VALE — Sister Mary Norman Joseph, CLHC, a member of the Maryvale Sisters, went home to God on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Aug. 25, 2016, at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory. Interment was at the Maryvale Sisters’ cemetery in Vale.
She was born in Hartford, Conn., on June 13, 1947, the daughter of George and Cora Palin Woodend. Besides her Maryvale Sisters, she is survived by her mother; a brother, Joseph Woodend; sisters Mary Dupuis and Rosanne Krawiec; and nieces Julianne and Sarah; nephews Jeffrey, Timothy and Zachary; and her loving cousins, Brian and Connie Morin.
She graduated magna cum laude from Holy Apostles Seminary College in Cromwell, Conn., and earned her master’s degree in spiritual counseling from The Shalem Institute Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C.
She served in various parishes at the Diocese of Charlotte, most recently at St. Aloysius in Hickory for 25 years as faith formation and adult education director. She will be remembered for her willingness to help all and her gentle, loving smile.
In lieu of flowers, she has requested that contributions be made to Maryvale Sisters Day Care School for a scholarship in her name for handicapped or underprivileged children.
Warlick Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
BELMONT — Mercy Sister Mary Louise Wiesenforth passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, at Marian Center, Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont. She was 100.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Oct. 27, 2014, in Cardinal Gibbons Chapel at Sacred Heart Convent by Benedictine Father Christopher Kirchgessner. Interment followed at Belmont Abbey Cemetery.
Mary Ann Wiesenforth was born Dec. 17, 1913, in Troy, N.Y. She attended St. Vincent Elementary School and Catholic Central High School there. When she was 19, she professed vows as a Sister of Mercy and chose the name Mary Louise.
Sister Mary Louise graduated from Sacred Heart College and pursued graduate studies at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She devoted most of her 80 years of ministry to elementary education and administration. This ministry took her to Newton Grove and Wilmington, N.C.; Greenport, Long Island, N.Y.; New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; and Guam.
In 1946 Sister Mary Louise, along with two other sisters, established a community of the Sisters of Mercy in Guam. There they started Catholic education with the opening of Cathedral Grade School and the Academy of Our Lady of Guam in 1949. She ministered there for 19 years as a teacher and director of the formation program for postulants and novices, before returning to the U.S. in 1965 to continue teaching.
Sister Mary Louise retired to Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont in 1982. She continued to assist in the duties of the convent until her eyesight deteriorated and she moved to Marian Center. Although her ability to see was limited, she participated in arts and crafts projects and was quite creative.
Wherever Sister Mary Louise ministered, she was noted for her dedication and faithfulness to everything she undertook. She was quiet and unassuming, but ever ready to assist wherever she could.
In an interview for her 80th jubilee, Sister Mary Louise said the most memorable day of her life was Feb. 3, 1939, when she made her profession of vows as a Sister of Mercy: “The most profound moment of my life was on my profession day, when I consecrated my life to service to God and His people."
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 101 Mercy Dr., Belmont, NC 28012.
Deacon John Noel ParrishMINT HILL — Deacon John Noel Parrish, 77, formerly of Cresson, Pa., went to be with the Lord on Saturday, June 6, 2015, at his home in Mint Hill.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 10, 2015, at his home parish of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte, with Father Patrick Hoare, pastor, presiding. Interment followed at Sunset Memory Gardens.
Deacon Parrish was born July 16, 1937, the son of Paul and Dorothy (Noel) Parrish. He was formerly employed as a store manager for the A&P grocery store, as a Maryland parole and probation officer, and as the facilities manager for St. John Neumann Church.
He was a permanent deacon for 33 years, having been ordained on July 29, 1983, for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He served at Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Laurel, Md., until he moved to North Carolina. He was granted faculties for diaconal ministry and assigned to St. John Neumann Church in January 2004.
Besides his work as facilities manager, Deacon Parrish was fully involved in ministry in every way: visiting the sick of the parish, youth ministry, sacramental preparation, Bible study, homiletics and parish devotions.
In his homily, Father Hoare said, “Here at the parish he was the Rock of Gibraltar, and to his children and grandchildren he was Superman.”
Deacon Parrish retired from active service in January 2012.
He loved caring for his wild birds, was an avid gardener, and was a jack-of-all-trades handyman. He always had a story to tell with a quick-witted sense of humor. He had a deep devotion to his Catholic faith, was patriarch of the family, was a role model for all, and was always willing to lend a hand and putting others’ needs before his own.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his uncle and aunt, Joseph and Stella Parrish; and his two brothers, Thomas and Joseph Parrish; as well as many other aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Pauline (Ivory) Parrish; his four daughters, Bonnie Seasely (husband Kevin), Reba Thoreson (husband Jeff), Janice Pietrowski (husband Walt), and Kim Butler (husband Lee); his son, Ronald Parrish; his sister, Paula Mitchell; and his 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the staff of the Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region for the loving care provided to their husband and father.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John Neumann Church’s Facilities Fund; Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte Region; or the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
Father Joseph John WatersHIGH POINT — Father Joseph John Waters, a retired priest of the Diocese of Charlotte, died Feb. 18, 2015.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 23, 2015, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point. Interment was at Gilmore Memorial Park in Julian.
