Posted on 10/04/2014 2:33:40 PM PDT by NYer
NEW YORK — Franciscan Father Benedict Joseph Groeschel, well-known preacher and a founder of the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, died on Friday at age 81, after an extended illness.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Father Benedict. He was an example to us all,” said Father John-Paul Ouellette, community servant of the Friars of the Renewal, in a statement.
“His fidelity and service to the Church and commitment to our Franciscan way of life will have a tremendous impact for generations to come.”
Father Groeschel was a founder, author, teacher, preacher and retreat master. He hosted and appeared on EWTN television shows for more than 25 years. He was ordained a priest in 1959 for the Detroit Capuchin province. He held a master’s degree in counseling and doctoral degree in psychology.
In 1987, Father Groeschel and seven other Capuchin friars founded the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) in New York City. He was director of Trinity Retreat House in Larchmont, N.Y., and also taught pastoral psychology for many years at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y.
He founded St. Francis House and Good Counsel Homes and served as chaplain at Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry for 14 years.
“All of us at EWTN were saddened to learn of the passing of Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR. Father Benedict played an enormous role in the work of EWTN, hosting numerous programs and being a frequent guest on the Network for nearly three decades,” Michael Warsaw, EWTN’s chairman and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Like Mother Angelica herself, Father Benedict was an iconic presence on EWTN. His gray beard and Franciscan habit were known to Network viewers around the world and he had a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals.”
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
May he rest in peace .. Amen!
RIP. Fr. Groeschel
Aww, God bless his soul!
His comment about "some" minors being "seducers" in priest abuse cases was disappointing however. There can be no excuse for a priest to have allowed himself to be "seduced," most certainly not by a minor.
We very much enjoyed his TV ministry/program.
He will be greatly missed.
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Passed the day before the Feast of St. Francis...
Eternal rest Father.
I’m sure his reward is great.
RIP Father Benedict!
The day before St. Francis’s feast is called the Transition Eve. I do not have the Latin title but it means “transition” and it is about his transtion to eternal glory.
Goodbye, Father GroescheI. I enjoyed your appearances on EWTN.
From a Friend,
MY PERSONAL FATHER BENEDICT GROESCHEL STORY: A Brilliant, yet humble and holy Franciscan Priest has passed...and on the Feast Day of St Francis !
I loved this man and yes—I humbly I played a small role in the efforts of Father Groeschel and his Friars who traveled Rome in October 1988 seeking approval for their new order from Pope John Paul II and the Church Hierarchy.
I was a seminary student myself at that time. Father Groeschel and I met and chatted after he had given a day of recollection at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia.
I then invited him to have dinner with the Guanellian Community of priests and brothers (Servants of Charity) back in Springfield, PA., which he graciously accepted! On that property were residences, a school and training center for those with mental and physical challenges. I worked in that field for many years .
While driving him back for supper. I mentioned to Fr. Groeschel that I was soon heading over to Rome to take a few theology courses and to improve on my Italian.
I was to spend a year in the “Eternal City”’ to hopefully gain an “international experience.”
At that instant, it was as if a light flashed on in his head—and Father Groeschel asked if I could request permission from the Guanellians (in Rome) to grant hospitality for them to stay a few days—while they attended vitally important meetings at the Vatican.
Hospitality was indeed given by the Guanellians and it wasn’t long after this, that the Church gave it’s blessing to Father Groeschel and his “Franciscans of the Renewal!”
Before Father Groeschel and the friars returned to the USA, we all attended the 10th Anniversary prayer service to commemorate a decade of Pope John Paul’s Pontificate.
I remember having chills standing in the middle of St. Peter’s Square among tens of thousands along with the Franciscan friars.
An orchestra played and choirs sang in thanksgiving for the occasion. Pope John -Paul II, (now declared St, John-Paul II)
emerged to bless the massive gathering! I remember guns as if it happened last year.
Before he left Italy, Father Groeschel thanked me repeatedly and then asked if was there anything he could do for me once he got back to the States .
I asked him to please make a personal call to my parents once he got settled, which he did! I knew my mom and dad world be thrilled, and they were!
God Bless and Keep your Soul Father Benedict! You’re a friend who’s presence I feel to this day...and perhaps more so now!
Hopefully, we will meet again: Pray for us!
RIP, a holy and humble priest.
Very sad - I’m not Catholic but used to enjoy his Sunday night program on EWTN and watched so faithfully that my Catholic wife eventually began referring to him as my priest - I recall that he used to say that he knew he wasn’t ready to go right to Heaven and was looking forward to spending a long time in Purgatory, but if he really did have to stop there, I think his stay will be quite short before moving on - RIP....
I attended a day of recollection held by Father Groeschel in Lexington, Kentucky in 2002. He was still quite sharp as he jumped from one topic to another, psychology, the priest abuse scandal, astronomy, St. Francis, even baseball. His father was one of the engineers who designed Madison Square Garden.
As for the comment he made that seemed to have ended his public ministry, I think he was trying to make some type of comment about highly sexualized youth throwing themselves at priests. Of course, he should have kept the thought to himself and minors can never be blamed for the seduction of adults. I think the unfortunate comment had more to do with overwork, over-travel, fatigue and suffering than anything else.
“There can be no excuse for a priest to have allowed himself to be “seduced,” most certainly not by a minor.”
I was under the impression that it was a tenet of the Christian faith that only Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was immune to Satan’s blandishments.
This is not to say that a priest who succumbs to temptation should be immune to prosecution under civil law or punishment under Canon Law, but my sense of justice tells me that it is a worse crime when the older person is the predator than when he is seduced by the younger person.
Transistus
What a wonderful story, Fatima. What a privilege to know him personally.
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