BANGOR – Father John Joseph Austin, 75, Catholic priest and loving servant of the Lord, devoted son, beloved brother, kindly uncle, and U.S. Marine, went home to God Monday evening, Dec. 21, 2009. Father Austin was born Feb. 13, 1934, in Staten Island, N.Y., the son of John and Agnes (Murray) Austin. His early education was with the Christian Brothers Novitiate. He served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a teacher of special needs children in Harlem, New York City, for 25 years. Along with masters’ degrees in religious education and special needs education, Father Austin received a master’s degree in divinity and was ordained a priest for Diocese of Portland in 1997. He served as a parochial vicar at Holy Family Parish, Lewiston, and later as a chaplain at Eastern Maine Medical Center and at St. Joseph Hospital, Bangor. He is survived by his sisters and brothers, Anne Mott, Jean Austin, Peter and Paul Austin; seven nieces and nephews, 13 great-nephews and great-nieces with one more on the way, cousins, and by the countless number of people in Maine and elsewhere whose lives he touched and inspired with his ministry, wisdom, guidance, humor, kindness and God’s loving presence. “Rest in peace, Father Uncle John, O, Defender of the Faith.” The Catholic funeral rites with the Reception of the Body will be conducted 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. John’s Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor, with a wake immediately after, concluding with evening prayer at 6 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at St. John’s Church. Interment will be in the spring at St. Thomas Cemetery, Palmer, Mass. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be made to St. Joseph Healthcare, P.O. Box 1638, Bangor, ME 04401; Maine Veterans’ Home, 44 Hogan Road, Bangor, ME 04401; or St. John’s Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor, ME 04401. A service of Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
FATHER JOHN JOSEPH AUSTIN
