Deacon Edward L Giarratano

Edward was born in 1937 in Jersey City, NJ to Edward & Edna Giarratano. He attended Catholic elementary and high school, served in the Army National Guard for 3 years, graduating from the Port of New York Authority Police Academy in 1962 and New York State Police Academy in 1976. Edward spent his entire police career with the Port Authority Police and retired in 1982 with the rank of Sergeant. He spent most of this time in the World Trade Center and was a member of the first police department to serve there.

Ed married his wife, Loretta, in 1965, proposing to her on their 3rd date. Although she laughed at him, they were soon married and remained so until her death in 2006. They loved each other completely.

Ed was a private man, with much humility but he was tough, too; he had to be being a police officer in NYC. Ed and Loretta participated in a Marriage Encounter weekend in 1975; a weekend that led to the most marvelous love affair with each other and God. Ed was called by the Spirit that same year to commit to Deaconate training. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon on June 11, 1978 serving in the Dioceses of Paterson and San Diego for 25 years.

Ed’s Deaconate ministry was to the sick, he also taught Baptism catechesis and RCIA. These were only some of the ways Ed served God’s people. He was a volunteer with Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity in San Diego and Tijuana, a Certified Spiritual Director and served on the Board of Directors for Contemplative Prayer Outreach in San Diego. Ed & Loretta were active in Cursillo and took great joy in the movement’s enthusiasm to spread God’s love.

When his beloved Loretta went to God, Ed turned his ministry to his Grandson Ian. Ian’s birthday is also the feast day of the first Deacon, St. Stephen. Ed spent hours with Ian and the special needs students volunteering at Morning Star School and found such joy with them.

He’s left the world a better place through his examples of love and services How very much God loves us to have given us the gift of Ed.

He married was married to Loretta Harrington for 41 years on May 1, 1965. He was ordained into the Permanent Deaconate on June 11, 1978.

He was a wonderful father to Laura & Ed; father in law to Robert; grandfather to Rob (Jenny), Ian, Julia & Eddie; great Papa to Eli, Gavin, & Owen; son to Edward & Edna; brother to Frank (Lucy) & Charlotte (Bob), and brother in law to Barbara (Doug), Jeanette (Dave), Terri (Doug), Virginia (Roger) & Jacqueline (Mark).

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial to www.gooca.org/donate