Obituaries
Oldest deacon in archdiocese dies at 93; ministered ‘to the very end’
Known as the "dean of deacons," Deacon Lawrence P. Froio was a permanent deacon at St. Patrick Parish in Malvern for almost three decades until his retirement just two years ago. He died only days after making Communion calls to a hospital.
Franciscan sister with varied social ministry assignments dies at 85
Sister Phyllis Ann Greco, O.S.F., was a Massachusetts native who taught in the Philadelphia Archdiocese for 20 years and used her master's in social work at several eastern dioceses.
Sister Clare White, longtime teacher and nurse, dies at 99
Sister Clare entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1936 and spent the next 81 years as a teacher at many archdiocesan schools and a visiting nurse ministering in a Catholic hospital program.
Longtime teacher in Pa., N.J. Catholic schools dies at 85
Sister Anne Maureen Lyons had been a Sister of St. Joseph since 1949. She taught in schools of the archdiocese and in several New Jersey dioceses, where she was born and raised.
Sister Mary Stanislaus Blankemeyer, Upper Darby native, dies at 92
The Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary entered the congregation in 1943 and served her entire ministry in elementary education, in the Philadelphia Archdiocese and Arlington Diocese.
Archbishop Flores of San Antonio, first Hispanic bishop in U.S., dies
The bishop, who dropped out of school to be a migrant farmworker, was known for his support for farmworkers, Mexican-American civil rights and his love of his culture and heritage.
Father Scanlan, college and church leader, dies at age 85
Franciscan Father Michael Scanlan, whose name is almost synonymous with the Franciscan University of Steubenville, died Jan. 7 at Garvey Manor, a Catholic nursing home in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, after a long illness.
Deacon Eugene Leahy buried from his life-long parish, Holy Family in Manayunk
The 89-year-old permanent deacon and his wife raised seven children to adulthood. He was active in his parish as a deacon since his 1990 ordination, and in his local Knights of Columbus council.
Deacon Calvin Smith, faithful member of St. Benedict’s, dies at 92
Ordained in 1988, Deacon Smith distributed holy Communion for the beatification Mass of Mother Katharine Drexel that year in Rome. He was a mentor for other deacons, and is remembered for his full life.
Newly appointed pastor, 52, dies suddenly on New Year’s Eve
Father John C. Crowley became pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Oxford, only two months ago. He told his new parishioners he looked forward "to many rewarding experiences and wonderful years" with them. His funeral is Jan. 9.