his priesthood ministering to immigrants and to the poor in California and Alaska. In the 1970's, he worked extensively with Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles and Orange counties who had fled to the United States after the Vietnam War. In the early 1980's, he was a missionary in the Diocese of Juneau, serving an area from Ketchikan to Skagway.
After returning to Los Angeles in 1984, O'Neil became pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in the Pico-Union district, where he encouraged door-to-door evangelization and small group meetings to reach out to Central American immigrants. He spoke fluent Spanish.
Working with immigrants and the poor continued to be a focus of O'Neil's ministry after he became Auxiliary Bishop of the sprawling Diocese of San Bernardino in 2001, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Macon on March 27 that year from Bishop Gerald Richard Barnes, assisted by Bishops Gabino Zavala and Stephen Edward Blaire.
He died suddenly two years later at the age of 63, of an apparent heart attack. His body was found in a kneeling position next to his bedside, as if he had been in prayer at the time of his death by a Catholic sister who had been sent to his home, the rectory at Christ the Redeemer church in Grand Terrace, near Colton, after the Bishop failed to show up to celebrate Mass. He had apparently died sometime after returning home following dinner Friday with friends.
Viewing, vigil service and funeral mass were held at St. Paul the Apostle church in Chino Hills, where he was consecrated bishop. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and Msgr. Gerald T. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino, led the concelebrated Mass. Interment followed at at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino.
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