Charles Jacob Aboody

Ordained June 10, 1962 December 6, 1931 - May 29, 2017 Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Charles Aboody, 85, of McLean, VA, faithful priest of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton and Holy Transfiguration Church, McLean, VA, reposed in the Lord on Monday, May 29, 2017, surrounded by clergy and parishioners. He is survived by two sisters, Charlotte (Aboody) Stockhaus, and Ruth (Aboody) Welsh; two brothers, Nicholas (Jacqueline) Aboody, Robert (Anne) Aboody; many nieces and nephews; and countless friends and loved ones. Born in Worcester, MA, on December 6, 1931, to Salem and Rose Halal Aboody, Fr. Charles had five brothers and two sisters. He was employed in various jobs, including the family restaurant business, and served in the United States Navy from 1947 to 1950. A parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Melkite Church in Worcester, Fr. Charles entered the seminary at age 23, was ordained a priest in 1962 and served six months at St. Joseph Melkite Church in Lawrence, MA, until becoming assistant pastor at Annunciation Cathedral in Boston under Archimandrite Lucien Malouf. He would go on to serve as a priest of the Melkite Church in this country for more than half a century. Having a talent for building and design, and a natural contractor, Fr. Charles was involved in the building of the new Melkite Cathedral on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury, MA, as well as many other projects in many other churches throughout his priesthood. After eight years in Boston he became pastor of his home parish in Worcester and in 1970 was appointed vocations director for the Melkite Church in America, a role that evolved to Rector of the newly-formed St. Gregory the Theologian Seminary in Newton Centre, which he founded in 1975 at the direction of Archbishop Joseph Tawil. Shortly thereafter he was ordained to the dignity of archimandrite. Father Charles served nine years as rector of St. Gregory the Theologian Melkite Seminary, which prepared a great number of priests and deacons currently serving the Eparchy. He then served as rector of the Annunciation Cathedral for three years and eventually as pastor of St. Anne Melkite Church in North Hollywood, CA. He served there for eight years until retiring from parish ministry for health reasons. For his remaining years, Fr. Charles resided at Holy Transfiguration Church in McLean, Virginia, assisting his longtime friend, Fr. Joseph Francavilla, engaging in ongoing parish improvement projects, and offering a great deal of spiritual direction to countless parishioners and friends. On his 50th anniversary to the priesthood, Fr. Charles summed up his ministry by saying, "the one thing that sticks out throughout the years, is that God has always sent the right people to help when they were needed the most. I would do it all again without a second thought. It is for me a source of great joy." May his memory be eternal and may he rest in a place where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing, but everlasting life. Funeral Prayers for a Priest will be offered at Holy Transfiguration Church, 8501 Lewinsville Road, McLean, VA, at 7:00pm, Friday, June 2, 2017, and the Divine Liturgy will be served at Holy Transfiguration at 10:00am, Saturday, June 3, 2017. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Holy Transfiguration Building Fund. --Published by Los Angeles Times on Jun. 1, 2017.