Fr. Hector Poulin, SDB (1932-2010)
Fr. Hector Gilbert Poulin, SDB, died of a heart attack on the afternoon of Dec. 27 in Brandon, Fla. He was 78 years old.
Fr. Hector was born in Nashua, N.H., on April 22, 1932. After U.S. Army service during the Korean War, he entered Don Bosco Seminary at Newton, N.J., in September 1956 and was admitted to the novitiate in September 1957. He made his first profession of vows as a Salesian of Don Bosco at Newton on Sept. 8, 1958.
After practical training at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., and Don Bosco Tech in Boston between 1960 and 1963, then-Bro. Poulin went to Italy for theological studies at St. Anselm Salesian Institute in Bollengo, near Ivrea in Piedmont, from 1964 to 1968. He was ordained in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin on April 6, 1968.
Fr. Hector’s first assignment as a priest was to teach at St. Dominic Savio High School in East Boston (1968-1969). From this year Fr. John Nazzaro, now the director of the Salesian community in East Boston, remembers: “I had Fr. Hector in high school at Savio. He loved to talk about the military, and believe me none of the kids would ever mess with him. He was strict, fair, and always around the kids. He was a person whom you could confide in with your problems, but a priest who was not afraid to give you a kick in the pants. Many alumni always have spoken highly of his time in East Boston, and he will be missed by many. He was a good Salesian priest and a good friend.”
At Don Bosco Tech in Paterson, N.J. (1969-1971), Salesian High School in New Rochelle, N.Y. (1995-97), and the Salesian Boys Club in Columbus, Ohio (1971-1974), Fr. Hector served as a competent and caring treasurer. Fr. John Serio, director of Salesian High School while Fr. Hector was there, writes: “Fr. Hector knew how to make people feel at home and make visitors comfortable. I never had to worry about the treasurer’s responsibilities being taken care of—Fr. Hector was very meticulous with the books and records, and he was a ‘Martha’ in the dining room, especially when we had students for dinner (which was very often). He did all the shopping, and wanted to be sure that the confreres wanted for nothing. He was quick to volunteer as confessor for the students. Fr. Hector was very down to earth, a good priest, a fine confrere.”
Fr. Hector was a much appreciated and beloved assistant or pastor of five parishes in the Bahamas for 15 years: Mary Star of the Sea in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island (1974-1978), St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Nassau (1978-1979), St. Agnes in Eight Mile Rock, G.B.I. (1979-1983, 1988-1991), St. Michael in West End, G.B.I. (1985-1988), and St. Vincent de Paul in Hunter, G.B.I. (1988-1991).
Fr. John Puntino served with Fr. Hector in the Bahamas for several years. He recalls: “Fr. Hector was very sensitive to the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. He did not hesitate to offer funeral services even for non-Catholics if other churches refused to perform the rites because the family lacked funds. In one instance he bought a pair of shoes for a lady so she could attend her husband’s funeral. When a group of Haitian refugees drowned, he arranged for their burial and did the graveside ceremonies. On the other hand, whenever he sensed an unjust situation, he would confront it, calling at times on his soldier’s vocabulary for emphasis. Even in those cases, though, it was easy to see his sensitive and caring nature coming through a seemingly rough appearance.”
The Bahamas were a lonely outpost of the province when the Salesians served there, sometimes on different islands. So when they could get together, Fr. Hector made sure they enjoyed themselves, says Fr. Puntino: “He valued the times that the confreres in the Bahamas got together, and he made sure we had a good meal.”
Between and following his Bahamas assignments, Fr. Hector was administrator of the Sacred Heart Center in Ipswich, Mass. (1983-1984, 1994-1995, 1997-2001), and chaplain of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Ipswich (1997-2005).
Sister Mary Farren, the sisters’ provincial, writes that Fr. Hector “was much loved by the sisters at Ipswich.” The love is revealed by their recollections of him, which go beyond his chaplaincy among them to include his service to local parishes and at the retreat center. They discerned in him numerous virtues and human qualities: “extraordinarily zealous, holy, dedicated, gentle, thoughtful, loved his vocation as a priest, a compassionate confessor, always ready to accommodate himself to the needs of others, flexible in giving service, meticulous about the use of vestments/vessels to celebrate the liturgy, rejoiced in his privilege to ‘celebrate’ (not ‘say’) Mass, loving, caring, faithful and faith-filled, valiant in his struggle with Alzheimer’s.”
Some specific comments from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur: “Fr. Hector accommodated his schedule to the needs of the surrounding parishes whenever needed, regardless of inconvenience to himself. His homilies were short, with a clear message, related to the gospel of the day. He was very zealous in visiting the sick and/or counseling troubled teenagers or consoling families who were experiencing some sorrow. Fr. Hector was very community-minded. If the kitchen staff was short-handed, Father would help arrange the meat on the platters and put them at the serving stations. In retrospect, Fr. Hector was happy fulfilling his priestly ministry, and his example was an inspiration to all who were touched by his life.”
Fr. Hector’s parochial assignments also included Holy Rosary Church in Port Chester, N.Y. (1984-1985, 1991-1994), and St. Anthony Church in Elizabeth, N.J. (2005-2010), as an assistant pastor.
Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, on Jan. 14, 2010, Fr. Hector retired to the Salesians’ St. Philip the Apostle Residence in Tampa. In recent weeks his condition worsened, requiring hospitalization and then placement in Superior Residences of Brandon.
Fr. Hector is survived by two sisters and two brothers in Nashua, N.H.
Funerals for Fr. Hector Poulin were to be celebrated in both Tampa and Elizabeth. He’ll be buried in Salesian Cemetery in Goshen, N.Y.
