Msgr. Francis P. Valverde, formerly of St. Lucy's church, West Scranton, and by the time of his death, one of the oldest priests of the Diocese of Scranton, died on December 14, 1949, shortly before 11 am., at the home of his nephew, Joseph Valverde, 1534 Capouse Ave., Scranton.
An indefatigable worker throughout his years of service in the Scranton Diocese, Monsignor Valverde retired form the active pastorate of St. Lucy's church thirteen years before due to ill health. Although he had been hospitalized several times in his last years, he was discharged a month before his death from St. Mary's Hospital, and his death, attributed to a heart condition, came as a shock to his hundreds of friends among the clergy and laity of this diocese.
Widely known as an accomplished educator, linguist and untiring charitable worker, Monsignor Valverde was regarded with love and admiration particularly by the older Italian residents of this area, among whom he began his diocesan work while visiting relatives in Scranton. A native of Borgetto, Sicily, a suburb of Palermo, he was born to Mariano and Antonina Valverde, and after receiving college and seminary training at Monreale Seminary, he was ordained priest on December 23, 1899, at the Cathedral of Monreale. Only 22 years old at the time, the young priest was granted a special dispensation by Pope Leo XIII for his ordination.
Following two years of post graduate study at the Royal College DeCosmi, during which he founded a boys school in Palermo, Monsignor Valverde came to Scranton with his mother to visit his brother, the late Joseph Valverde of the Capouse Ave., and his sister, Mrs. Giovanna Genovese. The visit, originally scheduled for six months, became permanent after Monsignor Valverde met the late Bishop Michael J. Hoban, the diocesan prelate. Bishop Hoban urgently in need of Italian speaking priests to work among the thousands of Italian immigrants from Italy then settling in the Diocese, interested the young priest in remaining in the Scranton Diocese and received permission from the Church authorities in Italy for the change.
Monsignor Valverde's first assignment was at St. Anthony's church, Freeland, where he remained from June 1, 1904 to March 27, 1906. He then was appointed pastor of St. Anthony's in Dunmore and remained in that capacity until September 8, 1928, when he was transferred to St. Lucy's church.
During his early years in the diocese, Monsignor Valverde came in for special commendation form Bishop Hoban who credited him with "doing the work of three men." For a number of years he served on the foreign language staff of the International Correspondence Schools, where he composed a grammar and reader of the Italian language.
While at St. Anthony's and St. Lucy's, Monsignor Valverde was responsible for the construction of a rectory in each parish. He served as a member of the Diocesan Board of Consulters for a number of years and on Sept 23, 1929, was named chamberlain of the Papal Court and elevated to the rank of Monsignor by Pope Pius XI.
Several years later his health began to fail, and on May 3, 1936, Monsignor Valverde was forced to resign his duties as active pastor of St. Lucy's, a parish where his two nephews successively carried his work.
His funeral was from St. Lucy's church to the priests' plot at Cathedral Cemetery.
An indefatigable worker throughout his years of service in the Scranton Diocese, Monsignor Valverde retired form the active pastorate of St. Lucy's church thirteen years before due to ill health. Although he had been hospitalized several times in his last years, he was discharged a month before his death from St. Mary's Hospital, and his death, attributed to a heart condition, came as a shock to his hundreds of friends among the clergy and laity of this diocese.
Widely known as an accomplished educator, linguist and untiring charitable worker, Monsignor Valverde was regarded with love and admiration particularly by the older Italian residents of this area, among whom he began his diocesan work while visiting relatives in Scranton. A native of Borgetto, Sicily, a suburb of Palermo, he was born to Mariano and Antonina Valverde, and after receiving college and seminary training at Monreale Seminary, he was ordained priest on December 23, 1899, at the Cathedral of Monreale. Only 22 years old at the time, the young priest was granted a special dispensation by Pope Leo XIII for his ordination.
Following two years of post graduate study at the Royal College DeCosmi, during which he founded a boys school in Palermo, Monsignor Valverde came to Scranton with his mother to visit his brother, the late Joseph Valverde of the Capouse Ave., and his sister, Mrs. Giovanna Genovese. The visit, originally scheduled for six months, became permanent after Monsignor Valverde met the late Bishop Michael J. Hoban, the diocesan prelate. Bishop Hoban urgently in need of Italian speaking priests to work among the thousands of Italian immigrants from Italy then settling in the Diocese, interested the young priest in remaining in the Scranton Diocese and received permission from the Church authorities in Italy for the change.
Monsignor Valverde's first assignment was at St. Anthony's church, Freeland, where he remained from June 1, 1904 to March 27, 1906. He then was appointed pastor of St. Anthony's in Dunmore and remained in that capacity until September 8, 1928, when he was transferred to St. Lucy's church.
During his early years in the diocese, Monsignor Valverde came in for special commendation form Bishop Hoban who credited him with "doing the work of three men." For a number of years he served on the foreign language staff of the International Correspondence Schools, where he composed a grammar and reader of the Italian language.
While at St. Anthony's and St. Lucy's, Monsignor Valverde was responsible for the construction of a rectory in each parish. He served as a member of the Diocesan Board of Consulters for a number of years and on Sept 23, 1929, was named chamberlain of the Papal Court and elevated to the rank of Monsignor by Pope Pius XI.
Several years later his health began to fail, and on May 3, 1936, Monsignor Valverde was forced to resign his duties as active pastor of St. Lucy's, a parish where his two nephews successively carried his work.
His funeral was from St. Lucy's church to the priests' plot at Cathedral Cemetery.
