Dear Friends in Christ,
It is with sadness, yet with confidence in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, that I share with you the news of the death of the Rev. Joel T. Ireland, who entered the nearer presence of our Lord on August 19, 2026, at the age of 72.
Raised in Tucson, Arizona, Fr. Ireland earned his Master of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary in 1981, where he served as captain of the seminary basketball team for three years. After early ministry and public service in Arizona, he brought his gifts to the Diocese of Long Island in 2012, where he faithfully served as Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Shelter Island and at Christ Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, until his retirement in 2017.
Beyond his parish ministry, Fr. Ireland was a man of broad talents and deep civic devotion—practicing law for over a decade, serving twenty years on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, and bringing warmth and infectious humor to all he encountered.
We give thanks to Almighty God for Fr. Ireland’s faithful priestly ministry and his steadfast service to God's people. We commend him to God's eternal care and pray for his sons, Aaron and Samuel, his dearest friends Jan and Diane, the communities of St. Mary's and Christ Church, and all who mourn his passing.
A Celebration of Life is currently being planned for October, and details will be shared as they become available.
Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Faithfully,
The Rev. Canon Eddie Alleyne
Canon for Pastoral Care