Father Anthony Russo dies at 86

Father Anthony Russo, C.Ss.R., died March 31, 2020, at age 86. He had been in hospice care at Stella Maris in Timonium, Maryland. Because of the coronavirus epidemic, arrangements for the funeral Mass will not be announced at this time. Burial will take place in Philadelphia.

The son of Fausto Russo and Yolanda Russo (De Capite), he was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on November 1, 1933, and baptized at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on December 10 of the same year.

He attended Clifton Public School #8, Clifton High School, and Virginia Military Institute, where he received a degree in civil engineering. He attended St. Mary’s, North East, for Philosophy in 1958-59. He made his profession at Ilchester, Maryland, on August 2, 1960, and attended Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, New York, from 1960-1966. He was ordained June 20, 1965.

After completing second novitiate in Annapolis, he was assigned to St. Boniface, Philadelphia, and worked in the deaf apostolate. When St. Boniface closed, he moved to Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Philadelphia and continued his work with the deaf community. He ministered as coordinator of the deaf apostolate for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1967 to 2012, when he retired. He continued to serve as a senior priest, saying Mass in American Sign Language and giving spiritual direction.

The following statement can be found in his file: “Due to his deficient hearing, I have been informed that he is already destined to work for the deaf. I can only say that these people will be blessed to have such a priest.”

Father Russo was the author of three books: The God of the Deaf Adolescent: An Inside View; In Silent Prayer A History of Ministry With the Deaf Community in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; and Made by Hand, A Catechesis for the Deaf, Topic: Creation.