Jerry and Liz and Francis. Those three names are inextricably woven together despite the fact that Gerard J. "Jerry" Quinlan was an Irish American from New Jersey, his wife the former Elizabeth "Liz" Koliopulos is the daughter of Greek parents who lived in Hagerstown, Md., and Francis de Sales was a saint from the Alpine region of present-day France who died 490 years ago.
Together they formed a triangle of love, devotion, kindness and gentleness. That is because within that triangle lies the trinity of God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
God's will has its own timetable, so while Jerry and Liz first met in 1952, they were not married until 1968. Their courtship began with an incident that illustrates the kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness that were part of Jerry's love for God and others.
Liz's parents had been seriously ill, so Jerry showed up on Orthodox Easter with a tray full of Greek goodies. He also told Liz that he would visit with her parents, so she could take a break that afternoon. Liz stayed that afternoon and the 44 years the couple were eventually married.
Jerry died April 24 at age 82 of complications from Alzheimer's, a disease he battled for 15 years with Liz at his side.
I only met Jerry a half dozen times in my 17 or so years with the Sons of St. Francis de Sales Washington, D.C., group, but you didn't have to know him a half dozen minutes to realize that you were with someone whose life was the embodiment of Salesian spirituality.
Francis taught that each one of us is called to lead a life of holiness in whatever we do wherever we go. The spirituality also emphasizes the practice of a balance of such virtues as patience, humility and gentleness done out of love.
In other words, Jerry and Liz, who has been involved for many years in the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales, were and are examples of God's workers who harvest the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness" (New American Bible).
One of the greatest accomplishments of Jerry's spirit-filled life was serving as editor of 60 years worth of a priest's accumulation of Salesian thoughts to publish the book "Reflections of St. Francis de Sales on Living Jesus."
The work epitomized how the Salesian motto of Vive Jesu (Live Jesus) was evident in Jerry. Not only did the Spirit of Jesus live within him; Jerry tried to live Jesus' teachings in his daily life.
The last time I saw Jerry was 11 years ago when, typically, he left me with a gift. It was a book about St. Francis that he had inscribed, "Jesus told us we are His friends and Francis is the apostle of friendships. He will crown you with legions of new friends of Jesus. Jerry Quinlan, Your friend for eternity."
I don't know about legions of new friends, but I am glad to have known a man such as Jerry Quinlan, and I pray that I will eventually meet him again in the presence of Holy Trinity and Francis de Sales.