R.I.P. Father John Randall

Last week Father John F. Randall, of the Diocese of Providence, passed away. A friend, Bill McKenna, reminded me he was sometimes known as the Holy Spirit Saint.

Although he was assigned to Providence’s Saint Patrick Parish for a number of years, I did not know him there. By the time I started to get involved in St. Pat’s, Father Randall was pastor of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish.

I was fortunate to have had the chance to work with or interact with him a few times. From my point of view he was a good priest and a holy priest.

When I first met him, I was on the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island State Right to Life Committee. During this time, there was a number of amendments proposed for the Rhode Island Constitution (the result of a state constitution convention that examined the document and offered recommendations related to it). One of these amendments would have greatly restricted abortion in the state, and Father Randall (as well as a number of his parishioners) were strongly involved in the effort to promote this amendment (which was defeated at the polls).

Well known in the Catholic charismatic movement, Father Randall was instrumental in the movement’s growth in Rhode Island. Myrna and I have participated in a number of charismatic prayer meetings at St. Charles - prayer meetings in which he was actively involved. In addition, while I was teaching at Saint Patrick School, Father (along with Jim and Nancy Collard) led one faculty retreat, a weekend-long Life in the Spirit seminar.

Yes it was a privilege to have known Father John Randall. May he rest in peace.

Media reports and other tributes:

Providence Journal: Rev. John Randall, 82, dies; known for renewal efforts on Providence’s Smith Hill (19 JUN 11)

Diocese of Providence: Father Randall's Obituary (5 JUN 11)

Deacon John's Space: Fr. John Randall, Crusader for the Holy Spirit Dies (16 JUN 11)

St. Patrick Church: In Memory Of Our Beloved Fr. John Randall, Phd