Bond of brotherhood strong through the years

For a 9-year-old, it’s a long trip from Parkville to Catonsville.

“We didn’t have the beltway back then,” said Gerard Malooly, who asked his parents, “When are we going to be there?” on the car ride to visit his older brother Fran (Bishop W. Francis Malooly) at St. Charles minor seminary. The family visited about once a month.

Austin, Gerard and Martha didn’t see much of their priesthood-bound elder brother when he finished eighth grade at St. Ursula School, Parkville, and at age 14 left for St. Charles.

“Back then he only came home basically on Thanksgiving and in the summer,” said Mr. Malooly, now 59, a parishioner of Immaculate Conception, Towson. “Once he went into the seminary, he didn’t have much in the way of down time. He still doesn’t now.”

Yet he was always “someone we looked up to,” said Mr. Malooly, who was nicknamed “Jardy” as a child.

It was hardest on their mother and father, though, to watch their eldest son leave home.

When Mr. Malooly first became an altar boy in fifth grade, his big brother (who also had served) taught him and others the ropes.

“It was kind of special,” he said, to be guided by a brother. “This was in the days when the altar servers were the ones responding to the priest in Latin.”

Growing up, the Malooly brothers shared a love of sports – tennis, basketball and baseball – in spite of their five-and-a-half-year age difference.

“Fran has always loved sports,” Mr. Malooly said.

Their games of tennis have continued over the years when they can nab court time in between the bishop’s demanding life and Mr. Malooly’s accounting work at Deutsche Bank and his five children and one grandchild (with one on the way).

“That’s always fun,” he said about tennis. “We just hit; we don’t keep score. It’s just to get a good workout.”

Bishop Malooly was always involved in the lives of his six nieces and nephews, and he was always one to remember birthdays.

“The children all love him,” said Mr. Malooly, “He’s a great uncle and a terrific person – calm and caring. Family is very important to Fran.”

The Towson resident has no fear of not seeing his brother after the move to Wilmington, Del.

“It will be OK. We’re glad it’s Wilmington,” he said, “and not Alaska.”