Father George M. Albano, the oldest diocesan priest who died at age 95 on Sept. 5, was remembered for his deep faith and the ability to share it by clergy, family and many former parishioners who attended a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Bishop John M. Smith Sept. 9 in St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Berkeley.

There, he was affectionately recalled by Bishop Smith and Father Nilo Apura, parochial vicar in St. Mary Cathedral, Trenton, for his spiritual gifts.

“He was a sweet man, a loving man,” and a “great priest,” said Bishop Smith in remarks after the Mass. “Here was a man who knew who he was, who loved his God and his people constantly throughout his many years of devoted service,” Bishop Smith said.

In his homily, Father Apura, who served with Father Albano in St. Maximilian Kolbe, described him as a “holy man” and a “man of prayer” who reached out to him in a special way, showing concern over his smoking habit and urging him to defeat it through prayer.

In a humorous aside, he told of how Father Albano took him by surprise one day after Mass, telling him he’d been named in the older man’s will. Thinking Father Albano meant to leave him money, and mindful of the large number of family members more worthy for consideration, Father Apura asked him to think again.

The older priest just smiled, Father Apura recalled, and told him: “‘Kid, (the will says) you are going to be at my funeral Mass and say a few words.’ I said, ‘Father, what if I am home in the Philippines when that time comes?’’’ The older priest smiled again and replied: “‘You’ll come back.’... Well George, here I am!”

Reflecting on his prayerfulness, Father Apura recalled, “The last time I visited him, he was praying the Rosary. He always had Rosary beads in his hand.”

Father Albano, who was buried in St. John Cemetery, Middle Village Queens, was born May 25, 1915 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended St. Francis College, Brooklyn and St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore.

He was ordained by Bishop William A. Griffin on June 3, 1944 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

Following his ordination, Father Albano served as an associate pastor in the parishes of: St. Joachim, Trenton; St. Ann, Raritan; St. Anthony, Red Bank; St. Mary of Mount Virgin, New Brunswick; St. Paul, Burlington, and Sacred Heart, Mount Holly.

Bishop George W. Ahr appointed him pastor of Holy Trinity, Long Branch, June 13, 1958 and in 1970, he was transferred to the pastorate of St. Patrick, Belvidere. Bishop Ahr appointed Father Albano a member of the Diocesan Expansion and Development Commission in 1971.

He became pastor of St. Bonaventure Parish, Lavallette (now St. Pio of Pietrelcina) in 1979 and remained there until he retired in 1990.

Active in retirement, he was in residence at St. Maximilian Kolbe for nine years before relocating to Villa Vianney, the diocesan facility for retired priests in Lawrenceville, in 2004. After the Mass he was remembered by his nephew, Thomas Albano, for his love of his large family. He was survived by 17 nieces and nephews, many of whom were present, and many great-nieces and nephews.

Thomas Albano spoke of the delight he experienced when he encountered people who treasured their memories of his uncle.

Among them was Carolyn Porto, a member of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish who spoke of the affect Father Albano had on her when she first moved from New York to Berkeley Township. “I wasn’t a happy person,” she said. “It was such a tremendous change coming into a senior community, such a change of lifestyle. He reached out to me. He urged me to give it time and be patient. He was very reassuring.”