Fr. Hector Gilbert Poulin, SDB, died of a heart attack on the afternoon of Dec. 27 in Brandon, Fla. He was 78 years old.
Fr. Hector was born in Nashua, N.H., on April 22, 1932. After U.S. Army service during the Korean War, he entered Don Bosco Seminary at Newton, N.J., in September 1956 and was admitted to the novitiate in September 1957. He made his first profession of vows as a Salesian of Don Bosco at Newton on Sept. 8, 1958.
After practical training at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., and Don Bosco Tech in Boston between 1960 and 1963, then-Bro. Poulin went to Italy for theological studies at St. Anselm Salesian Institute in Bollengo, near Ivrea in Piedmont, from 1964 to 1968. He was ordained in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin on April 6, 1968.
Fr. Hector’s first assignment as a priest was to teach at St. Dominic Savio High School in East Boston (1968-1969). From this year Fr. John Nazzaro, now the director of the Salesian community in East Boston, remembers: “I had Fr. Hector in high school at Savio. He loved to talk about the military, and believe me none of the kids would ever mess with him. He was strict, fair, and always around the kids. He was a person whom you could confide in with your problems, but a priest who was not afraid to give you a kick in the pants. Many alumni always have spoken highly of his time in East Boston, and he will be missed by many. He was a good Salesian priest and a good friend.”
At Don Bosco Tech in Paterson, N.J. (1969-1971), Salesian High School in New Rochelle, N.Y. (1995-97), and the Salesian Boys Club in Columbus, Ohio (1971-1974), Fr. Hector served as a competent and caring treasurer. Fr. John Serio, director of Salesian High School while Fr. Hector was there, writes: “Fr. Hector knew how to make people feel at home and make visitors comfortable. I never had to worry about the treasurer’s responsibilities being taken care of—Fr. Hector was very meticulous with the books and records, and he was a ‘Martha’ in the dining room, especially when we had students for dinner (which was very often). He did all the shopping, and wanted to be sure that the confreres wanted for nothing. He was quick to volunteer as confessor for the students. Fr. Hector was very down to earth, a good priest, a fine confrere.”
Fr. Hector was a much appreciated and beloved assistant or pastor of five parishes in the Bahamas for 15 years: Mary Star of the Sea in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island (1974-1978), St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Nassau (1978-1979), St. Agnes in Eight Mile Rock, G.B.I. (1979-1983, 1988-1991), St. Michael in West End, G.B.I. (1985-1988), and St. Vincent de Paul in Hunter, G.B.I. (1988-1991).
Fr. John Puntino served with Fr. Hector in the Bahamas for several years. He recalls: “Fr. Hector was very sensitive to the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. He did not hesitate to offer funeral services even for non-Catholics if other churches refused to perform the rites because the family lacked funds. In one instance he bought a pair of shoes for a lady so she could attend her husband’s funeral. When a group of Haitian refugees drowned, he arranged for their burial and did the graveside ceremonies. On the other hand, whenever he sensed an unjust situation, he would confront it, calling at times on his soldier’s vocabulary for emphasis. Even in those cases, though, it was easy to see his sensitive and caring nature coming through a seemingly rough appearance.”
The Bahamas were a lonely outpost of the province when the Salesians served there, sometimes on different islands. So when they could get together, Fr. Hector made sure they enjoyed themselves, says Fr. Puntino: “He valued the times that the confreres in the Bahamas got together, and he made sure we had a good meal.”
Between and following his Bahamas assignments, Fr. Hector was administrator of the Sacred Heart Center in Ipswich, Mass. (1983-1984, 1994-1995, 1997-2001), and chaplain of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Ipswich (1997-2005).
Sister Mary Farren, the sisters’ provincial, writes that Fr. Hector “was much loved by the sisters at Ipswich.” The love is revealed by their recollections of him, which go beyond his chaplaincy among them to include his service to local parishes and at the retreat center. They discerned in him numerous virtues and human qualities: “extraordinarily zealous, holy, dedicated, gentle, thoughtful, loved his vocation as a priest, a compassionate confessor, always ready to accommodate himself to the needs of others, flexible in giving service, meticulous about the use of vestments/vessels to celebrate the liturgy, rejoiced in his privilege to ‘celebrate’ (not ‘say’) Mass, loving, caring, faithful and faith-filled, valiant in his struggle with Alzheimer’s.”
Some specific comments from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur: “Fr. Hector accommodated his schedule to the needs of the surrounding parishes whenever needed, regardless of inconvenience to himself. His homilies were short, with a clear message, related to the gospel of the day. He was very zealous in visiting the sick and/or counseling troubled teenagers or consoling families who were experiencing some sorrow. Fr. Hector was very community-minded. If the kitchen staff was short-handed, Father would help arrange the meat on the platters and put them at the serving stations. In retrospect, Fr. Hector was happy fulfilling his priestly ministry, and his example was an inspiration to all who were touched by his life.”
Fr. Hector’s parochial assignments also included Holy Rosary Church in Port Chester, N.Y. (1984-1985, 1991-1994), and St. Anthony Church in Elizabeth, N.J. (2005-2010), as an assistant pastor.
Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, on Jan. 14, 2010, Fr. Hector retired to the Salesians’ St. Philip the Apostle Residence in Tampa. In recent weeks his condition worsened, requiring hospitalization and then placement in Superior Residences of Brandon.
Fr. Hector is survived by two sisters and two brothers in Nashua, N.H.
Funerals for Fr. Hector Poulin were to be celebrated in both Tampa and Elizabeth. He’ll be buried in Salesian Cemetery in Goshen, N.Y.
No comments:
Post a Comment