Reverend Terance Paul McGrath, a Roman Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, passed away on Sunday, August 26, 2022, at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach, Manitoba. Father Terance was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Mary Ellen (Mooney) McGrath, and brothers John “Jack” (Sharron), Robert “Bob” (Marie), and
Barry (Anita). He is survived by his sisters Lorraine and Sheila, brother Edward “Eddie” (Joan), six nephews, five nieces, six grand nephews and two grand nieces.
Father Terance was born in Lindsay, Ontario, on August 28, 1943, where he received his early education. Following his vocation to the pastoral life, he attended St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Toronto, St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and St. Paul University (University of Ottawa), where he earned a Master of Arts degree in pastoral counselling.
At the age of 18, Father Terance entered the Novitiate for the Society of Scarborough Foreign Missions (Scarborough Fathers) and from 1968 to 1969 served as a Missionary in the Dominican Republic. On July 31, 1971 he was ordained to the priesthood in his home parish of St. Mary’s in Lindsay, Ontario and in 1972 was loaned by the Scarborough Fathers to the Archdiocese of Winnipeg where he served as the Parochial Vicar of St Edward’s Parish from 1972 to 1974 and as Director of Adult Education for the Archdiocese in 1973. In 1974 Father Terance was appointed Chaplain at Stony Mountain Institution and Administrator of St. Joseph’s Parish in Stony Mountain, Manitoba. In 1977 he was appointed to co-ordinate Chaplaincy Services at the Matsqui Institute in Abbotsford, British Columbia and in 1978 was incardinated as a Priest into the Archdiocese of Winnipeg.
Father Terence served as a pastor in several parishes, namely St Peter’s, (1979 to 1983) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (1983 to 1992) in Winnipeg; and Notre Dame (1992 to 1995) in Selkirk. He returned to Winnipeg in 1995 as pastor of St Anthony of Padua (WK) (1995 to 2003) followed by St. Charles’ Parish from which he retired in 2009. From 1999 to 2001 Father Terance also served as Diocesan Spiritual Director of the Catholic Women’s League.
After his “retirement” in 2009, Father Terance assisted as pastor in the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface, Manitoba, where he served in the summer chapels of Falcon Lake and West Hawk Lake. To escape the harsh Canadian winters, he would relocate to Harlingen, Texas, where he continued service in parishes in the Diocese of Brownsville, located not far from the Mexican border and the centre of a high Hispanic population. Being fluently bilingual, the clergy and parishioners much appreciated how Father Terance was able to celebrate Mass along with numerous weddings, baptisms and other rites of passage in Spanish.
Visiation will take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Catholic Church, 31 Russell Street East, Lindsay on Friday, September 9, 2022 from 12:30pm until a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00pm, with Fr. Dominic Clovis presiding. Interment will take place at St. Mary’s Parish Cemetery in Lindsay.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Reverend Father Terance McGrath Friday August 26th 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Lindsay, Province: Ontario