Parish mourns sudden death of pastor

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EAST GREENWICH — Parishioners at Our Lady of Mercy Church are still in disbelief over the sudden death of their beloved pastor.

Msgr. John W. Lolio, 68, who had served at the parish for the last 20 years, died early Sunday at Rhode Island Hospital after suffering a fall at the parish rectory overnight Saturday, according to the assistant pastor, Father Charles R. Grondin.

“It feels so bad,” said Susan Peterson, who gathered with fellow parishioners following the 7:30 a.m. Mass Monday to reflect on the unexpected loss of their pastor.

“He was a very elegant man. He always treated everyone very well,” she said.

Dr. Dan Sullivan, an Our Lady of Mercy parishioner for the last 27 years, said Msgr. Lolio, with his calm demeanor and determination in achieving the very best for his parish and school, truly would be missed.

“He was an inspiration, a great man and pastor. He did wonders for the parish and the school, and he always had a smile,” Sullivan said.

Father Grondin said he called for an ambulance after finding Msgr. Lolio unconscious on the floor of the rectory.

Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans was at Msgr. Lolio’s bedside when he died at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The bishop said Msgr. Lolio had sustained “severe head trauma” in the fall at the rectory.

“I was shocked by it myself,” Bishop Evans said, describing how he had felt “devastated” by the turn of events. “It was such an untimely death.”

Bishop Evans had known Msgr. Lolio since 1965, when the future bishop was studying as a freshman at Our Lady of Providence Seminary College, and the future monsignor was then a senior at the school.

Even in his early days, Msgr. Lolio had a reputation for always being polite and gracious, as well as very intelligent, the bishop recalled. Up until his death, the monsignor continued to teach Latin to seminarians at the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence.

“He was an educator. He loved teaching,” said Bishop Evans, who described the monsi gnor as an effective priest and pastor.

Father Grondin, who has already been appointed to serve as pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, Providence effective July 1, praised Msgr. Lolio for the example he had set for him over the last five years during which he served as his assistant.

“He was my mentor; he was my friend; he was the best pastor I could have asked for. He taught me what it was to be a priest,” Father Grondin said.

Bishop Evans has been appointed administrator pro tem of Our Lady of Mercy Parish until a pastor is appointed.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin offered his prayers in solidarity with those who are grieving following the monsignor’s death.

“Monsignor Lolio was an outstanding priest who has served the church in many exemplarily ways. His death is a significant loss for our diocesan church. I certainly extend my sympathies and prayers to his family, his many friends and especially to the faithful of Our Lady of Mercy,” Bishop Tobin said in a statement to Rhode Island Catholic.

Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, Vt., knew Msgr. Lolio well, having served extensively in the Diocese of Providence until the Providence native was ordained to the episcopacy in Vermont in 2005.

“Monsignor Lolio was truly an “alter Christus,” “another Christ” for all who knew him. He loved the Church, he loved the priesthood and he was deeply devoted to those he served with the Shepherd’s heart. In humble prayer, I entrust this brother priest and longtime, valued friend to the Eternal High Priest. Oremus pro invicem!” Bishop Matano said on the passing of Msgr. Lolio in a statement Monday to Rhode Island Catholic.

By the time the first bell rang Monday morning across the street from the church at Our Lady of Mercy Regional School, most students had heard the news about the unexpected loss of their pastor over the weekend.

“It was just shocking, I had to listen again,” eighth-grader John Duffy said of his reaction to hearing the news of the death of his pastor from his sister Elizabeth the day before.

Duffy has been an altar server at the parish since he was in third grade and had many opportunities to interact with Msgr. Lolio, in which he would ask how school was going for him.

“He was always so welcoming,” said Duffy, who also appreciated his pastor’s pervasive sense of humor.

Our Lady of Mercy Principal Sister Jeanne Barry, R.S.M., said the news of monsignor’s passing came as a shock to everyone.

She said that the reflections of one of her third grade students helped to put things into perspective for her.

“He said, ‘He died in the time of the year dedicated to Mary, so he’s with Mary and Jesus’,” the principal recalled.

She described Msgr. Lolio as a strong supporter of the education they were providing and who always visited school after Mass and inquired about the students’ accomplishments.

“He was very proud of the kids,” said Sister Barry.

She said that the week before, the monsignor had attended an auction fundraiser for the school and seemed very happy as he enjoyed the occasion with students and families.

In 2001, when Sister Barry became the principal, the pastor left his indelible imprint on the school when he oversaw the construction of new classroom and lab space, which OLM continues to make good use of through its programming.

Born in Providence, and educated in the city’s public school system, Msgr. Lolio completed his studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Md., after attending OLP. He was ordained on May 23, 1970 by Bishop Bernard M. Kelley in St. Augustine Church, Providence.

Msgr. Lolio served as assistant pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, Providence, on the faculty of Our Lady of Providence Preparatory Seminary and also as assistant pastor of St. Anthony Parish in North Providence before being appointed chaplain at Bryant College in Smithfield in 1977.

He also served as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.

In 1992, he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich.

Among his notable accomplishments as pastor, Msgr. Lolio expanded the programming offered at the parish elementary school. Since 1995, he has served as Vicar Forane for the West Bay Deanery.

In January 2009, he was honored by Pope Benedict XVI to be named as one of ten priests in the diocese as ‘Chaplains to His Holiness’ with the title ‘Reverend Monsignor,’ in recognition of his service and commitment to the church. In March, the papal honors were conferred in a ceremony at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul.