Guglielmo S. Repetti, O.S.A.

1872 – 1899 (August 2)

Guglielmo Serafino Repetti was born on August 15, 1872, in Cabella Ligure, Genoa. His father died when he was three years old and he and his five sisters were raised by their mother alone. At the age of 13 he entered the minor seminary of the Order at Borgo a Buggiano, Italy. Having made his novitiate at Carpineto Romano, he professed vows as a member of the Ligurian Province of the Order, and solemn vows on August 15, 1892. He studied for a time at the Collegio Santa Monica in Rome, but later, because of poor health, had to return to Tuscany to complete his work. He was ordained priest on Holy Saturday, March 30, 1895.

Father Repetti was assigned first as assistant pastor at the Church of La Consolazione in Genoa, and then was sent to Savona, and afterwards to Celle Ligure. Together with Father Angelo Caruso and Brother Bernardino Falconi he travelled to the United States in January, 1898, to open a new mission in the city of Philadelphia. The three friars lived for a short time in a rented house on 9th Street and then after at 819 Christian Street. Father Repetti purchased and converted the former Saint Paul School into a chapel, and established there the Parish of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Archbishop Ryan granted the parish boundaries on February 1, 1899 and entrusted its care to the Augustinians, naming Father Repetti its first pastor.

Father Repetti was taken seriously ill with typhoid fever and was rushed to Jefferson Hospital where he died on August 2, 1899 at the age of 27. His body was laid to rest in a vault in front of the church where it remained until July 31, 1956 when it was transferred to Saint Mary’s Cemetery, East Vineland, New Jersey.