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Rev'd Fr Leonard J. Basinow, Ed D
December 19, 2022

Obituary

Dr. Basinow, a Catholic priest and Rehabilitation Counseling Psychologist, entered into eternal life on December 19th. He was the son of the late Frank and Ethel (Thomas) Basinow. He is survived by his cousins, Barbara Harris Geagan, her husband Thomas of Chatham and their daughter Jennifer Wood and her husband Derek of Marblehead, Mr. Barry Thomas of TX, and Mrs. Tarry Rothman of Woodland Hills, CA.

Dr. Basinow received his primary education in the public schools of
Lynn, his elementary education in the public schools of Brighton and Boston, and graduated from Cathedral High School. He earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at St. John's Seminary College. His degree in Theology was earned at the Gregorian University. He earned a Master’s degree and a degree in Advanced Graduate Studies at Northeastern University, where he also earned a Doctoral degree in Education with a specialization in Rehabilitation. He was licensed by the Mass. Division of Professional Licensure.

Dr. Basinow was ordained to the priesthood in the Syriac-Maronite Catholic Church by Bishop Butros Sfeir at Rome. Italy. In his service as a Catholic priest he ministered in Maronite and Latin Catholic Churches in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and in the Syriac-Maronite Catholic Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, NY. The churches in which he served included Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church, Boston, St. James Church, Medford, and St Ann's Church, Gloucester. He also served at the Maronite Catholic Churches of Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Brooklyn, NY and Mary, Mother of the Light Maronite Church, West Palm Beach Florida where he built the community's first church building and from where he retired from parish ministry. Dr. Basinow also provided priestly ministry in the Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Archdioceses of Toledo and Dependencies and in the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of New York and All North America. He served at St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, Cambridge, St George's Syrian Orthodox Church, and St John's Syrian Orthodox Church.

In his career as a counseling psychologist, Dr. Basinow was a permanent member of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission for 24 yrs. He was appointed to the Commission by Commissioner John Levis. He provided rehabilitation counseling services to persons with physical and mental disabilities. He provided orientation and training services in the rehabilitation process to counselors and supervisors at the Commission and to selected staff at the Massachusetts State House. He designed, implemented and supervised the training program for Junior Counselors at the Commission. He co-authored a statewide Rehabilitation Quality Evaluation Program. He trained and supervised Commission managers and supervisors in the procedures for implementing this program. Annually, he participated in the conduct and supervision of the program statewide. He analyzed the data statistically and provided the results and analyses with recommendations for remedial steps and procedural changes in the operation of the rehabilitation Program to the Commissioner of the Mass. Rehabilitation Commission. He provided consultation to the Federal Regional Commissioner of Rehabilitation. Additionally, he reviewed incoming state grants for compliance with federal and state regulations and was a guest lecturer for
students in the Physical Therapy Graduate Program at Northeastern University.

After retiring from the Commission and from parochial responsibilities up to the time of is passing, Dr. Basinow provided a Pastoral & Rehabilitation Ministry via the internet. It was designed to affirm and advocate for persons with physical, emotional and spiritual issues. By a website and tele-communications he provided counseling and consultation services in spiritual rehabilitation, In a book he authored entitled: Spiritual Rehab Counseling A Theo- Psychological View. he delineated the foundations and methodology of Spiritual Rehabilitation Counseling. Dr. Basinow strongly advocated for the inclusion of a person's personal belief system as a factor in the diagnostic, planning and treatment phases of the rehabilitation process based on the evidence that that a person's belief system shapes his/her attitudes and values. And, these elements function as motivators for choices and behaviors throughout a person's life.

Fr. Basinow's body will lie in repose at Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church, 61 Rockwood St. Jamaica Plain, on Friday January 6th at 10 AM with a Funeral Mass celebrated at 11 AM, by His Excellency, Bishop Gregory John Mansour, S.T.L., Eparch of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. Interment will follow at Mt. Benedict Cemetery, West Roxbury.



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Dello Russo Funeral Service
306 Main Street
Medford, MA 02155
781-396-9200