Known as "Padre José" by the Hispanic people whom he served for more than three decades, Father Waters was a pioneer of Hispanic ministry in the Charlotte diocese. He devoted much of his long ministry as a priest to serving Spanish-speaking Catholics in Central America, South America and North Carolina. He served for 13 years as a missionary in Mexico and Peru, was director of the Hispanic Catholic Center in Charlotte, and served as director of migrant ministry for the Diocese of Charlotte.
He was born 22 May, 1926, in Bristol, Pa., and spent most of his childhood in Arlington, N.Y., and Westfield, N.J. His father's job transfer brought the family to North Carolina in 1946, about the time the future priest began his studies at St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md. He completed his studies for the priesthood at St. John Seminary, Little Rock, Ark., and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Vincent S. Waters on May 24, 1956, at Immaculate Conception Church in Durham.
After one year with the Missionary Father Apostolate at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Newton Grove, Father Waters become an assistant at St. Anne, Edenton, with summer service in the apostolate's outdoor missions. From March 1959 until February 1962, he served as administrator of the missions at Plymouth, Williamston and Columbia. He spent the next four years as pastor of St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville. In July 1966, Bishop Waters sent Father Waters to Mexico City, where he served for eight years at a mission operated by the Diocese of Raleigh. Upon his return to North Carolina in 1974, Father Waters became a priest of the Diocese of Charlotte, which had been established while he was in Mexico. After two months as administrator of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Morganton, he took up residence at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Charlotte, and became director of the Hispanic Catholic Center, a post he held until September 1977.
He also worked with Catholic Social Services to establish Natural Family Planning centers around the diocese before becoming pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte in May 1975. He was to have become rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte in September 1977, but was loaned to the Society of Saint James for service as a missionary in Peru. He returned from Peru in September 1982. After a three-month sabbatical leave for study at St. Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park, Calif., Father Waters become pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville, and director of migrant ministry in January 1983 with residence at Holy Trinity Mission in Taylorsville, with responsibility for operating the mission church. In March 1985, he assumed additional duties as a member of the Diocesan Seminarian Formation committee.
At his request, Father Waters retired in June 2001, but continued to serve the people of the diocese, especially the Spanish-speaking members of the community.
He is survived by two brothers, Albert Waters and wife Shirley of Greensboro, and Robert "Bob" Waters and wife Donna of Aiken, S.C.; a sister, Rosemary Waters Pagura and husband Frank of Elk Grove, Ill.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Condolences may be sent to his sister Rosemary Pagura, 944 Wisconsin Lane, Elk Grove, Village, Ill. 60007.
Cumby Family Funeral Service of High Point was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
Sister Carol Ann ZurloASTON, Pa. — Sister Carol Ann Zurlo, OSF (formerly Sister Emma Francis) died on April 25, 2015 at Assisi House in Aston, Pa. She was 78. The professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia had formerly served at Good Shepherd Home Health Agency in Hayesville.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at Assisi House, 600 Red Hill Road, Aston, PA, 19014. Burial will be at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery in Aston.
She was born in Trenton, N.J., and graduated from Upper Freehold Township High School. Prior to her entrance into the Sisters of St. Francis in 1959, she studied nursing and became a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Trenton. She had been a professed member with the Sisters of St. Francis for 54 years, making her first vows in 1961. Her cousin, Sister Patricia Millen, is also a member of the congregation.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Neumann University in Aston, Pa., and a Master of Science in nursing from the Catholic University of America. She also later became a pediatric nurse practitioner and ministered in healthcare in various capacities, including six years at at Good Shepherd Home Health Agency in Hayesville.
She ministered in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for 22 years. She worked at St. Agnes Medical Center and later served as director of St. Mary's Children's Health Center in Langhorne. In 2008 she moved to Assisi House in Aston where she served in prayer ministry until her death.
Sister Carol Ann's 21 years in the Diocese of Trenton included working at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, ministering at Morris Hall in Lawrenceville, and serving as school nurse at All Saints School in Burlington. She also served on the provincial council for the former St. Anthony Province which was based in Trenton.
Sister Carol Ann also ministered at St. Joseph Hospital in Lancaster, Pa., for six years. Her final ministry prior to her retirement and moving into prayer ministry was to serve as administrator of St. Francis Convent in Ringwood, N.J.
In addition to Sister Patricia Millen, Sister Carol Ann is survived by her sister, Precious Groom; two brothers, John and Don Zurlo; nephews; and by her Franciscan family.
Donations in her name can be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA 19014.