Obituaries

Sister Pauline Ducharme, OSU

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Paulette Anne Ducharme, OSU, a member of the Ursuline community who died on May 25 at the age of 76.

Sister Paulette was born in Brunswick on June 8, 1947, the daughter of Raymond and Yvette Ducharme. She entered the Ursuline community on September 10, 1967, and professed her vows on March 15, 1970.

Sister Paulette earned a bachelor's degree in Scripture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts, and then a master's degree in education administration from Boston College.

Sister Paulette first taught at Ursuline Academy in Dedham, Massachusetts, and then at Mount Merici Academy in Waterville from 1974 to 1976 and again from 1976 to 1970. She then became principal of Mount Merici from 1980 to 1988. Sister Paulette also served as a program director for Catholic Charities Maine, as a chaplain at Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, and as a chaplain for Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She then returned to Maine and served as director of pastoral care at Mount St. Joseph in Waterville and as a volunteer chaplain at Oak Grove Center.

Deacon John Brennan

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Deacon John Brennan, who passed away on March 13, 2024, at the age of 76.

Deacon Brennan was born in Lewiston on February 23, 1948, the second of four children born to Francis and Jeannette Brennan, a deeply religious family.

After graduating from St. Patrick School in Lewiston, he enrolled in the Paulist Fathers Minor Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but after one semester returned home to attend Lewiston High School. 

In 1969, he began a career in law enforcement, first serving as an administrative assistant to the chief of police in Auburn and then joining the Portland Police Department, where he would climb the ranks, being named deputy chief in 1989.

During this time, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology from the University of Southern Maine and then a master's level graduate certificate in administration and management from Harvard University. During his police career, he was honored with numerous awards.

After retiring from law enforcement, he felt God calling him to service in the Catholic Church and on June 14, 1998, he was ordained a permanent deacon. He served at St. John Paul II Parish in Scarborough, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Westbrook, and as director of the diocesan Office of Professional Responsibility.

Deacon Brennan is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lorraine. Please pray for her, their son John, and his other family members and friends.

Father Bernard Welch

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Bernard Welch, who died on May 14, 2024, at age 89, four days shy of his 90th birthday.

Father Welch was born May 18, 1934, in Portland, the son of Margaret Mary (O’Donnell) Welch Woods and stepson of Owen Francis Woods.

He was a 1952 graduate of Cheverus High School in Portland and then joined the U.S. Air Force, serving at Loring Air Force Base, while raising money for college.

He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Maine and then a master’s degree in legislative affairs from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., followed by advanced studies at the University of Colorado.

He worked at the Central Intelligence Agency as an analyst, at Pan American World Airways as the manager of public affairs, and with the United States Secretary of Transportation as an aviation congressional relations officer.

Father Welch said he had long felt a call to the priesthood, and at age 43, he finally decided to act on it, taking time off from his job to enter Pope John XXIIII Seminary in Weston, MA. He never went back. He received a Master of Divinity degree from the seminary and was ordained a priest there by Bishop Amadée Proulx, bishop of Portland, on May 2, 1981.

His assignments in the Diocese of Portland included serving in Cape Elizabeth, Brewer, Lubec, Portland, and Caribou, an assignment that included serving as chaplain at Loring Air Force Base. He became an Armed Forces chaplain, serving members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine for 28 years before retiring from active and reserve military service.

In 1991, Father Welch awarded a Navy Achievement Medal from the Department of the Navy for his work assisting families impacted by Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Funeral Services

May 28, 2024 - Reception of the body and evening prayer at 4 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 39 Pleasant Street in Brunswick, with Father Philip Tracy presiding. Fr. Welch’s visitation will continue till 7:00 p.m.

May 29, 2024 - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Bishop James Ruggieri at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 39 Pleasant Street in Brunswick. Burial will follow with military honors at St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Brunswick. 

Father Raymond Picard

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Raymond Picard, a priest of the Diocese of Portland, who passed away on April 20, 2024, at the age of 83.

Fathe Picard was born on September 8, 1940, in Biddeford, the first of 10 children. He grew up on a farm in Saco. After completing eighth grade, he attended St. Hyacinth P.Q. and later St. Paul’s Seminary in Ottawa, Ontario.

He was ordained a priest by Bishop Daniel Feeney on May 22, 1965, and served at many parishes during his 45 years of active ministry. They included serving as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Portland, St. John in Rumford, St. Francis de Sales in Waterville, St. Joseph in Old Town, and St. Ignatius in Sanford. In 1977, he was named pastor of the mission of St. Anne at Peter Dana Point, followed by pastor of St. Joseph in Sinclair and Holy Family in Daigle in 1968. He would later serve as pastor of St. Athanasius & St. John Parish in Rumford, St. Patrick in Newcastle, Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor, and Sacred Heart in Yarmouth and St. Jude in Freeport.

Funeral Services:

Reception of the Body & Liturgy of the Hours – Thursday, April 25, at 3 pm. at Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street, Yarmouth. Father Picard will lie in state in the church until 6 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial – Friday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street in Yarmouth, celebrated by Bishop Robert Deeley

Burial – Friday, April 26, at 3 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, 380 Academy Hill Road, Newcastle.

Father Albert Colpitts

Please join in praying for the repose of the soul of Father Albert Colpitts who died Saturday, March 30, 2024, at the age of 81.

Father Colpitts was born in Biddeford on August 25, 1942, to Thomas A. and Helen M. Dubois Colpitts. He was educated in Biddeford schools, graduating from Biddeford High School in 1960.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Apostles Seminary College in Cromwell, Connecticut, and then studied at Niagara University Seminary of Our Lady of Angels in Albany, New York, for three years before pursuing graduate studies at St. Paul’s University Seminary, Ottawa, Ontario. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1973, at St. Patrick Church in Lewiston.

He served as a parochial vicar at the parishes of St. Martin of Tours in Millinocket, Sacred Heart in Waterville, St. Mary of the Assumption in Augusta, St. John the Evangelist in South Portland, and St. Patrick in Lewiston. He was then appointed pastor of Catherine Sienna Parish in Norway, where he remained for nine years, before serving as pastor of St. Edmund Parish in Westbrook, followed by St. Christopher Parish in York, and then St. Matthew Parish in Limerick.

Father Colpitts was a member of the Knights of Columbus (Star of the Sea Council) in York. He was a former member of the Priest Senate of the Diocese of Portland and a former member of the Propagation of the Faith Council of the Diocese of Portland. He also attended Colby College Church Music Institute in Waterville.

Funeral Arrangements

Visiting hours are private.  

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024, at St. Joseph Church, 178 Elm Street, Biddeford. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Biddeford.

Memorial donations may be made in his name to: Clergy Benefit Plan of the Diocese of Portland, 510 Ocean Avenue, Portland, ME 04104.