Father Dorais, 83

GARDNER - Bishop McManus celebrated a Mass of Christian burial Thursday  in Sacred Heart of Jesus Church for Father Gerald A. Dorias, 83, who died Sept. 23 in Heywood Hospital.
Bishop Rueger presided at a wake service Wednesday night in the church. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Notre Dame Cemetery, 135 Nichols St., Pawtucket, R.I.
Father Dorias was born Feb. 9, 1928, in Central Falls, R.I., son of Armand and Jeannette (LeClerc) Dorias. He completed his high school and first two years of college education at Eymard Seminary in Suffern, N.Y., graduating in 1948 He studied from 1950 to 1956 for the priesthood at Blessed Sacrament Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio.
He was ordained a Blessed Sacrament Father on Sept. 24, 1955, by Auxiliary Bishop Edward V. Dargin at Eymard Seminary in Hyde Park, N.Y.  After ordination he studied for two years at the Angelicum University in Rome and received his license in philosophy in 1958. He later served as a professor of philosophy from 1958 through 1963 at the Blessed Sacrament Seminary in Cleveland.
From 1963 through 1968 he served as novice master at Blessed Sacrament Novitiate in Barre.
His first assignment was at St. Margaret Mary Church in Worcester from 1968-1969. He then was named associate pastor at St. Theresa Church in Blackstone. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Worcester by Bishop Flanagan on Dec. 22, 1971.
In 1976, he was named associate  pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Gardner and, in 1984, was appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fitchburg, until 2007. His most recent assignments were as senior priest at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, both in Gardner.
Throughout his life he possessed and demonstrated a monumental love for the Most Holy Eucharist and Blessed Mother Mary.
He leaves one niece, Mary-Ann Golombiewski; three nephews, Michael, Edward and John Trainor; and several cousins. Father Dorais was predeceased by his sister, Claire Trainor, and by two nephews, Gerald and Donald Trainor.
Memorial contributions may be made to  Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA 01440 or to Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, 166 Cross Street, Gardner, MA 01440.
Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner handled the arrangements.