Father Robert A Blauvelt
Father Robert A Blauvelt, a former pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Maspeth, who served in many parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn, died on June 19. He was 89.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Bishop Raymond Chappetto on June 22 at Queen of Peace Residence, Queens Village. Concelebrants included Msgr. Robert M. Harris, and Fathers Thomas Pettei and James T. Devine.
In his homily at the funeral Mass, Bishop Chappetto said Father Blauvelt was “a man who loved Jesus very much and wanted everyone to have a relationship with Jesus.”
“He was a real evangelizer,” Bishop Chappetto added. “In homilies, writings, books, he believed in the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives.”
Bishop Chappetto also recalled the “wonderful team ministry” that Father Blauvelt was a part of at St. Mary Mother of Jesus parish in Bensonhurst.
“He made a lot of friends there and he kept those friendships for many years,” Bishop Chappetto said.
Father Blauvelt was pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka from 1988-1994. From 1969 to 1972, he was the director of the Cursillo at St. Paul’s Center, Greenpoint.
From 1972 to 1978, he was the diocesan coordinator for Marriage Encounter. He then served as part of a team ministry at St. Mary Mother of Jesus from 1978 to 1987.
Born in Brooklyn and baptized in Our Lady of Angels Church, Bay Ridge, he attended St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, and Our Lady of Angels Seminary, Albany. He was ordained May 30, 1959 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Brendan’s, Midwood, 1959-65, and taught at Cathedral Prep, Elmhurst, 1965-69.
After serving at St. Stanislaus Kostka, Father Blauvelt was a parochial vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Kensington, 1994-95; Resurrection-Ascension, Rego Park, 1995-99; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills, 1999-2002; St. Ann, Flushing, 2002-03; and St. Camillus, Rockaway Beach, 2003-07.
In 2007, he retired and moved to Bishop Mugavero Residence, Douglaston.
Father Blauvelt is survived by his brother, Douglas of Prairie Village, Kan.
Burial was in St. John’s Cemetery, Middle Village.
Sister Margaret Van Rossem, S.S.N.D.
Sister Margaret Van Rossem, S.S.N.D., a native of Jamaica, Queens, died on June 4, at Lourdes Health Care Center in Wilton, Conn. She was 86.
After pronouncing her vows as a School Sister of Notre Dame in 1952, Sister Margaret embarked on a career in teaching, which included a stint at St. Anthony’s School, Ozone Park. She also taught at Catholic schools in Maryland.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on June 8 in the chapel at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton. Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Bethel, Conn.
