Florida Catholic | Obituary - Father Richard Allen

Former Pastor of St. Matthew dies

Father Richard Allen, 64

CARLOS BRICENO | FLORIDA CATHOLIC ST. PETERSBURG BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 09.28.07

ST. PETERSBURG | After battling leukemia for years, Father Richard Allen, who was active in ministry until he resigned as pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Largo in 2002 after a sexual molestation allegation surfaced that dated back to the 1970s, died Aug. 22 He was 64. No criminal charges resulted.

He was ordained to the priesthood May 30, 1970, by Bishop Charles McLaughlin for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He served the parishes of St. John Vianney, St. Pete Beach; St. Mary Our Lady of Grace, St. Petersburg; St. Vincent de Paul, Holiday; Cathedral of the Epiphany, Venice; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Spring Hill; Good Shepherd, Tampa; and St. Matthew, Largo. He was also a licensed Florida mental health therapist.

One of his former parishioners, who has known him from the 1970s and used to take him to the hospital for treatments, said during the last month of his life, he spent a lot of time in prayer “and in preparation of dying, not so much for dying, but for being in the presence of God,” said Marianne Murray, a parishioner at St. Matthew in Largo.

Born in Illinois to Jane Margaret and Oscar Allen, now deceased, Father Allen was a graduate of St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., where he was awarded a master’s of divinity degree.

Survivors include one brother, Thomas J. Allen and his wife Judy, stepsister Nancy Harwood Bulk, nephew Thomas J. Allen II, nieces Rebecca D. Harmon and Lynn A. Rose.

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Former Pastor of St. Matthew dies

Father Richard Allen, 64

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