JERSEY CITY –The Rev. Robert J. Cormier, a Jersey City priest known for his multi-cultural ministry in Hudson County and beyond, was reported having fallen to his death during a climb up Mount Hood in Oregon on May 13.
The 57-year old priest, who was ordained in 1982, spent a significant time in Hudson County, where he was celebrated for his efforts to bring diverse communities together.
He reportedly fell from the summit on the north side of Mount Hood about 8 a.m. on May 13, which was reported by a climber not in his group.
Church officials said authorities were not expected to recover the body for a few days, at which time arrangements for his funeral would be made.
Cormier, who was climbing with two companions, sometimes connected his hobby with some of his sermons – and these, according to some parishioners, were among his most memorable.
His group attempted to climb the south side of the mountain, and when one of the others was forced to halt because of a leg cramp, Cormier continued on. He was seen falling when the others reached the top, and fell about 700 feet.
Cormier has been at St. Patrick’s, Assumption and All Saints Church in the Greenville section of Jersey City for about two years as a vicar. In February, he became the administer of the parish.
He was also at St. Nicholas Parish in Jersey City Heights for a while.
“He spent a lot of time in Hudson County since he was ordained in 1982,” said Jim Goodness, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Newark. — By Al Sullivan
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