In the early hours of April 15, Fr. Larry Darnell, OMV made his final journey from this world into the arms of the Savior he had served for over half a century. He was 85 years old. Those who knew him will find it entirely fitting that his last holy hour in this world was spent before the Blessed Sacrament at 3am that morning. Even at the end, Fr. Larry was where he always wanted to be.
He was an Oblate of the Virgin Mary for 46 years. And in those 46 years, he gave everything.
A Vocation Rescued from the Wastebasket
Fr. Larry’s path to the priesthood was not a straight one, which may be exactly why he was so good at walking alongside others on theirs.
Growing up the youngest of three in Memphis, Tennessee, he was an achiever by temperament. When a pamphlet about religious life arrived in the mail at 18, he threw it away. He had been accepted to Princeton. There were other plans.
At Princeton, those plans took shape: rowing, the Marines, an intense academic life. He was building the discipline and brotherhood he would later recognize as God’s quiet preparation. But somewhere between college and a successful career in insurance, something wouldn’t let him rest. He started going to daily Mass. He found himself wanting to be at church rather than at work.
“When I was 29,” he once said, “Our Lady goes to the wastebasket, she takes the vocation out, she dusts it off… She says, ‘Try Again.'”
He did.
Formed by São Paulo, Called to St. Peter Chanel
Formation took him to Rome, then Boston, and eventually to a parish of 20,000 in the impoverished suburbs of São Paulo, Brazil — where he was ordained in 1982. Working alongside Fr. Sergio, OMV, Fr. Larry absorbed a model of pastoral care rooted in genuine love for the people. He didn’t want to leave Brazil. But obedience called him back to the United States, first to St. Francis Chapel in Boston, where he had to learn — quickly — how to manage the unglamorous but essential work of administration: finances, maintenance, legal matters.
He used to reflect on those transitions with a characteristic mix of humor and faith: “What was God doing? He was training me to come to St. Peter Chanel.”
In 1989 he arrived in California. In 1994 he became Pastor of St. Peter Chanel parish in Hawaiian Gardens, a role he would hold for more than 27 years.
Pastor of 50,000
St. Peter Chanel under Fr. Larry became a community defined by deep devotion: to the Eucharist, to Our Lady, to the Rosary, to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. He led a flock of 50,000 with the same steady, humble care he had learned watching Fr. Sergio in Brazil decades before.
Those who worshipped there knew they had something rare in Fr. Larry, a pastor who had seen enough of the world to know what mattered, and who never stopped showing up. At 85, he was still at the altar. Still in the confessional. Still present.
There is an Oblate ideal, passed down from the congregation’s earliest days, that holds a particular kind of honor for those who give themselves completely: The Oblate dies in the pulpit or in the confessional. Fr. Larry spent his final years living exactly that ideal — and he spent his final hours in prayer before the Lord he had served since that long-ago morning when Our Lady retrieved a crumpled pamphlet from a young man’s wastebasket.
Eternal Rest
Fr. Larry Darnell, OMV died on April 15 at 6:45am PT. He was a priest, a pastor, a son of Mary, and a man who trusted – even when it was hard – that God was always in the middle of the next assignment, training him for something he couldn’t yet see.
Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Larry, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Fr. Larry Darnell, OMV served as Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Parish in Hawaiian Gardens, California for over 27 years.
Father Larry was not just my friend but my Saint on Earth who is now resting with Our Lord in Heaven.
From the moment my mom went into labor, I received his prayers at Mass alongside the community of St. Peter Chanel, asking for my safe delivery. Ever since that day, Fr. Larry has been a true shepherd in my life, leading me toward Christ and His Blessed Mother, starting first with my Baptism.
When I was 13 years old, I experienced one of the hardest periods of my life. I had to put many things on hold—school, sports, and more—to focus on my mental well-being. During that time of hardship, Father Larry was there for me and my family, no questions asked. He heard my confession and gave me hope to keep moving forward in trust in God’s eternal love and mercy. He even cleared his schedule to come to my home, bless it, and pray over my dwelling. Finally, he introduced me to Blessed Alexandrina, who would show up again later in my life.
Fast forward almost 20 years, and I was blessed to serve Father Larry as his physical therapist during the final months of his earthly life. We spent time together in his home—the rectory—nerding out about the Church, sharing laughs, and recalling memories. He was very close to my family, especially my late grandparents, and he shared stories about my grandfather and St. Peter Chanel that I had never heard before.
Father Larry always had a divinely inspired story on hand that offered a connection to my life, past or present. One day during a therapy visit, I noticed a picture of Blessed Alexandrina in his room—the same friend he had introduced to me 20 years earlier. Pointing to a drawer, he directed me to an envelope of sand he had collected from her home in Portugal. At this holy moment, Father Larry allowed me to bless myself with the sand and then asked me to bless him. I made the sign of the cross over his legs, chest, and forehead. A holy and humble man allowed for me to bless him!! A true highlight and honor of my life.
Father Larry, I love you! You passed on Rocco’s birthday and I know you are praying for him in heaven. Until we meet again, friend.