Rev. Francis "Fritz" J. Cerullo

   Rev. Fritz J. Cerullo, O.S.A, 80, an Augustinian Priest, passed away Monday afternoon at Providence Place, Pottsville.

   Born in Minersville, he was the son of the late Anthony and Elizabeth Brennan Cerullo.

    He was a member of The Order of St. Augustine, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova. He was ordained to the Priesthood on August 28, 1971 in St. Denis Chapel, Havertown, Pa. by the Most Rev. Peter Van Diepen, OSA, Bishop of Manokwari, Indonesia. He was a 1958 graduate of Nativity BVM High School, Brown prep, Philadelphia, received his B.A.  from Villanova University and his M.A. from the Washington Theological Union, Silver Springs, MD. He also did graduate studies at Temple University, Philadelphia.

    From 1971 to 1978, he served at St. Rita’s Parish, Philadelphia. In 1979 he was transferred to Massachusetts and spent the next 30 years in a variety of assignments in the New England Area to include the Development Council of the New England Region, Merrimack College, North Andover, Ma. Priestly Ministries in the Manchester Diocese to include being Pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Dover, N.H.. In 2012 to 2015 he served St. Augustine Parish, Troy, N.Y. In 2015 through 2019 he was assigned to the Villanova Monastery. In retirement he lived in Florida with his brother Jim from July through December 2019. In January of 2020 he returned to his roots and moved to Providence Place, Pottsville  

    In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother Joseph Cerullo; aunts Anna Ofsharick, Mary Brennan Dean and Emma Cerullo, Eleanor Brennan, Peggy Cerullo; uncles Thomas Brennan and William Cerullo Sr., George Dean and Andrew Ofsharick; cousins William Cerullo Jr., Betty Dean Renninger, Patricia Brennan Piccioni, Mary Roshanon and a sister-in- law, Nancy Cerullo.

     He survived by a brother Jim Cerullo, Boynton Beach, Fla.; a sister Theresa Cerullo Dean Grigalonis and her husband Frank, Minersville; nephews Dr. James Cerullo, Florida and Mike Grigalonis, Cressona; a niece Denice Maurer and her husband Doug; great niece Rachel Anna Maurer and great nephew James Andrew Maurer; his “second family” Anthony Cerullo and his wife

Cindy, Allen Cerullo and his wife Mary Margaret Citron and her husband Nester and Kathy Frick and her husband Mike; cousins Diane Brennan Warner and her husband John, Jessica Harris and her husband Robert, Beth Cerullo and Mary Jo Cerullo and Attorney Martin Cerullo and his wife Linda.  

    Mass of Christian Burial will be con-celebrated at 11 AM Saturday at St. Michael the Archangel Church of Holy Family Parish, 539 Sunbury St., Minersville. Rev.Michael Digregorio, O.S.A, Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas will officiate.  Relatives and friends can call at the Church on Saturday Morning from 9 AM to 10:45 AM. Family and friends are asked to follow CDC guidelines relative to masks and social distancing. Interment will be in the Augustinian Plot of Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, Pa. In Lieu of Flowers the family would prefer remembrances of Fr. Fritz in the form of contributions to the Order of St. Augustine, 214 Ashwood Rd., Villanova, Pa. 19085 or to your favorite charity. Contributions will also be accepted at the Funeral Home. Arrangements are by the Donald J. Butler Funeral Home, Minersville, Pa.  To offer condolences to the family or to light a candle in Father’s memory, visit us at www.donaldjbutlerfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. Francis "Fritz" J. Cerullo, please visit our floral store.