Rev. Fr. Michael Carroll

Dear Father Mike,

I confess that I did not return your friendship and your enthusiasm for soccer as openly as you offered yours. I was too busy being cool, too busy exploring being a teenager and a young man, too busy trying to figure things out in 1977. All the while you assured all of us there's a place we can find grace and love here and now. And that we will be held in God's loving arms for eternity. Your approachable humanness was unmatched and your Irish lilt is missed.

Very sorry to hear of Mick’s passing. Remembering great times with Mick in Thurles and also when he came to London one Summer with his brother Tim and we all worked in Walls meat company together. Rest easy Mick.

Father Mike was a gift to all he touched. He was very kind and I am forever grateful he baptized my Grandchildren. I am lucky to have known him. 🍀

He helped me through the RICA at St. Teresa. He and my husband Frank had a wonderful time joking around. He passed 11/25/24. I’m sure they are having a grand time in Heaven 🙏

Presentation Parish, we feel a great loss. Fr. Mike is replaceable.

Our deepest sympathy to the Carroll Family. Father Carroll was my High School soccer coach at Christian Brothers HS and he married my wife and I. He also coached soccer with my Dad, Vince, at CB. I’m happy to have seen him as recently as June 2024. I will always have fond memories of Father Carroll.

My prayerful condolences to the family of Fr. Mike. God's peace be with each of you.

I had hoped that there yet remained many grains of sand in the hourglass before Fr. Mike would no longer be hopping on a plane to visit the St. Teresa of Avila community. Sadly, his trips have come to an end differently than anticipated. But beautifully enough, he has left a tapestry of wonderful memories, woven with wisdom, humor and openhanded kindness, which will always keep him close to my heart. Thank you, Fr. Mike, for being such a sweet and understanding soul and a light that shined so brightly. May you rest in peace.

Our deepest condolences to the Carroll family; Tim, Noel, Myra & Mary. Our hearts are broken and in disbelief with Fr. Mike’s sudden passing. Fr. Mike meant the world to our entire family both spiritually and personally. He has inspired so many people in faith, kindness & love. His homilies were heartfelt and relatable by incorporating his personal experiences and we would always leave his masses feeling closer to God. We had the good fortune of traveling with Fr. Mike on a pilgrimage to Ireland & Scotland, met some of his family members and shared some of our most beloved stories over a pint! Fr. Mike was sincere & compassionate for the less fortunate and he taught us to share our blessings to help improve the life of others. These beliefs and dedication were contagious and taught us all to live our Catholic faith. Fr. Mike was a devout Catholic priest, believing in Gods forgiveness for his people and knowing our God is a God of 2nd chances. His interpretation and grace led so many people back to the church and deepened their faith. We know with all our heart that Fr. Mike is with our Heavenly Father and praying for each one of us. A piece of our heart is gone, a loss so deep but his life and memory is a blessing that will be forever cherished. RIP our dear friend until we meet again.
Tom & Suzie Goetz, St. Teresa’s of Auburn

RIP Father Mike,very sorry to hear of your sudden passing fella,you were and still are very well got with your sincerity and genuineness in all of your dealings and christian works along the way well done,another day down the line.....
Sean and Julia
Den Haag
The Netherlands.

My deepest sympathy to all the Carroll family . May mike rest in peace. John Tyner and family

My deepest sympathy to all the Carroll family. Mike was a great friend to me over the years will miss our Sunday night chats and cups of tea and his sense of humor. May he rest in peace. Con Sheehan

My deepest sympathy to all the Carroll family on the death of Fr Michael. He was one of the best . I will keep him in my Masses and prayers.
God Bless you alll.

My family were parishioners at Presentation. One Sunday, as Mike gave my husband communion, he said,” See me after mass.” Those words were never welcome to Bob as a child so he was automatically nervous. But Mike only wanted to gift us Euros for our first drinks in Ireland. We were headed there with our kids. Fr. Mike embodied God’s love and hospitality. We will miss him and his humor. May his family find peace in the stories.

I met Fr Mike when he was at St John Vianney in Rancho Cordova (Sacramento county). He was friends with my dad, and often at our home. Fr Mike was on sabbatical when my dad died, when he found out, it hit him hard. Fr Mike was a good man and priest. Rest in peace and enjoy eternal life.

What a great loss to the Catholic faith. My story is a testimonial to the impact of his love. My son Tyler married his wife Gabby who grew up in not the best of circumstances. They came to church at St Teresa’s of Auburn where Father Mike said mass. After mass she said I remember him when we were homeless, he brought us food. She was a young child at the time. Thank God for his life on earth.

