Father Ellis Peter Fredrick Reinert, O.Carm.

On the morning of December 24, 2006, the Sunday of the eve of Christmas, Father Ellis Reinert, O.Carm., joined the Father in eternal life. Father Ellis, who had been in hospice, died at the age of 82, in Englewood, New Jersey.

Father Ellis, laid in state at Saint Cecilia’s Catholic Church, Englewood, on December 28, where a vigil service was held that evening. A Mass of Christian Burial took place there on Friday, December 29. The Very Reverend John Welch, O.Carm., Prior Provincial of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Province, concelebrated. Internment immediately followed at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Tenafly, New Jersey.

Ellis Reinert was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of the late George Thomas and Ida (Zapf) Reinert on March 10, 1924. He was enrolled in Saint John the Baptist and later Saint Kilian grade schools before entering Mount Carmel Preparatory Seminary in Niagara Falls, Ontario, as a high school seminarian. He made first profession of vows in August 15, 1943, and graduated from Mount Carmel College with a degree in Philosophy in June, 1946. He made his solemn vows September 29, 1946, and was ordained a priest on June 7, 1949. As a newly ordained priest, Father Ellis enrolled at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where in 1952 he received his M.A. degree in Classical Language. Continuing his studies in Washington, Father Ellis was awarded an S.T.L. in Theology from Catholic University of America in 1955.

Teaching was a major part of Father Ellis’ career. His early career began at Joliet Catholic High school where he served as teacher beginning in 1951. After returning to school at Catholic University, Father Ellis remained in Washington at Whitefriars Hall. There he joined the faculty, teaching until 1956. Father Ellis spent the years from 1956 to 1959 in an eremitical community in Wolfnitz, Austria, where he enjoyed the quiet solitude of the cloistered life with God. In 1959, Father Ellis returned to teaching at the International College of Saint Albert in Rome, Italy. After four years there, he moved to Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he taught for an additional four years until 1969.

After his time as teacher, in 1969, Father Ellis moved into pastoral ministry serving in four parishes; Saint Joseph, Bogota, New Jersey; Saint Gertrude in Stockton, California; Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Newport News, Virginia, and Saint Leo’s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1977 Father Ellis began his ministry as the Catholic chaplain at Englewood Hospital, a ministry he enjoyed for 12 years and where he distinguished himself by careful attention to his duties and great compassion towards the sick. After retiring from hospital ministry, Father Ellis continued to live at Saint Cecilia’s, helping out in local parishes as needed and serving the needs of the retired Franciscan Sisters at Knickerbocker Convent in Tenafly, New Jersey.

May he rest in peace.

Father Alan N. Crowley, O.Carm.

By: Bryan Marquard, Globe Staff

Thirty years ago, when he was 60, the Reverend Alan Norbert Crowley, O.Carm., took on a ministry unlike any other in his career: the North Shore Shopping Center in Peabody, Massachusetts, home of the Saint Therese Carmelite Chapelon- the-Mall.

“When I was ordained, in 1941, there was no such thing as a mall,” he told the Globe in 1988.

Father Crowley, who lived in Peabody, died in Beverly Hospital on January 8. He was 90 and had suffered a heart attack two days earlier.

“He was a very gentle man,” said the Reverend Herbert Jones, director of the chapel and prior of the Carmelite very Irish and proud of his Irish heritage. He just had this twinkle in his eye and was very quick-witted.” Through the years, Father Crowley officiated at baptisms, weddings, and funerals in his extended family, many of whom live in Massachusetts. To family members he was always Uncle Norb. “He was always there for all the events—all the marriages, all the First Communions,” his niece said. “I can’t tell you how many people he’s married. There are so many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.” The saddest times, she said, were when he officiated at the funeral Mass for each of his siblings, three brothers and a sister. But his presence brought comfort to the family. “It’s just kind of nice to have your uncle say Mass,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have a family member up there and giving you Communion.” Father Crowley’s homilies, Jones community in Peabody. “He knew how to listen and he always had the right words to set people at ease. He just had that trust—he was a true priest in that regard. He was always there for people.”

Father Crowley offered Mass and heard confessions in the chapel, a place of quiet and candles in the mall’s basement, located beneath Pottery Barn. The chapel offers shoppers a respite from checkout lines in the surrounding stores—even though, when the priest ends Mass by saying “go in peace to love and serve the Lord,” some simply go in haste to shop.

“The 4 o’clock Mass on a Saturday afternoon and the 6 o’clock are packed,” said his niece Maureen Loreti, of Beverly. “If you’re shopping over there, that’s what you do.”

Jones said those who listened to Father Crowley’s homilies at the chapel often left with a smile.

“I have heard him referred to as like a leprechaun,” he said. “He was very Irish and proud of his Irish heritage. He just had this twinkle in his eye and was very quick-witted.”

Through the years, Father Crowley officiated at baptisms, weddings, and funerals in his extended family, many of whom live in Massachusetts. To family members he was always Uncle Norb.

