Diocese Opens Tribunal for Frank Parater's Cause for Sainthood

By Steve Neill
The Catholic Virginian

The official opening of a Tribunal attempting to prove the cause of canonization for Frank Parater, a Richmond seminarian 82 years ago, began April 19 with a meeting called by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan.

Now formally known as the "Servant of God," Frank Parater was 22 and studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Richmond when he died in Rome Feb. 7, 1920 of influenza after an illness of only a few days.

The purpose and goal of the Tribunal is "to conduct a thorough investigation into the life of the Servant of God Frank Parater in order to establish his reputation of sanctity and the importance of the cause for the church, and to prepare all necessary documentation for its presentation to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints," said Father J. Scott Duarte, appointed postulator of the cause.

Father Duarte, who has been appointed by Bishop Sullivan as diocesan Vicar for the Causes of the Saints, says he hopes the Tribunal investigation will be completed by December. At that time he hopes to take all related documents to Rome for hand delivery to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The Tribunal earnestly wants to speak with anyone who has any personal knowledge, written documents, or letters written by Frank Parater or others that mention him in any way.

"There could be and there are people who knew people who knew him," Father Duarte said. One is a great-nephew who recalls that his grandmother spoke frequently about Frank Parater, her brother.

The diocese has hired Joanne D'Surney, former long-time secretary in the Marriage Tribunal, as secretary of the office of Vicar of Causes for Saints. She will work two days a week in an office across from the diocesan Archives where all official documents are stored.

"All of the documents pertaining to the Cause are transcribed and authenticated so that the things Mrs. D'Surney has typed are faithful to the original," Father Duarte said.

Among the documents supporting the cause of Frank Parater's canonization is his last will, dated Dec. 5, 1919, "to be read only in the event of my death at Rome."

In the will Frank Parater states: "Death is not unpleasant to me, but the most beautiful and welcome event of life. Death is the messenger of God come to tell us that our novitiate is ended and to welcome us to the real life.

"Melancholic or morbid sentimentality is not the cause of my writing this, for I love my life here, the College, the men, and Rome itself," he writes. "But I have desired to die and be buried with the saints. I dare not ask God to take me lest I should be ungrateful or be trying to shirk the higher responsibilities of life; but I shall never have less to answer for -- perhaps never be ready to meet my Maker, My God, my all."

The late Mother Gertrude Parker of Monte Maria Monastery then in Richmond, wrote about Frank Parater in 1966 in "Sentinel on the Hill," a journal which marked the 100th anniversary of the Visitation Sisters in Richmond. She was the aunt of Mother Margaret Mary McGuire, who is now the community's superior at the monastery in Rockville.

In the journal Mother Gertrude writes that Frank Parater was "a young man who served in the chapel of the Visitation, and to whom the sisters were united by special bonds."

The young man, who grew up in the Church Hill neighborhood where the Visitation monastery was located, served at Mass there from the time he was 7. He graduated from Benedictine High School and then chose to seek the priesthood of the Diocese of Richmond.

"He had been a subject of great promise," Mother Gertrude wrote," adding that Frank Parater was "full of zeal for souls and eager to sanctify himself that he might aid in the sanctification of others."

The late Bishop John J. Russell, bishop of Richmond from 1958 to 1973, was a classmate of Frank Parater's at the North American College in Rome. In 1966 while attending the Second Vatican Council in Rome, he visited the seminarian's grave. That same day he read the will of Frank Parater.

In the will Mr. Parater wrote: "Surely it is not selfish to desire to be with him who has loved us so well...I shall be of more service to my diocese in heaven that I ever could be on earth. If it is God's holy will, I will join him on Good Friday, 1920, and never leave him more -- but not my will, Father, but thine be done!"

"It reads like that which would come forth from the heart of a young saint," Mother Gertrude wrote. "It would also seem as though he had received a prophetic warning from our Lord as to the time of his passing from this land of exile into his true fatherland."

The life and death of Frank Parater is discussed in the 2001 book "Commonwealth Catholicism: A History of the Catholic Church in Virginia" by Gerald Fogarty, a Jesuit priest who teaches at the University of Virginia.

Upon the unexpected death of the 22-year-old seminarian, Father Fogarty wrote that Msgr. Charles O'Hern, rector of North American College, in learning of the will Frank Parater had written, "was considering showing it to the pope and commented that several people had recommended its publication."




