Fr. Raymond Cera, C.PP.S.
September 17, 1920 – August 13, 2004Fr. Raymond Cera, C.PP.S., 83, died at 4:28 a.m. on August 13, 2004, in the infirmary at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio. He had been in failing health for the past several months.
Fr. Cera was born on Sept. 17, 1920, in Lorain, Ohio, to Louis and Anna Cera. He entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1940 and was ordained on Feb. 2, 1946.
Much of Fr. Cera’s ministry was dedicated to the field of education at St. Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, IN, where he was professor of modern languages for many years. While at the college, Fr. Cera was also engaged in parish ministry and served for a time as Director of Seminarians. For three years he served the Precious Blood Community as Secretary General in Rome.
Fr. Cera dedicated much of his life to translating from Italian into English the thousands of letters and materials written by St. Gaspar del Bufalo, founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, and other documentation about the saint’s life so that the English-speaking world could appreciate and learn from this great apostle of the Precious Blood. One of Fr. Cera’s last projects was a collection of his talks about the life of St. Gaspar.
Fr. Cera shared his knowledge in many ways, teaching groups about St. Gaspar, submitting translations to the Community newsletter, and collaborating on other projects, always freely sharing what he had worked so hard to learn.
Fr. Cera was a natural teacher. When he spoke of the saint, his eyes would shine and his voice took on a storybook quality. He never seemed to tire of the subject to which he had devoted his scholarly life, and his enthusiasm spread to any who heard him speak about St. Gaspar.
Fr. Cera also was devoted to his family. It was their tradition to spend New Year’s Eve together. In later years, when poor health prevented him from traveling, he was still a part of the family circle as he called them at midnight, on the dot.
His survivors include two sisters and a brother-in-law, Clarice and Louis Broglio, and Laura Atkins, all of Lorain; a brother, John Cera, Rockville, Md., and several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Three brothers, Lucius, Reno and Louis Jr., and a brother-in-law, Bernard Atkins, are deceased.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Charles Center on Monday, August 16, 2004, at 2 p.m., the Fr. Angelo Anthony, C.PP.S., officiating. Burial will follow in the Community cemetery.
Calling hours at St. Charles will be held Sunday from 1-5 and 7-9 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m.
Hogenkamp and Sons Funeral Home, Coldwater, is in charge of the arrangements.
