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Monsignor Joseph
M. Susi was born on March 19, 1917 in the city of Newark, Ohio. He
attended both grade and high school in Newark. He worked at a grocery
store for two years before going to St. Joseph College in Rensselaer,
Indiana. After two years at St. Joseph, he went to the Dominican House
of Studies in River Forest, Illinois. He spent five years with the
Dominicans before coming to the Diocese of Alexandria. The Bishop sent
him to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana for two years. When
the Minor Seminary opened in Pineville, Louisiana, he was asked to go
there to finish his studies on the Eucharist and Matrimony, and also to
act as Assistant Prefect of the Seminary.
He was ordained on
June 3, 1950 by Bishop Charles P. Greco. His first assignment was
assistant and administrator at Holy Trinity Church in Shreveport. Then
he was sent to St. Matthew Church in Monroe as assistant. From there he
was made pastor of Christ the King Church in Simmesport, where he stayed
for five years. Next he was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Mansfield for
five years. Finally, for 27 years he served St. Rita Church in
Alexandria as pastor. (He was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity Church in
Shreveport effective February 11, 1974, but it was rescinded February 1,
1974, by Bishop Graves.) He was also official chauffeur for Bishop Greco
from 1966 to 1987. Monsignor was named Chancellor of the diocese after
his retirement in 1991 and remains in that position.
Monsignor Susi was
made a Papal Chamberlain on May 20, 1972, and a Prelate of His Holiness
on November 29, 1978.
He held many
offices: Chairman of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission 1972-81,
Chairman of the Diocesan Music Commission 1978-80, Director of the
Eucharistic League for Priests since 1966, Vicar for Religious 1966-81,
Secretary and member of the Priests Senate 1969-71, 1973-75, 1976-78,
and 1991-present, State Father Prior for the Columbian Squires 1954-55,
Deanery Spiritual Moderator of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women in
1970, Board of Directors for Alexandria Girl Scouts 1972-75, Diocesan
Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus 1986-present, Priests Retirement
Board 1990-present, Spiritual Director of the Marian Society of
Dominican Catechists in 1990, Diocesan Chaplain of the Catholic
Daughters of the Americas 1986-present. And he served as Diocesan Vicar
for Religious, Chaplain for the 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus
in several places where he was stationed, Chaplain for Courts Gibbons
and Bishop Desmond of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Chaplain
for the Amerita and Amicus Clubs, and was the First Chaplain of the new
St. Mary's Training School in Alexandria. In 1999 he was appointed State
Associate Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus. While in Shreveport in
1951, he organized a chapter of the National Conference of Community
Services.
Monsignor Susi
became a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre in 1994. He was chosen for the
American Catholic Who's Who Bicentennial 1976, Who's Who in Religion
1976-77, Men of Achievement of Cambridge, England 1977. In 1983, Supreme
Knight Virgil C. Dechant of the Knights of Columbus, appointed him a
companion of the Supreme Chaplain, Bishop Greco, for several years until
his death, as such he attended all the Board meetings and audiences with
the Holy Father in Rome. He was a guest of Archbishop Favalora in Rome
when he received his Pallium in 1995.
He built Dube
Hall, the Monsignor Susi gymnasium, and renovated the entire St. Rita
plant.
Monsignor Susi
received the first Diocese of Alexandria St. Vincent de Paul
Humanitarian Award on August 29, 1998. He received a plaque from The
Association of Notre Dame Seminary Alumni for his 50th
anniversary of ordination to the Holy Priesthood dated January 21, 2000.
Monsignor Susi was
conferred the rank and dignity of Knight Commander of the Order of the
Fleur de Lis on August 11, 2001 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Monsignor has one
brother, Bernard Susi, of
Newark, Ohio, and two
sisters, Solina (Susi) Plummer, and Nellie (Susi) Lewis, also of Newark,
Ohio. A sister, Ann (Susi) Baldwin precedes him in death.
He celebrated 50 years
in the priesthood on June 3, 2000, with a Mass of Thanksgiving in St.
Francis Xavier Cathedral. |
