Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Sean Heslin. On the front page of the June 16, 1967, edition of the Florida Catholic, there are photos of five young Irish priests newly ordained to serve the Sunshine State. It is easy for the eye to go straight to the fourth photo down. Among the solemn photos of the other priests is a mug revealing a bright-eyed, young man with a huge smile. That would be Father Heslin — a fixture of spiritual strength and humility for the Orlando Diocese for six decades.
Bishop Peter Birch of Ossory ordained Father Heslin for the Diocese of St. Augustine (which encompassed most of the state) June 11, 1967, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, Ireland. The sixth of eight children, Father Heslin was born Nov. 27, 1942, in Drumcauskeen, Cloone, County Leitrim in Ireland. He attended Rossan National School there, St. Mary’s Apostolic School in Moyne, County Longford, and made his seminary studies at St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny.
When the Diocese of Orlando was established in 1968, Father Heslin began teaching at Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando. During that time he also served as director of Scouting for the Central Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America. His parish assignments included:
Parochial Vicar St. James, Orlando, 1967-1968
Parochial Vicar, St. Margaret Mary, Winter Park, 1968-1972
Parochial Vicar, St. Peter, Deland, 1972-1974
Pastor, St. Paul, Daytona Beach, 1974-1984
Pastor, St. Joseph, Winter Haven, 1984-1992
Pastor, St. James Cathedral, Orlando, 1992-2001
Pastor, Our Saviour, Daytona Beach, 2001-2015
In early 2002 Father Heslin met the serious challenge of recovering from being attacked by a stranger in the church. Father Heslin, seriously injured, miraculously survived the attack and asked the community of faith to forgive his attacker. In keeping with his humble and forgiving nature, he said, “I feel no hostility or animosity toward him (the attacker); I hope and pray he can get whatever help he needs.” Once released from the hospital, he returned to minister to the people of Our Savior Catholic Church until he retired in 2015. He continued to serve as pastor emeritus and remained active with the parish community until his health declined.
A man of prayer, Father Heslin would be found with prayerbook in hand, in-between ministering to the parish community. In an interview Father Heslin said, “There is no substitute for working with people. The priesthood is about dealing with people. You’re involved in their joys and sorrows; you’re there from birth and at death. You have to listen with a sympathetic ear to the needs of anybody. Listen to all people, not just parishioners . . . When I finally stand before God, I hope the Lord can say to me that I treated everybody fairly. That I was the same to you whether you were rich or poor, educated or uneducated,” he said.
In September 2022, Father Fred Ruse, Vicar for Senior Priests, remarked about a recent visit with Father Heslin, “Sean was a joy to be with as we talked about a photo of his parents on his wall which pleased him greatly.”
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen