TORONTO - Two Toronto priests, each having spent more than 60 years in religious life, passed away in mid-July. A third priest, a native of Germany, had died earlier in the month.
Fr. Richard Bertram Donovan, CSB, long-time educator and assistant at the University of St. Michael’s College, passed away on July 11 at Scarborough General Hospital. The 84-year-old priest was in his 65th year of religious life. And Fr. Franc Sodja, C.M., an active member of the Slovenian Catholic Community in Toronto, died July 15 at the age of 93. He was in his 66th year of religious life.
Fr. Donovan was ordained to the priesthood as a Basilian Father on June 29, 1950, by Cardinal James McGuigan in Toronto. Following his ordination, Fr. Donovan began teaching at the University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, and continued instructing French classes there for 30 years.
From 1988 to 1994, Fr. Donovan served as superior on Strawberry Island, the Basilians’ summer retreat house, during the summers, and between 1990 and 2001 he served as the records officer at the St. Michael’s College Alumni Office. In 2006, he retired to Anglin House, where he spent the final year of his life.
Funeral services for Fr. Donovan took place on the morning of July 14 at the Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre Chapel in Toronto. He was buried at the Basilian Plot of Holy Cross Cemetery in Thornhill, Ont.
Fr. Sodja was ordained to the Slovenian Missionaries of St. Vincent on March 12, 1936, in Groblje, Slovenia. Over the years he served around the world, including such places as Ljubljana, Belgrade, Macedonia, Kosovo, Argentina, Carinthia and Canada.
In November 1960, Fr. Sodja participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the building of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a Slovenian Catholic parish in Etobicoke, Ont. He served at the parish from 1985 until 1988 before retiring to Dom Lipa Nursing Home, where he lived until his death.
Funeral services for Fr. Sodja took place July 19 at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal parish. Burial followed at Assumption Catholic Cemetery in Mississauga.
Fr. Othmar Mussmacher, OSA, of Marylake, King City, passed away July 5. He was 94. He was ordained in Stockheim, Germany, on March 12, 1939, and was sent to North America shortly thereafter. After a brief stay in New York City, Fr. Mussmacher moved to British Columbia where he served in the archdiocese of Vancouver for 33 years.
In 1983, he became prior of St. Augustine Monastery in the diocese of Antigonish, N.S., where he served until 1997. Following his tenure in Nova Scotia, Fr. Mussmacher became a member of the Marylake community where he spent the final 10 years of his life.
He passed away at Our Lady of Grace Monastery at Marylake after 71 years in the religious life. A funeral Mass for Fr. Mussmacher took place on July 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Shrine in Marylake. Burial followed at the Augustinian plot of the Sacred Heart parish cemetery in King City.
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