Father Paul Brant, S.J., who served for many years in the Diocese of Raleigh, died April 7. He was 82. A priest of the U.S.A. East Jesuit Province, he was retired from active priestly ministry at the time of his death in Ciudad Altamirano in Mexico.
Watch funeral livestream - May 3, 10:00 a.m.
A native of Raleigh, he attended Cathedral Latin School and what's now known as N.C. State University. As part of his priestly formation, he attended seminary at Fordham University in New York and Loyola University Chicago. Father Brant was ordained to the priesthood May 28, 1977 at Sacred Heart [then] Cathedral.
He served in many areas, including Hispanic Ministry, Campus Ministry and the Cursillo movement, which is a short course in Christian living, similar to a retreat, that promotes a deeper relationship with Christ.
“Paul Brant was an extraordinary man with a vision. Through the Cursillo movement, he was saving the faith … he was dedicated, and I did learn a lot from him, specifically to have love for missions within my own parish,” said Father Marcos León Angulo, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Butner, who first met Father Brant in 1996. “I truly will miss him.”
Father Brant’s most recent priestly service in the diocese took place at St. Therese Parish in Wilson. His priestly journey also took him to North Carolina churches such as Holy Spirit in Windsor, St. Joan of Arc in Plymouth, St. Mary in Goldsboro, Holy Trinity in Williamston and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Newton Grove. He also served as pastor of St. Ann Parish when it was in Smithfield. (Today it’s located in Clayton.)
Father Scott McCue led St. Ann in the early 2000s, and the two priests got two know each other in that capacity.
“Father Paul would come to events at the parish such as anniversary celebrations and funerals. I came to learn of his great love for the people of St. Ann and his missionary spirit. He greatly served the Hispanic population and was a true pacesetter in the early days of Hispanic Ministry in our diocese,” said Father Scott.
The cremains of Father Brant will be buried at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Newton Grove. Details will be shared when they are available.
Funeral Arrangements
A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, May 3 at 10 a.m. at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh. Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama will preside; Father Carlos Arce will be the homilist. Burial will follow at around 1 p.m. at Newton Grove with a reception to follow at the parish.
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