The Funeral Mass for Monsignor Michael Joseph Slattery, the founding pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Saugus, will be held on Wednesday, March 22 at 11 a.m. at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church, 22508 Copper Hill Drive, Saugus, CA 91350.

The Funeral Mass will be followed by gravesite services at Eternal Valley Memorial Park, 23287 Sierra Highway, Newhall, CA 91321.

Two evenings of visitation will be held Monday, March 20 and Tuesday, March 21, from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Rosary at 7 p.m. at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, Monarch Chapel, 23287 Sierra Highway, Newhall, CA 91321.

Slattery, 84, of Santa Clarita, died peacefully in his sleep Feb. 15, 2023, at Mary Crest Manor in Culver City.

He was born Dec. 22, 1938 in Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, to John and Kathleen (McNamara) Slattery. He grew up in Tallow with his four sisters and two brothers, working on the family farm, frequently tending to sheep. This foreshadowed the next phase in his life, becoming a priest and shepherd of souls.

This vocation to serve God led him to attend St. John’s Seminary in Waterford, Ireland, where he studied Latin, Philosophy and Theology, studies that stayed with him his entire life. Even in his last days, he could recite a plethora of prayers from memory and loved singing, especially the Salve Regina.

Shortly after being ordained, June 17, 1962, he arrived in Los Angeles, to begin his career at St. Rose of Lima in Simi Valley. He would go on to serve at six more parishes; Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall, St. Mary’s in Palmdale, St. John Eudes in Chatsworth, St. Euphrasia in Granada Hills, St. John Baptist de la Salle in Granada Hills and finally, St. Kateri Tekakwitha in the Santa Clarita Valley.

After the devastating earthquake in 1994, Slattery was faced with rebuilding St. John Baptist de la Salle church. It was this experience that helped him build the St. Kateri Tekakwitha church from the ground up, the second largest parish in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

Blessed Kateri was established as its own parish on July 1, 1998 and Slattery took on the role of pastor. Slattery retired from full-time duties at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church in June of 2013.

Parishioners of St. Kateri Tekakwitha recall Slattery as a charismatic leader who had a gift for healing.

Slattery was a prolific reader, enjoyed poetry, music, golf, travel, watching the horse races, going on long walks and having lively conversations with friends or strangers.

He is survived by his sisters Angelique and Carmel and brother James and 18 nieces and nephews, as well as dear friends.