“He was always there for all the events—all the marriages, all the First Communions,” his niece said. “I can’t tell you how many people he’s married. There are so many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.”

The saddest times, she said, were when he officiated at the funeral Mass for each of his siblings, three brothers and a sister. But his presence brought comfort to the family.

“It’s just kind of nice to have your uncle say Mass,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have a family member up there and giving you Communion.”

Father Crowley’s homilies, Jones said, often drew on the theme of “the goodness of God, that God is good and no matter what happens in our lives, God is there to guide us.”

Born in Medford, Father Crowley went to the Mount Carmel Preparatory Seminary in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. He was ordained in 1941 and had studied education at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, and music at Pius X School of Music in Westchester, New York, and Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He served parishes in Illinois, New Jersey, and Virginia before coming to the mall.

Father Crowley retired two years ago, Jones said, “but even in his retirement he would offer Mass to the Carmelite sisters who live across the street.”

On rainy or cold days “the sisters would drive down their driveway and drive up ours, a distance of about a hundred yards, and they would bring him back afterward,” Jones said. “He wanted to keep that notion of service going—he definitely didn’t want to hang up his hat.”

“It was his faith, and he lived it and believed it,” Loreti said. “I can’t tell you how much I loved him, and he gave unconditional love back.”

Father Crowley laid in state at Our Lady of the Scapular Priory in Peabody, Massachusetts, January, 10, 2007. A Mass of Christian Burial took place the next day at the Chapel of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, in Danvers, Massachusetts. The internment followed immediately at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Salem.

May he rest in peace.

Father Gerald Albert Heinen, O.Carm.

The Order of Carmelites of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Province mourns the loss of Reverend Gerald Heinen, O.Carm., who died at the age of 81 on February 19, 2007, in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Father Heinen laid in state at Saint Anastasia Catholic Church, Teaneck, New Jersey, February 23. A Mass of Christian Burial took place there on Saturday, February 24. Reverend James Boyce, O.Carm., Eastern Regional Superior of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, was the presider. Internment immediately followed at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Tenafly.

Gerald Heinen, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 19, 1925. He was enrolled in Little Flower grade school before entering Mount Carmel Preparatory Seminary in Niagara Falls, Ontario, as a high school seminarian. He made first profession of vows in August 15, 1944, at the Carmelite novitiate in New Baltimore, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mount Carmel College with a degree in Philosophy in June, 1947, and on September 28th of that year, made his solemn vows. Father Gerald Heinen was ordained a priest on June 6, 1950, at the National Shrine in Washington, DC. Continuing his studies Father Gerald attended Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, and Niagara University, Niagara Falls, New York, for graduate courses in sociology and education; and Saint Xavier College, Chicago, Illinois, for courses in Theology.

In 1951 Father Gerald Heinen began his first assignment as seminarian teacher and treasurer of Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Ontario. During the 16 years he held this position he also served the Little Flower Society there. In 1966, Father Gerald moved to his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, and to Saint Clara parish, where the Society of the Little Flower in Illinois was first based. After one year there, Father Gerald returned to teaching at Joliet Catholic High School in Joliet, Illinois.

In 1972, after completing five years teaching high school in Joliet, Illinois, Father Gerald moved into parish work. He located to the state of New Jersey; a state where he would serve for the rest of his life. Father Gerald served three Carmelite parishes in New Jersey for a total of 32 years. He served as pastor for nine years at Immaculate Conception Parish in Norwood. In 1981 he moved to Saint Joseph Parish in Bogota, where he continued parish work as assistant pastor there for the next 13 years of which after four years he also served as Prior for the community there. He returned to Immaculate Conception Parish in 1995 where he served as the parish administrator for one year. He then moved to Saint Anastasia Parish and Priory in Teaneck. He served at Saint Anastasia’s for the next eight years until 2004 when he retired.

Carmelite friars who remember Father Gerald have spoken about his smooth tenor voice, how he taught religious studies to those in formation and the assistance he gave to the Order’s Finance Commission. His friends tell of his accomplishments and of his gentleness. During his years in New Jersey, Father Gerald became the Chaplain for the Bogota Police and Fire Departments and the Chaplain for the Bergen County Fire Department. For the last twelve years, Father Gerald was a promoter and fundraiser of the Hackensack Medical Center’s “Tomorrow’s Children” Children’s hospital.

When not working for children, Father Gerald was concerned about seniors. Through Father Gerald’s love of cooking, he organized a monthly senior luncheon where he cooked meals for over 100 seniors each month. Friends talk about how he would send a greeting card on Valentines Day or Saint Patrick’s Day or any of many other traditional holidays to those who within the Saint Joseph and Saint Anastasia Parishes would not have gotten a card if it was not for him. Father Gerald visited the homebound and the sick in hospitals. He would especially make the effort to visit those with AIDS or other life threatening diseases. Father Gerald enjoyed these activities during his retirement years at Saint Anastasia Priory in Teaneck, until his death.

May he rest in peace.