Happy heavenly birthday Fr Jimmy. I'm currently in Rome taking in all the sights. I was at St Patrick's American Catholic Church Easter Sunday, and I prayed for you and Monsignor Anthony McGowan, my fond memories of California were rekindled. The Paulist fathers are carrying out the ministry in St Patrick's Church in Rome. I will continue to remember you in my prayers. God bless you always, Jonathan and all your family in Co. Mayo, Ireland. ☘❤

Thinking of you today, and wishing you a heavenly birthday dear friend, Fr.
Jim. We still miss you, and remember all the good times. 

Remembering your beautiful soul on your birthday today. Still miss you.

Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail beautiful memories... Remembering you Father Jim--thankful for you as Pastor of Visitation and friend to all...

Remembering you Fr Jimmy on the third anniversary of your passing. May God hold you in his loving arms and say hello to all our loved ones in heaven. From all your loving family in Ireland ☘ God bless ❤

Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.
Remembering you Father O'Grady... Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Jim. You are loved and remembered always.

Remembrance for a faithful servant of Christ, rest well Fr Jimmy, from all your relatives in Co.Mayo, Ireland ☘

Remembering our beautiful friend. Still missing you, Father Jim. You are loved and remembered.

Happy Birthday Fr Jim,
Hope my mom is making you a Stuffed Cabbage Roll dinner! We all miss you!

Happy Birthday in Heaven Fr. O’Grady. Thinking of you and missing your laugh and great sense of humor.☘️

Remembering our dear Fr. O'Grady on the anniversary of his passing on to a much better life with the Lord, the angels and his family. We miss you still Fr. Jim, and always will remember the laughter and good times with friends.
Rest in peace dear Fr., you earned it. 

Remembering a special and great man today. In our thoughts today Fr Jimmy from all your relations in Ireland. Love Jonathan and family Co. Mayo. ☘❤

On this first anniversary, missing you Father O’Grady and at the same time remembering all the special memories of our time together over the years. You were a good friend, a peoples priest and a funny and kind man. We miss you very much and have our dear memories to comfort us.
Dwyer’s ☘️

One year... remembering a great priest, great man, great friend...
Russo Family: Suzanne, Jennifer, Nicholas

Dear Father O'Grady,

You have blessed our family in so many ways over the years. The Wohlgemuth family was fortunate to experience your arrival at Visitation Church and the many years of service that followed. We also appreciate that you baptized our daughter Faith. Thank you for your caring and friendly ways. Rest in peace.

Love,
Kurt, Renee' and Faith Wohlgemuth

Dearest Father O'Grady,

How grateful I am to have known you. I will always appreciate your guidance and influence on my becoming Catholic. You were respectful of my Lutheran upbringing and you gently guided me on my path towards the Catholic Church. You also looked at the heart of a person rather than to judge them. I am proud to be Catholic. Thank you for this blessed gift. May you always rest in the Lord's peace.

Love,
Renee' Wohlgemuth

\HAPPY 87th Birthday to my dear friend, Fr. Jim. I thought of him this
morning and wished him a beautiful day with his relatives and hopefully
with the Lord on this Holy Thursday. May you always rest in peace, dear
Fr. and know we will never forget you down here.
 With love, Fran your traveling buddy.

\ 

To our uncle fr jimmy.
Sending you birthday wishes from all you have left behind here and across the the ocean.im sure your are having a great reunion with all the people that have led the way before you .until we meet again uncle Jim but not to soon we all remember you with so much fondness. Happy birthday .and stick at it.

Happy birthday in Heaven Fr. Jimmy, hope you have met up with all your loved ones. I'm sure there will be a big party up there today and I can just imagine the fun and laughter there will be when all the O'Grady's get together. 

Father Jim, was not only our pastor, but a part of our family. He married Michael and I and renewed my parents wedding vows on that day. He then baptized our son Barry, and was always available to him in and out of school. He would have dinner at our home, and had new stories to share with us about his family, priesthood, and funny ones about Msgr O'Sullivan. Fr Jim loved my mom's cabbage rolls, and she always made sure he had some every time she made them. When my mom passed he came to the house and had a beautiful prayer service, that I will never forget. My dad would go over to Fr Jim's house and tell him all about how he made his little biplanes, which one hung in his home. We feel so blest to have had the privilege of his friendship, and will miss him always. Safe in God's arms...kiss mom and dad for us!

