Funeral arrangements announced for Robinson

Rev. Gerald Robinson died in an state prison medical facility last week

7/9/2014

Funeral arrangements have been scheduled for the Rev. Gerald Robinson, who died in an state prison medical facility last week.

Father Robinson‘‍s funeral Mass will be held at St. Hyacinth Church, 719 Evesham Ave., Friday at 11 a.m., and he will be buried at Calvary Cemetery. Father Robinson, who was arrested in 2004 and convicted in 2006 for the murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in 1980, died Friday in a prison hospice at Franklin Medical Center in Columbus. He was serving a sentence of 15 years to life.

Visitations are scheduled for Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. at W.K. Sujkowski & Son Funeral Home, 3838 Airport Hwy., and Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Hyacinth.

The Diocese of Toledo had announced that Father Robinson would receive a priest‘‍s funeral because he remained a priest while appeals of his conviction were ongoing, although he was not permitted to take part in public sacramental ministry. The Catholic Chronicle, the diocese’‍s newspaper, reported that the funeral rites would be altered to place less emphasis on Father Robinson‘‍s role as a member of the clergy and be closer to the ritual for any baptized Christian, but a priest’‍s stole will be put on the casket.

- TK Barger