Funeral Mass was celebrated March 15 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for Father Lawrence Signey, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Church, who died March 10 at St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank following a brief illness. He was 45.

Cardinal Roger Mahony presided at the Mass, the day after a vigil Mass had been celebrated for the beloved pastor of the Burbank parish, who was completing his 20th year of priesthood for the archdiocese of Los Angeles this year. A cause of death had not been announced at press time.

Born in Seaham, County Durham, England, the third of four children, Lawrence Signey immigrated with his family to America a few months after his birth. He attended St. Joseph School in Long Beach and Our Lady Queen of Angels High School Seminary, Mission Hills. Out of his original seminary high school class of 26 students, he was the only one to be ordained.

"I have attended the seminary system from 1974 to 1987 without a break," the red-headed seminarian told The Tidings a few days before his ordination. With his signature humor, he explained that, in seminary terminology, he was the only "lifer" in his class. He was also proud of being the first alumni from St. Joseph School to enter the priesthood.

Father Signey was ordained by Cardinal Mahony on Sept. 5, 1987 at St. Vibiana's Cathedral along with seven of his St. John's Seminary classmates and a religious order ordinand two weeks before Pope John Paul II visited Los Angeles. His first assignment was as an associate pastor at Holy Family Church, Glendale, where he served from 1987-1990.

From 1990-1994, he served as spiritual director/dean of students at Queen of Angels Seminary, concurrently ministering on the archdiocesan council of priests. He served as an associate priest at St. Bede Church in La Cañada from 1994-2001, and as Deanery 6 representative from 1996-99.

Father Signey ministered as an associate pro tem at St. Gregory the Great Church in Whittier for five months in early 2002 before beginning his pastorate at St. Robert Bellarmine Church in July of that year. Shortly after becoming pastor, he invited Capuchin Franciscan Father Gregory Coiro to tour the parish buildings modeled after Thomas Jefferson's home in Monticello (the church façade) and Independence Hall in Philadelphia (the high school).

"He was very proud of the parish," said Father Coiro, who first met Father Signey as a seminarian, and began helping out as a Sunday supply priest at the parish in 2003. Father Signey, said Father Coiro, loved Robert Bellarmine's "great family community tradition" nurtured by previous pastors "which he helped continue."

"His personality was so vibrant, energetic and full of life," said Carol Gallagher, St. Robert's director of religious education. "He brought in so many people who had left the church. You never left Mass without a smile on your face when he said it."

Father Signey's playful Sunday Mass banter with Father Coiro added levity to the liturgy. "He would have a terribly insulting thing to say and I would have a retort," said Father Coiro. Their all-in-good-fun one-upmanship even extended to personal acronyms. Father Signey's e-mail moniker, "ggwblack" (good guys wear black) was downplayed by Father Coiro's "bgwbrown" (better guys wear brown).

"Lawrence was personality-plus," said Father Coiro. "His death is a great loss."

"The unique thing about Father Lawrence was that he was so charismatic," added Gallagher. "He could relate to the young and old and every age group. He built this wonderful laughing and loving community. Our experience with Christ was through his humor."

Lifelong parishioner and parish adult formation director, Denise Wilcox, 52, said she appreciated Father Signey's forward-thinking vision which recently resulted in the creation of a new mission statement by the pastoral council: "We, the community of Saint Robert Bellarmine, are called to share as disciples in the mission of Christ. We strive to maintain a nurturing environment where all are welcome and all can experience God's love. Our faith community, rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition, joyfully celebrates the living presence and transforming power of Jesus Christ in our lives through Worship, Sacrament, Spiritual Growth, and Service."

"It was a pleasure to work with someone who wanted to look at the needs of the parish," said Wilcox.

Survivors include Father Signey's brothers, Phillip and Andrew; a sister, Elizabeth King; and nephews and nieces Thomas and John Signey, and Matthew, Jennifer, Barbara and Maureen King. Condolence cards may be sent to the family in care of Andrew Signey, 6250 Monita Street, Long Beach, CA 90803. Interment was at All Souls Cemetery, Long Beach.

For additional information, log on to the parish website: srbburbank.org. A photo gallery of pictures is available at skybolt.net.