by Paula Day

Father Eddie O’Connor is regaining his strength at a priest friend’s home on the north side of Atlanta, according to his secretary, Judy Gannon.

Mrs. Gannon said the pastor of Holy Trinity parish in Peachtree City has been there since he was released from St. Joseph’s Hospital Jan. 14 after undergoing heart catheterization and angioplasty. The priest suffered a heart attack Jan. 5 while visiting friends in Gainesville.

“We don’t expect him back until the end of February at the earliest” Mrs. Gannon said. “He realizes he’s going to have to slow down and change some things.”

In a letter to his parishioners Father O’Connor expressed his thanks for their prayers and cards.

“Your love and expressed concern...in ways I don’t even know about, have been overwhelming and will always be remembered,” the priest wrote.

The doctors were positive about the results of the procedures he underwent, Father O’Connor said, and no further surgery is indicated at this time.

“I do have to take time to recover. I have to eat right, exercise right and lose several layers of blubber. But, I was lucky in that it could have been much worse than it was -- thanks to your prayers. Incidentally, my heart attack was probably triggered by my attempt to catch up on several years of undone exercise in one 30-minute span...”

Father David McGuinness, a friend from Waterford, Ireland, and Father Joseph Ware, retired priest of the archdiocese now living in Savannah, have been assisting in the parish.

Noting Father McGuinness’ return in time of need, Father O’Connor remarked the priest from Ireland “took the Southern farewell, ‘hurry back y’hear!’ very literally, and now has enough frequent flyers miles for a round trip to the planet Jupiter, and four toasters.” Both priests have since returned to their home parishes.