I first met Uncle Jim in 1989. He married me and my husband Jim O'Grady, his nephew from the oldest brother. He also baptized my kids. He was always so wonderful to fly in whenever anyone in the family wished he was here to celebrate, morn, stressful times, and just for a visit. He always had a smile on his face. He told wonderful stories of his adventures from traveling around the world. He could also be just an uncle and a brother and not always be the Priest.  He always said how lucky his brother Tom and Mike were to have so much family around in times of need. He obviously had the same in his church family and friends. He had a wonderful laugh and always had kind words to say. He sent me letters over the years telling me how he felt about me and the kids. This is not an O'Grady trait. I loved when all his siblings got together because their laughter was non-stop. They spoke a secret language and told jokes only they understood. I will miss him dearly and send love to everyone else in the family here and in California and around the world. I will miss picking you up from the airport and having talks. I know you are in a beautiful place now. Love to you always.

One could never say enough about the life and love of a man consistently filled with grace. Fr. O'Grady was always so grateful for the life he lived – truly believing it was abundantly blessed with constant privilege. He was so graciously wonderful to be in the presence of and to be with. He was resistant to taking credit, he was patient and kind, consistently thinking of and thanking others. Through gentle open conversation, he had a way of helping one understand. He was not a bragger, but selfless with sharing what was on his mind, and anxious to hear what others offered – making all feel important and comfortable. He would constantly remind us that he was indispensable (but I reminded him differently!), quick to turn the attention to the goodness of others, which is what our Father O’Grady did - what gracious people do - he always found the goodness and shared it with all of us. He was and always will be my gentle giant.  Your legacy of love, goodness, and grace will live on as an example in his legacy. Thank you for the grace you shared with me and the many, my precious Father O’Grady. You have taught me for a lifetime. God Bless you. Forever in my heart.

When I heard that Fr. Jim had died my mind went back to when I first met him in September 1984. I had just started my Masters Degree course at LMU and was living with the Franciscans down town Los Angeles. I was travelling every day by bus and it was a long journey. I heard about Visitation Parish and met Fr. Jim to see if he could accomodate me . Not only did he welcome me but drove me downtown to pick up my bits and pieces. That was the beginning of three of my happiest years where I got involved in the Parish as well as my studies. Our friendship has remained all those years.

Death may end a life but not a relationship because all that we love deeply becomes a part of us. Fr. Jim, dear friend, rest in Peace and know you will never be forgotten.

Fraternally in St Francis.

Fr. Pius McLaughlin, OFM

I first met Fr. O’Grady on Easter of 1989 with my daughters Colleen and Megan. We had been going to a closer parish for a year and was virtually ignored when I decided to go to Visitation. We were in our Easter best when Fr. O’Grady came up to us in Church .. warmly welcomed us.. and asked us to bring up the gifts... It was then that I knew I was in the right place..and registered my girls for school at Visitation. Father was always so kind .. he made you want to be involved in all aspects of parish life.. and because of him .. I made life long friends and grew in my faith. My favorite memory was on a trip to Ireland where a group of us from church met up with him several times in Kiltamagh..he was such a star there and so much fun.. Our family loved you Fr. O’Grady.. my grandson is named Brady.. an anglicized version of O’ Grady.. Rest In Peace in God’s love and holy grace.

Father O'Grady was a pillar at Visitation Parish and in the community. He was loved by all because he had a kind word and smile for everyone.
He was encouraging and comforting and always remembered to ask about our grown children and how they were doing. We will always remember him in our prayers and miss his happy face.
May he rest in peace
The Bialy Family

