Msgr. John Naughton, St. Mel pastor emeritus, dies at 87 Funeral Mass was held July 14 at St. Mel Church, Woodland Hills, for Msgr. John Thomas Naughton, 87, who died July 7. Born in Glenhest, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland, he studied at St. Peter’s College, Wexford, later transferring to St. John’s Seminary, Camarillo, and was ordained in Los Angeles on May 7, 1949. In 1956, he went on military leave to serve as an Air Force chaplain. Msgr. Naughton’s 28 years as a chaplain in the Air Force included service in England, Germany, Labrador, Thailand and several U.S. bases. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding service as chaplain at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia from February 1969 to July 1970. During this period, according to his Air Force citation, “The exemplary ability, diligence and devotion to duty of Chaplain Lt. Col. Naughton were instrumental in the resolution of many complex religious problems of major importance to the Catholic spiritual program” at the base. In 1975, he was elevated as “Chaplain to His Holiness,” earning the title, “Monsignor.” After retiring from the Air Force, Msgr. Naughton returned to local pastoral ministry and served as pastor at St. Mel for five years before becoming pastor emeritus in 1990. Sr. Jane Celeste Fries, OP Funeral Mass was held June 22 at St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian, Michigan, for Dominican Sister Jane Celeste Fries, 89, who died June 18. Sister Fries spent 36 years ministering in education in the Midwest, the Southwest, Puerto Rico, Nevada and California. Locally, she taught and was principal at St. Raphael School in Los Angeles (1969-78). Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 E. Siena Heights Dr., Adrian, MI 49221. Fr. Bruno de Santi, CSJ Funeral Mass was held June 27 at St. Peter Church, San Pedro, for St. Joseph Father Bruno de Santi, 87, who died June 22. Born in Pinerolo, Italy, he joined the Fathers of St. Joseph in 1940, drawn by his desire to work with young people in the spirit of the Congregation of St. Joseph. Father de Santi was ordained a priest on March 10, 1951, in Viterbo, Italy, and was sent within the year to Santiago, Chile, where he served as an elementary and secondary high school principal. He came to the U.S. in 1967, teaching at a seminary in Ohio and at a Cleveland diocesan high school. Since July 1971, he has ministered in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where he was pastor of St. Peter Church in San Pedro for many years. He has served as an associate pastor at St. Peter’s since 1988. Father de Santi pioneered a youth group at the parish called “Nadino” for children ages 8-14. He spent a lot of time planning education, social and spiritual activities for the children and also used his musical talents to start a children’s choir. Parishioners remember him as a man of prayer and a committed shepherd to his people. Fr. Mateo H. Hicarte Memorial Mass will be celebrated July 21, 8 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Los Angeles, for Father Mateo H. Hicarte, retired associate pastor, who died July 13 in Manila at age 85. Born in Casiguran, Philippines, he was ordained in 1953 from Holy Rosary Seminary, Naga City, for the Diocese of Sorsogon, and came to Los Angeles in the 1980s. Father Hicarte served as associate pastor at St. Elisabeth, Van Nuys (1983-86), and Immaculate Heart of Mary from 1986 to his retirement in 2002. He was incardinated for Los Angeles in 1988. He is survived by a brother, Ramon. Interment and burial took place in Manila.
