Obituary of FATHER BASIL JAMES WALLACE

Father Basil Wallace died on January 24, 2018 after a long illness. He was born on July 30, 1932, the son of James Wallace and Catherine née Almquist Wallace. He attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grammar School in Queens, NY, Cathedral Prep Seminary in Brooklyn, NY, Maryknoll College in Glenn Ellen, Il. and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mahwah, NJ. On August 30 1974, he made his simple profession at St. Paul's Abbey of the St Ottilian Congregation in Newton NJ, and he was ordained there to the priesthood on June 23, 1978. He taught religion at Bishop Loughlin HS in Brooklyn, NY (1965-1970), worked in the CCD Office in the Diocese of Brooklyn designing programs for DREs (1970-1973), and was on the retreat team at St. Paul's Abbey and retreat centers on the east coast (1975-2010). In 2004, he transferred his stability from St. Paul's Abbey to St. Mary's Abbey of the American Cassinese Congregation in Morristown, NJ. He was a confessor for the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, NJ, the Religious Teachers Filippini at Villa Walsh in Morristown NJ, and the Sisters of Charity at St. Anne's Villa in Morristown, NJ. He was also very active in giving Matt Talbot Retreats and providing weekend assistance at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Church in Cedar Knolls, NJ. Fr Basil is survived by his three brothers Edward, Paul and John and their families as well as the family of his sister Kathleen Perry who predeceased him. In lieu of flowers, donations to St Mary's Abbey, 230 Mendham Road, Morristown, NJ 07960, in Fr Basil's name would be appreciated.