Rev. Jean L. "John" Morin

Rev. Jean "John" Leopold Morin, O.M.I., 94, died on July 28, 2019, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He was a son of the late Francis and Alma (Couture) Morin. He was predeceased by his four sisters, Madeleine Adams, Lucielle Landry, Gabrielle Rattey, and Yvette Morin.
Fr. Morin was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island. He studied at the Missionary Oblate seminaries in Colebrook, New Hampshire, as well as Bucksport and Bar Harbor, Maine. He entered the Oblate novitiate in Colebrook in 1945. He professed his first vows on July 16, 1946, and his perpetual vows on September 8, 1949. He received his degrees in Philosophy in 1948 and Theology in 1952 at the Oblate College in Natick, Massachusetts. He later received a master's degree in Religious Education from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. His ordination took place on July 29, 1951, at St. Jean-Baptiste Church in Lowell, Massachusetts, where Bishop Louis J. Collignon, O.M.I. presided.
Fr. John's first assignment following ordination was to the missions in Haiti in 1952. He ministered in Haiti for a total of thirty-five years in parishes; teaching at the Mazenod Seminary; as Novice Master; and preaching parish retreats. He served in Port-Salut, Camp-Perrin, Roche-à-Bateau, Port-à-Piment, Ouanaminthe, Port-au-Prince, La Victoire, and Mt. Organise.
During his time in Haiti, he returned to the United States on two occasions: to attend Catholic University of America, and then to minister at St. Peter's Parish in Plattsburgh, New York, for a year. From 1991 to 1993, he assisted in the Oblate missions in Tahiti.
Fr. John returned to the United States permanently in 1993 and was assigned to the Northern United States Province. He did parish ministry at St. Angela Parish, Mattapan, Massachusetts, where there was a large Haitian community to whom he ministered. He was appointed Coordinator of the Haitian Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts, for two terms. In 2003, he was assigned to St. Joseph the Worker Shrine staff in Lowell. He served at St. Jude/Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he served the Haitian community from 2010 to 2015. He was assigned to the Immaculata Retreat House staff in Willimantic, Connecticut from 2005 to 2010 and again from 2015 to 2016. Due to health issues, he moved to the community of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in 2016, where he remained until his death.
In addition to his Oblate family, he is survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews.
Services and calling hours will be in the Chapel at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury. Calling hours will be on Friday, August 2, 2019, from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm with a Prayer Service at 7:30 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 3, 2019, at 11:00 am. Interment will take place in the Oblate Cemetery at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence.
Donations in memory of Fr. Morin may be made to the Oblate Haitian Missions Fund, c/o the Oblate Residence, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876.