Fr. Nichols, a Priest for 59 Years, Dies at Age 86

Father Nichols

Father Charles P. Nichols, a retired parish priest who once served as a diocesan missionary in Paraguay, died Saturday, May 5, at SS. Joachim and Anne Nursing Home, Coney Island. He was 86.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 7 at Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen Church, Carroll Gardens.

Born in Brooklyn, he attended St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md., and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington. He was ordained May 22, 1948 by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.

He served as an assistant at St. Leonard, Bushwick, 1948-53; St. Gabriel, East Elmhurst, 1953-62; Our Lady of the Angelus, Rego Park, 1962-63; St.

Alphonsus, Greenpoint, 1963-67; and SS. Simon and Jude, Gravesend, 1967-70.

In 1970, he volunteered for the diocesan mission in Paraguay, serving there until 1973.

Upon returning to the diocese, he worked for Catholic Charities’ Office for the Pastoral Care of the Sick, and served as an assistant at Our Lady of the Cenacle, Richmond Hill; St. Mary Star of the Sea, Far Rockaway, 1976-82; and Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen, 1982 to 1991 when he retired with senior priest status. Three years ago, he moved into SS. Joachim and Anne Nursing Home.

Retired Bishop Thomas V. Daily was the main celebrant of the funeral Mass. Special concelebrants included Msgr. Anthony Danna and Fathers Anthony Sansone and Michael Carrano.

Father Sansone, pastor of Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen, Carroll Gardens, recalls Father Nichols as having been a “very quiet man,” but a “stable force” in the parish over the many years he was there as an associate.

He was a “very committed priest,” Father Sansone said. “Father Nichols was well-liked by everyone and the children flocked to him.”

Over dinner in the rectory, Father Nichols shared with Father Sansone many stories of his time in the missions in Paraguay. Together with other priests of the diocese Father Nichols had set up chapels and missions as he traveled by horseback from one to the other. He learned Spanish well enough to celebrate Mass in that language. His mission experience was such a part of his life that years later at Sacred Hearts he always ended the Mass by asking for prayers for the missions in Paraguay.

Father Sansone recalls a parish fair at Sacred Hearts about five years ago. There was a horse for children to ride. Father Nichols delighted all the children by getting up on the horse and parading around. “The children loved it,” Father Sansone recalls.
Burial for Father Nichols was in Mount Olive Cemetery, Middletown, N.J.

Obituaries

Sister Regina Catherine Kane, OSF, a native of Brooklyn and a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Alleghany, NY, died April 21 at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Alleghany. She was 93.

She entered the congregation in 1940 from St. Gregory the Great parish, Crown Heights, and taught in New York and Florida before serving as Mistress of Postulants and General Superior, from 1968 to 1976.

She also taught at St. John the Baptist H.S., West Islip, L.I., did post-graduate studies at the Weston School of Theology, was a member of the retreat staff at the Franciscan Center in Tampa, and served as vice president for Mission of the Alleghany Health System.
She retired in 2004.

Interment was in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Alleghany.

Sister Margaret Claire McCance, OP, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 67 years, died May 5. She was 92.

Born in Brooklyn as Catherine McCance, she entered the congregation in 1939 from Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, Bensonhurst.

She taught at St. Elizabeth, Ozone Park; Our Lady of Sorrows, Pitt St., Manhattan; St. Ignatius, Hicksville; St. Martin of Tours, Amityville; St. Patrick, Huntington; Christ the King, Commack. From 1964 to 1978, she was the administrator of the Community Reading Center, Amityville, part of the time giving instruction at St. John’s University.

After retiring from the classroom, she lived in Huntington, but traveled to Amityville to care for the older sisters in Carlin Hall, where she took up residence in 1995.

Among her survivors is Brother Richard Murphy, CFX, her godchild.

Robert P. Whelan, Esq., a member of St. Patrick’s parish, Bay Ridge, died May 5 in the same house on 89th St. in which he was born 84 years ago.

A graduate of St. Patrick’s school; St. Michael’s Diocesan H.S., Sunset Park; Fordham University, and Fordham Law School, he worked as an attorney specializing in wills and estates right up until his death.

A former trustee of St. Patrick’s parish, he was a trusted adviser to the last four pastors of the parish.

“He was a very generous supporter of the Catholic institutions which educated him,” said Msgr. Joseph Nagle, pastor of St. Patrick’s. “He was a daily communicant at Visitation Monastery and at St. Patrick’s on Sunday.”

He was a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a member of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn. He also was active with Mother and Unborn Baby Care of Brooklyn.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Phelan of St. Anselm’s parish, Bay Ridge.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 9 at St. Patrick’s Church. Msgr. Joseph Nagle, pastor, was the main celebrant and homilist.

Cesar Valero, 106, the father of retired Auxiliary Bishop Rene Valero of Brooklyn, died May 7 at Ozanam Hall, Bayside.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 11 at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Forest Hills.

Mr. Valero

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, he settled in Greenpoint in 1917 and eventually moved to West Harlem, where he worked as an electrician.

Cesar and his wife the late Maria Luisa were trustees of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal parish in upper Manhattan.

Bishop Valero described his father as well-read and always interested in the Church and happenings in the world. “He was very happy with his life,” said Bishop Valero.

Besides Bishop Valero, there are two other surviving sons, Charles, 86, and Raul, 83.

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