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Some Statements After Father Norman’s Death From Owen McGovern, Executive Director of the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada: "Father Norm Perry was a warm and gentle man who loved to cultivate orchids. A former recipient of the St. Francis de Sales Award, his life was devoted to making St. Anthony Messenger one of the finest magazines of the Catholic press. But his greatest gift to the Church was the quiet kindness he demonstrated to all those around him. We will all miss him greatly, we will be inspired by him always."
From Thomas Lorsung, editor, Catholic News Service, Washington, D.C.: "Father Perry's presence at Catholic Press meetings always seemed to me to provide a model of simplicity, good humor and wisdom. His colleagues honored him with the St. Francis de Sales Award. It was richly deserved."
From Ethel Gintoft, editor, the Milwaukee Catholic Herald, former president of the Catholic Press Association: "The Catholic Press has lost a brilliant and wise journalist. I could almost say Father Norman was a ‘stubbornly’ brilliant and wise man, unwilling to submit to less than the best path to follow both in St. Anthony Messenger and in the national Catholic Press Association. More significantly in the eyes of God, I suspect, the Catholic Press has lost a gentleman and a true Christian. His support of and courtesy to me as I broke into the almost all-male status of Catholic journalism back in the ‘old’ days will always remain dear to my heart. God rest ye, Norm."
From Jeremy Harrington, O.F.M., publisher of St. Anthony Messenger Press and Franciscan Communications: "Father Norman Perry was both an inspiration and support to me all the years we worked together at St. Anthony Messenger. With his keen intelligence he was able to analyze and get to the heart of issues and make excellent judgments. If Norman was on board with a decision or editorial position, I knew our position was defensible. If there was flak, we took it together. Orally and in writing he was clear and forceful. Rather than getting into the Liberal or Conservative camp, he studied each issue and came to his own conclusion. "He was passionate about the mission of the Catholic Press. He was concerned about Catholics who did not receive any Catholic magazine or newspaper. In the early 1970’s he came up with the concept of Catholic Update as a way of reaching people with Vatican II teachings. As ‘Wise Man’ for 33 years, he was respectful of each letter writer and took time to research each question. "I will miss him for his wisdom and his friendship." |
