During recent weeks, two sisters and three friars have passed to eternal life.
Sr. Bethany Maak, SMIC, 89, died Jan. 18 in McAuley Health Care Center, Watchung, N.J. A Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Conception, she worked for many years with friars at Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora, N.Y. The funeral Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. on Jan. 24 in the health care center’s chapel at 1633 Route 22, Watchung, NJ 07069.
Sr. Theresa Eugene LeClair, OSF, 95, died on Jan. 2 at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany, N.Y. The Maine native had been a Franciscan Sister of Allegany for 68 years. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Jan. 8 at the sisters’ motherhouse in Allegany.
Fr. Robert Lucero, OFM, 64, of St. John the Baptist Province, died Dec. 20 in Cincinnati. The associate vocation director for SJB Province had spent 39 years as a staff member with St. Anthony Messenger Press, now Franciscan Media. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 31 at St. Clement Church in St. Bernard, Ohio. A tribute to Fr. Robert was posted on the website of the National Religious Vocation Conference.
Fr. Felix Reczek, OFM, 101, of Assumption BVM Province, died Dec. 21 in Milwaukee. He was a friar for 77 years and the oldest friar in the English-speaking Conference at the time of his death.
Fr. Kieran Kemner, OFM, 87, a member of Sacred Heart Province, died Jan. 12 in Quincy, Ill. He was a friar for 68 years. A photo of him appears in the Jan. 13 issue of Around the Province newsletter.
Editor’s note: HNP Today publishes news of the deaths of Franciscan brothers, priests and sisters. Submissions should be emailed to the Communications Office.
— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas