Paul J. Surlis

Fr. Paul Surlis died May 30, 2014. He was born on June 7, 1936 in Shroofe, Co. Sligo in the west of Ireland. Paul was the 11th child of Norah and Terance Surlis. He was ordained a Catholic priest at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth Ireland June 18, 1961 and received his doctorate at the Pontifical University, Maynooth in 1963. In September 1965, he was invited by Bishop Thomas J. Drury of Corpus Christi, Texas to attend the final session of the Second Vatican Council as theological expert to the Bishop. Fr. Paul Surlis, D.D. drafted an intervention, which Bishop Drury submitted dealing with priests who had resigned active ministry and who were neglected, even hindered, by the Vatican as they sought to regularize their marriages and find productive work to sustain themselves, their wives and families. Dr. Surlis presented the demands he made as ones of justice, not charity. In the survey he edited " American Participation in the Second Vatican Council" Monsignor V.A. Yzermans singled out Bishop Drury's address to the Council for special mention and praise saying "...it was one of the most touching he had read by an American bishop." Dr. Surlis was appointed the chair of professor of dogmatic theology at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth in 1969. In 1972 Fr. Surlis taught in and helped manage a major adult education program conducted in Silicon Valley in Ascension and Resurrection parishes in Saratoga, California. Many participants had advanced degrees and well over 1,000 persons participated between 1972 and 1975. The course was recognized for a Master's Degree in Pastoral Theology by the University of San Francisco. In 1975, Fr. Surlis was appointed a professor of Theology at St. John's University, New York where he remained until 2000. Upon retirement, he moved to Crofton, Maryland where his brother, Aidan, wife, Catherine, their three children, spouses and ten grandchildren live. Fr. Surlis often celebrated liturgy and preached at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Crofton. Paul is survived by his siblings, Tommy Joe, Carmel and Sr. Phyllis, of Ireland; and his brother, Aidan, of Crofton, Maryland. He has 40 nieces and nephews, and 88 grandnieces & grandnephews. There will be a funeral mass at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7th at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Crofton, Maryland. The lunch and reception will be held at Old South Country Club at 1 p.m. Later the cremains will be transferred to Ireland, where the funeral liturgy will be held on Saturday, June 14th at 4p.m. in his native parish, Monasteraden in County Sligo. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Casa Juan Diego Houston Catholic Worker P.O. Box 77270 Houston, Texas 77270 Please see details at http://beallfuneral.com/memsol.cgi?user=1317999Surlis