With sadness, we announce that Robert Michele, C.S.P., died this morning of natural causes at Orchard House in Mt. Angel, OR. He was 92.

He was born on December 21, 1927.

Hailing from Albany, OR, he entered our novitiate on August 19, 1948. He made his final promises on September 8, 1952, and was ordained a priest on May 3, 1955.

He served as assistant or associate pastor at St. Austin Church in Austin, TX (1955 to 1958 and 1989 to 1991); the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City (1958 to 1961); St. Vincent de Paul Church in Mobile, AL (1963 to 1964); St. Philip Neri Church in Portland, OR (1964 to 1968 and 1972 to 1973); the Catholic Information Center in Vancouver, BC (1968 to 1972); St. Ann’s Church in Boston (1973 to 1979); St. Peter’s Church and the Catholic Information Center in Toronto, ON (1979 to 1981); and Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco (1981 to 1986).

Additionally, from 1961 to 1963, he was part of our mission band based in New York City. And, from 1986 to 1989, he was a spiritual director for the Johns Hopkins University Newman Apostolate in Baltimore, MD.

He was a senior minister in residence at St. Austin Church in Austin, TX, from 1991 to 2011. Since 2011, he had resided at the Orchard House in Mt. Angel, OR.

Since 2018, he had been prohibited from functioning as a priest after a credible accusation of sexual misconduct with a minor female was received. The misconduct took place when he served at St. Philip Neri Church in Portland, OR, from 1964 to 1968 and 1972 to 1973

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Burial will take place in Albany, OR.

We pray for the repose of Robert’s soul, and for the healing of those he harmed in ministry.