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“But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace... They who trust in him will understand truth and the faithful will abide with him in love; because grace and mercy are upon his elect.” (Wisdom 3:1-3, 9)
Our heavenly Father, the Lord of the living and the dead, has called to Himself
Reverendissimus Dom. Ladislas Francis Keresztesy-Parker,
Abbot Founder and First Abbot of St. Michael’s in Orange,
on Sunday, 3 January, A.D. 2010, at 12:05 A.M.
Francis PΓΌrker was born in German-speaking Vaskeresztes, Hungary on December 19, 1915. He attended school in Szombathely at the Norbertine gymnasium directed by confreres of St. Michael’s Abbey in Csorna. Upon graduation Francis entered the Abbey’s novitiate and received the name of Ladislas. After novitiate and profession, he completed philosophical studies in the studium of the Abbey and was then sent to Rome where he pursued theological studies at the Gregorian University. Fr. Ladislas was ordained a priest on August 20, 1940 and completed his doctoral studies in 1942 with a dissertation on “The Doctrine of St. Augustine on Hope.” Upon return from his studies Fr. Ladislas was named master of novices and professor of moral theology at the Abbey, posts he filled until escaping Communist Hungary along with his confreres in July, 1950.
Received warmly by Abbot Sylvester Killeen and the confreres of St. Norbert’s Abbey in DePere, Wisconsin, Fr. Ladislas and his companions served in a variety of ministerial settings doing both parish and academic work in the Abbey’s widely-spread apostolates. Fr. Ladislas, though, was the driving force enabling his fellow refugees to reunite in 1957, reestablishing both the common life in Santa Ana, California and a common apostolate at Mater Dei High School, at the invitation of Cardinal James McIntyre, Archbishop of Los Angeles. He served on the faculty of Mater Dei until 1961 when in August a new foundation was opened as a junior seminary and novitiate of the Abbey of St. Michael’s in Csorna.
From 1959 -1975, Fr. Ladislas was administrator of the community with its growing number of seminarians. In June 1975 the community became an independent priory and Fr. Ladislas was elected the first prelate. In August, 1984, following the decision of the Order’s definitory, the canonry was elevated to abbey status and Fr. Ladislas was named its first abbot. Upon reaching 75 years of age in 1990, he was re-elected prelate. Abbot Parker became abbot emeritus upon his resignation in June, 1995. By that time and under his wise and loving governance the community had grown to 41 priests and nearly 60 confreres.
Dear Friends of St Michael’s Abbey,
Here is the complete schedule for the funeral rites of Abbot Ladislas Parker. Of course, you are welcome to pray with us at any and all of these services, but keep in mind that the most important celebrations are the Funeral Mass on Saturday, January 9th at 9:30am at the Mission Basilica of San Juan Capistrano, followed by the Burial on the same day at 11:30am at Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest followed by a Reception at the Abbey.
Grateful for your prayers for the soul of our great father and founder, and looking forward to seeing you this week, I am
Devotedly yours in Christ,
Abbot Eugene with all the Norbertine Confreres of St. Michael’s Abbey
Thursday, January 7th
4:30pm Reception of the body into the Abbey Church followed by Vespers of the Dead
(The body will be kept in vigil in the Abbey Church all night until Mass the next morning; please note that there is no Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament this evening)
Friday, January 8th
12:00 Midnight - Office of Vigils with Homily in the Abbey Church
9:00am Lauds of the Dead in the Abbey Church
11:00am Sung Requiem Mass with Homily in the Abbey Church
(Please note that this is not the Funeral Mass, which is tomorrow.)
4:20pm None and the transferral of the body to the Mission Basilica
7:30pm Vespers of the Dead with Homily at the Mission Basilica
(Please note that there is no Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament this evening)
Saturday, January 9th
(Please note that there is no 7:00am Mass today at the abbey.)
9:30am - FUNERAL MASS AT THE MISSION BASILICA OF
11:30am - BURIAL AT ASCENSION CEMETERY IN LAKE FOREST, FOLLOWED BY A RECEPTION AT THE ABBEY
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