September 1
John E. Rotelle, O.S.A.
  1939-2002

September 1 is the anniversary of John E. Rotelle.

John Edward Rotelle, son of Mariano Rotelle and Esther Veneziale, was born on January 18, 1939, in Ambler, Pa. John was baptized in Saint Joseph Church in Amber, and received his early education at Saint Joseph parochial school. In 1956, he graduated from Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern, Pennsylvania, and entered the Novitiate at New Hamburg, N.Y. John professed first vows on September 10, 1957 and solemn vows on September 10, 1960. In 1961, he graduated from Villanova University with the BA in philosophy, and continued his studies at the Augustinian International College of St. Monica in Rome where he was ordained to the priesthood on February 20, 1965. The following year he obtained the STL from the Gregorian University. Father Rotelle continued his studies in liturgy at Instituto San Anselmo in Rome.

While a student in Rome, during the Second Vatican Council and later, John was involved with the Church’s liturgical reform, which included the translation of texts for the Sacramentary and the Liturgy of the Hours, and worked on the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). For the rest of his life John continued working in those areas, by translating and publishing texts from the Church Fathers, especially Saint Augustine, and the writers who are a part of the Augustinian heritage. In 1969, Father Rotelle became director of students at the International College of Saint Monica. In 1970, he became Director of Students at Augustinian College, Washington, DC, until 1974. In 1977 he took up residence at Austin Friars Hall, in Washington, DC., where he served as second counselor and Sacristan until 1982. Then, in 1982, because of his literary skills, he became Director of Communications and lived at the Augustinian Community in Overbrook, Pa. The following year he moved to Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova, Pa., where he lived from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, he took up residence at Saint John Stone Friary, Villanova, Pa., continued as Director of Communication and became the Director of the Augustinian Press, Spiritual Director of the Augustinian Seculars, and from 1994 until his death in 2002, Father Rotelle was secretary to the provincial.

A significant trait possessed by Father Rotelle was his quiet approach to fulfilling his personal mission as priest, religious, editor of the works of the Church Fathers, Spiritual Director, and Director of communication. He became part of the international network of translators and publishers and introduced the spiritual insights of the early Church writers to a worldwide audience. Though his energies were focused on church related publications, Father John had a strong desire to serve in the Peruvian Missions and in higher education. He was proficient in Italian, French, German, Spanish and a reading ability of Dutch. His choice to continue with literary works was based upon the needs of the Province.

After Father John died on September 1, 2002, his wishes were met, having requested that “my funeral Mass be at Saint Thomas Church (on campus), the place where I made my solemn profession in the Augustinian way of life. I also request that my burial take place in my family plot. Thank you. I look forward to meeting Augustine.”

Mass of Christian Burial, celebrated on September 4, 2002, was followed by the interment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania.

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Reflection by Michael T. Dolan:

A lover of words, and a lover of the Word –
Preserving both so that the words – and the Word – may live.

A lover of Augustine, and a lover of the Augustinians –
 Historical or contemporary, traveling together on the same spiritual journey.

A lover of roots, both in the garden and in family history –
Creating color in God’s garden, and tending to the family tree.

A lover of community, be it one of brothers, family or faith –
As cook and as priest, the table was one surrounded by love.

Picture a table in the sky. Gathered around the table are Christ, Augustine, Possidius, and a handful of friars throughout history. Monica and Rita are chatting away with John’s mother Esther. They are all sharing stories, laughing and eating. John is there too, only he is serving those at the table, a gentle smile on his face. John lived his life on earth in very much the same way I’m sure he’s living it now. A community of friends, at the table of the Lord.

Anonymous Reflection:

TO JOHN ROTELLE IN MEMORIAM
in grateful remembrance of his work as Executive Secretary of the
International Committee on English in the Liturgy

Full Pentecost we’ve not yet reached,
our sad earth's Babel not yet healed,
but in the inklings of God's grace
that tickle our too sodden world
some rare, precious times, we feel the
gentle breeze, the hovering wings, a
bright uplifting Dove who gives us
breath and warms the coldness of our
speechful isolation. It is
not now the Parthians, the Medes, and
Elamites, or Cappadocia, nor
visitors from Rome who hear our
speech – a roll called round the earth and
more, of every tribe and nation,
hundred forty-four thousand far
surpassed. But now in our own speech
we soothe Babel's splitting scar
in prayer and worship's noble words:
Antilles and Antipodes,
and tiny island nations far
out across earth's seas, the stretches
wide and long of Canada and
the kaleidoscope of India,
Australia, our own fifty lands,
an empire's will and testament,
a rare good legacy: one speech
to praise God’s wonders in our
many-rhythmed, rich, lilted tongue.

More than many labored, composed,
and set anew an ancient Rite
that we might know the words we say
to One who knows and is all Word.
And one there was who shepherded
that world-wide gaggle of united
speech, who gathered to completion
a near unwieldy work of prayer
and set in motion countless wheels
of meeting, reading, and again
reshaping, voting, all before
other little wheels of printing
could give us in our hand a book
worthy of its noble role and
faithful to our unity of prayer.

More lasting than all bronze, treasured
and sacred wealth of godly word
that salts the whole earth round with a
verbal monument alive in year's
high feast and weekly, daily prayer –
this you erected, though no page
in all these books acknowledges
by name your quiet, noble work
or all the little wheels you set
to spin and weave our English prayer.
But each prayer in our Alban tongue
holds now your name in God's own mind
and reminds what thanks we owe you.
With sorrow, prayer, with gratitude –
   Vale, John – av' atque vale.

“Little Wheels”

Rotelle in Italian means “little wheels.” There is a saying …mancano le rotelle… “his little wheels are missing,” which means he is a little crazy. John would introduce himself sometimes to the many Roman officials he met with in his work with ICEL, saying, “Mi chiamo Rotelle… ma non mi mancano” – My name is Rotelle, but I’m not missing any.”