Bro. John (Tucci) Ventresca, OSFS, (1933-2024)
Bro. Tucci Ventresca, OSFS, 1933-2024
With sadness, but with faith in the Resurrection, we announce that our brother, Bro. John P. Ventresca, OSFS, passed away at the age of 91 on Thursday, July 18, 2024. He entered the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in 1951, made his first profession in 1953, and his final profession as an Oblate brother in 1958. A teacher, printer, and friend, Bro. John was a dedicated Oblate and brother.
Born in Philadelphia, PA on March 28, 1933, to Margaret Carmela (nee Malizzia) and Peter Ventresca, John was affectionately known as “Tucci.” He attended Holy Rosary Elementary School and graduated in 1947. He went on to Northeast Catholic High School and graduated with the Class of 1951. On January 25th of that same year, when he was 17 years old, John sent a letter to the Provincial in which he wrote, “I have chosen to be an Oblate teacher. The reason why I have picked this profession is that it has been on my mind since I was about 8 or 9 years old and I would like to see it fulfilled.” John became a postulant in 1951 and joined the Oblates. He made his first profession of vows in 1953 at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Wilmington, DE, and his perpetual profession to become an Oblate brother at Northeast Catholic on January 26, 1958.
Tucci dedicated his first two decades as an Oblate caring for DeChantal Hall, the Oblate Scholasticate in Lewiston, NY. He managed the grounds and the printing processes until 1976 when he began ministry at DeSales High School in Lockport, NY. In 1975, Bro. John moved to Southgate, MI, to manage printing services and mail at Aquinas High School until 1981. He served in the library and print room at Judge Memorial High School in Salt Lake City, UT, from 1981 to 1992. While there, Tucci celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales.
Bro. Tucci loved to find books at used bookstores and flea markets and was fascinated by the printing process, a skill he learned as a child. In “Booktalk,” a newsletter published by Sam Weller’s Zion Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Bro. Tucci wrote, “My dad came from Italy, and even though he was a barber most of his life, he started printing on the side. We had a sign outside the house that read ‘Classic Printing.’ Before my teens, I was setting type…I acquired a love of classical music as a young boy and I became hooked on used bookstores…As the years went by I developed some health concerns which forced me to leave the school (Judge Memorial). Mr. Weller offered me a job at the store until I regained my strength. . . I worked at the store for fourteen years.”
In 2009 Bro. Tucci returned to the East Coast and supported DeSales Resources & Ministries in Stella Niagara, NY. He dedicated much time to Embraced by God, an online bookstore selling Salesian Resources for joyful living inspired by Saints Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal. He could often be found sorting and cataloging books and other resources.
When Bro. Tucci was 56 years old, he wrote: “I see retirement as a time to slow down; it is not a time of stoppage.” He demonstrated this philosophy as he ministered well into his 80s and continued to enjoy walking, cultural experiences, and the symphony. In the last years of his life, Tucci lived at the Oblate Assisted Care Facility at Childs, MD. On the day of his passing, the nursing staff woke Bro. Tucci in the morning. He opened his eyes and then closed them as he peacefully went on to our Lord.
Oh Lord of the gentle Oblate heart, welcome our brother Tucci into your arms. When he opens his eyes again, let him see your face. We give thanks that God placed Bro. John (Tucci) Ventresca into our world and our lives, and pray that the angels will lead him into eternal life. He is survived by his Oblate community, his sister Mary Grispon, former students, and friends.
Arrangements:
The visitation for Bro. John (Tucci) Ventresca, OSFS, will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 25 at the Community Chapel of Annecy Hall at Childs, MD. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00 AM with Rev. Steward Lindsay, OSFS, presiding. Burial will follow in the Oblate Cemetery at Childs.
Condolences can be sent to Bro. Tucci’s sister:
Mrs. Mary Grispon
13216 Woodbrooke Lane
St. Louis, MO 63146