Wednesday, October 1st, 2014
Gabriel Bridges
Brother Gabriel Bridges, C.PP.S., 82, died at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 29, 2014, at St. Charles Center, Carthagena. He had been in declining health.
He was born June 6, 1932, in Cincinnati, the only child of Arthur and Betty Bridges. He was professed on July 1, 1952, at St. Charles Seminary, Carthagena.
He had a variety of ministries in his years as a brother. After his profession, he was the assistant to the rector at St. Charles then was sent to Rome to assist in the C.PP.S. Generalate. In 1959, he returned to the United States and went to work for Messenger Press, then owned by the Congregation. He later served at Brunnerdale, the Congregation's high school seminary in Canton, and at St. Charles.
In 1969, he was assigned to parish ministry and then served at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Ottawa, and St. John the Baptist Church, Glandorf. Other parish ministry assignments included St. Joseph Church, East Jordan, Mich., and St. George Church, Aurora, Ill. He also ministered to young people through religious education programs at Holy Redeemer Parish, New Bremen; St. Joseph Church, Wapakoneta; and St. John the Baptist Church, Whiting, Ind.
In 1993, he was assigned to Calumet College of St. Joseph, which is sponsored by the Missionaries. In later years, he also was in ministry at the Missionaries' Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue. In 2007, he retired to St. Charles Center.
He was a man of many talents. He was an excellent storyteller with a keen eye for detail, and a straight-shooter who was not afraid to speak truth to power. He had a deep love for his community and his vocation as a religious brother. He was a natural teacher. Whether in a classroom or a less formal setting, he easily commanded a room, drawing all in with his wry insights and observations.
Funeral Mass is 2 p.m. Friday at St. Charles Center, the Rev. Larry Hemmelgarn, C.PP.S., officiating. The Rev. James Seibert, C.PP.S., will be the homilist. Burial will follow in the Community Cemetery.
Calling is 1-5 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at St. Charles, with a prayer service at 7 p.m.
