Reginald Martin

1946 - 2025

Fr. Reginald Martin, O.P.
12/04/1946 - 05/04/2025
Fr. Reginald Martin, OP, a Dominican friar of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, died from complications associated with a heart attack. He was the only child of David Regner and Margaret Colleen (Ryan) Martin of Los Angeles, CA, who named him William David. He described his family as "small, somewhat unstructured, mobile, and rather athletic." His parents encouraged his exploration of faith and supported that faith by sending him to Catholic elementary schools in North Hollywood and Reno, and then Daniel Murphy Catholic High School in Los Angeles, which was administered and staffed by Dominican friars. The Dominican integration of study of God, the human person, and creation in the spiritual life impressed him deeply and became the seed of his vocation. He spent two years at St. Martin's College in Olympia, WA, then completed his B.A. in English Literature at Loyola University, Los Angeles.
Entering the Dominican novitiate in 1968, he took the name Reginald, after Blessed Reginald of Orleans, one of the early followers of St. Dominic. A hospital chaplain who worked with him in a chaplaincy training program commented that Fr. Reginald, "found in the Order an expression of commitment to activity and mobility that was paralleled by an equally firm grasp of the necessity of a deeply contemplative life." He completed a B.A. in philosophy and a Master of Divinity prior to his ordination to the priesthood on June 21, 1974.
His brothers in the Order treasured several of Fr. Reginald's characteristics: he had a fine intellect, a gentlemanly manner, and was a masterful preacher. In addition, Fr. Reginald supported the fraternal life in every community in which he lived, from cooking for the brethren to accepting the role of superior. Willing to serve in whatever capacity was needed, Fr. Reginald ministered as a chaplain in campus ministry at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, as a parochial minister at Holy Family Cathedral, Anchorage, AK, St. Raymond of Peñafort, Menlo Park, CA, and as pastor at Blessed Sacrament parish, Seattle, WA. An excellent administrator, he was appointed Director of the St. Jude Shrine in San Francisco, Director of the Dominican Rosary Center in Portland, OR, and Director of Development for the Province. After completing an M.B.A. at St. Mary's College, Moraga, in 1989, he was appointed Vicar of the Prior Provincial for two terms and then Assistant Treasurer of the Province. His brothers in five different communities elected him to be their prior (superior) at various times throughout his life in the province. He was always a kindly superior, ever solicitous for the well-being of the individuals in the community as well as their fraternal communion and apostolic cooperation. They will miss his friendship, as will the many friends he made in the ministries in which he served.
Fr. Reginald is survived by his stepmother, Margaret Martin, stepbrothers Steve and Jerry Mollner, and stepsisters Karen (Mollner) Turner and Lori (Mollner) Margrave.
A vigil will be held at the chapel of the Priory of St. Albert the Great, 5890 Birch Court, Oakland, CA, on Tuesday, May 13 at 7:30 PM. A funeral Mass will be held at the same location Wednesday, May 14, at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at St. Dominic's cemetery in Benicia. A memorial fund has been established to honor Fr. Reginald. Gifts will support the education of Fr. Reginald's Dominican brothers still in formation. Please donate online at https://opwest.org/frreginaldmartin