October 28, 2011

Catholic Communications staff mourn passing of Passionist Father Isaias Powers, early ‘Chalice’ preacher

 

REGIONAL

Staff report

JAMAICA, N.Y. – Passionist Father Isaias Powers, 83, died Oct. 27, here. He was familiar to many in the Springfield Diocese through his ministry at the former Passionist Monastery and Retreat House in West Springfield and his appearances on some of the earliest broadcasts of the local “Chalice of Salvation” TV Mass.

“A gifted preacher, author and poet, he was best known for his parish missions and for his many years as author of Advent and Lenten meditation booklets,” said Passionist Brother Terrence Scanlon, the longtime host and producer of “Chalice of Salvation.”

Mark E. Dupont, executive director of and a longtime producer for Catholic Communications, also commented on Father Powers’ death, saying, “For those of us at Catholic Communications this loss is especially heartfelt, as not only was he a brother-in-community to our very own Brother Terry, but he was among the first Passionists to join with our founder, Father Fidelas Rice, in the early days of both the ‘Chalice of Salvation’ and the former ‘Crossroads’ radio program.”

“Born on St. Patrick’s Day 1928, he always maintained a rich sense of Irish wit and storytelling, which served him well over 83-plus years,” Brother Scanlon said.

Father Powers was born Joseph Raymond Powers on St. Patrick’s Day, 1928. He was the son of David E Powers and Rose Mary Farricy. He attended Oswego, N.Y., High School from 1941 to 1945 and then served in the U.S. Army Signal corps from 1945 to 1947. He attended Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y., from 1947 to 1951 where he was co-captain of the football team and editor of the literary magazine.  

He professed his vows as a Passionist on Nov. 21, 1954 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Cuthbert O’Gara on April 7, 1961. After his course in Sacred Eloquence he worked in radio and TV ministry at Our Mother of Sorrows Monastery, West Springfield (1962-1963), then moved on to St. Ann’s, Scranton, Pa., where he was a member of the preaching band from 1963 to 1964. He continued his preaching ministry in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada from 1964 to 1966 before joining Sign magazine as associate editor in 1966. The next year he served as vicar in Jamaica from 1967 to 1968. 

For the following four years he lived at the Passionist Residence in Philadelphia and preached retreats to high school and college students. During this time he spent his summers studying behavioral psychology at the National Training Laboratory in Group Development, Bethel, Maine. He returned to St. Ann’s, Scranton, as a member of the preaching band from 1972 to 1973 and continued working in retreat ministry, first at Bishop Molloy Retreat House, Jamaica, from 1973 to 1976, then at St Gabriel’s, Brighton, Mass., from 1976 to 1979.

After a sabbatical in Chicago at Loyola University’s Institute for Spiritual Leadership, he returned to West Springfield, where he settled down for the next 15 years and began his literary career with the 1981 publication of Advent Prayers and Scripture Meditations. He went on to publish 13 books as well as many audio books and videos. At the same time he enjoyed a busy preaching ministry. From 1994 to 1995 he was stationed at Holy Family, West Hartford, Conn., and then at Our Lady of Florida from 1995 to 2000. In 2000 he moved to Immaculate Conception Monastery in Jamaica where lived and ministered until retiring in 2006.

The wake will be held on Friday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. at Immaculate Monastery Public Chapel in Jamaica, with a rosary and vigil service at 7 p.m. The funeral will be Saturday, Oct. 29 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Monastery, with burial following in the monastery cemetery.