Reverend Joseph Edward Grant

Reverend J. Edward Grant, a priest of the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, died on July 26, 2015 at the QEII Infirmary, Halifax, at the age of 84. Father Grant was born in Truro, NS the son of the late Colin and Ann (MacDonald) Grant.

He spent his formative years in Moncton, NB, where he was active in sports and several organizations. After graduation from Moncton High School, he attended St. F.X University where he participated in intramural sports and several organizations including the Annual Year Book where he was Business Manager for two years. He graduated from St. F.X. with an Engineering Diploma, a B.Sc. and a B.A. Later he attended Acadia University receiving B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees and St. Mary's University, receiving an M.A. in Educational Administration. He attended Holy Heart Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood in 1958 by Most Rev. J.G. Berry, D.D. He served as assistant at St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica where, for a time, he served as Archdiocesan Master of Ceremonies; St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's, Halifax; St. Peter's, Dartmouth and St. Charles, Amherst. He also served as Pastor of St. Thomas More, Pugwash; St. John the Evangelist, Windsor; St. Michael's, Spryfield and St. Clement's, Dartmouth. For several years he was a Guidance Counsellor for the Halifax School Board at Clayton Park Junior High School. During this time he was a member of several NSTU committees and frequently attended Annual Council. He was also a past chairman of the NS Social Services Advisory Council and was a member of the Archdiocesan Finance Committee. Through the years he was active in golf, bridge and curling circles, and was Chaplain for the Labatt Curling Brier held in Halifax in 1981. He also served as Chaplain to the Knights of Columbus in Amherst, in Spryfield, St. Clement's in Dartmouth and in Rockingham. He was a member of the Monsignor Gerald Murphy Fourth Degree Council in Dartmouth. In retirement, he has assisted in several parishes, especially St. Stephen's and St. Joseph's, Halifax; St. Ignatius, Bedford; St. James, Hammonds Plains; the Pastoral Unit of St. Benedict's, Halifax and in more recent years, St. Paul's, Dartmouth.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, July 28th from 1:00 to 4:00pm at J.A. Snow's Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Dr., Halifax. An Evening Prayer Vigil will take place Tuesday at 7:00pm at St. Paul's Church, Windmill Road, Dartmouth. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 29th at 10:00am at St. Paul's Church, Very Rev. John Williams, presiding. Committal will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Lower Sackville. Memorial donations may be made to Hope Cottage, 2435 Brunswick St., Halifax, NS B3K 2Z4.