Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Gaudentius Rossi (1817-1891) FATHER GAUDENTIUS ROSSI Fr.,Gaudentius of S.Stephen (Rossi) was born in Ospidalitti in the Diocese of Vintimillia, Italy, on loth. May, 1817. He entered the Novitiate at Monte Argentaro on 24th. May, 1836, and was professed in 1837. He was ordained in 1840 or 184 and came to. England as a young priest 18 months later in 1842. A deseription of him tells that he was "strong, sturdy and of medium height." Though he knew no English when he came here, yet 18 months after his arrival he preached his first Mission at Aston in March 1844. By 1246 he had slresdy preached 15 Missions and retreats and is justly regarded as the Pioneer Missioner of our Province. Between 1850 and 1854 he, together with Mother Joseph (baptized Elizabeth) Prout, founded the Passionist Sisters under the title of "The Sisters of the Holy Fanily." He con- fided them to the care of FrsIignatius Spencer dn his depar- ture for America. It was Fr.Gaudentius who laid the founda- tion stone at Sutton on 3lst. August, 1849. He was appointed Superior of St.Wilfrid's, Cotton Hall, in 1854, but the following year Fr.General sent him to the U.S.A. in response to an appeal from the Fathers who had founded the CongreBation there in 1852 and needed an Hnglish- speaking Missioner. He arrivezat Boston on 6th.December, 1855, and became the Pioneer Missioner of St.Paul of the Cross Province. Descriptions of him as a preacher by contemporary hearers: "His sermons were logically reasoned out....His style is deep, his reasoning astute, with a great knowledge of Scripture... He used a plain, argumentative style and avoided undue excit- ment." After his 14 years in England under Ven.Dominic and Cardinal Wiseman, he distinguished himself as a convert~-maker. .He gave Missions to non-catholics in America, his first being at St.Joseph's, Boston, in 1862 (perhaps the first ever of its kind in the U.S.A. 7?) He held the office of Master of Novices in America. He never became ‘an American" and his English leaning brought him into conflict with the pioneer priests of the U.S.A. He wrote: a) "A Memoir of Fr.Dominic."b)--'The Voice of Jesus Crucified" - described as “a very g00d| book ‘On the Passio: c) a publication called "The Christian Trumpet" - reviéwéa ag "sensational'snd discouraged by his Superioris, who allowed it to be printed only out of deference to "eG plone | d "quaint denner! isms" and forgot much of his English. po Bee ty Towards the end of his life he develop YATMY a | : He died on 12th. August, 1891, and is juviea in-Union . C ity, Nid. Je fo | _ {foe sae
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.