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Fr. Alfred "Al" McBride O.Praem.
Father Alfred Aloysius McBride, O. Praem., age 91, a member of the Norbertine Community of St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, WI, and a Norbertine priest, passed into God’s eternal kingdom on October 23, 2020. Fr. McBride was born in Philadelphia on December 12, 1928 to the late Charles and Mary (Shannon) McBride and raised by his Aunt Mary Courtney, whom he regarded as his mother. He felt a call to the priesthood early in his life at his home parish of St. Patrick’s in central Philadelphia. He entered the Norbertine Order and was vested as a novice on August 28, 1946. Two years later he professed Simple Vows on August 28, 1948 and began teaching English and Latin at St. Norbert High School in De Pere. In 1950 he received a Bachelor in Philosophy from St. Norbert College in De Pere. Fr. McBride professed Solemn Vows on August 28, 1951 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 20, 1953. For his first assignment, he was appointed the Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Church in De Pere while continuing to teach at the high school. In 1958 he was asked to be the celebrant of the Mass on WBAY AM/FM radio, which he did for seven years. When the new St. Norbert Abbey was built in 1959, Fr. McBride became the first Novice Master. He was sent to Brussels, Belgium in June of 1963 and obtained a diploma in Catechetics from the Lumen Vitae Institute. He earned a Doctorate in Religious Education from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1972. Fr. McBride was the founder and Executive Director of the Department of Religious Education at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) from 1972-1979. He received the NCEA Board Award for distinguished service. In 1983 Fr. McBride traveled to New Mexico and became the President of the University of Albuquerque. Upon receiving an invitation to Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Catholic Bishops, he was appointed to write the catechesis in preparation for the second pastoral visit to the United States of Pope St. John Paul II in 1987, and also to be a Special Representative to the media during that visit. Fr. McBride was appointed the Ecclesiastical Assistant for the United States in 1989. He served as consultant to the Archdiocese of Boston for the implementation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and was a Professor of Homiletics and Catechetics at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. In 1992 Fr. McBride became the Spiritual Director for the U.S. branch of the World Wide Mission called the“Aid to the Church in Need”. In 2003 Fr. McBride celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a priest and decided to return home to De Pere and rejoin his confreres. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by both St. Norbert College in De Pere and Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC. He lectured and wrote widely, publishing 68 books and about 200 articles. Fr. McBride was listed as a most influential educator in the database of Christian Educators of the 20th Century. He was a humble man, always thankful to God for his remarkable gift of writing. Fr. McBride is survived by the Norbertine Community; cousins: Edward Dougherty and Therese Dougherty and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents and aunt, Mary Courtney. The Norbertine Community will privately celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial expressing our faith and hope in the promised glory of the Lord’s Resurrection. The Norbertine Community would also like to thank the nurses at St. Norbert Abbey and everyone at Unity Hospice who cared for Fr. McBride. Ryan Funeral Home, De Pere, is in charge of the arrangements.December 12, 1928 - October 23, 202012/12/192810/23/2020
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Fr. Alfred "Al" McBride O.Praem.
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