SURLIS Fr. Paul (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 Terence 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. 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. 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 91 grandnieces and grandnephews, 11 great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. There will be a funeral Mass at 11am on Saturday, June 7 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Crofton, Maryland. Later the cremains will be transferred to Ireland, where the funeral liturgy will be completed in his native parish, Monasteraden, Ballaghaderreen, in County Sligo. Mass there will be celebrated on Saturday 14th June at 4pm, St. Aidan's Church, Monasteraden. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Casa Juan Diego, Houston Catholic Worker, P.O. Box 77270, Houston, Texas 77270.
Published in the Irish Times on 6th June 2014.
