Rome,Italy
October 8, 2008

+Father Santino Raponi, C.Ss.R., 1920 - 2008

On Wednesday morning at dawn, Fr. Santino Raponi of the Province of Rome, a legendary Redemptorist and one of the authors of our current Constitutions and Statues, died in the Redemptorist community of Frosinone. A few days ago, Father General, Joseph W. Tobin, visited Father Raponi at his bedside and brought him his blessing and comfort as well as the whole Congregation’s in view of his imminent passing.

Father Orlandi of the Historical Institute provides this following short biography:

Fr. Raponi was born in Monte San Giovanni Campano, Italy on July 25, 1920. He took his vows as a Redemptorist on September 29, 1938. He was ordained a priest on March 17, 1945.

He obtained his License in theology from the Angelicum (Rome) in 1948 and a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture in 1951 from the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), and a diploma in Liturgy in 1965.

He was a professor of Sacred Scripture and Patrology at the Redemptorist seminary at Cortona from 1950 to 1967 and at the Alphonsianum from 1971 to 1995, and at the Teresianum (Rome) from 1981 to 1995. He was a prolific writer, contributing many articles to Spicelegium and authored scholarly books on Redemptorist life and spirituality.

In the XVII General Chapter of 1967 he was elected Consultor General and in that chapter and in that capacity made a lasting contribution to the revision of our Constitutions and Statutes that are in force today.

On the occastion of Father Rapone’s 70th anniversary of profession on September 29th  of this year, Father Gianni Congiu, Provincial Superior of the Rome Province, honored Father Raponi in a letter, which stated:

“This propitious occasion gives us an opportunity to thank you for everything you have done for the Congregation to which you have given your life and all your strength, and to the Province of Rome that you have served with great love. I thank you especially for the service you made with your commitment to the revision of our Constitutions, contributing greatly to this essential tool for our Redemptorist lives. We thank you also for your studies and your writings with which you continue your valuable contributions to the confreres.

But above all, I want to thank you for the witness of your Redemptorist life, a Redemptorist life as solid and as brilliant as a diamond, and for giving us the example of your Redemptorist missionary life witnessed by your simplicity, your friendliness, your serenity, your availability, your kindness ... all married to an intense life of prayer and proclamation of plentiful Redemption.”  

The funeral of Fr Rapone is being held in Frosinone Thursday, October 9th.  May he rest in peace.