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	Newsletter of the Immaculate Conception January, 2005 Rest in Peace: Ralph Di Pasquale, 1930-2004 ANDOVER � Friar Ralph Di Pasquale passed on to his eternal rest on the morning of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2004. Friar Ralph apparently suffered a series of severe strokes which left him in a coma from which he never recovered. Ralph was 74 years old. Friar Ralph�s ministry was diversified and multifaceted. Upon ordination to the priesthood, Ralph attended the Antonianum in Rome where he received a doctorate in Philosophy. He was then assigned to Immaculate Conception Seminary in Troy, NY, where he held the position of President, Formation Director and Professor. He also ran a counseling and tutoring center in the Albany-Schenectady area. Ralph also found the time to teach courses at Maria College in Albany. Following his time as President at Immaculate Conception College, Ralph resumed his studies and received an additional doctorate, this time in Psychology. During all of these assignments, Ralph always committed himself to parish weekend ministry in Schenectady, New York and Port St. Lucie, Florida. At the time of his death, he held the position of pastoral counselor, psychotherapist and drug-alcohol addiction counselor at several hospitals in the Port St. Lucie area of Florida. Provincial Minister Robert Campagna said of Friar Ralph during the funeral homily, �Ralph was ever and always, first and foremost, interested in the human person. Thus his early move from arid philosophical and scholastic speculation to an active life in the study and teaching of ethics and sociology; to an active life in psychology, counseling and spiritual direction...Ralph was ever busy, ever happy, ever involved, ever ready to give you his ear, his time, his concern and his heart, ever ready to break out-of-date rules, and to bend rules that need modification, ever on the brink of new ideas.� Friar Ralph was waked at St. Francis Friary in Andover on Tuesday, December 28th. His Mass of Christian Burial took place on Wednesday, December 29th, also at St. Francis. He will be interred in the Provincial cemetery in Andover. �Father Ralph was my teacher. When I came to be ordained, he preached at my First Mass. As a young friar, he was my older brother and guide. As Provincial, he was a mentor and confidant. And I shall miss this most unusual and extraordinary man and friar-priest enormously,� the Provincial said. All friars are requested to remember Friar Ralph in their prayers and friar-priests are asked to celebrate the Eucharist twice for him. Ralph was the second friar to pass since the Provincial Chapter was held in June. The other was Friar Benedict Goveas who passed on September 9, 2004.
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