Dcn. AllenA funeral Mass for Deacon Charles Allen will be celebrated at noon Monday, June 6, at Sts. Teresa and Bridget Church at 2401 N. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, June 5, at Sts. Teresa and Bridget. Deacon Allen died May 20. He was 78 years old.
Deacon Allen married Deborah Coleman on July 3, 1971, and they had two children, Christopher and Dennis. He was ordained to the permanent diaconate on June 3, 2006, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by then-Archbishop Raymond Burke. He was assigned to assist the pastor at St. Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist Parish from 2006-16 and then at Sts. Teresa and Bridget from 2016 until his death.
Deacon Allen served his parish by assisting at Mass, serving on the parish council and the liturgy committee, visiting nursing homes, making Communion calls to the homebound, and assisting with funerals, weddings, baptisms and adult and youth faith formation. He was also involved with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and its food pantry, the St. Charles Lwanga Center and ecumenical services with neighboring churches.