RIVERSIDE — Rev. Fernando P. Freitas, 87, pastor emeritus of St. Anthony Church, Pawtucket, died Feb. 19.
Born in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal, he was the son of the late Jose A. and Antonia (da Paixao Soares) Freitas. He attended elementary school in Ponta Delgada and secondary school at the Seminary of Santarem, Portugal. He studied for the priesthood at the Seminary of St. Paul, Almada and Christ the King Seminary, Olivais, both in Portugal, and also at St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, Md. He was ordained a priest on May 22, 1948 at St. Mary Cathedral in Fall River, Mass., by Bishop James Cassidy.
Father Freitas pursued postgraduate studies at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C., for one year. From 1949 to 1967, he served as assistant pastor in the following parishes: St. Benedict, Warwick; St. Francis Xavier, East Providence; Jesus Saviour, Newport; SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Providence; St. Elizabeth, Bristol; Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich; Immaculate Conception, Providence; St. Joseph, North Scituate; St. Anthony, West Warwick; and again at St. Elizabeth, Bristol. In November 1967, he was appointed administrator of St. Anthony Church in Pawtucket and remained there until June 1993 when he retired as pastor emeritus and became a resident of Riverside. During his retirement, Father Freitas assisted at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Providence.
Father Freitas is survived by a brother, Antero Freitas of Seattle, WA. He was also the brother of the late Deolinda Gonsalves, and Maria, Manuel, Jose, Antonio, Joao and Basilio Freitas.
A concelebrated Mass was offered for the repose of his soul on February 24 at St. Anthony Church, Pawtucket, with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin as the main celebrant and Bishop Louis E. Gelineau concelebrating. Msgr. Luis Brum from the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas was the homilist. Burial was in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Providence.
