Obituary of Fr. Philip Blaine

+Fr. Philip (Richard) Blaine, OFM Conv.

+Fr. Philip Blaine, OFM Conv. was born on Staten Island, NY on August 1, 1932 and passed away on February 5, 2019. He was the son of the late John and Sophie (née Antisavage) Blaine. In addition to his Franciscan family, he is survived by his brother Matthew Blaine. He leaves his nephews Paul, Steven, and Robert Blaine and his nieces Sharon Gibbons, Janice Kekevian and Pamela Vaughn and many grand nieces and nephews.

Fr. Philip served in the U.S. Navy as an electric technician from 1950 to 1953 and later worked for IBM prior to joining the Order. Fr. Phil entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual Novitiate on August 11, 1956. He professed his Temporary Vows on August 12, 1957 and his Solemn Vows on October 11, 1960. After completing his philosophical studies in Rensselaer, NY, Father Philip volunteered to go to the mission of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to finish his theological training. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Albany, NY, on November 9, 1963. For 12 years Fr. Phil worked as a missionary in Brazil in a variety of ministries.

Upon his election in 1972 as Assistant General of the Order and Secretary General of the Missions he was transferred to the Curia in Rome, Italy. While there he received an S.T.L. from the Pontifical Franciscan Athenaeum in Rome in 1978, and an S.T.D. in Spirituality from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1982. Fr. Phil returned to the U.S. that year and served as a professor of spiritual theology and Academic Dean at St. Anthony-on-Hudson, Rensselaer, NY until 1985.

From 1985 to 1991 Fr. Philip was stationed at St. Francis Friary, Staten Island, while teaching in the Spiritual Development Program of the New York Archdiocese. Called back to Rome in 1991 to 1997 he served as professor of Spiritual Theology at the Order's Pontifical Faculty of St. Bonaventure. Fr. Philip returned to his beloved St. Francis Friary of Staten Island in 1997 where he became the Director of the St. Francis Center for Spirituality until 2014. In 2014 he was assigned for a short time to St. Peter Friary, Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ until his health declined and he was transferred to Our Lady of the Angels Care Center, in Enfield, CT where he met Sister Death on February 5, 2019.

Visitation will take place at Our Lady of the Angels Care Center Chapel, Enfield, CT, February 7, from 6 to 7 PM. A Franciscan Wake Service will be held at 7 PM. Funeral from the Matthew Funeral Home Inc., 2508 Victory Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10314 on Saturday, February 9, 2019, a brief visitation will take place at the funeral home on Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and Saturday morning from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Holy Family Church at 9:30 AM, 366 Watchogue Rd., Staten Island, NY 10314. Interment will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery, 52 Tyler Ave, Staten Island, NY 10310 in the Blaine family plot. Memorial Donations may be made to the Franciscan Education Burse, 12300 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042.

Funeral arrangements are by Kozikowski Funeral Home, Chicopee, MA, and Matthew Funeral Home, Staten Island, NY

DATE OF BIRTH: August 1, 1932

SIMPLE PROFESSION: August 12, 1957

SOLEMN PROFESSION: October 11, 1960

ORDAINED: NOVEMBER 9, 1963

ENTERED INTO ETERNAL LIFE: FEBRUARY 5, 2019