By Gretchen Keiser

Parishioners at St. John Vianney parish in Lithia Springs are mourning the death of their Franciscan pastor, Father Eugene Kwapisz, OFM Conv., who died suddenly Jan. 27 at the age of 49.

The pastor, who came to the parish last June 11 when the Conventual Franciscan Friars assumed staffing of St. John Vianney, had been active and busy, leading a weekend retreat for seventh and eight grade parishioners Jan. 23 and 24 and carrying out normal parish duties that week. He was found dead at the rectory by his assistant, Father David Stachurski, OFM Con., when parish staff arrived and found that he failed to open up the church that morning as was his custom.

Despite his active schedule, Father Eugene had suffered a heart attack in his early 30s, Father Stachurski said, and heart failure was believed the cause of his death.

Three hundred to 400 parishioners and approximately 26 priests from around the archdiocese took part in a Mass for the Dead at the parish Jan. 28. A funeral Mass was also to take place in Buffalo, N.Y., Father Kwapisz’ birthplace, followed by burial.

At the Mass in Lithia springs, Father Daniel Pietrzak, Baltimore provincial of the Conventual Franciscan Friars, was the principal celebrant. Monsignor John McDonough, archdiocesan administrator, concelebrated the Mass, and Father Gregory Kwapisz, OFM Conv., Father Eugene’s brother was the homilist.

“Your tribute to him, your presence here is real love,” Father Gregory said to the congregation, who filled the church to capacity and stood in aisles and doorways. Among those attending were friends from All Saints parish in Dunwoody, where Father Eugene served as a parochial vicar from August 1985 to June 1987.

Emphasizing that his brother wanted to emulate the love and simplicity of St. Francis, Father Gregory said parishioners showed an “active love” by their presence. “It is a real love he would wish you to continue and to share.” The priest said that his brother, although the younger of the two, was “greater.” Citing the Gospel story of Peter and John racing to the tomb when told of Jesus’ resurrection, Father Gregory said, “It was the younger of the two (John) who reached the tomb first.”

Sharon Loiselle, director of religious education in the parish, said Father Eugene, a teacher and guidance director at Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore for 11 years was “gifted” with young people like those he had led in retreat the previous weekend at John Tanner State Park. The priest had also become a weekly visitor to the controversial Douglas County facility for troubled youngsters at Anneewakee, and his care was the first time the parish had real involvement with the children there, Mrs. Loiselle said. Several of the boys came to the church to express their sorrow at the priest’s death, she said. “He was really touched by them and they by him.”

Father Stachurski said the pastor’s effort since last June had focused upon building community in the parish, working with the young people and looking toward the eventual construction of a sanctuary. “His hope was to have built a permanent sanctuary” for the parish of 524 families, Father Stachurski said.

Changes made in the all-purpose parish building, including painting, had been done to a great extent by the pastor himself, Father Stachurski said. A meeting was to have been held next month in the parish to discuss different options they had in expanding available space to meet present and future needs.

Monsignor Donald Kiernan, pastor of All Saints, said his former associate was a “kind, gentle man” appreciated by the Dunwoody parish. Laverne Zellman, youth minister at All Saints, said that the priest was approachable and available to young people, a “confidante” who would “stop anytime” to listen to problems. He was always garbed in his Franciscan habit, she said. In recent phone calls, he said that he had been dieting, working out and walking in recent weeks with great enthusiasm. “I lost a friend,” she said.

The son of the late Martin and Walerya Kwapisz, Father Eugene was the youngest of eight children.

In addition to his brother Gregory, he is survived by his brother Henry and four sisters, Jean, Irene, Helene and Wanda. A sister Jenny is deceased. Two of his nephews are also Conventual Franciscans.