Thank you Father Marty
To the Editor:
The former pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton for several years, Father Marty Goetz, recently died of cancer. His funeral was in Burlington Dec. 5.
Several dozen Newton parishioners had the privilege of attending this service. It was a very touching affair. Father Tony Herold, the homilist, did a marvelous job capturing the great religious career of Father Marty, who died at the very young age of only 59.
In many ways, Father Marty personified the life of another great person from years past. Father Thomas J. McCann, who came to Newton on May 14, 1910, was our pastor for an unbelievable 63 years. He became a solid part of our community. He was a member of the Salvation Army board of directors, the board of the YMCA, and later the Maytag Company. When my family moved to Newton in 1947, I served on the altar for Father. In 1951, he asked my classmates and I to form the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO). He later presided at the wedding of my dear wife and I on July 17, 1954.
Father Marty’s arrival in Newton was like history repeating. Father Marty dug right in with a vim, vigor and vitality almost unknown, in the same fashion as Father McCann. He was immediately active in all parts of our church, but like Father McCann before him, he also wanted to be an integrative part of our community. (My family) loved his slogan: “Only you can do it, but you can’t do it alone.” And what a sense of humor. This final request came from him: “Father Marty wishes attendees to his funeral to wear their favorite and most comfortable tennis shoes.” May God richly bless you Father Marty … rest in peace!
John McNeer
Newton
