Father Neil A. Padden, O.F.M.

Father Neil A.Padden, O.F.M., age 82, of Butler,N.J., on November 6th,2005. Born in Wilkes-Barre, PA,Father Neil was a professed Franciscan Friarfor 53 years, and a Catholic Priest for 50 years.Father Neil entered the Franciscan Order in 1951, andwas ordained to the Catholic Priesthood in 1955. InNew Jersey he was pastor of Assumption Church,Wood-Ridge, 1979-1985. He also assisted at St.Bonaventure Church, Paterson, from 2000 to 2005. He also was Religious Superior and Pastor at St. Joseph Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1967-1976. Father Neil then was pastor of Francis Xavier Church, Narrowsburg, NY, 1994-1996, and Religious Superior of St. Anthony Friary, St. Petersburg, FL,1985-1994. He is survived by his Franciscan confreres, and by two sisters, Margaret Goodsir ofPort St. Lucie, FL, and Mary Moran of Fort Pierce, FL. A native of Wilkes-Barre, PA, he served as a US Army Air Corps radio-operator and mechanic in the World War II, India-Burma Theater,attaining the rank of Corporal.