Thursday, November 30, 2006

Father Paul Merrill, Passed Away 11/28/06

My Uncle Paul, a priest and my mother's brother, passed away this Tuesday. He was a passionate man who blessed, literally, everyone he met.

He will be truly missed.

(Here is Father Paul at his Ordination)

Update: Here is the obituary from the funeral home website... you can login there and sign the guestbook if you'd like.

*****

Waltham - Rev. Paul C. Merrill, C.S.S., a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers), died Tuesday November 28, 2006 at the Sancta Maria Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Cambridge. He was 74.

Born in Boston on September 16, 1932, he was the son of the late John C.J., Sr. and Mary A. (Buckley) Merrill. Father Merrill’s home parish was Saint Matthew’s in Dorchester. He attended Saint Matthew’s Grammer School, Dorchester, Cathedral High School, Boston, The Stigmatine Minor and Major Seminary, Waltham and The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Fr. Merrill entered the Stigmatine Community in Waltham on September 16, 1951, made his first profession of vows on June 22, 1954, his perpetual profession of vows on June 22, 1957 and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood at Saint Matthew Church, Dorchester on June 6, 1961 by Bishop Thomas J. Riley, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston.

Father Merrill served in the following assignments: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Springfield, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Milford, Saint Joachim Parish, Ontario, Canada, Saint Joseph Parish, East Longmeadow and Elm Bank Seminary, Wellesley. He also served as chaplain at Maristhill Nursing Center in Waltham. Due to poor health, he retired to Saint Joseph Hall, Waltham, in 1991.

Fr. Merrill was a very devoted Religious and Priest. He served to the very best of his ability, despite many illnesses. Never one to complain, he offered himself to God in his many years of sickness and was a fine witness of identification with the Passion of our Lord. He truly lived the suffering Stigmata of Christ. May God now generously reward Fr. Merrill with peace and joy in his holy kingdom. May he rest in peace.

Fr. Merrill was the brother of the late Louise Westpfal, John D. Merrill, Jr. and Lorenzo D. Merrill.

He leaves two sisters, Mary J. Johnson of Bucksport, Maine and Catherine Bauer of Hayesville, North Carolina.

Visitation will be held on Monday, December 4th, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Espousal Center Chapel, 554 Lexington Street, Waltham, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery, Milford, at 1:30 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to The Stigmatine Mission Office, 554 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA 02452.




Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Polar Opposites

Some things just strike me as funny... like popping onto the Fox News website to see one pic of the pope visiting Turkey flanked by another picture of Britney Spears hanging out with Paris Hilton. Nothing screams opposite ends of the moral spectrum than those two pictures side by side...

(click pic for larger image)

In the mean time, Pope Benedict is certainly an impressive figure. In such a volatile time between clashing faiths, the pope is venturing to Turkey, who's 72 million people only contain 32,000 Catholics. So, his mission is far greater than stirring up support from the Catholic masses (as there aren't really enough people to be considered as such), but instead to bridge the gaps creating violence between faiths.

Talk about walking into the lion's den!

I strongly suggest you visit this great special website hosted by the Catholic News Agency about the pope's trip, the history and the reasons behind it all. Great info.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Aunt Kate Fitzsimmons

Some of the pictures I get are REALLY beat up. I do my best to clean them up. The one below has been one of the worst so far...

Before



After
As always, click on the pics for larger images.

Al Reiser, Nana's Cousin

This is a picture of Al Reiser, Mike's brother and my Nana Merrill's cousin.


Click on pic for larger image.


Mother's House off of 7th St.

Mother's House off of 7th St. Not sure of which mother, but I'm sure Mom will let us know.

Click picture for larger image.