Father Jerome Calcagno, CM

1923–2005

Father Jerome Calcagno, CM, was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, born on September 7, 1923. He died at Our Lady of Wisdom Health Care Center in New Orleans on August 22, 2005. He was 81 years old. The following obituary was Contributed by Father Ray Van Dorpe, CM.

Father Calcagno entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1941 and was ordained a priest in 1949. After ordination, he was assigned to the Seminario San Carlos in the Philippines, and served there for two years. He returned to the United States and taught at St. Mary’s Seminary in LaPorte, Texas. He went on to earn a Masters Degree in speech from the Catholic University in Washington, DC.

For the rest of his life, Fr. Calcagno served in almost every kind of priestly ministry available to Vincentians: associate pastor, pastor, seminary professor, hospital chaplain, and local superior. He retired from active ministry in 2000 and enjoyed some rest from his labors.

A former parishioner (now Admin­istrator of the Southern Province), Mr. Benny Ruiz, shared these reflections:

He was well remembered at Holy Trinity in Dallas (from where I am writing this) as we held a Memorial Mass for him on September 7, 2005 — on what would have been his 82nd birthday. I remember as a young boy in the seventh grade at Holy Trinity School when he was Pastor, he invited me to join the Altar Servers (though I was still too young at the time) and to help answer the phones in the Rectory after school (even though the other kids doing this were in high school). He is remembered for gradually implementing the Vatican II changes at Holy Trinity, probably the first parish in this Diocese to do so. He also instituted the Lay Ministries (Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors) as well as the modern day Parish Council for Holy Trinity. His introduction to all his homilies began “My Dear People...” and still rings in the ears of many here today.

May the Lord grant him eternal rest!