ATLANTA--Father Gregory Benassu, parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw, died Easter Sunday, March 30 in New Jersey following a battle with cancer. He was 37.

The funeral Mass was celebrated April 2 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Stirling, N.J. Father Arthur J. Colaiacovo, a close friend of the family, was the principal celebrant. A memorial Mass will be celebrated in the Atlanta Archdiocese Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church. Archbishop John F. Donoghue will preside at the Mass and friends and former parishioners from throughout the archdiocese are invited to attend.

Father Benassu, who would have celebrated the second anniversary of his ordination in July, was diagnosed with melanoma in early 1997. Since mid-February he received care at Memorial Sloan-Kettering cancer institute in New York. He was transferred to a nursing care facility in New Jersey March 17 so he could remain close to his family.

Archbishop Donoghue ordained Father Benassu to the priesthood July 8, 1995 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta. Since his ordination he has been assigned to St. Catherine of Siena.

Father Mark Lacey, chancellor, Father James Miceli, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Rome, Father John Anderson, parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta, and Father Terry Kane, then pastor of St. Catherine of Siena, visited with Father Benassu at Sloan-Kettering in March. Both Father Lacey and Father Anderson studied as seminarians with Father Benassu in Italy. Father Lacey, Father Anderson, Father Miceli, Father Kane and Deacon David Rauth of St. Catherine of Siena were among those from the archdiocese attending the funeral in New Jersey.

Born in New York City, but raised in Green Brook, N.J., Father Benassu entered the seminary for the Diocese of Trenton, N.J., after working for four years as a computer programmer and one and a half years as a computer analyst. During his second year of study at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, he met Msgr. Donald Kenny, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Impressed by the emotional, spiritual and financial support offered to Atlanta's seminarians, he decided to continue his studies as a seminarian for Atlanta.

A pastoral year at St. Mary's Church, Rome, was followed by three years of seminary studies in Italy, where he earned an undergraduate degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and a master of arts in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained a transitional deacon July 9, 1994 at St. Mary's in Rome.

Father Benassu is survived by his father, Alfred, of Green Brook, and his sister, Gail Rolak, of N. Plainfield, N. J. He is predeceased by his mother, Josephine.

Expressions of sympathy can be sent to Mr. Benassu, 214 Mountain Parkway, Green Brook, N.J. 08812. Memorial contributions may be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, Box 520, New York, N.Y. 10021 or the seminary fund of North American College, 00120 Vatican City State, Europe.