Rev. Paul MacLeod Schwenzfeier

The Rev. Paul MacLeod Schwenzfeier died on June 27, 2023. He was a man of unshakeable faith, and his faith was evident throughout his life, but perhaps most telling in his final days, as he knew Jesus was present with him.  Born July 19, 1941, in Lowell, MA to Frederick Ernst Schwenzfeier and Christine Wright Schwenzfeier. He obtained his Masters of Divinity at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. In 1969, Paul was ordained deacon and priest in Rhode Island and served at St. Mark’s in Riverside, RI. In 1969, Paul was called to serve as Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Wrentham.  He served as Rector there for six years, growing the church.  At Trinity, Paul, as a leader, was recognized in the faith community for his advocacy for justice and peace. In 1976, Paul was called to serve as Rector of Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS), Mattapan, MA where he would serve as a transformative and inspirational leader for 24 years.  At CHS, Paul continued to exemplify servant leadership.  He prioritized the ministry of the Church in the community, empowering leaders and inspiring new church ministries, teaching the members of the Church that ministry belonged to all of the baptized.   These ministries included the creation of a Food Bank, the Haitian Outreach council and the resettling of refugee families from Vietnam and Haiti.   In 2001, Paul retired from his job as Rector, but he never retired from the ministry.  From its inception, Paul and his wife Rita supported the work of Haiti Micah Project.