Obituary Notice
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Br. Seraphim Pesci (1821-1894) Brother Seraphim (Pesci) of Saint Philomena. Brother Seraphim of St. Philomena (in the world Luigi Pesci) was born at eprano, Italy on the 15th day of September I82I. He entered the Novitiate in Italy. 1839, and made¢ his solemn profession’ on the 4th of. September 1840, being then in his I9th year. He passed to his Eternal Repose on the 24th of November 1894, at the Hospice of St. Joseph's, Paris where he had been "de familia" for upwards of 40¥ years, fortified by all the Sacraments of our Holy hiother the Church, and comforted’ in his last moments by the presence and assistance of his religious brethren, being then in the 74th year of his age and the 56th of his religious profession. Brother Seraphim ¥ was destined by his superiors to devote his life and labours to the newly founded branch of the Congregation in England. - He left Italy for Belgium in J848, where he resided for some time at the Novitiate, liyre pres Tourney until called to Hngland where he laboured indefatigably for the Congregation principally in the house of the Novitiate, Broadway and afterwards in’ the new foundation of. St. Faul's Retreat in Dublin (then Blessed Paul) which was the scene of his labours. until he was finally destined by the Very Reverend Father tigene (then Provincial) for the important kwak work that awaited him in the new foundation at Paris, on the 25th day of February 1864 he received and promptly followed this new call of obedience to duty. His prompt obedience has had its reward in the success that attended his work here for. the advancement of God's Glory, the welfare of the Congregation and his own sanctification. He was held in high esteem, not alone by his own brethren, but by the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the diocese, the clergy and the laity who frequent the church. An evidence of the latter was afforded on the occasion of the celebration of his Golden Jubilee 1889, when gifts were made to the church in thanksgiving for the event of the ‘value of several hundred pounds sterling, and France's great musical composer Gounod as a mark of esteem presided at the organ a Mass of his own composition for the solemn and special occasion. Thus for upwards of 30 years he continued his labours in Paris until the moment when through obedience he lay down to rest upon the bed which was to be the one from which he was to pass to his Eternal Rest. _ On the 6th of November after the usual celebration of the Anniversary for the deceased parents of our Religious , he complained of feeling cold and had evidently caught a chills He was directed to go to bed,the doctor being directly sent for. The following day pneumonia manifested itself and rapidly increased, but thanks to our Lady of Lourdes to whom he had a special devotion and the skilful and unceasing care of our great benefactor Dr. Hestrés, the dire desease was completely overcome in the unusual short space of ten days. Our hearts were gladdened with the hope that he would be spared many more years to carry on the special work in which he was so successful since our establishment in Paris but God willed it otherwise, the time of his reward had come, his rest was near at hand. Owing to his advanced age extreme debility succeeded the severe attack and although in the early morning of ‘the 24th he was unusually bright, conscious of the presence of all who came to him and had a word for each, at 8.I5a.m. a fit of weakness supervened the cheerfulness and after the Absolutions in the midst of the prayers of the dying, concsious to the last (if we could read aright his placid unsuffering features) his soul passed calmly to God. Brother Seraphim was Dean of the Province as a Religious by Profession. He was a devoted lover of the Congregation, of the Observances, of her traditions and of Holy Yrayer. a commit armen nme rem tment sunnier i meee artnet ee mre tee ie Ti mers deem ons ine oka mo Me Seems meine fine meee nan en ee ea a OR ret ere Oe I anand ell eel ceed
Br. SERAPHIN Pesci (1821-1894) BRO. SERAPHIN OF ST. PHILOMENA (PESCI) 1821-1894 Luigi Pesci was born in Ceprano, Italy, on 15th September 1821. He entered the Congregation in Italy at the age of 18, and was professed on 4th September 1840, Appointed to the English Mission, he arrived at Ere, Belgium, in 1848, In 1850 he was called to England by Fr.Eugene Martorelli, the acting=-Provincial, and stationed in Broadway. When Mount Argus was founded in 1856 he was appointed to the new community, and was thus the first Passionist Brother in Ireland. He assisted at the first Mass said in Mount Argus by Fr.Paul Mary Packenham. On 25th September 1864, Bro. Seraphin was transferred to Paris as a member of the first cammunity established there in Rue de Berri, and he laboured in Paris for the next 30 years until his death at Avenue Hoche. ' During these years he became a well-known and much-loved figure in the French capital. In his obituary notice it is stated: "He was held in high esteem, not only by his own brethren, but by the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the diocese, the clrgy and the laity who frequent the church" /St.Joseph's/ (1) In 1889 he celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a Passionist, and the above note is borne out by the very large number of guests who attended on that occasion, among them two princesses, two countesses, and a baronet and his wife. Tangible expression to the esteem in which Bro.Seraphin was held was given in a number of valuable gifts, amounting to several hundred pounds, made to the church in Avenue Hoche in thanksgiving for Brother's long service there. These gifts included Na, superb set of richly embriodered vestments... a chalice of solid gold...exquisite cruets in silver... a handsomely-bound missal... and a magnificent altar-cloth in costly lace together with handsome cadelabra..." (2) As a further mark of esteem, Gounod composed a special Mass for the occasion and presided at the organ. Besides his duties within the house, Bro.Seraphin exercised a highly successful. apostolate among the English-speaking girls who at that time came in their numbers to Paris hoping to find employment as governesses or domestics. Unprotected and alone in a foreign country, these girls were exposed to considerable exploitation. To help them Bro.Seraphin dstablished an employment agency at Avenue Hock: and was the means of securing good positions for many of these girls and, incidentally, “gained many wealthy and influential friends /amongst the employers/ for the Mission'' (3) Early in November 1894 he caught a severe cold which developed rapid- ly into pneumonia. Through the care and skill of Dr.Hestres, a benefactor of the community, the pneumonia was arrested and cleared up within ten days. . Owing to his advanced age, however, the illness had left him very weak, and he did not recover. "In the early morning of the 24th /November/ he was unusually bright, conscious of the presence of all who came to him, and had a word for each. At 8.15 a.m. a fit of weakness supervened the cheerfulness and after the Absolutions and in the midst of the prayers for the dying, conscious to the last (if we could read aright his placid, unsuffering countenance) his soul passed calmly to God." (4)
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.