Served Clemmons, Boonville parishes with compassion and purpose
LEWISVILLE — Deacon Michael Langsdorf, 72, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2026, at Forsyth Medical Center, surrounded by the love of his family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered for his faith, his humor, and the love he so freely gave to everyone around him.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon on Monday, April 13, 2026, at Divine Redeemer Catholic Church in Boonville, with a visitation for family and friends from 11 a.m. to noon.
Born on Aug. 22, 1953, in Pennsylvania to the late Francis and Eleanor Geno Langsdorf, he lived a life rooted in faith, family and service.
In 1976 he, his wife Mary and their family moved south from their native Philadelphia. As his children reached their teen years, he responded to the call to serve the Church, which he had discerned for some time particularly through his involvement in Cursillo.
On July 1, 1995, he was ordained a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Charlotte by then-Bishop William G. Curlin. As a deacon, he dedicated himself to serving others with compassion, humility and a steady sense of purpose.
His first assignment was to his home parish of Holy Family in Clemmons, where he served for nine years. As their family grew, Deacon Langsdorf remained very involved in youth ministry and was active with his wife Mary in family and life ministries of the parish and within the diocese. In 2004 he was assigned to Divine Redeemer Parish in Boonville, where he coordinated the English-language youth faith formation program and conducted sacramental preparation classes for baptisms and confirmations.
Above all, Deacon Langsdorf was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend.
For 52 years, he shared a deep and enduring love with his wife Mary, building a life centered on family, laughter and unwavering support. He found his greatest joy in the moments spent together – whether gathered around the table, traveling in their RV, or simply enjoying the outdoors he loved so much. He had a passion for gardening, fishing and camping, and he rarely missed an opportunity to be outside. Known for his quick wit and playful spirit, he had a gift for making others smile – especially through his well-timed (and often well-rehearsed) dad jokes.
He leaves behind a legacy of love in his children: Michael Langsdorf (Molly), Amanda Reilly (Robert), Matthew Langsdorf (Nicole), and Beth Morris (Will). He was a proud and loving grandfather to Miracle, Jaeda, Julia, Maryn, Ashley, Kaitlyn, Buddy, Bradley, Anthony, Andrew and Theo, and a great-grandfather to Eloise, Fergus, Elora and Lincoln. He is also survived by his brother, Francis Langsdorf (Connie); his sisters, Nancy Knappenberger (Alton) and Lisa Cloran (Scott); as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins; and his beloved dog Anya, affectionately known as “Munchkin.”
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made in his honor to Food For The Poor (www.foodforthepoor.org), reflecting his lifelong commitment to helping those in need.
Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home – Lewisville Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
Served at St. Peter Parish in Charlotte; former director of Jesuit House of Prayer in Hot Springs
BALTIMORE — Jesuit Father Vincent de Paul Alagia was called to eternal life on Jan. 23, 2026, at the St. Claude La Colombière Jesuit Community in Baltimore. He was 99 years old, a Jesuit for 79 years, and a priest for 67 years.
The funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 29, 2026, at the Colombiere Community Chapel. Interment was at Jesuit Cemetery in Woodstock, Maryland.
Father Alagia was born Jan. 12, 1927, in Baltimore. He attended Loyola Blakefield before entering the Society of Jesus at the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, on July 28, 1946. After completing novitiate and classics studies, he studied philosophy at Woodstock College, earning a
Bachelor of Arts in 1952. He later returned to Woodstock for theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood there on June 22, 1958.
Following ordination, Father Alagia devoted himself to Jesuit secondary education and student formation. He served at Georgetown Preparatory School as a teacher of English and Latin (1960-1963), student counselor (1963-1966), and student counselor and spiritual father (1967-1970). While there, he earned a master’s degree in guidance from The Catholic University of America.
Beginning in the 1970s, Father Alagia’s ministry increasingly focused on retreats, spiritual direction and marriage spirituality. He served as a retreat director at Manresa-on-Severn in Annapolis, Maryland, and led many Marriage Encounter retreats in Maryland and Washington, D.C., through 1977. He then served as retreat director at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville (1977-1978), Loyola on the Potomac Retreat House in Faulkner, Maryland (1978-1981), and the Jesuit House of Prayer in Hot Springs, North Carolina, where he was retreat director (1982-1986) and later director (1989-1999).
Father Alagia also ministered in parishes, providing spirituality ministry at St. Mary Parish in Johnson City, Tennessee, and St. Peter Parish in Charlotte, where he served for more than 10 years. In his later years, he served in pastoral ministry while residing at the St. Claude La Colombière Jesuit Community in Baltimore (2011-2016).
From 2016 onward, Father Alagia was missioned primarily to a ministry of prayer for the Church and the Society of Jesus, residing at Wernersville and later at Manresa Hall in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, before returning to Colombière in late 2025.
Father Alagia was known for his deep commitment to Ignatian Spirituality, his gentle pastoral presence, and his lifelong dedication to retreat ministry and spiritual accompaniment. Through decades of service as teacher, counselor, retreat director and spiritual guide, he helped countless people listen more attentively to God’s voice in their lives.
May he rest in the peace of Christ, whom he served faithfully with generosity and love for others.
Mitchell Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc., of Baltimore was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald