Monsignor Robert J. Coll

Monsignor Robert J. Coll of Naples, Florida devoted his life to parish ministry, education, and humanitarian service around the world. He is remembered with deep gratitude for his faith, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the poor. Born on August 13, 1930, Monsignor Coll was the son of the late Edward A. Coll and Margaret A. (Dreger) Coll. He was raised in the Philadelphia area in a devout Catholic family, who valued faith, hard work, and service to others. A graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, he embraced the Jesuit ideal of being a “man for others,” a conviction that stayed with him as he discerned his vocation. After attending Saint Joseph’s University, he followed his calling, graduated from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and was ordained on May 7, 1959. Early in his ministry, Monsignor Coll served in the Lehigh Valley as a professor at Notre Dame High School in Easton and as Catholic chaplain at Lehigh University in Bethlehem. In 1961, he became a priest of the newly established Diocese of Allentown. From 1966 to 1980, Monsignor Coll served as the founding pastor of St. Thomas More Church in Allentown, where he helped build a community rooted in family and service. There, in 1975, he created Operation Rice Bowl as a local Lenten response to hunger in Africa, encouraging families to share a simple meal and donate the savings to help the poor. What started as a local effort in Allentown has grown into a national program of Catholic Relief Services, raising more than $350 million in 12,000 parishes nationwide. That enduring legacy reflected Monsignor Coll’s conviction that the smallest acts of sacrifice, offered faithfully, could become instruments of grace and hope. In 1980, Monsignor Coll joined Catholic Relief Services as Assistant Executive Director in New York City and later served as its European Director in Rome until 1985. His ministry took him far beyond the boundaries of parish life and into the center of some of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Monsignor Coll was known not simply as an administrator, but as a priest willing to go where suffering was greatest. During the Lebanese Civil War, he accompanied Mother Teresa through active war zones to reach her community of missionaries, who were caring for disabled children and elderly victims. Amid the devastating Ethiopian famine, he acted as the on-air guide for CBS’s Mike Wallace during the landmark 60 Minutes report from the famine’s epicenter to bring global attention to the crisis. Following the assassination of Archbishop Óscar Romero in El Salvador, Monsignor Coll became a voice for the poor with political leaders in Central America. His courage helped build awareness, credibility, and support for global relief at critical times. During this time, Monsignor Coll also promoted interfaith cooperation in the fight against hunger. In the mid-1980s, he served as Executive Director of the Interfaith Hunger Appeal, helping unite Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish organizations in support of humanitarian relief. His leadership reflected a lifelong belief that service to the poor could unite people across religious and cultural lines. In 1987, Monsignor Coll returned to parish ministry as pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Bethlehem, PA where he served until his retirement in 1996. Parishioners knew him as a thoughtful pastor, gifted preacher, and priest whose local ministry had been enriched by global experience. During those years, Monsignor Coll also continued his intellectual and canonical formation. In 1992, he took a sabbatical for graduate studies in Rome and earned a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University. Named Pastor Emeritus in 1996, Monsignor Coll remained active in priestly service and deeply engaged in the life of the Church. During retirement, he continued serve and build communities rooted in faith in Naples, FL, championing the creation of St. Agnes Catholic Church. Later, he became a familiar and beloved presence at St. John the Evangelist Parish, regularly assisting with daily and weekend Masses. His long priesthood was celebrated there in 2019 on the 60th anniversary of his ordination. Monsignor Coll is remembered not only for the titles he held or the institutions he served, but for his love for those most in need. Whether he was preaching in a parish, walking through a refugee camp, or advocating for the poor, he embodied the idea that no suffering person is ever far from the heart of God, and no act of compassion is ever too small to matter. Monsignor Coll was preceded in death by his parents, Edward A. and Margaret A. (Dreger) Coll; his brothers, Edward A. Coll Jr. and Joseph C. Coll; his sister, Nancy C. Gibbons, and her husband, Richard E. Gibbons; and his niece and nephews, Loretta Coll, Francis Coll, and Robert J. Coll II. He is lovingly remembered by his sister-in-law, Betty Coll, and by the sons he guided as their guardian. He will be deeply missed by generations of nieces and nephews in the Coll and Gibbons families. The family extends heartfelt appreciation to Sue and Michael Adams for their loving and devoted care. Beyond his public ministry, Uncle Bob, as he was known to his family, presided over many weddings, baptisms, and gatherings. Despite his busy schedule, he was always present, ready to listen, and generous with his guidance and advice. His larger-than-life presence will be deeply missed. From Philadelphia to Allentown, from Bethlehem to Rome, from Beirut to Ethiopia, Monsignor Robert J. Coll lived the priesthood as a mission of compassion, courage, and faithful service. His legacy lives on in the faithful communities he shaped, global reach of Operation Rice Bowl, and countless lives he touched. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church 625 111th Ave. N., Naples, FL. Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of the Mass. A reception for family and friends will follow in the parish life center. Burial will be in the memorial garden at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Monsignor Coll’s name may be made to Avow Hospice, Naples, FL, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Naples, FL, St. Agnes Catholic Church, Naples, FL and St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Allentown, PA. To sign his guest register or to leave online condolences please visit www.ShikanyFuneralHome.com. Arrangements are being handled by Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated Since 1978.

Monsignor Robert J. Coll

August 13, 1930 - April 20, 2026