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Article_Father John McGrath, 83

Breaking News | Monday, September 26, 2016

Father John McGrath, 83

Served in South Florida for five decades, including 21 years as pastor of San Pedro, Tavernier

MIAMI | Listening to former members of Father John McGrath's flock, it might be tempting to ask: Is there anything he couldn't do?

Asked about the longtime pastor of San Pedro Church in Tavernier, who died this morning, they described a man who seemingly could do anything connected with the priesthood.

They recalled Father McGrath's versatility: intellectual homilies, sensitive counseling, sharp financial sense, knowledge of Church history and traditions. Sometimes he would climb a ladder and put touch-up paint on a church building. Sometimes he'd offer coffee to women decorating the church for holidays. Sometimes he'd fly kites with kids.

"He was very much a shepherd of the flock," said Ross Schmadebeck of Altamonte Springs, an altar server at San Pedro from age 10 through high school. "I've known pastors who had a tremendous understanding of theology or counseling or preaching. But he knew how to be the right pastor for the right moment. And always with a joy."

Father John McGrath: Born Aug. 1, 1933; ordained Sept. 27, 1959; died Sept. 26, 2016.

Photographer: FILE PHOTO

Father John McGrath: Born Aug. 1, 1933; ordained Sept. 27, 1959; died Sept. 26, 2016.

Father McGrath, who pastored San Pedro for nearly 21 years, died in Cornerstone Hospice at Orlando Regional Hospital after a brief illness. He was 83 and had served at more than a half-dozen parishes as well as a high school, and on several archdiocesan boards. Tomorrow would have been his 57th anniversary as a priest.

Friends -- that's how the former parishioners termed themselves -- told of a friendly, beefy man over six feet tall and "built like a football player," in the words of one. More than one recalled his "big Irish smile," although he was born in Brooklyn.

"He was an Irishman with an Irish sense of humor," said Sheila Schmadebeck, Ross' mother, who served in several capacities at San Pedro -- including church secretary, office administrator and CCD teacher. "He showed the joy of life and believed in a positive outcome."

Born Aug. 1, 1933 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Father McGrath entered the Sacred Hearts Fathers right after high school. He studied at Sacred Hearts College (now Sacred Heart University) in Fairhaven, Mass., and Queen of Peace Seminary in Jeffrey, N.H., where he was ordained Sept. 27, 1959.

In November 1964, he came to South Florida, where he was incardinated (made a Miami priest) Jan. 11, 1968.

His first assignment here was as parochial vicar at St. Bartholomew, Miramar, from December 1964 to April 1967. He served a few months at St. Francis Xavier in Fort Myers (then part of the archdiocese) before being named parochial vicar at St. Ambrose in Deerfield Beach. While there, he also served as spiritual director at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale.

He was appointed parochial vicar and master of ceremonies at St. Mary Cathedral in May 1969, and served there until his appointment as administrator at Visitation Parish in North Miami (June 1971 to April 1973).

From May 1972 to March 1976 he served as fulltime director of vocations for the archdiocese. He continued his involvement with the vocations ministry on a part-time basis until 1981, serving as vocations counselor for the North Dade Deanery (a grouping of parishes by area), chaplain of the Miami Serra Club and member of the admissions board for seminary applicants.

In 1974 he was named archdiocesan director of Holy Year pilgrimages and acting chairman of the Ecumenical Commission. He served as acting administrator of St. Jerome in Fort Lauderdale from June 1975 to January 1976, when he was appointed pastor of Visitation Church in North Miami.

In September 1981 he was named pastor of San Pedro in Tavernier, where he served until his retirement at the end of July 2002.

During his watch, San Pedro went from mission to full parish status, largely because of Father McGrath's talents in mustering help and raising funds. He developed men's, women's and youth groups. He also made appeals for the annual Archbishop's Charities Drive and three parish pilgrimages to World Youth Day. And he led a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, part of his devotion to Mary -- which also included praying the rosary every Friday.

Friends told of Father McGrath's formidable intellect, a skill at reducing complex ideas to simple terms -- in counseling, homilies and Bible studies alike.

"His homilies were somewhat legendary," said Ross Schmadebeck, currently at St. James Cathedral in Orlando. "He talked about the sacraments and seasonal calendars. And not just the sequence. He explained the canon law and traditions and history."

But his intellectual side didn’t overshadow his people side. Sheila Schmadebeck remembers how he began talking with someone. "The first thing he asked was, 'Where are you from?' and then he'd tell a story about that place.

"He always wanted to know you," she said. "And he always wanted to evangelize."

Mary Ann Don, a member at San Pedro for three decades, told of women who were "scared to death" to talk to him after they'd had abortions. But they emerged from the counseling sessions with smiles, she said.

"He'd say, 'God forgives, and it's not for me to judge,'" Don said.

John Geiger experienced that personal touch firsthand. For 20 years, he preferred beer and bonefishing to church. At least until he and his girlfriend came to a corned beef and cabbage dinner at San Pedro.

"Father John was in a green Irish hat and welcomed me," Geiger recalled. "From that moment, I felt very comfortable with the Church."

Over the next five years, Geiger immersed himself in prayer groups, the youth group and adult Christian initiation classes. And he married his girlfriend.

He now lives in the Atlanta area, with his wife and four children. But he remains grateful to Father McGrath, who is godfather of the youngest, 11.

"I was just reading to [the youngest] the other night and thinking that if it were not for Father John, I wouldn't have him or my other boys," said Geiger, associate publisher of Game & Fish magazine. "Probably not my wife, either. He's been a manly leader in life. Someone who spoke the truth."

Children, too, seemed drawn to him. During covered dish suppers, he'd sometimes pop out back to fly kites with them. When he stepped off the altar after Mass, they flocked up to take his hands. Then they all took part in the procession down the aisle, a child grasping each finger.

Don also honored Father McGrath for starting the children's choir, which she still directs. She said the church has ordered a marble statue of Jesus with children, to be dedicated to his work at the parish.

"His work has still borne fruit," Don said. "Some of the children I've had are now bringing their own children to choir. And they're doing ministry work."

Father McGrath even showed an affinity with animals. He conducted an annual Blessing of Pets, and he had two dachshunds of his own, as well as five canaries.

"One of them would always sing for Father John and no one else," Ross Schmadebeck said. "He always reminded me a bit of St. Francis."

During his long tenure in South Florida, Father McGrath served also as a member of the archdiocese's permanent diaconate advisory and review boards, chaplain of the Family Enrichment Center (now Office of Marriage and Family Life), Monroe County representative to the Presbyteral Council (priests’ senate) and dean of the Monroe Deanery.

Nor was physical property neglected. Father McGrath raised funds for an expanded office, rectory and parish hall, recalled Ross Schmadebeck, now a digital project manager in central Florida for a restaurant chain. "Anytime the church needed anything, like a generator or a new roof, he just had to ask once or twice."

Father McGrath spent his post-retirement years in the Diocese of Orlando, where he helped out at Blessed Sacrament Church in Clermont. He celebrated Mass there on weekends and visited the hospital-bound. He also helped with special confessions on holy days, and filled in with Saturday confessions for priests who were away.

Updated Sept. 27: A funeral Mass for Father McGrath will be celebrated at Blessed Sacrament Friday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. by Orlando Bishop John Noonan. Archbishop Thomas Wenski will celebrate a Mass Saturday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral, followed by burial next door, in the priests' section of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery.

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