Obituaries

Obituaries, Week of July 18, 2020

66 Years a Priest, Former Cathedral Prep Faculty Member, Dies at 93

Father Eugene P. Coyle, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, died on June 20 at Bishop Mugavero Residence, Douglaston.

He was 93.

Father Coyle was born on Jan. 26, 1927, in Pennsylvania. He graduated from St. Agustine High School in 1946 and went into the Army right away. He entered his basic training and was sent to Japan where he stayed stationed for over a year. When he came back to Brooklyn he went to St. John’s University and graduated in 1950. In Sept. 1950, he entered Huntington Seminary.

Father Coyle was ordained to the Priesthood on May 29, 1954, at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn, by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy.

Father Coyle served the Diocese of Brooklyn as the fifth pastor of the Parish of Saint Pius X, Rosedale, 1980-82. He also served as Parochial Vicar of the Parishes of Saint Bernadette, Dyker Heights; Our Lady Help of Christians, Midwood; Saint Patrick, Bay Ridge; Our Lady of Fatima, Jackson Heights; Saint Saviour, Park Slope; Christ the King, Springfield Gardens; Saint Anselm, Bay Ridge; and Saint Brendan, Midwood.

Father Coyle was also for 14 years, 1970-84, a faculty member at the Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary. Msgr. John Casey, who was a rector of Cathedral Prep from 1972-74, remembers him as “very passionate about having people speak proper English. If I was speaking to him and I made a mistake, he would correct me … but in a good way,” he said. “He had a good reputation with the faculty and the students.”

“He loved the music of the ’40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s and he had many records,” Msgr. Casey remembered. “He was a wonderful priest who did a lot of good to each of the parishes he was assigned to … and especially he loved Cathedral,” he said.


Sister Maryla Farfour, I.H.M., of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on June 20 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pa. She was 96.

Sister Maryla was born on June 26, 1923, in Goldsboro, NC. She entered the IHM Congregation on Sep. 8, 1952, and made her temporary profession of vows on Aug. 3 1955, and her final profession of vows on Aug. 3, 1958.

She received a Bachelor of Music degree in education and a Master of Science degree in religious education from Marywood College, Scranton, Pa., and a Master of Music degree in music literature from the University of Notre Dame, Ind.

Sister Maryla served as a music teacher at St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, from 1980 to 1983.

Due to the restrictions related to the coronavirus, there was a private graveside service followed by burial at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pa.

Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.


Sister Annette Marie Lucchese, O.S.F., former principal at Holy Family School, Brooklyn, died on June 13 at home in Ringwood, N.J.

She was born in Brooklyn, where she was a member of Holy Family parish. In 1960, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Ringwood, a congregation which later merged with the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and professed her first vows in 1962.

Sister Annette earned both a B.S. and an M.A. in Education from Seton Hall University as well as a P.D. (Professional Diploma) in Administration from Fordham University.

She ministered for 35 years in the Diocese of Paterson, which included being the general coordinator of the Sisters of St. Francis, as well as coordinator of the Mt. St. Francis Retreat Center in Ringwood.

Her 13 years in the Diocese of Brooklyn also included teaching at St. Benedict School, Bedford-Stuyvesant, 1967-68, and teaching, 1968-71, and being principal, 1971-80, at Holy Family.

Sister Annette also served as a member of the leadership team for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia.

Burial was held in God’s Acre Cemetery, Ringwood.


Sister Mary Dismas Marschhauser, O.P., a member of the Dominican Sisters of Amityville for 78 years, died on June 21. She was 96.

Sister Dismas, baptized Theresa, was born on Dec. 25, 1923, in Astoria. Her family belonged to St. Joseph Parish.

She entered the Congregation on Feb. 2, 1942, was invested that summer, and received the name, Sister Mary Dismas.

She pronounced her first vows on Aug. 24, 1943, and was assigned to St. Patrick in Brooklyn, where she taught in the parish school for four years. On August 24, 19􀀙􀀛, she made her final 􀁛ows, and a year later was assigned to Puerto Rico.

Sister Dismas returned to New York for one year and taught in St. Albert High School, Brooklyn, 1963–64.

She ministered in Puerto Rico until 1981. In recognition of her accomplishments in Naranjito and Yauco, both cities proclaimed her as an adopted daughter and gave her a key to their cities. Her zeal for a mission called her to move beyond the shores of the Island. For four years, Sister Dismas labored in a jungle area in

Ecuador working with the Shuar and Quichua tribes. Beloved by them, she was adopted as a member of each tribe — the only woman to receive this honor.

After Ecuador, Sister Dismas ministered for 16 years in Colombia, South America.

In 2006, Sister Dismas became a Pastoral Assistant in San Juan De La Maguana in the Dominican Republic. Sister Dismas returned to Amityville in October of 2014.

A funeral mass was celebrated on June 25, at the Motherhouse in Amityville.


Sister Marie Therese Murphy, O.P., a member of the Dominican Sisters of Amityville for 78 years, died on June 27. She was 96.

She was born on Aug.15, 1923, in Manhattan, but soon her parents, both from Ireland, moved with their eight children to Elmhurst, where she attended St. Bartholomew School. At the age of 14, she enrolled in Villa Maria in Water Mill, NY, the Dominican Juniorate.

After high school, Catherine entered the Novitiate in Amityville on Sept. 6, 1941, and on Aug. 4, 1942, she was clothed in the Dominican habit and received her religious name, Sister Marie Therese. She pronounced her first vows on Aug. 7, 1943, and her final vows on Aug. 24, 1946.

Sister Marie Therese received both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in History at St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY, and a Master of Arts in Sociology at Fordham University, Bronx, NY.

A private funeral Mass was celebrated on July 2 in St. Albert’s Chapel at the Motherhouse, followed by burial in the Sisters’ Cemetery.


Ms. Mary T. Diamond, sister of Msgr. Michael Cantley, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, died on July 5, in her private residence in North Carolina.

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Reverend Monsignor Michael Cantley, Bishop Mugavero Residence, 7200 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, NY 11362.


Mr. Aleksander Piatkowski, father of Reverend Mariusz Piatkowski, S.A.C., a priest of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines), who is presently ministering as a Parochial Vicar of St. Aloysius R.C. Church, Ridgewood, died on July 3 in Poland.

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Reverend Mariusz Piatkowski, S.A.C., St. Aloysius R.C. Church, 382 Onderdonk Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385.


Mr. Edward B. Wtulich, brother of Reverend John S. Wtulich, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, who is presently residing at Bishop Mugavero Residence, Douglaston, died July 4.

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Mrs. Rita Wtulich, 16 May Walk, Goshen, NY 10924.