Fr. Sylvester Brown

Reverend Sylvester Francis Brown, age 79 of Elysian, died on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at his home.             Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 11th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato with The Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Celebrant, and brother priests concelebrating. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Madison Lake.             Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at All Saints Catholic Church in Madison Lake, and will continue on Monday morning from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato. Arrangements are being completed by Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home in Janesville. For on-line condolences go to www.mcraithfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Diocese of Winona-Seminarian Scholarship Fund at P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987.             Fr. Syl was born and raised in the All Saints' Parish of Madison Lake. His father, Sylvester Brown, died the February before he was born. His mother, Frances McCarthy Brown died when he was 15 years of age. After he attended All Saints School in Madison Lake, he graduated from Mankato High School. He attended St. Mary's University in Winona, and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a Masters Degree in Secondary School Administration in addition to completing his theological studies. During college he was named to the National Scholastic Fraternity, and served on the National Board of the Catholic Mission Crusades in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was re-elected to the Board during his seminarian years.              Bishop Fitzgerald ordained Fr. Brown on May 31, 1956. He was commissioned to build the new Marian High School in Owatonna, Minnesota. While at Marian High School, he organized diocesan delegates to the bi-annual conventions at Notre Dame. Following Marian High School, he spent a summer at Oxford University in England and then was appointed to the faculty of St. Mary's University. Fr. Brown earned an additional graduate degree from Loyola University in Chicago. On two occasions he received the St. Mary's University Outstanding Alumni Award. During his time there he also was appointed Spiritual Director of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and Vocation Director for the Winona Diocese. Fr. Brown was honored to have served on the National Alumni Board of the Theological College of the Catholic University in Washington, D.C.              Fr. Brown has served as pastor for St. Martin's Parish in Woodstock, St. Peter and Paul's Parish in Blue Earth, Pax Christi Parish in Rochester, Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Clair, and St. Ann Catholic Church in Janesville where he concluded parish responsibilities in August of 2002. During his pastorate in Blue Earth and Rochester, he was president of the Pastoral Ministerial group in each city, and in Blue Earth was Jr. Chamber of Commerce President having received the Outstanding Citizens Award. Fr. Brown has continued to be active in assisting nearby parishes. He was assigned by the Bishop on an interim basis to serve St. Ann in Janesville, St. Joseph's in Waldorf, All Saints in Madison Lake and Immaculate Conception in St. Clair. He enjoyed being a spiritual guide for many pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Rome, Europe, and Ireland. Most recently Fr. Brown was involved in Pastoral Ministries at the prisons in Faribault and Waseca.             He is survived by his sister Marjorie Mountain of St. Paul; by his nieces and nephews, Frances Mountain (Ted Gillet), Michael (Sara) Mountain, Kathleen Mountain (Christine Jacox), Mary Pat (Dr. Richard) Nadeau, John (Susan) Mountain, all of St. Paul, and Maureen (Mike) Black of Rochester; by 14 grand nieces and nephews; by his cousins from the Brown, Moore, Weir, Hunziker, Baynes, Suel, Blizzard, and Gayer Families.             He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother-in-law Rodger Mountain; by members of his extended family, and many friends.