Obituary of Father HOUSTON

FATHER MARTIN HOUSTON Passed away peacefully on Wednesday afternoon, August 25, 2010, at Concordia Hospital. He was 73 years old. Martin, son of Joseph Adelard Houston and Alice Jane Houston, was born in Pine Falls, MB, on January 22, 1937. Besides the St. Boniface presbyterium, he will be remembered by his brothers Frank, David (Madeline), Joseph (Iris) and Edward (Mary). He was predeceased by his father and mother, his sister Doris and brothers John, Henry and Ernest. Martin attended school in Powerview, followed by correspondence courses. He took two years of accounting at McMaster University, Windsor, ON. After spending some time with the Oblate community, he pursued his philosophy and theology training at St. Paul University in Ottawa, at St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College in Edmonton. Archbishop Antoine Hacault, Archbishop of St. Boniface, ordained him to the priesthood in Notre Dame du Laus Church in Powerview, for the Archdiocese of St. Boniface, on August 17, 1990. As a first appointment, Father Houston was Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Transcona (1990-1992). He was Pastor of Notre Dame du Lac Parish , Lac du Bonnet, and of Pinawa Chaplaincy (1992 - 1997); Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Carman and of St. Mary's Chaplaincy in Elm Creek (1997- 2002). Father Martin retired from active parochial ministry at the age of 65, and lived since at St. Antoine Residence for priests in St. Boniface. Father Houston had a number of health issues, and at the end of June 2010, he was admitted to Concordia Hospital following a car accident. Though it did not appear that he suffered any serious injuries, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the same hospital a few days later, and was not able to recover from his illness. The Funeral Mass for Father Martin Houston, preceded by viewing at 1:30 p.m., will be presided by the Archbishop of St. Boniface, Albert LeGatt, D.D., on Monday, August 30th, at 2:00 p.m., in St. Boniface Cathedral. Interment will be in the Cathedral cemetery. Pallbearers will be six nephews.