Father Mike was such a big part of my family’s life for as long as I can remember. He married my husband and I, driving all the way from Auburn to San Francisco to marry us at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in North Beach. He later baptized our three daughters in Auburn. To know him was to love him. He made everyone feel at ease, everyone wanted to be around him, and he always left people better off than he found them. We are so blessed to have known Fr. Mike, and send our deepest condolences to his family. God Bless you, Fr. Mike. May you rest in heavenly peace.

Father Mike was a wonderful Irish priest who will be missed by so so many... He truly was a priest for many and who was always there to listen...I met Fr. Mike many years ago at St John Vianney's..My four sons were altar boys and served Mass with him...He truly loved God, life and always had a smile on his face....We will miss you....

My family extends our deepest sympathies for your loss. Fr. Mike will be missed by our community in Auburn, Ca.

My heartfelt condolences. Father Mike is truly an extraordinary priest and human being. May your soul rest in peace, Father Mike.

Deepest condolences to the Carroll family on the sad passing of Fr. Mike.

I had the pleasure of meeting Fr. Mike on a number of occasions when he was back in Cork, and saying mass in TX. He was a thorough gentleman and a lovely conversationalist. His loss will be widely felt both in his home city of Cork and in his adopted home in Sacramento.

He said mass for my late father, last July, and he made it a truly special occasion for me and my family.

RIP Fr. Mike. I hope you knew the positive impact you had on people! May you rest in eternal peace.

I echo the sentiments and share the grief with all of his family & friends. He was special. Truly the first pastor to our family at St. Teresa of Avila and St. Joseph Catholic School. He made each individual feel special. My greatest birthday gift ever was seeing him at Tin Lantern on 6/13/23, I was there with my husbands family. We’d just spread his mothers ashes in Lake Tahoe. There was Fr. Mike on the patio. I cried knowing what a special moment it was. You’ll hear many stories like this, right place, right time. He was Gods gift to all who knew him. His Irish brogue, kindness, authenticity & humor forever etched in my heart. He was one of my faith guides, I’ll be forever grateful for him and missing him.
Thank you Noel, Tim, Myra & Mary for sharing him with all of us. Hope to meet you all in Cork someday.
Steph

Sincere condolences to all Fr Mike’s family on his sad passing. He visited bar few years ago with his cousin Finn, Fr Mike was a born entertainer an unforgettable character. May his lovely soul rest peacefully

He was a Big Loss , we all Love you Here in Auburn , CA your parish of St Teresa . May God Bless His Soul, and May God Bless you all. So sorry For Your Loss. Fr Michael was a Great Friend and Priest.

To the family..thank you for sharing the gift of Father Mike with us and countless others. He meant the world to my family. We pray for you during this time.

To my friend..I thank you for the love and devotion you gave to my family. My heart breaks that you are not walking with us but I know we will be together soon.

Our deepest condolences to the entire Carroll Family - Michael aka Mike and Father Mike to us was a gem of a person and priest - He was a part of our family and family events for over 50 years since his early days at Presentation - we just saw him in October when he did my mom Lee's Celebration of Life at Dillons and he did her Mass at presenation in April 2024. his humor , faith and love for all will be missed - I am honored to call him a friend and he is deeply missed - He married us , he did my brothers funeral ( Jamie ). He baptized my children and Jamies children and grandchildren - I will miss his jokes on What's up and our friendship - he loved his family and friends and May he rest in Peace - gone too soon - With Love and condolences to the family -- Sandy Mazza Fields and Family ( California )

sympathy to all family, masses offered for Michael a great priest RIP

So sorry to hear of the passing of Fr Mike.
He will be greatly missed. We used to go to his Folk Mass in Presentation Church many years ago and would often attend his Mass in Auburn when he moved there.
He was always delighted to see everyone.
May he rest in peace.

My deepest sympathy Tim and Virginia on the death Fr Michael. I always enjoyed his mass when he was on holiday with ye in Rosscarbery. Its a particularly sad time of the year to loose someone so close. May Fr Michael be rewarded for all the good he did while on earth. May he rest in ethereal peace.

Fr. Mike you have brought so many people to Christ.
To have lost you is heartbreaking but I know that you are in Heaven looking down on us and praying for us still.

You loved my family so deeply in every stage of our lives. You helped us love music and service and made Mass something all of us looked forward to on the weekend.
I will never forget how much you loved to hear my sibling's and I sing "Come thou Fount" and the "Irish blessing" and how often you would listen to us, smiling like a proud father.
Those were truly great times.

We were truly lucky to have you guiding us as we converted into the Catholic faith, answering all of our questions and concerns with humor and honesty. You've seen us through the good, bad and ugly and still loved.

You are so loved and will be missed. Thank you for everything from the bottom of my heart. Words cannot express the gratitude.