Msgr. Francis P. Valverde, formerly of St. Lucy's church, West Scranton, and by the time of his death, one of the oldest priests of the Diocese of Scranton, died on December 14, 1949, shortly before 11 am., at the home of his nephew, Joseph Valverde, 1534 Capouse Ave., Scranton.
An indefatigable worker throughout his years of service in the Scranton Diocese, Monsignor Valverde retired form the active pastorate of St. Lucy's church thirteen years before due to ill health. Although he had been hospitalized several times in his last years, he was discharged a month before his death from St. Mary's Hospital, and his death, attributed to a heart condition, came as a shock to his hundreds of friends among the clergy and laity of this diocese.
Widely known as an accomplished educator, linguist and untiring charitable worker, Monsignor Valverde was regarded with love and admiration particularly by the older Italian residents of this area, among whom he began his diocesan work while visiting relatives in Scranton. A native of Borgetto, Sicily, a suburb of Palermo, he was born to Mariano and Antonina Valverde, and after receiving college and seminary training at Monreale Seminary, he was ordained priest on December 23, 1899, at the Cathedral of Monreale. Only 22 years old at the time, the young priest was granted a special dispensation by Pope Leo XIII for his ordination.
Following two years of post graduate study at the Royal College DeCosmi, during which he founded a boys school in Palermo, Monsignor Valverde came to Scranton with his mother to visit his brother, the late Joseph Valverde of the Capouse Ave., and his sister, Mrs. Giovanna Genovese. The visit, originally scheduled for six months, became permanent after Monsignor Valverde met the late Bishop Michael J. Hoban, the diocesan prelate. Bishop Hoban urgently in need of Italian speaking priests to work among the thousands of Italian immigrants from Italy then settling in the Diocese, interested the young priest in remaining in the Scranton Diocese and received permission from the Church authorities in Italy for the change.
Monsignor Valverde's first assignment was at St. Anthony's church, Freeland, where he remained from June 1, 1904 to March 27, 1906. He then was appointed pastor of St. Anthony's in Dunmore and remained in that capacity until September 8, 1928, when he was transferred to St. Lucy's church.
During his early years in the diocese, Monsignor Valverde came in for special commendation form Bishop Hoban who credited him with "doing the work of three men." For a number of years he served on the foreign language staff of the International Correspondence Schools, where he composed a grammar and reader of the Italian language.
While at St. Anthony's and St. Lucy's, Monsignor Valverde was responsible for the construction of a rectory in each parish. He served as a member of the Diocesan Board of Consulters for a number of years and on Sept 23, 1929, was named chamberlain of the Papal Court and elevated to the rank of Monsignor by Pope Pius XI.
Several years later his health began to fail, and on May 3, 1936, Monsignor Valverde was forced to resign his duties as active pastor of St. Lucy's, a parish where his two nephews successively carried his work.
His funeral was from St. Lucy's church to the priests' plot at Cathedral Cemetery.
An indefatigable worker throughout his years of service in the Scranton Diocese, Monsignor Valverde retired form the active pastorate of St. Lucy's church thirteen years before due to ill health. Although he had been hospitalized several times in his last years, he was discharged a month before his death from St. Mary's Hospital, and his death, attributed to a heart condition, came as a shock to his hundreds of friends among the clergy and laity of this diocese.
Widely known as an accomplished educator, linguist and untiring charitable worker, Monsignor Valverde was regarded with love and admiration particularly by the older Italian residents of this area, among whom he began his diocesan work while visiting relatives in Scranton. A native of Borgetto, Sicily, a suburb of Palermo, he was born to Mariano and Antonina Valverde, and after receiving college and seminary training at Monreale Seminary, he was ordained priest on December 23, 1899, at the Cathedral of Monreale. Only 22 years old at the time, the young priest was granted a special dispensation by Pope Leo XIII for his ordination.
Following two years of post graduate study at the Royal College DeCosmi, during which he founded a boys school in Palermo, Monsignor Valverde came to Scranton with his mother to visit his brother, the late Joseph Valverde of the Capouse Ave., and his sister, Mrs. Giovanna Genovese. The visit, originally scheduled for six months, became permanent after Monsignor Valverde met the late Bishop Michael J. Hoban, the diocesan prelate. Bishop Hoban urgently in need of Italian speaking priests to work among the thousands of Italian immigrants from Italy then settling in the Diocese, interested the young priest in remaining in the Scranton Diocese and received permission from the Church authorities in Italy for the change.
Monsignor Valverde's first assignment was at St. Anthony's church, Freeland, where he remained from June 1, 1904 to March 27, 1906. He then was appointed pastor of St. Anthony's in Dunmore and remained in that capacity until September 8, 1928, when he was transferred to St. Lucy's church.
During his early years in the diocese, Monsignor Valverde came in for special commendation form Bishop Hoban who credited him with "doing the work of three men." For a number of years he served on the foreign language staff of the International Correspondence Schools, where he composed a grammar and reader of the Italian language.
While at St. Anthony's and St. Lucy's, Monsignor Valverde was responsible for the construction of a rectory in each parish. He served as a member of the Diocesan Board of Consulters for a number of years and on Sept 23, 1929, was named chamberlain of the Papal Court and elevated to the rank of Monsignor by Pope Pius XI.
Several years later his health began to fail, and on May 3, 1936, Monsignor Valverde was forced to resign his duties as active pastor of St. Lucy's, a parish where his two nephews successively carried his work.
His funeral was from St. Lucy's church to the priests' plot at Cathedral Cemetery.
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