Springfield priest found dead in rectory at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish

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SPRINGFIELD- A priest who was reported missing after he failed to show up to say Mass Sunday morning was found dead later in a closet of the church rectory.

The priest died in the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish rectory on Rosewell St. in Springfield. Police are investigating the cause of death, Sgt. Christopher Hitas said.

The Rev. Paul Archambault, 42, last said Mass at 4 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hampden. He was scheduled to return Sunday morning to the Somers Road church, said Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield.

masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/springfield_priest_found_dead.html
 
Here’s an update, apparently it was a suicide. 😦

Father Paul Archambault was only a priest for 6-years, but in his short time serving the people of Springfield he touched many.

“He was a precious person.” Kelly Dyer remembers…

Kelly Dyer is the activity director at Wingate at Hampden where Father Paul would sometimes come and say mass for residents at the long term care facility.

“We have monthly mass here a father from St. Mary’s would come over. If Father Murphy was on vacation or busy, Father Paul would fill in for him.” explained Dyer.

She says Father Paul was great with the residents here.

"He would always take the time to shake hands with the residents. They’d say hey Father Paul, how are you?

He had a gentile demeanor with everyone. Whenever we had to have a fill in, we hoped it was going to be Father Paul.

Father Paul said 4 o’clock mass Saturday at St. Mary’s in Hamden, where he was filling in for a while.

When he didn’t show up for mass the next morning, police were called to search for him.

Father Paul was found in a closet at the Our Lady of Sacred Heart parish rectory in Springfield, where he lived.

Police say he shot himself.

A big part of Father Pauls job as a priest was being a Chaplin for the Springfield area. We’re told one of the last things he did before he died was respond to an emergency call at Baystate.

“He was very dedicated to help people out, no matter if it was people at the hospital or at a nursing home, and a lot of people forget about people in nursing homes, but he was always here to lend his spiritual guidance when we needed it.” added Dyer.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield says they are “deeply saddened to learn of the death of Father Paul Archambault”.

They say - " Father Paul was a dedicated and devoted priest who served the people of the diocese with distinction."

Funeral services are still being planned

Police say Father Paul did not leave behind a note.

wggb.com/story/15023802/priest-found-dead-at-springfield-rectory-ruled-a-suicide
 
How very, very sad.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
 
Rest in peace Father Paul. May the Lord be merciful upon his soul and on the souls of all who will die today. :gopray:

God bless
 
Here is the Bishop’s statement. Rest in peace, Father.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell of the Diocese of Springfield issued a statement Tuesday following the apparent suicide death of Fr. Paul Archambault.

“The poet, John Donne, wrote: ‘Any man’s death diminishes me….’

We are all diminished by the tragic death of Father Paul Archambault. He was a good and pastoral priest, a caring chaplain, and a devout man. Yet, he was not immune to illness.

Most of us realize that physical illness can be fatal; we sometimes forget that the same is true of illnesses that have no physical cause but wrack the spirit still.

We pray our merciful God bring Father Paul safely home, rewarding all the good he accomplished and relieving the burdens he found unbearable. May he rest in peace.” - Bishop Timothy McDonnell.
 
How terrible and sad! May God in his infinite mercy forgive him for this suicide and may He comfort those who are affected by this situation.
 
This is so upsetting…just found this on the site and it helped a little…praying for Father Paul and all who suffer as he must have…

HI,

The Church recognizes that most people commit suicide to stop the pain–whether is be physical or psychological. Of the two the latter can be the most horrendous.

The instinct for self preservation is so basic, that one’s misery must be quite extreme to counter it by the taking of one’ s very life. Yes it is very possible that culpability can be completely mitigated.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
 
CoriC said:
This is so upsetting…just found this on the site and it helped a little…praying for Father Paul and all who suffer as he must have…

HI,

The Church recognizes that most people commit suicide to stop the pain–whether is be physical or psychological. Of the two the latter can be the most horrendous.

The instinct for self preservation is so basic, that one’s misery must be quite extreme to counter it by the taking of one’ s very life. Yes it is very possible that culpability can be completely mitigated.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
Click to expand...
Fr. Serpa always has good advice! I sincerely hope that this is the case and that God’s mercy will shine on this man.
 
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