·         1927 (17 Aug.) Born at County Kilkenny , Ireland to Thomas (1980†) & Elizabeth (1973†) Power; 3^rd born of 4 siblings (John "Jackie", James "Jimmy", Martin and Anne).

·         1952 completed seminary studies at St. Kieran's College in County Kilkenny, Ireland

·         1953 (7th June) Ordained and Called Into Service by Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley for the Diocese of St. Augustine, FL to serve as assistant pastor at Little Flower Parish, Coral Gables, FL & is also assigned as an associate priest to Msgr. Elslander of St. Martha Catholic Church in Sarasota, FL

·         1954 Bishop Hurley purchases land for a new Eau Gallie, FL Catholic parish to better serve a growing number of East-Central FL Catholics who only have Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish in Melbourne, FL (established in 1931) to attend.

·         1959 Bishop Hurley appoints Fr. Power as the founding pastor of what is to be the new parish of Ascension Catholic Church in Eau Gallie, FL (now part of Melbourne, FL). Fr. Power says his first mass at the old Eau Gallie Civic Center on Nov. 27, 1959 (the same site the new center is built on). Weekday masses were offered at the Oleanders Hotel on Pineapple Ave. which was then owned by parishioners Mr. & Mrs. Quenel. Of historical note: this was the original old hotel called “Harbor City Hotel” (and known by various other later names such as Imperial Hotel, Rivers Edge Hotel) and appears to be the same site where the riverfront restaurant Squid Lips (previously Conchy Joe’s) is situated (See: Eau Gallie Historical Trail).

·         1959 (Christmas Eve) Coincident in calendar year with the founding of the new parish in Eau Gallie Fr. Power celebrates the first mass at Ascension Catholic's new mission parish -- Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Community (aka HNJ). Fr. Power used an unfinished house located across the street (locally called “Canova Beach”) from where HNJ is now situated.

·         1960 (Feb. 16th) the new "Eau Gallie Parish" of Ascension officially comes into formal existence.

·         1961 (June) Ascension Catholic Church is dedicated and becomes operational as various lay support groups start organizing what is to become “Ascension Catholic Community”. Among the first lay groups are the Women’s Guild, Holy Name Society, The Catholic Youth Group, The Boy Scouts and The Girl Scouts. An active lay Parish Council is formed to help relieve Fr. Power and his assistant to give them more time to focus on the spiritual aspects of the fledgling parish.

·         1961 (Sept 7^th) Fr. Martin Power requests assistance from the Sisters of Mercy order from Ardee, Ireland to help start a Catholic school at Ascension. The Sisters of Mercy come though and send some of their finest:

·         Sr. M. Monica Ryan (Principal), Sr. M. Immaculata Knox (1st grade), Sr. M. Assumpta Finn (2nd grade)

·         2 years later Sr. M. Rosarii Carville arrives to help as the school rapidly expands

·         Sr. M. Joseph Barden who was at Holy Name of Jesus from 1966 becomes principal at Ascension in 1971.

·         1967 (Sept.) Pope Paul VI confers upon Fr. Martin B. Power the title honor of Papal Chamberlain and he is now called "Monsignor Martin B. Power".

·         1968 (May) newly appointed Bishop William Donald Borders, 1st Bishop of the new Diocese of Orlando (separated out of the large state-wide Diocese of St. Augustine) transitions Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church from a mission church to a full Parish Church in the Orlando Diocese. Bishop Borders approves/appoints the selection of Msgr./Fr. Power to transition from doing double duty as Parish priest for both Ascension and HNJ to become Holy Name of Jesus’ first official full-time parish priest.

·         1969 (June) Msgr. Martin B. Power is appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Lakeland, FL by Bishop William Donald Borders when then pastor Father O'Farrell is transferred to Port Orange, Florida.

·         1972 (March 22) Tragically, Msgr. Power while motoring home after just receiving medical consultation about a heart condition develops a sudden medical emergency, pulls off the road to attempt to deal with it but expires at the scene. All who knew him are stunned and grieved at his untimely death. In his wake Father Patrick J. O'Carroll serves as interim Pastor of St. Joseph's Parish. An all night vigil is conducted by the attending priests. Rosaries are said on the hour. Untold numbers of parishioner's from St. Joseph's and his other parishes along with approximately 200 priests arrive for his funeral mass conducted on the 25th at St. Joseph's. Both vigil and mass are attended to overflowing & standing-room only conditions.

·         1972 (March 27^th) Msgr. Power’s 1st cousin Fr. Daniel Cody, originally from the same region of Ireland and current pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville, FL accompanied by Msgr. Power's close associates Fr. Nicholas King & Fr. McGrane return Msgr. Martin B. Power’s mortal remains for internment to the region of his family parish in the Village Newmarket Ireland. Another funeral mass is said at St. Brendan Church Newmarket, Ireland. His final resting place is at the Knocktopher Cemetery which is located across the street from the Carmelite Order's "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" Church; which is also used by members of the Ballyhale Parish in the Ossory Diocese.

·         1974 The Rev. Patrick Sheedy is appointed pastor of St. Joseph's in Lakeland . Rev. Sheedy promotes and gets approval for the "Martin Power Center" -- a new facility at the parish's Santa Fe Catholic School .

·         2008 (June 19^th) The Knights of Columbus Council "Msgr. Martin B. Power" of Ascension Catholic Church, Melbourne FL is given its official charter by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council to join itself along with the parishes that were founded by or benefited by Msgr. Power to become another living legacy of honor to its founder's namesake.

 

Quotes From Those Who Knew Him  

“A very kind & popular man who made many friends and was well liked in the parishes he presided at. He was responsible for getting me to become a priest and leaving Ireland to come serve in Diocese of St. Augustine.”

-- Fr. Daniel Cody, Pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Jacksonville, FL (1^st cousin to Msgr. Martin Power)

“His big passion was building the Kingdom. He was a great communicator, loved people; was very happy when overseeing construction of new facilities.”

-- Sr. Immaculata Knox, Sisters of Mercy (an original nun from Ireland who came to help establish Ascension Catholic School & the mission parishes)

“I knew Msgr. Power as a good and a fatherly friend, and an inspiring force in my life, but most of all, like many here, I knew him as a holy priest.”

-- Fr. McGrane, Homilist at funeral mass and close friend of Msgr. Power

“I renew my dedication to the only holy Roman Catholic Apostolic Church and to the Diocese of Orlando and I assure the bishop of said diocese of my prayers in eternity for its spiritual welfare.”

-- Msgr. Martin B. Power, taken from homilist's recitation of Msgr. Power's last will and testament.

Biography composed & recorded by James V. Doyle, 3 ^rd Degree Knight, 17 Sept 2009, Please contact James to advise of any errors or if you have additional information about Msgr. Power