Reverend Joseph S. Thadeu

Pastor Emeritus of St. Thomas Church, Warren

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Reverend Joseph S. Thadeu, 92, Pastor Emeritus of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Warren, died April 5.

Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Antonio and Maria (de Sousa) Thadeu. He attended Oliver Grammar School in Lawrence, the Augustinian Academy on Staten Island, NY, and Our Lady of Providence Seminary College in Warwick Neck. He completed studies for the priesthood at St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, MD, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 31,1947 in the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul, Providence, by Bishop Francis P. Keough.

His first assignment as assistant pastor was at St. Francis Xavier Church, East Providence. In 1949 Father Thadeu was transferred to St. Mary of the Bay Church, Warren, also as assistant pastor.

In 1951 he was appointed administrator of the new St. Thomas the Apostle Church, and became the parish’s first pastor in 1970. Because of ill health, he retired from parish administration in 1981 as Pastor Emeritus and became a resident East Providence. In retirement he wrote an article, “Catholicism in Crisis – A Synthesis.”

Father Thadeu was the brother of the late Albert S. Thadeu and Mary T. Cardoso. He leaves two nieces, Linda Trickett of North Port, Florida and Diane M. Giggey of Coventry, CT.

A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial was offered for the repose of his soul at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on April 12 with Bishop Louis E. Gelineau as the main celebrant and Bishop Francis X. Roque and other priests concelebrating. Rev. John E. Abreu served as homilist. Burial was in Saint Mary of the Bay Cemetery, Warren.