April 11, 2023 – Fr. Paul W. Brant, SJ, was born on July 21, 1940, in Raleigh, N.C. Fr. Brant entered the Chicago Province’s Novitiate of the Sacred Heart, Milford, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 1966. He professed his first vows on Aug. 20, 1968. From 1969-75 he attended Fordham University for his philosophy studies. From 1975-78 he studied theology at the Jesuit School of Theology Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Fr. Brant was ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1977, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Raleigh, N.C.
From 1979-80 he served as the assistant to the director of the Walk to Work Program at Loyola University Chicago. Following that, he spent the next five years as pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Chicago. In 1985, he came to Fordham University again to continue studying philosophy for another year. While at Fordham, he worked as the director of campus ministry, a position he held from 1987-89. He finished his philosophy studies at Fordham in 1990.
From 1990-93 he worked at St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J., as an assistant director of Campus Ministry, a philosophy teacher, and as the assistant house treasurer for his community. It was during this time that he became a member of the New York Jesuit Province.
In 1993, Fr. Brant left the northeast and worked in North Carolina for the rest of his life. He worked as pastor of St. Ann’s Church, Smithfield, N.C., for three years. From 1997-99 he worked at Holy Trinity/Our Lady of Atonement Parish, Kinston, N.C., as an associate pastor. In 1996 he began work at the New Bern Deanery, Kinston, N.C., as a Hispanic Minister. His work at the Deanery continued until 2009.
From 2009 until his death, Fr. Brant was the Bishop’s Delegate for the Cursillo Movement for the Diocese of Raleigh. In 2010, he spent 11 years as a Parochial Vicar at St. Therese Church, Wilson, N.C. In 2021 he began pastoral ministry at the Jesuit Community of Eastern North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.
Fr. Brant, SJ, passed away on April 7, 2023, at the age of 82.