Gill Joyce Genealogy

Robert Gill (Father Nicholas) (1913-2007)

Passionists Appoint Native Priest
Master of Novices in Philippines

Union City, N.J. - Very Rev. Flavian Dougherty, C.P,. Passionist provincial of St. Michael's Monastery, Union City, N.J., has announced the appointment of the Very Rev. Nicholas Gill, C.P., as master of novices at the St. Paul of the Cross Residence, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines.

Father Nicholas is a native of Wilkes-Barre, where he attended the public grammar and high schools. He later attended the University of Scranton before taking his vows as a Passionist on August 15, 1933. Father Nicholas was ordained to the priesthood on April 23, 1940, in Baltimore, Md., by the late Archbishop Michael Curley.

After two years of residence at St. Ann's Monastery, Scranton, Father Nicholas did post graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, where he received his Doctorate in Church Law in 1945.

From 1945 until 1972, he taught Church Law and Moral Theology at St. Michael's Monastery Seminary, Union City. During these years he was also chaplain at Dr. Runnels Hospital, Scotch Plains, N.J. Father Nicholas also conducted retreats and special Theological Seminars for priests and religious and was an active member of the Canon Law Society of America.

In the Spring of 1973, Father Nicholas conducted retreats for priests and religious throughout the Philippine Islands and other American Missionaries in Korea and Japan. Having witnessed at first hand the need for missionaries on the Island of Mindanao in the Philippines, and especially the need for priests to train candidates for the priesthood, Father Nicholas expressed his desire to remain in the Philippines. His offer came as the Passionist Fathers were establishing their new Residence and Seminary in Manila

The new master of novices will take up residence on September 1. address: Very Rev. Nicholas Gill, C.P., St. Paul of the Cross Residence, 128-B Gonzales St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines.

   The Catholic Light (Scranton, PA) - 1973


The Rev. Nicholas Gill, C.P.

The Rev. Nicholas Gill, C.P., 93, died Tuesday in John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, Conn.

He was born in Wilkes-Barre on June 3, 1913, son of the late Thomas and Margaret Gilroy Gill. He was educated in Wilkes-Barre public schools and was a 1930 graduate of Wilkes-Barre High School.

The Rev. Gill attended the University of Scranton, then known as St. Thomas College, Scranton, from 1930 to 1932. In 1932, he entered the Passionists, a Roman Catholic community of Brothers and priests dedicated to the Passion of the Christ, contemplative prayer, the popular preaching of parish missions and retreats, and overseas missionary work.

He professed his vows in 1933 and studied at St. Gabriel Monastery, Brighton, Mass., and Immaculate Conception Monastery, Jamaica, N.Y. He received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1936. He then studied theology at St. Joseph Monastery, Baltimore, Md.

He was ordained a priest in 1940. He was awarded the doctorate in cannon law from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., in 1945.

The Rev. Gill was a distinguished professor of church law, pastoral theology and moral theology from 1945 to 1972. A compassionate and kind priest, he was chaplain at Runnell’s Hospital, Berkeley Heights, N.J., from 1950 to 1971. In 1972, he embarked on a missionary career and served in pastoral care in the Philippines, Japan and Jamaica, West Indies, for 15 years.

The Rev. Gill was also the director of novitiate formation and helped train candidates for the Brotherhood and priesthood in the Philippines and Jamaica.

In 1987, he returned to the United States. He served as hospital chaplain in West Springfield, Mass., and in Scranton from 1986 to 1992. He conducted retreats at Cardinal Spellman Retreat Center, Riverdale. N.Y., from 1992 to 1995 and was chaplain at the Christian Brothers Retirement Center, Lincroft, N.J., from 1995 to 1996. He resided at St. Ann’s Monastery, Scranton, from 1996 to 2000. In 2000, he retired to Holy Family Monastery, West Hartford, Conn.

The Rev. Gill held professional memberships in the Canon Law Society of America, the Catholic Theological Society of America and the National Catholic Hospital Chaplains Association.

Surviving is a sister, Sister Marita Gill, I.H.M., Scranton.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, John, Thomas and Francis Gill.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 10 from Thomas J. Hughes Funeral Home Inc., 1240 St. Ann St., Scranton, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 in St. Ann’s Basilica. Interment will be in St. Ann’s Monastery Cemetery.

Friends may call Friday, 4 to 8 p.m.

Donations may be made to the Passionist Retirement Fund, Holy Family Monastery, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT 06107.

   The Citizens’ Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA) - April 13, 2007


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