The Rouseyrol Family
Our first meeting with Fr. James F. O’Grady took place in late October 1970. Immediately we knew that Fr. O’Grady would be our Pastor and Visitation our parish. In late 1970, Fr. O’Grady married us in a private ceremony.
Fr. O’Grady made sure that we met parishioners who would be sure to introduce us Ruth Guth (now deceased), Mary Raftery (deceased), and Bunny Cassel (deceased). Fr. O’Grady had Sister Celine (deceased), retired and in residence at the convent begin a “Visiting the Homebound” program. Each Monday morning, a Visitation volunteer would call on the ill, read scripture, share Communion and visit with the parishioners. My husband Andre was in the program for many months. This is still available when the coronavirus is no longer a problem.
Fr. O’ Grady was frequently a visitor for dinner at our home, alone, with other priests, or parishioners. Other times when in our area, Father would drop by just to say “hello”.
On December 26th, Fr. O’Grady was a regular to celebrate St Stephen’s Day with other parishioners at the Rouseyrols. In telling a story or joke, we all enjoyed the way Fr O’Grady would laugh before he got to the punch line.
One year, a group of 8 people from Visitation was in Ireland at the same time as Fr. O’Grady was home for his vacation. We saw how the locals loved him. Everyone would greet him, shake his hand and talk. A true Hero from his school and college days!
Fr. O’Grady offered to drive Andre and myself in our van to a Casino, a half a day away, to play Black Jack. Father knew how much we wanted to go but we had to turn down his kind offer.
When Andre was rushed to the hospital, Fr. O’Grady immediately went to see him. He cared so much for his parishioners.
Fr. O’Grady came to our home to give Andre the Last Rites. He said the Funeral Mass for him and also blessed Andre’s ashes. Just as Fr. O’Grady was about to Bless the Ashes, the people on the first floor of Holy Cross Mortuary started to sing Here I Am, Lord. Father stood holding the ashes as the music continued to fill the whole Mausoleum. I have never been so moved as I was during those moments.
In late September, 2019, I moved to Nazareth House for four months. During this time, Fr. O’Grady, his attendant, and I would walk around the beautiful grounds after daily Mass. Father was so inspiring on these walks. One day we had lunch together at his favorite Chinese restaurant at his suggestion. For several days, I was honored to sit beside Fr. O’Grady during the daily Mass. On January 6th, 2020, I was moving to Alabama to be near family. Fr. O’Grady and his attendant came to say good-bye to me. He refused to take a remembrance gift from me. Then he saw the Jesus Washing the Feet of his Apostles statue from Israel. He held the statue in his hands with a really moving expression on his face. This was to be the last time we said “good-bye”. He gave me a hug and left the room with the “Washing of the Feet” statue.
Good-bye, dear friend.
From Barbara Rouseyrol

One of my fondest memories was the few hours I was able to spend with him while I was in LA for a work trip several years ago. He made time for me even though he was busy, and I'll forever cherish his love and consideration. We miss you, Great Uncle Jimmy!

I was in the 7th grade when Father O'Grady arrived at Visitation. I remember being impressed by his friendly, easy going manner. Fast forward ten years later to 1973. I was standing on the alter at (I think St. Lawrence in Redondo Beach) awaiting instructions as I was about to be best man at my best friend's wedding. When who should appear but Father O'Grady. I exclaimed"Father O'Grady! I remember you at Visitation!" Noticing my Marine Corps uniform he quipped " Yes, well you had your boot camp, and I had mine". Of course, ironically he wound up back at Visitation and we were blessed for many years to come on account of it. He was a man who didn't hesitate to speak his mind. And also a very thoughtful , considerate and kind man. I've read some wonderful tributes about him. Among those; that he had a certain unique and genuine presence about him. Sort of a combination of light and real substance. That he did. And the quickest wit in the west. Father Jim O'Grady, you were always there for my family, and me. You cared. We love you. You will be missed dearly.

It's with great sadness to hear of the passing of Fr Jimmy O'Grady. Fr Jimmy was an incredibly decent, respectful, thoughtful, compassionate and understanding man. He performed his duties honourably and was an incredible support in times of need and solace. His wit, sense of humour and gregarious nature was always admired by all he encountered. Fr Jimmy always kept up with the times. He approached situations and issues with a sense of pragmatism and honesty. He seen people for who they were inside, treated them fairly, regardless of their background, social standing or occupation. A humble and selfless servant who performed his duties without vanity or need for recognition. Fr Jimmy will be remembered by all in visitation. But he will be especially remembered by all in his ancestral home of Mayo. His annual summer trips home to Kilasser, Swinford and Laughtadurkan will fondly be remembered. Conversations regarding Mayo gaa, horse racing and golf were always intriguing. Fr Jimmy can be proud of his lifes ministry. He touched so many peoples hearts and will be lovingly remembered by all. May he now be rewarded by Gods grace and reunited once again with his loved ones in heaven. Rest well Fr Jimmy we love you now and always. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

McGowan family laughtadurkan, Bohola, Mayo, Ireland.

Fionan and I arrived in LA in July 1983 from Ireland with our six young children. We had enrolled the four older children in Visitation school and met Fr. O’Grady who was so welcoming. He visited us often and made sure we settled in well. Our seventh child arrived inSeptember 1983 and we have very special memories of the day Fr.O’Grady christened him. Although we were only in LA for eighteen months we felt very much part of Visitation parish thanks to Fr. O’Grady . May he rest in peace.