"Come thou fount of every blessing, tune thy heart to see thy grace.

Streams of mercy never ceasing, calls for sounds of loudest praise.

Teach me some meldious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it.
Mount of Thy redeeming love."

How I loved Father Mike--he was one of a kind and has taken a part of my heart with his passing. My prayers go out to each and every member of the family touching your hearts in your grief.

My deepest condolences to the bereaved family.Fr.Mike will be greatly missed. Praying for the repose of his soul and may he Rest In Peace with our Lord.

Fr. Mike was always there for his flock, ministerIng to our dying parents, giving us group hugs after mass, and just recently baptizing our grandson. We were blessed to know him and will miss him tremendously. Rest in Peace, friend! Our condolences to his family.

Father Mike and his family are in our thoughts and prayers during this period of mourning. Father Mike presided over our wedding nuptials on May 21, 1988 at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, while he was serving the St. John Vianney Parish in Rancho Cordova. We have many fond memories of that occasion and others as SJV parishioners. May his soul rest in peace in the presence of Jesus. Sincerely, The O'Neill family

My sincere condolences to our dear Fr. Mike's family. This sudden loss of such a wonderful person. I pray for your peace.

Fr. Mike had a way of making us all feel like family. He was the person we called on our happiest day, and the person we called on a day that was filled with grief.

He was the bright light that filled the church at 4:30 mass - the priest who spoke to us and made us feel the word of God.

My whole family was touched by Fr. Mike - through sacraments for my son, and walking my mother through the process of dying from cancer. He drove through fog from Sacramento to Tracy, in the middle of the night, to give my niece last rights.

We called, he answered.

Fr. Mike - thank you for the blessing of having you in my life and the lives of my family members. 4:30 mass will never be the same.

Your presence will be sorely missed by so many of the lives you touched..

We are so sad for the loss of Fr. Mike. Words cannot express how grateful we are to have known him and loved him. His homilies were so wonderful. He applied his life experiences to the scripture readings and brought it to life with love and humor. He shared his care and compassion and his soul honestly and humbly. We will carry him in our hearts forever. Our prayers are with him and all of you.
Thank you for sharing his funeral mass online. It was beautiful. I’m so glad he was able to celebrate the Christmas Eve mass and receive last rites before he died. May he rest in peace in God’s loving arms and may that peace comfort your hearts.

Our sincere sympathy to the Carroll Family on the sad, untimely loss of your beloved brother, uncle, grand uncle Fr. Michael. Condolences to all who knew and loved him in Ireland & the U.S.A. and now mourn his death. It was a privilege and uplifting to attend Masses in Christ the King Church celebrated by Fr. Michael. He was a kind, warm- hearted, fun loving person who touched the lives of the many he ministered to and knew. Go dtuga Dia Suaimhneas na Sioraiochta da anam uasal.

I remember being blown away by all of the people who were standing up at the altar with him one Easter Vigil. I think half of them were people he had encouraged to enter the Catholic Church, and the other half were Catholics who he’d led back to the Church and were now about to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. It must have easily been forty or forty-five people. This is almost unheard of today in rural or urban parishes across the United States. His warmth and humor drew them in. His ability to tease and disarm people. His own fun and charming personality. As well as his deep faith in the healing and transformative power of the Sacraments.

He helped lead my brother-in-law to become Catholic, and he and my sister had Fr Mike marry them in a (now) Sacramental Wedding Mass up in Tahoe. I remember that Fr Mike made a point of stopping and chatting with all of the people at the wedding reception we had in a nearby restaurant/bar. He made everyone feel welcomed and seen.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ receive you, Fr Mike, as his brother and friend!

Our deepest sympathy to the Carroll family in the passing of Fr. Mike. Fr. Mike was so loved and appreciated in our world as our friend as well as a priest. We shared so many memorable times together from marriage, renewal of vows, sacraments and so much more thru the years. We are grateful to have known him and shared special times together. He was one in a million. Rest in peace….the world is a better place because of you. God bless. 🙏

Fr Mike’s death is a huge shock and loss to the Irish community in Sacramento. He was the glue that brought and held us all together in celebrating our faith and our culture, from Ceol agus Craic agus Damhsa to coaching soccer! He was the one who we turned to in good times and bad. He was kind, funny, present & lifted up so many in his gentle way with his laugh and big smile. He is hugely missed. Our sincere condolences to his family.

Sincere condolences to Tim, Virginia & the Caroll family on the passing of your brother Fr. Michael. May he rest in peace.

