Homily From Funeral Mass of Monsignor Gene E. Gianelli

WOODBRIDGE, CT - HOMILY FROM FUNERAL MASS OF MONSIGNOR GENE E. GIANELLI

AUGUST 11, 2020

MONSIGNOR GARY SIMEONE

This morning my friends, we are gathered to celebrate the life of Monsignor Gene Gianelli. To his Sister and brother-in-law, Dori & Tim Brown, his nephew’s Tim and Gene & Karen Brown and their Children, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to all of you.

The death of a priest is unlike the death of any other person: we feel it differently and deeply. We sense that in losing him, we have lost not only the man but also his unique way of manifesting God. The voice that spoke of God has been silenced; hands that once blessed are ineffective. Since a priest is one who takes on the person of Christ, his leave of us is somewhat of a loss in our very communication with the Lord. No one will ever again exemplify Christ for us in the singular way that this particular priest “Monsignor Gene” has done.

Our Lord Himself indicated that special relationship He enjoyed with His priests when, at the Last Supper, He poured out from His Sacred Heart His Own Priestly Prayer: "Father, I pray for those you have given Me; keep them in Your name; they are not of the world; sanctify them in truth; may the love with which You loved Me be in them, and I in them”. It was this union with Christ that guided and shaped the life of Monsignor Gene.

In his case, this was so much of that it would be difficult to define his personality, even to conceive of his life, apart from the priesthood. Always dignified, courteous, humble and kind. This was who and what Gene was all about. I am sure we all have different mottos or words that keep us going in our lives.

One in particular that Gene always talked about was “Do Ordinary things Extraordinarily Well” – this was Gene’s thing. You will find this “saying” on the top of his prayer card. “Doing Ordinary things extraordinarily well” was evidence in how Monsignor Gene lived his life. Whether it was celebrating a birthday with friends, a wedding and yes, even a funeral Mass, Gene touched the hearts and many lives of his beloved parishioners and friends.

Having been ordained to the Priesthood in 1970, Monsignor Gene served as Parochial Vicar at Corpus Christi Church in Wethersfield. He was then appointed as Secretary to Archbishop Whealon. After completing his term as Secretary, Monsignor Gene served as Co-Pastor and then as Pastor of Most Holy Trinity Church in Wallingford. He was then appointed as Pastor of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Woodbridge from 1992 to January of 2019.

During his years of priesthood, Monsignor Gene served the Archdiocese of Hartford on many Archdiocesan com-mission and committees. The list goes on. Being a Priest’s Priest was very important to him. Whether it was helping a priest who was sick or just to reach out to a priest who started a new and difficult assignment, Gene was there to encourage him.

Each year, Gene would hold a Priest’s Dinner in the early spring. Monsignor Gene always felt that it was to get Priest’s to come together not only to celebrate the Priesthood but to have a great dinner and enjoy each other’s company. Priests who have not seen each other for a long time. This was looked forward to each year.

Today we gather to honor a man who never failed to call us to be the best that we can be. We have lost a brother and a friend. We have lost a confessor, a spiritual director and a preacher. But we have gained an intercessor, an advocate for us at the throne of grace. And we can never lose the example of fervor, holiness and humility he left for us.” That is the ministry in which Monsignor Gene lived his Priesthood.

We all treasure in our hearts our own personal memories of their goodness. He was a man of faith and a man who despite his own failings and sinfulness dreamed of realizing something better. “Doing Ordinary things extraordinarily well”. So my friends, we pray for all our priests today, especially for those who are ill and for those who suffer and are troubled in their ministry. We heard in our Gospel today: “Jesus told his disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God and faith in me.”

Thank you Gene for all that you have given to us. Rest in Peace, my brother. May your soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen