Obituary of Father Paul James McAvoy

McAVOY, Father Paul James

Father Paul McAvoy passed away peacefully at Providence Manor, Kingston, Ontario, on Sunday morning, October 1, 2017, in his 89th year.  He was born in Brockville, Ontario, on August 17, 1929, the son of Dr. James McAvoy and Carmel Cavanagh.  He attended St. Francis Xavier Separate School, Brockville; Regiopolis College, Kingston; and St. Patrick High School, Ottawa.  He entered St. Augustine's Seminary, Toronto, in 1950, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Kingston on May 26, 1957, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Kingston.  From 1957 - 1963, he served as Associate Pastor at St. Mark Parish, Prescott, and, from 1963 - 1965, as Associate Pastor at St. Michael Parish, Belleville.  In 1965, he was appointed Pastor of St. James the Minor Parish, Ballycanoe, where he served until 1969, when he became Pastor of St. Columbanus Parish, Elgin, a position he held for the next 10 years.  In 1979, Father McAvoy was appointed Chaplain and Director of Retreats at Heathfield in Kingston (the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence).  In 1981, he was appointed Chaplain of the Provincial House of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph in Amherstview, and Chaplain at the Kingston Psychiatric Hospital and St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital.  He continued his chaplaincy work for many years, long after his appointment in 1989 to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Kingston, where he served as Pastor for a full 16 years, until his retirement in 2005. Father McAvoy is survived by his brother, Peter, and his sister-in-law, Diane, of Ottawa.  He was predeceased by his brother, Joseph Leo McAvoy, and by his sister, Margaret Mooney.  He is fondly remembered by his surviving cousins.  He will also be missed by his fellow priests, former parishioners, and by the staff at Providence Manor, who have provided caring support to him for the last several years.  Father McAvoy will lie in state at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 490 Days Road, Kingston, on Thursday, October 5, 2017, from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m., and from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m., with a Vigil Service at 7:30 p.m.  Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 6, 2017, at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, with a reception at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall.  Rite of Committal and Prayers will follow at the Old St. Francis Cemetery in Brockville.