Yvonne Griffin & family

Fr Mike was the nicest, most decent person you could hope to meet. He was like family to my wife Denise and myself for the 16 years we were in Sacramento. So many good times playing music in the 4:30 group on Sundays in Presentation Church.
It was a pleasure to have known Mike and have called him a friend. I will miss our phone conversations long after we left California. His last words to me, just a week before he passed, were "Ah sure, you're not the worst".But Mike also wasn't the worst. He was the best.
Our sincere condolences to the family.
Jim,Denise Ciara and Colin

Our deepest sympathies to Fr Mike’s family.Fr Mike was a joy and we are so blessed that he married our daughter Marie and baptized 4 of our grandchildren. He loved having children at Mass. we were so sorry that he was ill when we came to visit him in Cork. God blessed us all with a wonderful man and we will miss him. RIP dear friend.

Deepest condolences to the family of Father Michael Carroll. Fr. Mike was always there to listen and helped so many people. I will never forget when he helped me through some hard moments in my life. He was so kind. I will miss him dearly and I’ll miss his humor too. Rest in peace Father Mike.

Our deepest sympathy to the Carroll family on the passing of Fr Michael
May he rest in peace.

My deepest sympathies to Myra and to all the Carroll family on the passing of Fr Michael. RIP.

Sincere condolences to Myra and to all your family on the passing of your brother. May he rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Fr. Mike’s family.The news of his sudden and unexpected death came as a great shock and saddens me.We first met at St Patrick’s Seminary in Thurles in September 1966.Over the past 52 years we have served as priests in the neighboring dioceses of Sacramento and Santa Rosa in California.Throughout all these years I have known and respected Mike as a good friend,a great human being and a priest who touched,influenced and affirmed the lives of people of all ages and circumstances.I am praying now that God will welcome him home and grant him peace and eternal life.You his family are also in my prayers,that God gives you comfort and strength.Rest in peace Mike! Fr.Denis O’ Sullivan

Father Carroll has always provided me with an important perspective regarding my Catholic faith and upbringing as the church has been through many challenges of faith in the last decade. He was there for me, my eldest brother, Harry Donovan and my family during a significant time of loss. He provided renewed faith in God and trust in the promise of everlasting peace and eternal life when we leave this earth. Until we meet again Father Carroll, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. Love, Margaret and all the Irish Jones, Maloney and Riordan family.

My deepest condolences to the family on the death of Father Michael his sense of humor and love for the poor was a true Gift he will he missed

Dear brothers and sisters of Mike, my heart is broken having lost a unique friend, generous beyond imagining. He was so good to me in California, hospitable and comforting if I needed an ear. Having just been discharged from the Regional after contracting the flu, it is very doubtful that I’ll make the funeral, where my presence might be a danger to the people. Condolences from my partner Eve too.

Sincere condolences to Tim,Virginia and families on the passing of Fr. Michael. May Fr. Michael's soul Rest in Peace.

My deepest sympathy to all members of the Carroll family on the death of your beloved brother, Fr. Michael. May God's peace gently encircle your life during this time of loss.
Sr. Brenda O'Keeffe, RSM (Cork and Auburn, California)

May Fr. Michael rest in peace within God's Tender and Loving Embrace✞

Deepest condolences to Noel, Eileen and extended family. May Fr. Michael rest in peace.

I send all my love and prayers at this time of loss and sadness, but also a time to thank God for the gifts he gave Michael and the gift Fr. Michael was to his family and all of us down the years. He was the one who led our Irish celebrations in Sacramento. May he now live in the radiance of God He went to those places where the "saved" do not go! He helped so many people wherever he found them, in Church or in a bar.He always had tremendous enthusiasm, a passion for all he represented. With love, Fr. John Healy, Sacramento and Ardfert.

Our deepest sympathy to the Carroll family on the passing of Fr Michael
May he rest in peace
Wonderful memories of Fr Michael visiting our home when he came to Kilgarvan

Sincerest condolences to the Carroll family on the untimely passing of your brother, Father Michael. He was a force of nature and a big personality, may he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy to all the Carroll Family on the passing of Fr. Michael. May he rest in peace.

Our sincere sympathy to Noel and all the Carroll family on the death of Father Michael. May he rest in peace.

An Angel’s Kiss
Dedicated to Fr. Mile Carroll
© Joyce A. Pope
Revised 12/31/2024


Whispering
Fluttering
Movement
A presence
A wave of air
A smile

In the darkness of my room
There are no faces or beautiful images
Just a feeling of lightness
The messengers proclaim
“Be at peace.”

An awareness takes over me
Happiness reigns
Then a tear falls
An angel’s kiss
Sent to you my dear friend Fr. Mike.
For the celestial beings have arrived
For the angels lifted you up to be with Him.

Love from former St. Teresa Parishioner - Joyce.