Thank you for allowing us to share in the beautiful Celebration of Life for Fr. O'Grady! He hired me as a cantor in the late eighties and it was my honor to serve as part of the music ministry team at Visitation for 15 years. I feel such a weight of loss and also a flood of wonderful memories. He holds a cherished place in my heart and I am so grateful for him. I am filled with love for all that I was blessed to be part of at Visitation. 

We have many happy memories of Fr Jimmy during his visits to Carroweena He always brought good fun to every encounter with his very infectious laugh.  Bridie and Marty (Rowley) loved to see him.  We all remember with great affection when he said Mass in the house for Bridies 80th birthday followed by cake and drinks in the local.  It was a pleasure to have known him. If the card game 25 is played in heaven there is probably a good game going now.
Peggy Nathy Teresa Jim Pj Ann Tommy Eileen

Father Jimmy was a life long friend from our college days and it was with heartfelt sadness that I learned of his passing.
He was a special person,generous in word and deed.
He had wit, good humour and that strange alchemy of a thing called presence.
G.K.Chesterton once wrote"there are some people who seem to have existed always,they bear the marks of the elemental things,the things that recur.They are as old as Springtime,as old as Daybreak,as old as Youth"
Jimmy was such a man.
We shall not look on his like again.
Sean Mc Cormack

I had the good fortune to be introduced to Father O'Grady though my wife Kathy.
We became friends and had many, many adventures and fun times together. I loved his mischievous streak, his wicked sense of humor, his compassion and caring for all people, and his "approachability". He was an exceptional priest and an honorable man, and he would always do the right thing, even when it was not popular.
He was (wildly) athletic, masculine and a sharp dresser, but also tender, sincere and observant.
He was comfortable enough with me and Kathy to share with us his "Bucket List" desires, like visiting Death Valley or experiencing sea kayaking, and we would make it happen whenever we could - (He failed to tell me he couldn't swim until AFTER we paddled back in!)
It was my honor to be his friend, to assist with his ministry, to be the "facilities manager" of his room at Nazareth House, and to have been there for so many fun celebrations and meaningful moments in life. He touched so many lives for the better, and he made me a better person by knowing him.
You will be missed greatly, Jim O'Grady .
You were one-of-a-kind, and the "Real Deal".

Father O'Grady was one of the most remarkable men I have ever known. It feels as though he was my smiling, laughing friend ever since I first served mass with him at nine years old. He was a kind man who never seemed too busy to talk to me.
Once, he even began telling tall tales while joking around with me and two of my brothers over coffee and donuts after mass. He warned us that late at night, when no one was around, he did his own workouts, mastering the monkey bars of the parish playground. He was roughly eighty years old at the time of this conversation.
I miss Fr. O'Grady very much, and I cherish the moments which I was blessed to share with him.

Earliest Memories of Father Jimmy

Fr Jimmy coming to clontarf on his days off from
All  Hallowes.

His Ordination and  Reception later that day in the Gresham Hotel .

His wonderful Letters and Christmas Cards to Jim my father.

His Surprise appearance in Medinahat at the Ryder Cup. thank you george.

Finally a wonderful evening in Los Angeles   at Barbaras 40th birthday.

Rest in Peace Jimmy.

Met Father in 6th grade in the mid sixties, as he jointed St John the Evangelist Parish. We shared many loving memories of how he entertained & charmed the students he taught, along with their families with his humor, wit and devotion to the parish. He performed our marriage years later & gathered with his many friends. In fact that was the focus of our initial visit who would be coming to the wedding. Like a homecoming reunion. Well father you've come home to Heaven & it's brighter with you joining the chorus of laughter and love. RIP Father O'Grady. We knew you and loved you.

We moved to Westchester in 1990 and met Fr. O’Grady soon thereafter. He was welcoming and kind and made us feel so at home. He quickly became a special part of our family through baptisms, First Communions, graduations and even a wedding celebration.

Fr. O’Grady was always interested in how we were doing and how the kids were faring with high school and college. He genuinely cared about all of the parishioners. We loved his smile, his humor, his laugh, his love of golf, and how he always said “you don’t say/is that so.”

Father, you will be missed but never forgotten. Thank you for being the person and priest that you were. We are happy that you are now home with Jesus.

Alan and Terri Engler and family

We will miss you, Jimmy. You can teach the people up there 110 when we are all reunited - hopefully not too soon. We love you.

