We are grateful to the Lord for the life of our dear brother, Fr. James Carroll, and his many years of service, love, support and friendship to all of us in the People of Hope. We pray that he is with our Heavenly Father and look forward to the day that we see him again in the Kingdom!
Memories of Fr. Carroll from POH Members
Fr Carroll loved children and was constantly striving to make his heart like that of a child, playing his guitar for the Lord, praying aloud with a humble heart. - Judy Touhill
Many years ago one of my sons did something which was directly opposite of what he was told. When I said we were going up to St. Joseph's Shrine to confession, he said to me "I will go to confession but not to the Shrine. Fr. Carroll is my confessor". So, we went over to Mary Street where he went to confession with Fr. Carroll. I realized at that time what an important priest Fr.Carroll was in the life of Koinonia and my son.
- Diane Tomasello
My memory of Father Carroll is him sitting by himself near a cabin or in a field at Camp, reading his Bible and being prepared (always!) to hear a confession. - Fred Bunsa
For many years after the GCG, on a monthly basis, Fr Carroll would come to our house for dinner. After dinner he would hear our confessions. Even the very young ones wanted to go to confession. They would sit with him and he would lead them in a prayer and give them his blessing. What a gift it was to have this saintly priest in our home. Afterwards we would have dessert. He loved anything chocolate with his hot tea!!! - The Conant Family
A few years back I recognized that we have a Saint in our midst. I asked Father if I could have his bible. He gave me one of his older bibles. I indeed have a Bible from a saint!
- Bill Ross
One of the blessings of having Fr. Carroll live with us, as a family, were the times of the heavy snow falls and blizzards. At that time, Fr. Carroll could not leave to say Mass at Stony Hill. We were all essentially quarantined. He would then convert our dining room into a chapel, and all those who were able to make it through the snow were welcome to join us for Mass. This was a personal blessing and an honor for us as a family.
- John Dalessio
My earliest memory of Fr. Carroll was from KA as a student when he would come to the classroom with stick figure cartoon drawings of bible stories/parables and teach us using these simple drawings and simple songs that he'd play on the guitar. Every story would end with "what does the story mean, clap clap, what does the story mean, clap clap". Secondly, I remember him from a young age, always being a presence at Camp Hope, on the bench near his cabin ready to hear confessions; always ready to help a soul be restored to relationship with God. Thank you Fr. Carroll. - Phil Tomasello
Fr. Carroll baptized me on January 11, 1981, and he baptized my son, Damien Moccia, on January 11, 2009! - Ed Moccia
One day when I scheduled a time with Fr. Carroll for confession at St Mary's Stony Hill, I found him upstairs in the parish center with his old guitar in hand and on the floor he had a series of praise songs with chords he had written out with a marker on large sheets of easel paper. Later on when visiting him at St Joseph's in Totowa, I found that he was STILL using his guitar for worship; we talked about getting him new strings for it! I was so inspired by his steadfastness and determination to do whatever it took to express his love for Jesus by praising him in song, and I have no doubt that it was a great source of consolidation for him. - Jim Minogue
When I would get to KA before the teacher’s prayer time, as I parked my car, I would see Fr. Carroll in his car, reading his well-worn Bible. - Len Forman
Fr. Carroll and I were roommates on one of our district retreats in New Hampshire. We shared a room about the size of a phone booth. Somehow he survived my world class snoring and never uttered a negative word. His preaching on those retreats was a daily highlight for all of us. May he rest in peace. - Bob Filoramo
Resources to honor and remember our dear brother by: