Obituary of Reverend S.J.

REVEREND FATHER BRIAN (BUZZ) MASSIE, S.J. On Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Fr. Brian Massie slowly took his last breaths and died peacefully after a long series of struggles with pneumonia. At the time of his death he was a pastor at St. Ignatius Church in Winnipeg and the religious superior of the Winnipeg Jesuit Community. He was 66 years old, in his 49th year as a Jesuit, and his 37th year as a priest. He was born on March 21, 1943 in Toronto, the son of James C. Massie and Helen Turner. He had five brothers, Robert, James, Malcolm, Turner (dec.) and Anthony (dec.). In his ministry as a Jesuit priest, he was the founding director of Camp Ekon in Muskoka, a teacher at Brebeuf College School in Willowdale, Ontario, a pastor at St. Andrew's Church in Thunder Bay, a pastor at St. Peter Claver Church in Kingston, Jamaica, where he was also chaplain to prisoners on death row, a pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Toronto, and the pastor at St. Ignatius Church in Winnipeg. His eloquent preaching attracted many, especially the young, the hurting and the alienated. Highly regarded for his common sense and for his skills in leadership and administration, he was often sought out for the compassion and wisdom that came from his lived experience. Friends are invited for prayers and visitation at St. Ignatius Church, 255 Stafford Street, on Thursday, May 7 with prayers commencing at 7:00 p.m. and visitation ending at 9:30 p.m. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8, at St. Ignatius Church, followed by a reception in the church basement. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery on Osborne Street. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Toronto.