Obituaries

Father Richard Rice

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Richard Rice, a priest of the Diocese of Portland. who died February 21, 2025.

Father Rice was born in Biddeford on December 11, 1933, to John and Mary Margaret (O’Brien) Rice. A graduate of Cheverus High School in Portland, he entered St. Paul’s University and Seminary in Ottawa, Canada, after two years of college. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Daniel Feeney on May 21, 1960.

Father Rice’s assignments included serving at St. Joseph Parish in Portland, St. Joseph Parish in Brewer, Sacred Heart in Waterville, St. Mary of the Assumption in Augusta, Holy Name of Jesus in Machias, Holy Redeemer in Bar Harbor and St. Ignatius in Northeast Harbor, Our Lady of Good Hope in Camden, Holy Family in Sanford, and, finally, St. Mary in Bath. He retired from active ministry in 2009 but continued to serve in the seven churches of All Saints Parish. In 2019, he began serving at Mid Coast Hospital and was recognized for his continued service there throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 1998 to 2017, Father Rice served as the diocesan liaison for Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Father Rice says he first experienced the Holy Spirit’s power in 1979 when he attended a prayer group meeting in Augusta. He says when a priest prayed over him, in his spiritual mind, he saw a hallway and a tremendous light burst through the opening at the end of it. He said it gave him the feeling of unconditional love. Father Rice helped to organize Life in the Spirit seminars and held healing services throughout the state, something he continued to offer into 2024.

Visiting Hours: Wednesday, March 5, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Mary Church, 144 Lincoln Street in Bath

Mass of Christian Burial - Thursday, March 6, 11 a.m. at St. Mary Church, 144 Lincoln Street in Bath.

Father Hubert Joseph Paquet

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Hubert Paquet, a priest of the Diocese of Portland who passed away on August 15, 2024, at the age of 97.

Born in Saint Honoré, Quebec, in 1927, Father Paquet was one of 14 children of Albert J. and Oberline (Begin) Paquet. The family moved to the Biddeford-Saco area in 1937 where he attended St. André School. He then attended St. Hyacinth’s Seminary in Toronto, Ontario, for his high school and college studies before entering St. Augustine Seminary in Toronto as a seminarian for the Diocese of Portland.

He was ordained a priest on June 4, 1955, by Bishop Daniel Feeney at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland and served as temporary chaplain at St. Joseph Convent in Portland. He would go on to serve at parishes throughout Maine during his 42 years of active ministry, including St. Agatha in St. Agatha, Sacred Heart in Auburn, Holy Family in Sanford, Sacred Heart in Yarmouth, St. Joseph in Eastport, St. Ann at Pleasant Point, St. Theresa in Oakland, St. Louis in Auburn, St. Peter in East Millinocket, and St. Matthew in Limerick.

Upon his retirement from active ministry in 1997, Bishop Joseph Gerry, OSB, wrote, "You have been a loving, caring, holy priest these 42 years."

Father Paquet is survived by a brother, Gerard Paquette, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services 

Visitation will be at St. Joseph Church, 178 Elm Street in Biddeford, on Tuesday, August 27, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church in Biddeford on Wednesday, August 28, at 11 a.m. Bishop James Ruggieri will be the principal celebrant.

Commitment will take place at St. Joseph's Cemetery, 120 West Street in Biddeford, following the Mass.

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.