In Memoria

We remember and share these obituaries of the priests and women and men religious who have served in our Archdiocese and died this year.

Prayers for Death and Dying  |  Prayers for Mourners

Father Eugene Cañas, OMI
SAN ANTONIO — Father Eugene Cañas, OMI, died Sept. 21. He was 85 years old.
In 1998, he assumed the directorship of the Christian Renewal Center in Dickinson. He was then director of the Cursillo Movement for the then-Diocese of Galveston-Houston.
A funeral Mass was held Sept. 28 at Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel in San Antonio. Interment is in Oblate Cemetery in San Antonio.

Sister Mary Grace O’Brien, C.V.I.
HOUSTON — Sister Mary Grace O’Brien, C.V.I., died Sept. 4. She was 93 years old.
In her ministry as a teacher or principal, Sister O’Brien served in elementary and high schools in the Archdiocese.
She served as a leader of the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, first, as a counselor and then as the general superior. As superior, she was instrumental in relocating the Motherhouse and spearheading major renovations at Incarnate Word Academy. In 1986, the late Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza invited Sister O’Brien to be secretariat and director of Christian Formation for the Archdiocese.
A funeral Mass was held at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 7. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.

Sister Perpetua Daly, CCVI
HOUSTON — Sister Perpetua Daly, CCVI, a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word, died Sept. 6.
During the course of her life, Sister Daly ministered as a nurse at many hospitals and nursing homes, including St. Joseph Hospital, St. Anthony Center and St. Mary’s Hospital in Galveston. In later years, Sister Daly served in pastoral care ministry. After many years of service, she dedicated her life to prayer at Villa de Matel.
A funeral Mass was held in the Immaculate Conception Chapel on Sept. 12. Interment is in Villa de Matel Cemetery.

Father Roy Oggero, CSB
HOUSTON — Father Roy Oggero, CSB, who taught at St. Thomas High School for nine years, died July 20. He was 91 years old.
After teaching at St. Thomas, he began working in parish ministry for 40 years, including in Angleton and Sugar Land.
A funeral Mass was held at St. Anne Catholic Church on July 25. Interment is in the Basilian plot at Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale.

Father Louis Zee
HOUSTON — Father Louis Zee, former pastor of Ascension Chinese Mission, died June 18. He was 90 years old.
He was a priest from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa and served in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston from 2000 to 2016 as pastor of Ascension Chinese Mission until he retired.
A funeral Mass was held June 24 at Ascension Chinese Mission. 

Monsignor Patrick Wells
LIBERTY — Monsignor Patrick Wells, died May 11. He was 92 years old. Prior to seminary formation and his priestly ordination in 1993, Msgr. Wells was the dean of Texas Southern University’s Pharmacy College.
He served in ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Houston for 13 years. In 2000, Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of honor with the title of monsignor.
A funeral Mass was celebrated May 20 at Our Mother of Mercy Church in Liberty. Interment is in Wells Memorial Cemetery in Liberty.

Sister Theresa Macey, O.P.
HOUSTON — Sister Theresa “Antonietta” Macey, O.P., died May 13. She was 88 years old.
She served in education ministry at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School and Sacred Heart Catholic School in Houston, and Dominican High School in Galveston.
Sister Macey was the first recipient of the University of St. Thomas Father Vincent J. Guinan Distinguished Alumni Award. A funeral Mass was held May 17 at 10 a.m. at St. Dominic Villa Chapel. Interment is in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Houston.

Sister Barbara Tovar, MCDP
SAN ANTONIO — Sister Barbara Tovar, MCDP, who organized the first Archdiocesan celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Archdiocese, died April 20. She was 79 years old.
She was an associate director and diocesan director of religious education, member of the faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary, pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Church in Conroe and at St. Ambrose Church in Houston, and led marriage preparation at Resurrection Church and at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Manvel.
For 21 years, Sister Tovar assisted in the Cultural Formation of seminarians at St. Mary’s Seminary.
A funeral Mass was held May 3 at Our Lady of the Lake University Sacred Heart Conventual Chapel in San Antonio.

Father Alberto Rodríguez López, OP
PONCHATOULA, Louisiana — Father Alberto Rodríguez López, OP, parochial vicar and then parish administrator of Holy Rosary Parish, died March 10. He was 77.
He served at Holy Rosary from 2016 to 2020, and resided there until his death.
A funeral Mass was celebrated March 16 at Holy Rosary Parish. Interment is in the Dominican Cemetery at Rosaryville, Ponchatoula, Louisiana. 

Father Thomas William Sepulveda, CSB
HOUSTON — Father Thomas Sepulveda, CSB, a member of the Congregation of the Priest of St. Basil (Basilian Fathers) for 59 years, died March 11. He was 79 years old.
He took his first vows in 1964 and then went to the University of St. Thomas where he earned a B.A. degree in 1968. After ordination Father Sepulveda spent the next 47 years serving the poor in parish ministry in Mexico, Detroit and Texas. After retiring he lived with his Basilian brothers at Dillon House in Houston before moving to Silverado Hermann Park Memory Care Community.
A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston on March 15. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. 

Sister Maria Goretti Nhiêm Thi Trinh, O.P.
HOUSTON — Sister Maria Goretti Nhiêm Thi Trinh, O.P., died March 14. A Dominican Sister of Mary Immaculate Province, she was 95 years old.
A funeral Mass was celebrated March 25 at St. Catherine Convent. Interment is in Earthman Resthaven Cemetery. 

Monsignor Fred O’Connor
CROSBY — Monsignor Fred O’Connor, a retired priest of the Archdiocese, died Jan. 17. He was 94 years old.
For over 70 years in priestly ministry, Monsignor O’Connor served in many parishes throughout the Archdiocese as pastor, including St. Mary of the Purification Parish in Houston, Sacred Heart Parish in Conroe, St. Jude Thaddeus Parish in the Highlands, St. Nicholas Church in Houston and in Sacred Heart Church in Crosby. He also served as prison chaplain throughout his priestly ministry.
A funeral Mass was held Jan. 24 at Sacred Heart Church in Crosby. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.