by David Greene
Cardinal Timothy Dolan is expected to lead a funeral service this weekend for a revered Norwood pastor who passed away this week.
Parishioners reflected on the loss of Reverend Monsignor Robert Michael Trainor, a former pastor of Shrine of Saint Ann’s Church on Bainbridge Avenue, died in his sleep on Dec. 8 at age 83.
Despite the bitter cold weather, residents paid their respects outside of Saint Ann’s as the parish accepted his body for an all-night prayer vigil.
According to Trainor’s sister Joan Wildermann of Boca Raton, Florida, Trainor grew up in Scarsdale, N.Y., and attended St. Joseph’s Seminary where he was ordained in 1957.
“He always wanted to be a priest,” said Wildermann. “He was not only my brother, but he was my best friend.”
Saint Ann’s current pastor, Father Frank Scanlon, said that Trainor had retired nine-years ago, but “had a big flock, three churches.” Scanlon continued to serve at his new church, The Parish of the Sacred Heard in Highbridge. He did donate time at Saint Ann’s and Our Lady of Angels.
“The Monsignor retired, but he was no retiree, believe me he worked and worked,” said Scanlon. “He helped me all the time when we needed help.”
“He helped me when I was homeless,” recalled former Norwood resident Nicholas Alaimo, who returned to his old neighborhood as soon as he learned of Trainor’s passing.
Alaimo added, “He was always there with a positive gift, either a physical gift or a gift in the form of a passage from the Bible. He just gave of himself wholeheartedly. I’m going to miss him terribly.”
On Dec. 12, Trainor’s body will be taken to The Church of the Sacred Heat at 1253 Shakespeare Ave. in Highbridge, for a 6 p.m. mass.
A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Dec. 13 at Sacred Heart that will be led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Trainor will be laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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Fr. Trainor was my childhood priest from Our Lady of Angels parish and I am saddened to see his passing. My childhood girlfriends & I attended his prayer mass last night at St. Ann to say our final goodbyes to the most gentle and kind human being I ever met. Fr. Trainor was loved by so many from several parishes and he will truly be missed. He was the total embodiment of what a priest should be, what the world needs today are more clergy like him. He has left a lasting mark in our lives.
I couldn’t agree with you more. I too grew up with Mosignor Trainor at Our Lady of Angels. Then when he went to Sacred Heart we went there. And finally when my mom passed away I found him at St. Ann s. He was by far the best priest and I am so blessed to have known him. RIP Mosignor Trainor.
Most people may not remember that Msgr. Robert M. Trainor not only helped to found but also left behind a very special faith-based organization called Hope Family Resources, Inc. Please feel free to learn more about the little but very fruitful charity at .