Laurence Newman

Laurence Newman Father Mark, C.J.

1931 - 2023

Born in Malden, England in 1931. His parents were Cyril Newman and Dorothy Sinclair. His first year four years were spent in Molucca, Malaya. He returned to Surrey, England in 1935. Enrolled in St. Georges College, England in 1938. His father, who was in the British military, was lost in WWII when Japanese military forces took Singapore. When he was 14 his mother passed away. His mothers youngest brother became his guardian. Laurence played rugby, field hockey and cricket for the St. Georges varsity teams at age 14. He played each of these sports for three years. In 1947 he was awarded a rugby cap. In 1948 he was captain of the gym and captain of the cricket team. After graduation in 1948 he went to work for the Bank of England and continued playing hockey for the South of England.

After working for a year for the Bank of England, he joined the Josephite Fathers in 1949 and took first vows in 1950. At that time, he took as his patronal name the name of Mark, the evangelist. While doing a two-year program in philosophy, he was appointed a house master at St. Georges College. In 1952 he entered Cambridge University and completed his masters degree in 1956. While at Cambridge he played hockey and was awarded his hockey blue (playing against Oxford) for two years. He was under consideration for the English Olympic Hockey Team in 1956 but chose to continue his post graduate theological studies in Belgium. He was ordained to the priesthood at St. Georges College in 1960.

After serving as a teacher and house master for three years at St. Georges College, he was sent to California by the Josephite community as part of the original group of priests to open St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria. After teaching for a year at Pius X High School in Downey California, as part of the process of acclimating to American culture, he accompanied three other Josephites to Santa Maria to open St. Joseph High School. The school was still in the process of being finished and classes were being held in unfinished rooms. He told stories of moving desks out of the classrooms to put down the tile flooring, of sand everywhere and the registration of the first students on the trunk of a car. He served as one of the original faculty members of St. Joseph High School, teaching theology and mathematics. The first principal of the school, Fr. Benet Woodman, C.J., returned to England after two years at St. Joseph and Fr. Mark became the second principal of the school in 1966 and served as principal until 1975. In 1966 he was appointed as the second principal of St. Joseph High School and served as principal until 1975. He then served as chaplain for the school from 1975-1987. During that time he founded the schools Campus Ministry and Retreat programs. He served as principal a second time from 1987-1990. In 1990 he was appointed as pastor for St. Louis de Montfort parish in Santa Maria and served in that role until 2001 and then as associate pastor (emeritus) until 2019. In his retirement (Josephites don't retire. They, like old soldiers, just slowly fade away.), he served as chaplain at juvenile hall, celebrated Mass several times a week for the retired Sisters of St. Francis who have a retirement home in Santa Maria and continued to offer spiritual counselling and guidance to members of the Santa Maria Catholic community.

Fr. Mark is a man of deep faith and compassion. The example of his life and the service of his ministry touched thousands of souls at both St. Joseph High School and St. Louis de Montfort parish. He will be deeply missed here but warmly welcomed in the Kingdom by the Lord whom he so faithfully served.

Laurence (Fr. Mark) is survived by his niece Jane Wallum of Crescent Head, Australia and cousins, David Newman, Jennifer Grohs and Maria Vanderbyl. He was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters Robin (Newman) Wall and Margaret Newman.

Rosary will be offered at 4:00pm on Friday, September 8th and Mass at 10:00am on Saturday, September 9th. Both services will be at St. Louis de Montfort Church. Burial will be at 3:00pm on Tuesday, September 12th in the Original Section of the Santa Maria Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his memory to St. Joseph High School - Josephite Scholarship Fund.

Arrangements are in the care of Magner-Maloney Funeral Home and Crematory. Sympathy notes and words of support may be expressed at www.magnermaloney.com.