Fr. Paschal Balkan (2 April, 1927 – 1 June, 2017) died this morning at Winchester Medical Center while his community was celebrating the Mass of St. Justin Martyr. Fr. Paschal was in the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
Details of his funeral celebrations will be posted later.
Anne and Graham Carroll says
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Community and Fr Pascal’s family. May his dear soul rest in peace
Bill Kenney says
Fr. Pascal’s unique and precious presence at the Abbey will be missed. As he has completed his journey home to the Lord of Life, Holy Cross Abbey will also be enriched with the blessings that this union showers upon you. So it is with love, affection and joy that I bid him Farewell and Job Well Done. May you rest in eternal peace.
George Alexa says
As we pray for Fr. Pascal’s soul and for the Cistercians Community who has lost yet one more member, let us pray for many vocations to fill the Holy Cross Abbey. Also, let us share the Trappist website with our family and friends. Through your prayers and actions may the Lord send the Abbey many men to serve the Lord. May the soul of Fr. Pascal and all those who have died at the Abbey, rest in peace.
Bernd Soete says
Our prayers are with the Community and all good friends of Father Paschal.
We will miss him and I was so lucky to have the opportunity to have met him.
He was one of my saviour and very good friend.
We are so happy to have seen him last year on our tripp to the USA.
RIP you are in our Hearts
Tim says
Rest in peace Father, you brought smiles to many faces including mine.
Jehu Martin says
We have all been praying for the Father Pascal. They have not only been prayers of blessings but prayers of thanks to God that brought this man of God into our lives. He was a unique and wonderful spirit with a huge giving heart. He had a depth of knowledge and understanding that is hard to match and he gave and shared it with so much selfless love-a true manifestation of what wisdom really is. We met about 30 years ago and at the time I thought that if he had his own religious television show I would actually watch it. He had a sense of humor that went hand in hand with the deep love of the faith that he followed throughout his life. He had a true and deep dedication to God and to the church that he followed faithfully. Through him and the discussions that we had I came to understand and appreciate the path that he followed. He will be sorely missed but for all of us that knew him it must be said that he made our lives richer and more fulfilling. We all pray that he finds true peace in the arms of he to whom he dedicated so much of his life. May God bless him, be with him and guard guide and protect him-always.
Don Jackson says
I knew Father Paschal very well and had several visits with him as a retreatant
at Holy Cross Abbey. Father James describes his character and personality very well. Above all else, he was a dedicated and committed Cistercian monk
for sixty-eight years. May our loving and merciful God welcome him to eternal
life. May he rest in peace.