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Little did I know how much Msgr. Raby would influence me

By  Mary Ellen Douglas, Catholic Register Special
  • September 21, 2013

Throughout our lifetime there are many wonderful people who cross our paths and influence us in many ways. Msgr. Thomas J. Raby was one of these people.

Msgr. Raby died in Kingston on Sept. 6 just shy of the age of 95. His funeral at St. Joseph’s Church Sept. 9 was remarkable. The church was packed and it seemed almost every priest in the archdiocese of Kingston was in attendance as Archbishop Brendan O’Brien offered the funeral Mass. As I looked around the congregation I recognized so many of my pro-life friends and others whose lives had also been touched and enhanced by Msgr. Raby. Many of us were moved to tears.

Fr. Stan Alanen, whom Msgr. Raby had instructed in the faith and later supported as he entered the seminary to become a priest for our diocese, gave a beautiful homily on his faith-filled friend. He spoke about Msgr. Raby’s openness to everyone and how he would never accept anything which was contrary to the faith. He always supported individual devotions which Catholics found helpful in their prayer lives.

My first meeting with Msgr. Raby happened when I was still a child. He was one of the new curates at St. John’s Church in Kingston and was visiting my grandparents. My grandmother had a very Victorian home, where the oak doors to the living room were never opened unless someone died or the priest came to visit. This time it was two young priests who were welcomed. Even at the age of five I was impressed by Msgr. Raby’s kindness, his listening ear and his good humour. Little did I know how much he would influence me over the years.

Msgr. Raby was a well-known writer and his column, “The Little World of Father Raby,” was a weekly treat in The Catholic Register.

Msgr. Raby never shied away from clearly proclaiming the truth about abortion and the sanctity of human life and the family.

From 1983 until 1998, Msgr. Raby was pastor of the Church of the Good Thief in Kingston. It was there that he provided so much help and encouragement to Campaign Life Coalition’s efforts in Kingston. He regularly attended the annual Life Chains at the Kingston General Hospital, often offering the opening prayer. He then invited other pastors to the rectory so that I could update them on the issues pro-lifers were facing and he often attended many of our clergy luncheons.

It was always a privilege to enjoy a cup of coffee at the rectory for some one-on-one encouragement and advice.

He always had time for me and never rushed away. This was a universal trait that was also spoken about during the homily.

Campaign Life Coalition’s fund raising events such as the sale of Christmas cakes, which finance our pro-life efforts, were always welcomed by Msgr. Raby.

One very beautiful pro-life memory was on the occasion of Campaign Life Coalition’s annual Pro-life Living Rosary and crowning ceremony for Our Lady in the month of May. The Church of the Good Thief has a grotto on the grounds and we held the Living Rosary for Life there with young children in their blue capes. Each child was an individual bead on the rosary. Msgr. Raby took an active part in the ceremony and held Benediction for us prior to the ceremony. He also made sure that he blessed all the children who participated and who crowned Our Lady’s statue.

As I looked at the priests of the archdiocese of Kingston around the altar concelebrating the funeral Mass for Msgr. Raby, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmingly grateful to God for all the pro-life priests that we have in the Kingston archdiocese. Msgr. Raby will be greatly missed by the entire pro-life movement and especially the people of Kingston and the many avid followers of his Catholic Register columns.

Rest in peace dear friend and mentor.

(Douglas is national organizer for Campaign Life Coalition.)

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