Obituary of Msgr. Thomas J. Robillard

Msgr. Thomas Joseph Robillard, 91, died at Claxton Hepburn Hospital in Ogdensburg, NY , March 19, 2009. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 am on Monday, March 23, 2009 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, NY. Msgr. Robert Lawler, Vicar General and pastor of St. Mary’s Waddington and St. John the Baptist, Madrid will preside at the liturgy with priests of the Diocese concelebrating. Rev. Andrew Amyot, pastor of Church of the Visitation, Norfolk, will be the homilist. Calling hours will be on Sunday, March 22 at Buck’s Funeral Home, Norfolk, NY, from 2-4 p.m. There will be a transfer of the body to the Church of the Visitation, Norfolk, at 6 p.m., with a Vespers Service at 7 p.m., with calling hours until 9 p.m. On Monday morning, the body will be transferred to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, with calling hours from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cathedral cemetery in the spring. Msgr. Robillard was born in Ogdensburg, NY, son of the late Henry Joseph Robillard and Mary Helen Revell. He attended St. Mary’s Academy grade school and high school in Ogdensburg, NY graduating in June, 1936. He began his studies for priesthood at Wadhams Hall on Hamilton St. in Ogdensburg. He then entered St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, NY. He was ordained to priesthood on June 3, 1944 at St. Mary’s Cathedral by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart. His first assignment was at the Church of the Assumption, Redford, NY followed by our Lady of Victory Church, Plattsburgh. He was named pastor of St. Henry’s Church, DeKalb Junction, St. Mary’s Church, Constableville, St. Mary’s of the Fort Church, Fort Covington, St. John the Baptist Church, Keeseville, St. Catherine’s Church, Keeseville, St. Francis Solanus Church, Harrisville, St. Rita’s, Lake Bonaparte, St. Martin’s Church, Port Leyden and St. John’s Church, Lyons Falls. He was appointed Dean of Lewis Deanery in 1982 and continued as Dean until his retirement. He was appointed Honorary Prelate on June 27, 1989 by Pope John Paul II. Msgr. Robillard retired in 1993 and resided at Church of the Assumption parish in Norfolk with Rev. Andrew Amyot, pastor. Msgr. Robillard is survived by two brothers, Patrick, Ogdensburg, NY, Paul and Emma Robillard, Ogdensburg; two sisters, Mrs. Marie Dowdle, Madrid, currently residing in St. Joseph’s Home, Ogdensburg, Sr. Mary Henrita, Corpus Christi, Texas as well as nephews and cousins.