IN MEMORY
Rev. Robert J. Cranley
1929 - 2006
October/November 2006
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Rev. Robert J. Cranley
Fr. Robert Cranley from Lethbridge, Alberta, died on May 30, 2006, in the palliative care unit of the Scarborough General Hospital in Toronto. He was 77 years of age.
Born on December 10, 1929, Fr. Cranley was the younger of two sons born to Walter and Mabel Cranley of Lethbridge. He received his elementary education at St. Basil and St. Aloysius schools in Lethbridge and attended St. Patrick's High School there as well. Before entering St. Francis Xavier Seminary in 1948, he spent a year at St. Michael's College in Toronto.
Fr. Robert was ordained a member of the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society on December 8, 1954, by Bishop Francis Carrol of Calgary.
In October the following year, Fr. Cranley was appointed to Southern Leyte in the Philippines where he served as assistant pastor in Hinundayan, Cabalian (now San Juan), and Liloan. In May 1960 he was appointed pastor of Anahawan, also in Southern Leyte, where he remained until his return to Canada on furlough in June 1961.
While in Canada, Fr. Robert was appointed vocations director in the Public Relations Department of Scarboro Missions, a position he held until his return to Anahawan in October 1962. There he worked until his recall from the Philippines in July 1965 due to poor health.
Manuela Gualancanay, an Indigenous woman in Ecuador wears a shawl knitted by Fr. Bob Cranley. Always hoping to one day knit with alpaca wool, Fr. Bob loved to speak with missioner Tom Walsh about Manuela and the women's income-generating project to knit alpaca wool scarves, hats and mitts for sale. When he heard sales had slackened, Fr. Bob thought this shawl would be a good seller in Canada and sent it as a model to Manuela. She immediately began knitting the shawl with alpaca wool, but Fr. Bob died before she could complete it.
In 1970 Fr. Cranley took a 12-month course in hospital chaplaincy offered by the United States Episcopal Conference. The following year he began working as chaplain at the Scarborough General Hospital. He remained in this service until 1978.
On December 27, 1979, Fr. Cranley was appointed secretary general and archivist of the Society and held this position for 17 years until his death this year. After accepting this appointment, Fr. Robert attended a number of workshops dealing with archival matters over the years.
For much of his life, Fr. Cranley suffered from many ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and kidney failure. Yet, he never complained. As the years progressed his health began to deteriorate. He was admitted to hospital on May 24 where he died peacefully one week later.
His wake was held at Scarboro headquarters on June 1, 2006. Fr. Mike Traher, vicar general of Scarboro Missions presided. In attendance were many friends and Scarboro personnel as well as His Eminence Cardinal Ambrozic, a classmate of Fr. Cranley in the seminary. The Mass of the Resurrection was offered the following morning, presided by Fr. Jack Lynch, Superior General of Scarboro Missions. Fr. Dave Warren delivered the homily.
Lay Mission Office coordinators John and Jean MacInnis wrote: "John and I thank God for the opportunity to come to know and love Robert these past four years while living here with him at Scarboro's central house. He had indeed been a great supporter of the lay missioners in his own very quiet way."
Fr. Cranley was buried in Mary Queen of Angels cemetery on the grounds of St. Augustine's Seminary in Scarborough. May he rest in peace.
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