1917 – 2003

PORTLAND – Rev. Robert T. Martel, 85, of St. Joseph’s Manor died Saturday at St. Joseph’s Manor.

He was born in Lewiston, Oct. 25, 1917, the son of Alfred and Marie Chouinard Martel. He began his studies at Holy Family Grammar School in Lewiston and attended high school at St. Charles Borromeo in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He attended college at the Seminaire de Joliette in Joliette, Quebec, completed his philosophy studies at St. Paul’s Seminary in Ottawa and his theology studies at the Grand Seminary in Montreal. He was ordained a priest on June 11, 1949, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland by Most Rev. Daniel J. Feeney. His first assignment was at Holy Family Parish, Greenville, followed by assignments at St. Joseph’s Parish, Wallagrass, St. Andre’s Parish, Biddeford in 1953, St. Augustine’s Parish, Augusta in 1961, St. Charles Parish, St. Francis in 1965, St. Leo’s Parish, Howland in 1969, St. Ambrose Parish, Richmond in 1976 and Holy Family Parish, Lisbon Falls in 1985. He retired on June 30, 1987.

His many appointments included confessor for the Sisters of Mercy Convent, Augusta in 1964, ord. confessor at the Franciscan Convent, Fort Kent and ex. ord. confessor for the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, St. John in 1965, ex. ord. confessor for the Sisters at Franciscan Convent, Fort Kent in 1967, chaplain for the Knights of Columbus Council # 5524 of Lincoln in 1973, representative for the Penobscot Deanery on Priest’s Senate in 1975 and faithful friar of the Fourth Degree Assembly Lisbon Falls Knights of Columbus Council #2358 in 1985.



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