This morning, Fr Joseph Santos, pastor of the church of the Holy Name in Providence, Rhode Island, and long-time celebrant of the regular traditional Masses in that city (my native place), passed away after a long struggle with covid-19. Fr Santos, whose family was Portuguese, was a priest of the archdiocese of Braga; we have shared pictures of the Palm Sunday ceremony at Holy Name, which he would celebrate each year according to the Braga Missal. I would be remiss not to speak of my gratitude to him for his great generosity in the care which he took of my parents when they were dying. My sister said the same to another priest of Providence, and he replied, “There are so many other people who have said that.” Twelve years ago today or tomorrow (memoria fallitur), he gave my father Extreme Unction; shortly thereafter, he left his first-class relic of Padre Pio in the house for my mother, which she found a great comfort in her final illness. Two months later he anointed her, which required racing to the hospital in the deep of a cold night, and later celebrated her funeral Mass. (From this post of 2018, Fr Santos blessing the palms at Holy Name.)