The Kennedys

Fr. O’Grady,
Along with Monsignor O’Connell, you baptized and gave my children, Christopher, Alana, Skyler, and Chase their first communion.

I enjoyed your visits to my basketball practices in the junior high courts where you would tell me,
“Coach, I wish you could bring that discipline into the classroom” and we shared a laugh.

You also celebrated my father’s funeral Mass and at the end came to me and said, “Matt, can your family celebrate a Hawaiian funeral when my time comes.”

Well Fr. O’Grady, during these unusual times, I can only offer you a lei of prayers from my entire Ohana and a fond “Aloha ‘Oe” (Farewell to Thee) and “A Hui Hou” (Until we met Again)

As you walk in Heaven, say hello to Sr. Perpetua,
and pray for us all.

Love and Aloha Fr. O’Grady

My memories of Fr. Jim O'Grady will always be loving and warm. No matter what situation arose he was there to give understanding and compassion.He could be gentle yet doggedly determined when making a point.
Fr. O'Grady joined my family in the celebration of many happy times with great glee and a sparkle in his eyes! His spontaneous laugh and sense of humor brought joy to baptisms, parties, holidays and specially birthdays!
He brought great comfort to us through Anne Bay's years of physical pain and the finality of death. It was a great comfort to have him guide us through difficult times,
Fr. Jim O'Grady you were a very special man who was much loved and will be greatly missed. JOB WELL DONE !

My family & I were parishioners for approximately 11 years, from 1983-1994. Fr. O'Grady baptized our 2 youngest daughter's & administered many sacraments to our 4 daughters while they attended Visitation School. He deeply cared for all members of his parish and made us feel like family. He was such a lovely man and I will never forget him. My sister, Mary Angela Vasquez, and her family are still parishioners at Visitation. Every time we visited, from Oregon, it was always special to see Fr. James. He always remembered us and made us feel like we were back home. I will miss his smile and beautiful voice.

Such a kind man of God, generous of spirit with a quick smile and warm greeting every time we spent any time. Introduced by Kathy and Michael - he was always so kind to our kids Alyssa and Daniel and they truly loved him. Loved having him up to Camarillo for lunch and bocce ball or having him tour the Fire Station at LAX with my husband Robert - was always a guaranteed fun time that always left you feeling happy to be around Fr Jim. We will miss you and are grateful to have had you in our lives.  May you rest in peace.

Dear Father O'Grady,
We are forever grateful to have known you. You were always kind, caring and warm to us and our family. Dave and I will never forget our wedding day. You made it so special and we felt very blessed to have you celebrate our special day. Please know that you were loved by so many people and will sorely missed. Rest in peace.
Love, Julie And Dave

Father Jim was so much to my entire family for so long that I cannot think of what life at Visitation would have been without him. I thank God for his loving presence for wuch a long time. May God hold him in the Palm of His Hand.

Submitted on behalf of the Conlon family of Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland:

Fond memories of Fr Jimmy, always had a smile and we shared many good stories when he visited us in Ireland, rest in peace Fr Jimmy. 

It's with heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to my dear, sweet friend, Fr. O'Grady. I will always remember him and the good times we had with K & M,
especially only last year when he came to visit me in Camarillo, and we had lunch and then played bocci ball, of which he was quite the champ. He was truly a wonderful priest, and I was privileged to know him. I know he is in heaven now, and playing golf, and enjoying the life he spent all his priesthood working towards. We will always miss his smile, and his brogue, and his generous spirit.  May he rest in eternal peace. 

Father O'Grady thank you for being the amazing Pastor and Role model to all that have walked the hallways of Visitation as Students. Visitation would not be what it is today if it were not for you...Rest in Peace, you will be missed.

Chriatian Abdelkerim
Visitation Class of 1986

Dear Uncle Jimmy,
Your family in Chicago loves you very much and will miss you. We cherish the family gatherings, weddings, and baptisms that you made so special by celebrating with us. You always brought a personal touch to every celebration and that brought us great joy. I loved watching you join with my mom and your siblings at our Chicago family cookouts, sharing in uproarious laughter. You had the best laugh and I will miss hearing it. You have been someone we all look up to with your open mindset, loving acceptance, and pure kindness. Thank you for sharing your little house in Killasser with us for some cherished reunions in Ireland. I know you are in Heaven with my mom Peggy, Aunt Winnie, Uncle Pat, Uncle Tom, Aunt Tessie, and your dear parents. I bet it’s great craic.
Sheila Nelson