FR. JOSEPH CLEMENT JOHNSON, S.J.

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FR. JOSEPH CLEMENT JOHNSON, S.J. Peacefully, after a long period of illness, at the age of 86, Fr. Johnson died at home René Goupil House, (Jesuit Infirmary) Pickering, Ontario on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. He was in his 69th year as a Jesuit and 57th year as a priest. He was the Pastor of Canadian Martyrs Parish (Halifax), from 1958 to 1973. He then served as Pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Toronto from 1973 to 1982. In 1982 he moved to Winnipeg where he was Pastor of St. John Brebeuf Parish until 1992. From 1992 to 2007 he was an Associate Pastor at St. Ignatius Parish in Winnipeg. In 2007 he asked to retire at René Goupil House in Pickering, Ontario, where he lived out his remaining days praying for the Society of Jesus and the world. Joe loved being a priest, and people responded to his dedication, warmth and prayerfulness. Friends may call at the Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home and Chapel, 467 Sherbourne Street (south of Wellesley) on Friday, July 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will also be a wake and prayers from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday at the St. Ignatius Chapel, Manresa Spiritual Renewal Centre, 2325 Liverpool Road North, Pickering, Ontario. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church (Sherbourne and Wellesley) in Toronto, on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. with interment at the Jesuit Cemetery in Guelph at 1:30 p.m. In memory of Fr. Johnson, donations may be made to the Jesuit Development Office, 43 Queen's Park Cres. East, Toronto, ON M5S 2C3.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 23, 2009