IN MEMORY

Rev. Joseph M. Young
1934 - 2006

October/November 2006

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Fr. Joseph Young died on August 23, 2006, at Providence Villa in Scarborough, Ontario. With his death, Fr. Young's 46-year service to the people of God in Guyana, the Bahamas and in Canada, and his 20-year struggle with Parkinson's Disease had come to an end.

Born on September 8, 1934, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, he was the son of James and Mary Young. Fr. Joe attended St. Joseph's Elementary School and St. Joseph's High School. After graduation he attended Xavier Junior College for two years until 1954 when he began a Bachelor of Arts degree at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

In 1956 he entered St. Francis Xavier Seminary and earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the University of St. Michael's College in 1960. He was ordained to Scarboro Missions by Bishop William Power of the diocese of Antigonish on August 21, 1960.

Arriving in Guyana, his first mission, in October 1961, he served as curate of the parish in Springlands for two years before moving to New Amsterdam in 1963 and then back to Springlands in 1965.

In September 1969 Fr. Young returned to Canada on sabbatical during which he returned to St. Francis Xavier University to earn a Bachelor of Education degree. The following year he was appointed to the Bahamas mission, serving for two years at St. Thomas More Parish in Nassau.

Fr. Joe returned to Guyana in 1973 where he served for the next 10 years, mainly in Berbice and New Amsterdam. Six months after his arrival, he was elected first councilor on the Guyana Regional Council. He also served as regional coordinator of Scarboro's Guyana mission from 1976 to 1984. During this time he attended the Society's Sixth (1978) and Seventh (1982) General Chapters as a delegate.

Fr. Young returned to Canada in 1983 for a sabbatical year. Ever the student eager to expand his mind, Fr. Joe took a one-year Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Toronto Western Hospital. This was followed by his appointment as director of Scarboro's Mission Information Department in 1985.

In 1989, he was appointed to work in the Archdiocese of Toronto at St. Jude's Parish in Weston, Ontario, until the end of 1992.

Fr. Joe was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1986. By 1993, its crippling effects began to restrict his ability to assume responsibilities and activities. Nevertheless, Fr. Joe took on the task of looking after Fraser Acres, the Scarboro house in Omemee, Ontario, for five years. In 1998 he took up residence at Scarboro's central-house in Scarborough and in 2000 he asked to reside at Providence Villa extended care facility in Scarborough where he remained until his death.

Fr. Young is predeceased by his parents and his brothers Michael, James and Francis. He is survived by his sister, Anne Power of North Sydney. A wake service was held at Scarboro Missions with Fr. Linus Wall presiding.

At the Mass of the Resurrection 17 priests concelebrated, with Fr. Jack Lynch, Superior General of Scarboro Missions, as principal celebrant and Fr. Ken MacAulay as the homilist. Interment followed at Mary, Queen of Angels cemetery at St. Augustine's Seminary in Scarborough.

After delivering his homily, Fr. MacAulay read an email from Fr. John Persaud, Vicar-General of the Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana. Fr. Persaud wrote: "We were very sad to hear of the death of Joe...He has had a great impact not only on my life and vocation, but also on many others in the parishes where he served in Guyana."

A memorial mass was celebrated by Fr. Gerald Curry in North Sydney in September, at which many members of Fr. Young's family and numerous friends attended.

Despite the debilitating effects of Parkinson's, Fr. Young never complained, not even when his medications became increasingly less helpful. Neither did the disease prevent him from reaching out to others in his gentle and unpretentious way throughout his missionary life. His sense of humour and love of sports, hallmarks of Fr. Joe, will be missed. May he rest in peace.

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