Reverend Francis A.
Fitzsimmons, M.S., a member of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette and
pastor of Saint Theresa Parish in Carlyss, Louisiana, died January 23,
2004 from complications following surgery. He was 77 years old.
Father Fitzsimmons is the son of James and Theresa Fitzsimmons. He was born
in 1926 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He immigrated
to this country as a young man and pursued a career in business. He was
employed by one of the major petroleum companies in Houston, Texas. He felt
called to the priesthood and was led to join the Missionaries of Our Lady of
LaSalette. He professed his vows with the Missionaries on July 2, 1962. He was ordained a priest at the National Shrine of Our Lady of
LaSalette, Ipswich, Massachusetts, by
Bishop Thomas Riley on May 25, 1968. After serving as assistant at Our Lady
of LaSalette Parish in Berkley, Michigan and as vocation director for his
province, Father Fitzsimmons served as chaplain for LCIS in DeQuincy,
Louisiana for four years. After a couple more years as assistant(in Berkley
and then Maplewood, Louisiana), Father Fitzsimmons
was named pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Maplewood, Louisiana in
1976. He served there until pursuing advanced studies in theology at Aquinas
Institute in St. Louis, Missouri in 1981 and 1982. In
1982, he was named Co-Director of the LaSalette Interprovincial Novitiate,
which moved from Pawtucket, Rhode Island to Washington DC during his tenure. In 1985,
Father Fitzsimmons was elected provincial superior of the Missionaries of
Our Lady of LaSalette. At the completion of his term, he was named pastor of
Our Lady of Prompt Succor parish in Sulphur, Louisiana, where he served for
a year before moving to the LaSalette Residence in St. Louis, Missouri.
There he established a ministry center, while directing the development
center for the Province. In 1995, he was named pastor of Mary Queen Parish
in Friendswood, Texas and in 1996, pastor of Saint Theresa Parish in
Carlyss, where he was serving at the time of his death. Father Fitzsimmons
also served on a number of Province commissions throughout his years as a
LaSalette Missionary.
Besides his numerous confreres in the Missionaries of LaSalette, Father
Fitzsimmons is survived by his brother, Bernard Fitzsimmons of Belfast and a
niece, Mrs. Marion Dalton, as well as numerous other nieces and nephews.
Father Fitzsimmons had
many great gifts in communicating with his parishioners. He was always
available to provide assistance to anyone in need of his services. His
delivery of the Homily was exceptional, always began with a few items of
which we all could identify then related these items to the daily gospel and
concluded with the same items that were used in the beginning. The
Toastmasters International Organization would have been very proud of his
Homily delivery, structure, content, and effect on those in the audience.
He was a fantastic Priest, Pastor, LaSalette, Gentlemen, and Friend. We will
miss him very much!
St. Theresa Parish was blessed to
have Father Fitzsimmons as the Pastor. He was very dedicated to providing
better facilities for the education of the Parish children. This was the
focus of the fund raising events such as the Annual Bon Ton Festival,
Knights of Columbus events, Alter Society events, Alter Servers events, and
the generosity of many local businesses. It was amazing to witness the
response and loyalty of the Parish Parishioners when Father Fitzsimmons
requested help on any project!
The construction of the
new Priest Home and new Educational Building could not
have happened without Father Fitzsimmons' leadership and the dedication of
the Parish Parishioners. Many in the years to come will be forever grateful
for his devotion to these two projects.
There is a sad side to
the construction of the new Priest Home. Father Fitzsimmons was very elated
and looking forward to moving into the new Priest Home. Herman Heape had scheduled
to move Father Fitzsimmons into the new Priest Home on Saturday, 24, 2004. Father
Fitzsimmons went into the hospital Friday morning, January 23, 2004, and
never got to move into the new Priest Home.
The Mass of Christian
Burial was celebrated January 27, 2004 in the Saint Theresa Catholic Church
with The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton, Bishop of the Diocese of Lake
Charles, presiding. There were 35 priests present at Father Fitzsimmons'
Burial Mass. Thank you all.
Burial was in the Mimosa
Pines Garden of Memories in Carlyss.
