GEORGETOWN — Catholic priest Michel Bineen Mukad, administrator of St. Mary Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church in Georgetown, died Tuesday, Dec. 8. He was 38. His self-inflicted death came a day after a diagnosis of COVID-19. The priest, known to parishioners as "Father Michel," sent out an e-mail to members of the parish Monday night stating he had tested positive for COVID-19 'at the Georgetown Hospital Emergency Room. "Although I have been released from the ER, the instruction for my self-quarantine for 14 days is going to affect our parish," he wrote. His e-mail went on to cover details about closing the church office as a precaution to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus to any other people. All parish staff would be getting tested for COVID-19. He also mentioned that the Rev. Ed Fitzgerald, known as "Father Ed," a former pastor of St. Mary's who is now at St. Michael Church in Garden City Beach, would cover a Mass on Tuesday. Priest for seven years Mukad was born on Oct. 28, 1982, and is a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was ordained to the priesthood on Oct. 6, 2013 at St. Eugene Catholic Church in Wendell, N.C. After serving more than three years in the Diocese of San Antonio, he moved to South Carolina. During his time in the Diocese of Charleston, he served as parochial vicar at St. Mary Help of Christians in Aiken, administrator at St. Louis Church in Dillon and administrator at St. Mary Our Lady of Ransom in Georgetown. In his native country, Father Michel grew up speaking French and at least two languages of his part of the country. When he came to the United States, he also learned English and Spanish. Both of those languages served him well in Georgetown. The parishes of St. Mary Our Lady of Ransom and St. Cyprian's were combined several years ago. There is a large number of members of the combined parish who are Hispanic. He continued offering two Masses in English and one in Spanish each weekend to serve the people of the parish. Funeral services The funeral arrangements for Father Michel are as follows: A Vigil Service will be Monday. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. That will be followed by Mass at 6 p.m. These will be held at St. Mary Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church, 317 Broad St. in Georgetown. Funeral Liturgy will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. It will be held at St. John the Baptist Cathedral, 120 Broad St., in Charleston. The Rite of Committal will follow the Funeral Liturgy at Holy Cross Cemetery, James Island. The funeral Mass at the Cathedral on Tuesday is expected to be livestreamed for those who are maintaining distancing and/or unable to attend. More information on the live streaming of the Mass will be released by the diocese. Sign a guest book at www.mayerfuneralhome.com. The Georgetown Chapel of Mayer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements in Georgetown and James A. McAlister Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements in Charleston.