Fr. Camillus was born in Belfast, Ireland on May 26, 1925 the son of John MacRory and Anne Margaret Farnan. His baptismal name was James. Camillus was received as a Capuchin Franciscan novice in Rochestown, Ireland on October 26, 1943 and made his Solemn Profession on October 27, 1947 in Ard Mhuire, County Donegal, Ireland where he was also ordained a Catholic priest on May 24, 1951.

After his ordination Fr. Camillus was assigned to teach at Rochestown, a very well known secondary school, from August 1951 to October 1952.  He was then sent to California where he worked as an Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame from 1952 to 1960.  For the next eighteen years Camillus ministered as an Associate Pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish (Roseburg, Oregon), as Pastor at St. Aloysius (Point Arena, CA), at Old Mission Santa Inés (Solvang, CA) and at St. Francis of Assisi (Los Angeles, CA).  After his return from Oxford, England where he participated in special studies from 1978-1980, he once more worked as an Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame. Subsequent to that last assignment he became Director of On-going Education for the Western America Province, a member of the Peace, Justice and Ecology Committee and the National Spiritual Assistant for the Secular Franciscans.  In addition he helped out every weekend at Mater Dolorosa Parish in South San Francisco where he celebrated Mass. He was also Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscans at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Burlingame, CA.

He was a great example of prayer and fraternity. He would always welcome the opportunity of being with the brothers and to talk with them about a number of different topics such as politics and current moral, religious and social issues. He was a courteous man with a sense of humor and wit.

Fr. Camillus died on Christmas Day December 25, 2011 at Mercy Care and Retirement Center in Oakland, CA after suffering from respiratory complications. He is survived by cousins Noel Farnan, Rosemary Fox, Maureen Burns who live in Belfast, Ireland and Gerald Burns who lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Rosary for Fr. Camillus will be held at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Burlingame on Tuesday January 3, 2012 at 7:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will also be celebrated at Our Lady of Angels on Wednesday January 4, 2012 at 12:30 pm. On Thursday January 5, 2012 a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang, CA followed by burial at San Lorenzo Friary in Santa Ynez, CA.

In lieu of flowers we ask you to please consider making a donation in memory of Fr. Camillus MacRory to the Capuchin Franciscan Foundation for Retired Friars, 1345 Cortez Avenue, Burlingame, CA 94010.