A funeral Mass was celebrated June 15 for Father Camillus Walter Blazak, 92, of Signal Mountain, who died on June 11.
The Mass was held in the St. Augustine Chapel on the Alexian Brothers campus in Signal Mountain. Interment followed in Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Ala.
Father Blazak, a retired priest of the Diocese of Birmingham, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., to Joseph and Stella Blaszczak. He entered religious life as a member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (Franciscan) and was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1951.
As a Franciscan priest, he served parishes in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and in northern Alabama. During his 24 years in Alabama, Father Blazak chose to become a diocesan priest and served in that capacity until his retirement in July 1998. His ministry included St. Francis Parish in Livingston, Ala., St Jude Parish in Sylacauga, Ala., St Jude Parish in Scottsboro, Ala., and Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Fort Payne, Ala.
Father Blazak also ministered to Alexian Village of Tennessee in Signal Mountain in retirement and was in residence at the retirement community at the time of his death.
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Recently I pulled out my old Bible to look at some older prayer books & parish news letters that Father Blazek gave me. When I first moved to Livingston, AL in 1977, I was a newlywed. I had decided to visit the small catholic church in this small, but lovely little town & Father Blazek was the first person in Livingston to welcome me & at the same time with his kindness, talked me into coming to church. He eventually tallked me into teaching the elementary school aged children cathechism. Belonging to this small catholic parish church made such a wonderful impression on me. I grew to love it so much & got to know the Sisters that would visit. Father Blazek was a treasure. I was very sad to read about his passing.
I will always treasure the time I lived & prayed in Livingston, AL!