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May 12, 2010
The Redemptorists and the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica, mourn the death of Father Albert "Otto" Stoeckel, who passed away May 13. He was 99.
Father Stoeckel was born August 15, 1910, in Buffalo, NY. When he was about four years old, his family moved to Toronto, Canada. Father Stoeckel had a great devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother. He once stated that is was at St. Lambert’s that he attended his first and only Redemptorist mission during which “the priest laid great emphasis on the importance of the devotion to the Eucharist and Mother Mary.”
Father Stoeckel made his first profession of vows Sept. 2, 1932. He made his final profession on Sept. 2, 1935, and he was ordained to the priesthood June 20, 1937.
His first missionary visit to Dominica was in 1971. The following year he was called by his Provincial to preach missions in Canada. He returned to Dominica 1974 and was stationed at St. Theresa, Salisbury; St. Joseph, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Fair Haven, Roseau; La Salette, Pte Michel; St. Patrick, Grandbay;, and Our Lady of Lourdes, Soufriere.
Since 1990, he had been stationed at the St Alphonsus House at the Holy Redeemer Retreat House in Eggleston, where he regularly assisted at Our Lady of Fatima Parish and the home for the aged.
Well into his mid-90s, when it became too difficult for him to travel by himself, he occasionally said Mass in the Chapel of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Geraudel in the Eggleston community. And he regularly visited the Home for the Aged and the Grotto Home for the homeless to celebrate the Eucharist with them until approximately two years ago when he was no longer able to do so.
Father Stoeckel spent most of his ministry preaching missions and giving retreats. He was an excellent and well-received missionary who was always in great demand and was known for preaching the traditional Redemptorist themes with traditional missionary enthusiasm.
Rev. Albert Stoeckel, C.Ss.R.
- Born: August 15, 1910
- Professed: September 2, 1932
- Ordained: June 20, 1937
- Died: May 13, 2010
Services
May 25
Funeral Mass
Our Lady of Fatima Church
Newtown, DominicaBurial
Holy Redeemer Retreat House
Eggleston, Dominica