Father Robert Copsey, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Sacramento for 46 years, entered eternal life on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the age of 80.
The viewing and vigil service will be on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at St. Christopher Church, 950 S. Lincoln Way, Galt, CA 95632. The viewing will be from 4:00 - 7:00 pm, and the vigil will begin at 7:00 pm.
Bishop Emeritus William K. Weigand will preside at the funeral Mass on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 11:00 am in St. Christopher Church. The burial will be at 3:00 pm at St. Mary Cemetery in Sacramento.
Fr. Robert Copsey, pastor of St. Christopher Parish in Galt from September 2006 to June 2014, and of St. Joseph Parish, Clarksburg from July 2014 to January 2017, retired on February 1, 2017, and was named Pastor Emeritus of St. Christopher Parish.
His first pastorate was of Immaculate Conception Parish in Downieville from 1986 to 1990. He subsequently served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Sacramento from 1990 to 2003 and St. Joseph Parish in Marysville from 2003 to 2006.
Fr. Copsey was born on June 18, 1943, in New York City to Bert and Ann Copsey. He was raised there and in New Jersey along with his siblings: brother Paul and sister Judy.
Knowing from a young age that he was called to the priesthood he entered seminary at age 20. He attended Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mexico City, as well as St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA. He decided to take a break because he had never lived alone. During this time he worked for the State Bar of California and the San Francisco Chronicle.
On Dec. 9, 1977, he was ordained a deacon and six months later, on June 17, 1978, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Alden Bell in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. He celebrated his first Mass the next day- his 35th birthday- at Holy Spirit Church in Sacramento. His first assignment was to St. Dominic Parish in Orland.
At the time he was ordained, he was one of the few priests in the diocese fluent in Spanish. His early assignments in the diocese included St. Dominic Parish in Benicia, St. Joseph Parish in Marysville, St. Basil Parish in Vallejo, St. Peter Parish in Sacramento, St. James Parish in Davis and Sacred Heart Parish in Sacramento.
Of his life as a priest Fr. Copsey said, “I’m grateful to God for my many years in ministry. I felt privileged to serve people and to share the situations of their lives, and from them I received many blessings in return."
He is survived by his siblings, Paul Copsey of Elk Grove, CA and Judy Auld of Fernley, NV.
Much of this article was taken from an article in the March/ April 2017 issue of the Catholic Herald, written by Julie Sly