Reverend Monsignor John W. Lolio, 68, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish, East Greenwich, died on May 6.
Born in Providence, son of the late Anthony and Theresa (DiCenzo) Lolio, he attended Providence schools.
In preparation for the priesthood, he studied at Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick, and at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1970 at St. Augustine Church in Providence by Bishop Bernard M. Kelly.
Upon ordination to the priesthood, Msgr. Lolio was assigned as assistant pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, Providence and the faculty of Our Lady of Providence Preparatory Seminary where he served as chairman of the English department and taught a variety of courses including classical literature and Latin. He also served as assistant pastor of St. Anthony Parish in North Providence before being appointed chaplain at Bryant College (now University) in Smithfield in 1977. While at the college he attended to the pastoral and sacramental needs of the students and faculty while also serving as a member of the college counseling center staff.
In 1980 Msgr. Lolio was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bristol. While there he served as Dean for the East Bay Deanery. In the spring of 1990 he attended sabbatical studies at the North American College in Rome. In 1992 he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich. Since 1995, Msgr. Lolio served as Dean for the West Bay Deanery.
In January 2009, he was honored by Pope Benedict XVI as His Chaplain with the title Reverend Monsignor.
He is survived by a sister, Sheila Brown of Glocester and two nieces.
The solemn transferral of his body was celebrated May 10 by Bishop Robert C. Evans at Our Lady of Mercy Church. A Mass of Christian Burial for the repose of his soul was concelebrated May 11 Our Lady of Mercy Church, with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin as the main celebrant and Bishops Robert C. Evans, Robert E. Mulvee, Louis E. Gelineau, Robert J. McManus, Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester, Mass., Salvatore R. Matano, Bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont, Francis X. Roque, Ernest E. Boland, and many other clergy concelebrating. Bishop Matano was the homilist. Burial was private.
