Our brother Francis Xavier Russo, OFM Cap., passed to the Lord’s eternal life early Friday afternoon, January 14, 2022, at Villa Rosa Nursing home in Mitchellville, MD, from complications following a stroke he suffered on December 4, 2021. Our confrere Emett Schuler, OFM Cap., administered the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and was praying with him at the time of his death.
John Carmen Russo was born on March 21, 1934, to John and Theresa (Izzo) Russo of Mahoningtown, PA. He was baptized at St. Lucy Church in Mahoningtown and educated in the local public elementary school before enrolling at St. Fidelis Seminary in Herman, PA, in 1951, where he received both his high school and college education. Following his second year of collegiate studies, he received the habit of our Capuchin Franciscan community when he entered the novitiate at St. Conrad Friary, Annapolis, MD, on July 13, 1953, and was given the name “Kent.”
He patiently held that name until six weeks prior to his profession when he petitioned Provincial Minister Claude Vogel, OFM Cap., for a change. He wrote: Although I have not really come to dislike the name, I have been considering a different one for various reasons. Here are some of them: The name is used in Kent cigarettes, Kent Island, Kent England, Kent University, and the famous Duke of Kent, resulting in some razzing, of course, and perhaps a lowering of the respect the name of a religious should have. He offered three preferences for substitution and was allowed to make his profession of vows on July 14, 1954 as “Francis Xavier,” the third of his choices, and the one by which is known to this day. The 
manner of his request provides a bit of insight into his character: thoughtful, polite, reverent – and thorough!
On completion of his theology studies in Washington, DC, “FX,” as he was often called, was ordained to the priesthood on June 9, 1959 
(he and his classmate, Robert L. McCreary, OFM Cap., are pictured here from the 60th anniversary of ordination celebration in 2019). After some studies in Pastoral Counseling and the Italian language at DC’s Catholic University in 1960 and, anticipating assignment to the Province Mission in Puerto Rico, he took the Berlitz language course in the Spanishlanguage in 1961. He began his assignment in Puerto Rico later that year, a ministry that would occupy his notable energy and creativity for the next thirty-four years: Aside from a sabbatical serving as confessor at the Shrine of the Holy House in Loreto, Italy, and a semester of theological renewal at the Dominican School of Theology in Berkley, CA (“I’ve taken part in 2 protest marches. 
Didn’t get arrested!”) from 1989 to 1990, he served the Puerto Rican Vice Province as a teacher, pastor, vocation director, local superior and member of the Vice Provincial Council until 1995. His return stateside was not prompted by his own preferences: he generously responded to a request by Provincial Minister Francis Fugini, OFM Cap., that he return to the Province to take on the pastoral care of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a largely Latino parish in Washington, DC, which had fallen on difficult times.
It was a difficult choice for him to leave the work and the people to whom he had given the prime years of his life and ministry, but once decided, he held nothing back in taking on the new challenge. Under his care and leadership, Sacred Heart parish flourished, its finances were stabilized, its ministries were expanded and it became a model of parish renewal for the Archdiocese of Washington by the time it celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 1999.
After six very successful years in Washington, he was once again asked to take on a new challenge in the pastoral care of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Philadelphia, PA, a multi-faceted urban parish ministry. This was the first time in his career that he was not dealing with primarily Spanish speaking people and cultures, and he did not hesitate to pour himself into this new and, for him, very different assignment. It would prove to be his last full-time assignment, though, as age and medical problems began to take their toll on him.
Returning to Washington in 2004 at 70, Francis Xavier devoted himself to assisting the various Latino communities in the Archdiocese. He insisted on remaining vigorously active in priestly ministry, traveling far and wide in the Archdiocese to do so. Indeed, travel was not just a necessity for him, but an avocation. Far beyond his apostolic endeavors in the United States, he led pilgrimages and travelers to Italy, Japan, Scandinavia, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Ireland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Holy Land and various Middle East sites throughout the years. He especially treasured his times as confessor and spiritual director at the Shrine of the Holy House in Loreto, Italy, where our Capuchin brothers of the Province of the Marches live and serve.
Although his pastoral activity became more punctuated by medical 
complications – hips, feet, heart, neck – he remained a man devoted to his priestly and Religious vocations. Our brother bishop Donald Lippert, OFM Cap., who served with him in Puerto Rico and Washington, characterized Francis as “a wonderful friar - one of our quiet giants.” Francis remained a model of priestly zeal and courtesy and gentlemanly in all things to the end.
As demonstrated from the beginning, our confrere was intensely detail-oriented and did not hesitate to make his opinion known. At the same time, he remained always respectful of the positions and burdens of others. He was considerate by nature. Birthdays, anniversaries and other notable moments – his own and those of others – were celebrated faithfully, usually accompanied by a note, a card or a phone call. He spontaneously responded to every Provincial email posting with a “thank you” and a kind word of appreciation for work done. He was unflinchingly proud of his Italian heritage, willingly educating the uninformed about the intricacies of Italian body language such as the Finger Purse, the Prayer Clasp, the Head Point, the Fingertip Kiss, the Cheek Screw and the dreaded Chin Flip (we said he was detailed). His special love of and care for Spanish-speaking people and the variety of their cultures remained with him until the end.
FX was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Mary (Calabrese) and Rose (Evanoski) and Irene (Scaramazza), and his brother Anthony. Reginald Russo, OFM Cap., our confrere, was also a brother whom he had lost. Reginald passed away less than a year before, on February 15, 2021, from complications due to the COVID virus. Francis had spoken with his younger brother "Reg" via telephone from Washington, DC, telling him to “not die” before he got to Pittsburgh and to Reginald’s hospital bed. Francis was able to be with his brother in the end; his farewell to Reginald as his body lie in St. Augustine Church before the Funeral Mass will be remembered by all who were witness to Francis’ display of love and mourning. A younger brother, Vincent Russo, of New Castle, PA, survives them as do numerous nieces and nephews who cherished their uncle’s attention and affection.
We can only imagine the details that FX brings to eternity, but even he knew that, in the end, at long last, only one thing ever mattered: the love we share in and through our Lord’s grace and goodness.
Saturday, January 22, 2022
Viewing, Visitation, Memorial Mass
Shrine of the Sacred Heart DC
Washington, DC
(before transfer to Pittsburgh, PA)
Viewing
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.:
Funeral Memorial Mass
12:00 p.m.
A repast in the Gavin Center at Sacred Heart
will be available after the Mass.
(The body of our brother will then be transferred to Pittsburgh, PA)
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Viewing and Visitation
Pittsburgh, PA
Reception of the body
4:00 p.m.
(friars only)
St. Augustine Friary
221 36th Street, Pittsburgh, PA
followed by fraternal viewing
Evening Office for the Dead
5:15pm
Transfer of the body to church
Public viewing
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
St.Augustine Church
OLA Parish, Pittsburgh, PA
A Vigil Service will be prayed beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Livestreamed here:
Monday, January 24, 2022
Funeral Mass of Resurrection
10:00 a.m.
St.Augustine Church
OLA Parish, Pittsburgh, PA
Viewing will take place after before the Mass at 9:00 a.m.
Livestreamed here:
Burial will follow at Saint Augustine Cemetery,
Millvale (Shaler Twshp), PA, following the Mass.
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Memorial donations to honor
the life of our brother Francis Xavier
may be made online
to the Capuchin Franciscan Friars
or to the address in the footer below.