REV. JOHN HARPER
SOUTHERN PINES -- The Reverend John Joseph Harper, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, died Thursday at St. Joseph of the Pines.
He was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and was educated at Mount St. Mary's Seminary & University in Maryland. After his ordination he served the Diocese of Raleigh in the Mission Apostolate and in the Road Mission Apostolate in North Carolina. He served as a pastor of St. Anthony of Padua from 1963 to 1970 and again from 1989 to 1995 when he retired due to ill health. He also served parishes in Greensboro, Clinton, Kannapolis, Havelock, Goldsboro and Swansboro.
Survivors include two sister-in-laws, one nephew, three nieces, and his brother priests of the Raleigh Dioceses.
Mass of Resurrection will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Southern Pines with his Excellency F. Joseph Gossman, Bishop of Raleigh as Celebrant. The Vigil service will be held there tonight at 7.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Seminary Fund of the Dioceses of Raleigh, 715 Nazareth Drive, Raleigh, N.C., 27606.
Powell Funeral Home of Southern Pines is handling the arrangements.
Published in Obituaries on May 23, 2004 10:51 AM