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	By Steve Neill The Catholic Virginian The official opening of a Tribunal attempting to prove the cause of canonization for Frank Parater, a Richmond seminarian 82 years ago, began April 19 with a meeting called by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan. Now formally known as the "Servant of God," Frank Parater was 22 and studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Richmond when he died in Rome Feb. 7, 1920 of influenza after an illness of only a few days. The purpose and goal of the Tribunal is "to conduct a thorough investigation into the life of the Servant of God Frank Parater in order to establish his reputation of sanctity and the importance of the cause for the church, and to prepare all necessary documentation for its presentation to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints," said Father J. Scott Duarte, appointed postulator of the cause. Father Duarte, who has been appointed by Bishop Sullivan as diocesan Vicar for the Causes of the Saints, says he hopes the Tribunal investigation will be completed by December. At that time he hopes to take all related documents to Rome for hand delivery to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The Tribunal earnestly wants to speak with anyone who has any personal knowledge, written documents, or letters written by Frank Parater or others that mention him in any way. "There could be and there are people who knew people who knew him," Father Duarte said. One is a great-nephew who recalls that his grandmother spoke frequently about Frank Parater, her brother. The diocese has hired Joanne D'Surney, former long-time secretary in the Marriage Tribunal, as secretary of the office of Vicar of Causes for Saints. She will work two days a week in an office across from the diocesan Archives where all official documents are stored. "All of the documents pertaining to the Cause are transcribed and authenticated so that the things Mrs. D'Surney has typed are faithful to the original," Father Duarte said. Among the documents supporting the cause of Frank Parater's canonization is his last will, dated Dec. 5, 1919, "to be read only in the event of my death at Rome." In the will Frank Parater states: "Death is not unpleasant to me, but the most beautiful and welcome event of life. Death is the messenger of God come to tell us that our novitiate is ended and to welcome us to the real life. "Melancholic or morbid sentimentality is not the cause of my writing this, for I love my life here, the College, the men, and Rome itself," he writes. "But I have desired to die and be buried with the saints. I dare not ask God to take me lest I should be ungrateful or be trying to shirk the higher responsibilities of life; but I shall never have less to answer for -- perhaps never be ready to meet my Maker, My God, my all." The late Mother Gertrude Parker of Monte Maria Monastery then in Richmond, wrote about Frank Parater in 1966 in "Sentinel on the Hill," a journal which marked the 100th anniversary of the Visitation Sisters in Richmond. She was the aunt of Mother Margaret Mary McGuire, who is now the community's superior at the monastery in Rockville. In the journal Mother Gertrude writes that Frank Parater was "a young man who served in the chapel of the Visitation, and to whom the sisters were united by special bonds." The young man, who grew up in the Church Hill neighborhood where the Visitation monastery was located, served at Mass there from the time he was 7. He graduated from Benedictine High School and then chose to seek the priesthood of the Diocese of Richmond. "He had been a subject of great promise," Mother Gertrude wrote," adding that Frank Parater was "full of zeal for souls and eager to sanctify himself that he might aid in the sanctification of others." The late Bishop John J. Russell, bishop of Richmond from 1958 to 1973, was a classmate of Frank Parater's at the North American College in Rome. In 1966 while attending the Second Vatican Council in Rome, he visited the seminarian's grave. That same day he read the will of Frank Parater. In the will Mr. Parater wrote: "Surely it is not selfish to desire to be with him who has loved us so well...I shall be of more service to my diocese in heaven that I ever could be on earth. If it is God's holy will, I will join him on Good Friday, 1920, and never leave him more -- but not my will, Father, but thine be done!" "It reads like that which would come forth from the heart of a young saint," Mother Gertrude wrote. "It would also seem as though he had received a prophetic warning from our Lord as to the time of his passing from this land of exile into his true fatherland." The life and death of Frank Parater is discussed in the 2001 book "Commonwealth Catholicism: A History of the Catholic Church in Virginia" by Gerald Fogarty, a Jesuit priest who teaches at the University of Virginia. Upon the unexpected death of the 22-year-old seminarian, Father Fogarty wrote that Msgr. Charles O'Hern, rector of North American College, in learning of the will Frank Parater had written, "was considering showing it to the pope and commented that several people had recommended its publication." top