OBITUARY

Rev. Charles B. McDermott

Posted

PAWTUCKET — Rev. Charles B. McDermott, 83, Pastor Emeritus of Saint Joseph Parish in Pawtucket, died on Friday, January 27, 2017.

Born in Providence, son of the late John F. and Irma (Ring) McDermott, he attended Saint Joseph School and La Salle Academy, both in Providence.

In preparation for the priesthood, he studied at Saint Peter’s College in Washington, DC, Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick, and at Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. He was ordained a priest on June 8, 1963 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Providence by Bishop Russell J. McVinney.

After a summer assignment at Saint Teresa Parish in Pawtucket, Father McDermott served as assistant pastor in the following parishes: Saint Leo, Pawtucket (1963-66); Saint Patrick, Valley Falls (1966-67); the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Providence (1967-69) and Saint Maria Goretti, Pawtucket (1969-75). In February 1975, he was appointed Assistant Chancellor, Advocate at the Diocesan Tribunal, and assistant pastor at Saint John Parish in Providence. In July 1978, he became administrator and then pastor of Saint John Parish, Providence.

In February 1985, Father McDermott was appointed pastor at Saint Mary Parish, Bristol, and served there until 1991, when he was appointed pastor at Saint Joseph Parish in Pawtucket. Father remained at St. Joseph until his retirement in July 2004 as Pastor Emeritus.

In September 2004 he became chaplain in residence at the Christian Brothers Center in Narragansett. In addition to his priestly assignments, Father also served for three years as a member of the Priests’ Personnel Board. In 1991, he completed sabbatical studies at the North American College in Rome.

In his later years, Father McDermott had resided in the Bonnet Shores area. At the time of his death, Father was living at the Scalabrini Villa in North Kingstown.

Father McDermott leaves a sister, Mary L. Cunningham of Warwick, and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late John, Raymond, and Helen McDermott and Irma Poirier.

A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial was offered for the repose of his soul at Saint Joseph Church in Providence on February 1 with Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans as the main celebrant and Bishop Louis E. Gelineau and other priests concelebrating. Father Kevin Brassil was the homilist.

Burial was in Mount Saint Mary Cemetery in Pawtucket.