Father Padrnos’ service centered on Japan

Columban Father David Padrnos, a native of Omaha who served most of his priestly ministry in Japan, died Aug. 18 in Rhode Island. He was 72.

A memorial Mass was held Aug. 21 in the Columban Fathers’ chapel in Bristol, R.I., and an Aug. 24 funeral Mass was held at St. Mary Church in Bellevue. Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha.

Raised in Holy Name Parish in Omaha, Father Padrnos attended St. Columban colleges and seminaries in Milton, Mass., and Oconomowoc, Wis. He completed his spiritual year at St. Columban’s House in Bristol and his theology studies at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, Mass.

He was ordained in 1971 at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha.

Father Padrnos served as an assistant pastor and a pastor, as well as a regional education officer in Japan. He also was supervisor of Columban seminarians in Japan through the order’s overseas training program and editor of the order’s Region of Japan newsletter.

He returned twice to the United States – to obtain a master’s degree in spiritual direction from Loyola University in Chicago and a doctor of ministry degree in pastoral psychotherapy from the Chicago Theological Seminary. While in the United States, he also served as his order’s U.S. regional coordinator for retirement.

Later assignments in Japan included supervisor of Columban lay missionaries, district superior of the Chiba prefecture and vice-director, then director, of the Region of Japan.

After retiring for health reasons five years ago in Tokyo, Father Padrnos moved to St. Elizabeth Manor in Bristol in 2014.

Preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Rosalee (Bueltel) Padrnos, and a sister, Teresa Thamm, Father Padrnos is survived by his brother, Wayne Padrnos, and sister, Sally Torpy Duckworth and her husband, William, as well as a brother-in-law, Reinhardt Thamm, all of Omaha; nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.