www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Archimandrite Charles Aboody, Memory Eternal

The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Charles Aboody peacefully reposed in the Lord this afternoon, surrounded by clergy and parishioners.

"He was anointed and received the Eucharist surrounded by 30 parishioners. He blessed each one, and they kissed his hands and bade him farewell. May his holy Guardian Angel and the Most Holy Theotokos accompany his peaceful passing to the Father."

"The man who could have been bishop" Father Charles was the founder of St. Gregory Seminary and had served as pastor Our Lady of Perpetual Help Melkite Greek-Catholic Church in Worcester, Massachusetts; rector of Annunciation Cathedral and, later, St. Anne Melkite Greek-Catholic Co-Cathedral in North Hollywood, California. He was an original member of the Catholic-Orthodox dialogue.
A veteran of the United States Navy, he served in almost every office in the Eparchy of Newton, and together with Archbishop Joseph [Tawil] founded the first diaconate training program in the United States. Father Charles was responsible for nurturing numerous vocations to both the presbyterate and the diaconate. He will be sorely missed.

Memory Eternal

Father Charles was assigned to the Cathedral as assistant to the rector and spiritual advisor to the the parish's young adult group, when I first came into contact with Boston's Melkite community more than 50 years ago, late in 1965. Father Charles was instrumental in my decision to transfer from the Latin to Melkite Rite (as transfers of canonical enrollment were termed back then). In all the decades since, I never encountered him without experiencing once again the same warmth and love that he projected to myself and friends on that first occasion of meeting him.

O God of all spiritual and corporeal beings, You Who trampled death, broke the power of Satan and granted life to the whole world, now, O Lord, grant rest to the soul of Your departed servant, the Priest Charles, in a place of light and peace, a place ever verdant, where there is neither pain nor sorrow nor sighing, but only life everlasting.

As You are a gracious God and the Lover of mankind, remember his years of priestly service to You and forgive him every transgression committed by him in word, deed, or thought, since there is no man alive who has not sinned, for You alone are without sin and You are the Resurrection and the Life, O Christ our God, and we render all glory and honor to You, together with Your Eternal Father, and Your most Holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.

In blessed repose, grant, O Lord, the rest of the righteous to Your servant, the Priest Charles, and may his memory be eternal. I will miss you, Abouna!

May his memory be eternal!

Abba Charles (Aboody) was the luminous dispersion of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ the High Priest! Whoever came into contact with him felt the warmth and radiance of the Holy Spirit. We rejoice that we have in him another fervent intercessor before the Throne of Grace. Memory eternal!

The funeral arrangements for Father Charles are as follows:

- Visitation: Friday, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM at Holy Transfiguration
- Visitation & Prayers: Friday, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM at Holy Transfiguration
- Divine Liturgy presided by Bishop Nicholas: Saturday, 10:00 AM (NOT the customary 10:30 AM)
- Interment: Following Divine Liturgy at Andrew Chapel Cemetery (old chapel on Route 7)
- Meal of Mercy: Following Interment in the church hall

Eternal Memory!

Indeed. And he was a good and gentle confessor. At the Friday evening service, Archimandrite Joseph Francavilla mentioned that Fr. Charles, even when ill, would hear 25-30 confessions before the divine liturgy--perhaps "as many as were heard elsewhere in the entire eparchy." Hopefully that was a pious exaggeration, but still a testimony to Fr. Charles's intense devotion to the people of God.

Memory eternal!