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Savannah |
Vol. 79, No. 7
Thursday, February 18,1999
$.50 PER ISSUE
News : 2-3
Commentary 4-5
Around the Diocese ... 6-7
Faith Alive! 8-9
Notices 10-11
Last But Not Least .... 12
National Day of Prayer for the African American
Family draws 300 to Cathedral
Right: Gerald Crawford leads
the Tri-Parish Choir at the observance
of the National Day of Prayer for the
African American Family
at the Cathedral of Saint John the
Baptist, Savannah, February 7.
Bishop J. Kevin Boland
is seen in the backgoround.
Some 300 worshippers came to pray
for African American families.
For more photos, see page 6.
Official Announcement
O n presentation of the Rev
erend Domingo Rodriguez,
S.T., General Custodian of the
Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed
Trinity, Bishop J. Kevin Boland has
appointed the Reverend Eugene Mueller,
S.T., parochial vicar of Saint Augustine
Church, Thomasville and its mission of
Saint Elizabeth Seton, Cairo, effective Jan
uary 21, 1999.
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Augusta
ather Walter L. DiFrancesco, retired pastor of
Saint Teresa of Avila Parish, Augusta, was
found dead at his home near Saint Teresa’s on Sat
urday, February 13. He was 68 years old.
Walter Louis DiFrancesco was bom in Philadel
phia, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1930, the son of
Florindo and Emma Venchiaritti DiFrancesco. He
studied for the priesthood for the Diocese of Savan
nah at Saint Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland,
and was ordained to the priesthood by Savannah
Bishop Thomas J. McDonough at Saint Colman’s
Church, Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on May 16, 1959.
Father DiFrancesco served as assistant pastor of
Saint Joseph Church, Macon (1959-1961), the
Church of the Holy Family, Columbus (1961-1965)
and Sacred Heart Church, Warner Robins (1965-
1968). He was administrator of Our Lady of Lour
des, Port Wentworth from 1968-1971 and pastor of
Sacred Heart, Warner Robins from 1971-76.
Left: Father Walter DiFrancesco took part
in the diocesan pilgrimage to Rome in
October, 1998.
For twenty-two years, from 1976-1998, Father
DiFrancesco was pastor of Saint Teresa of Avila
Church, Augusta. He retired as pastor of Saint Tere
sa’s on March 5, 1998, for reasons of health.
In his retirement, Father DiFrancesco lived in the
old rectory in the parish complex. He was able to
travel to Italy, the land of his forebears, as a partici
pant in the diocesan pilgrimage to Rome in late
October, 1998.
Deacon Donald Cisick of Augusta, who had
known Father “D”, as he was affectionately called,
for 20 years, remembered him as “a good man” and
“an inspiration.” Father Francis J. Nelson, V.G.,
another native Philadelphian, said, “For many years
priests from other dioceses served in the Diocese of
Savannah.The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has pro
vided many bishops and priests for Savannah.
Father DiFrancesco came here following the I ord's
command, ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
nations’.”
Bishop J. Kevin Boland celebrated Father
DiFrancesco’s funeral Mass on Thursday, February
18, at Saint Teresa’s. Father DiFrancesco will be
buried in his native Philadelphia.
Father Walter L. DiFrancesco dies