Father John Vincent Ralph died on January 6, 2015, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was born on September 28, 1929, in Newtownforbes, Co. Longford, Ireland. He was preceded in death by his parents, John V. and Rosetta Reynolds Ralph; sister, Anne Frances Ralph; and brother, William James Ralph.
He is survived by one sister, Mary Theresa Ralph of Ballymahon, Co. Longford, Ireland; one brother: Patrick J. Ralph of Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland; numerous nieces and nephews; and longtime friends and caretakers Theresa Zechenelly of Pearl River, Louisiana, and Karrel Weathers of Slidell, Louisiana.
Father Ralph was ordained a priest in 1955 in Kiltegen, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. As a member of the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society, Kiltegan Fathers, he worked as a missionary in Nigeria, Africa, and departed Nigeria in 1967 due to the civil war. He was editor of a missionary magazine, Africa, for a short time.
Father Ralph worked in England for brief periods in 1968-1969 and moved to the United States in September 1969 to work in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Father Ralph continued his life work in 1976 at the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Huntington from 1976-1977; administrator of St. Anthony Parish in Grant Town and Assumption Mission in Rivesville from 1977-1981 and as pastor from 1981-1990; pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Logan from 1990-1996; and dean of the Logan Deanery from 1991-1996. He obtained a Master’s Degree in journalism from the University of Southern Illinois.
Father Ralph retired from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and, in December 1997, he came to Biloxi, Mississippi, assigned by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a contract chaplain for the VA Medical Center in Biloxi. Although retired, he served as spiritual director for the Sacred Heart Praesidium and for the South Mississippi Curia of the Legion of Mary for several years. He continued his life work serving the parishioners of Our Lady of Fatima, Sacred Heart D’Iberville and other Catholic parishes throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast area.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Biloxi on Saturday, January 10, at 1 p.m. Friends may visit from noon until the Mass. Burial will follow at Biloxi City Cemetery. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com. Father John Vincent Ralph
Father John Vincent Ralph died on January 6, 2015, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was born on September 28, 1929, in Newtownforbes, Co. Longford, Ireland. He was preceded in death by his parents, John V. and Rosetta Reynolds Ralph; sister, Anne Frances Ralph; and brother, William James Ralph.
He is survived by one sister, Mary Theresa Ralph of Ballymahon, Co. Longford, Ireland; one brother: Patrick J. Ralph of Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland; numerous nieces and nephews; and longtime friends and caretakers Theresa Zechenelly of Pearl River, Louisiana, and Karrel Weathers of Slidell, Louisiana.
Father Ralph was ordained a priest in 1955 in Kiltegen, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. As a member of the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society, Kiltegan Fathers, he worked as a missionary in Nigeria, Africa, and departed Nigeria in 1967 due to the civil war. He was editor of a missionary magazine, Africa, for a short time.
Father Ralph worked in England for brief periods in 1968-1969 and moved to the United States in September 1969 to work in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Father Ralph continued his life work in 1976 at the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Huntington from 1976-1977; administrator of St. Anthony Parish in Grant Town and Assumption Mission in Rivesville from 1977-1981 and as pastor from 1981-1990; pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Logan from 1990-1996; and dean of the Logan Deanery from 1991-1996. He obtained a Master’s Degree in journalism from the University of Southern Illinois.
Father Ralph retired from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and, in December 1997, he came to Biloxi, Mississippi, assigned by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a contract chaplain for the VA Medical Center in Biloxi. Although retired, he served as spiritual director for the Sacred Heart Praesidium and for the South Mississippi Curia of the Legion of Mary for several years. He continued his life work serving the parishioners of Our Lady of Fatima, Sacred Heart D’Iberville and other Catholic parishes throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast area.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Biloxi on Saturday, January 10, at 1 p.m. Friends may visit from noon until the Mass. Burial will follow at Biloxi City Cemetery. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com.