Francis Joseph Parater (October 10, 1897 – February 7, 1920) was an American Catholic

seminarian A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

from the

Diocese of Richmond The Diocese of Richmond ( la, Diœcesis Richmondiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 22 during his theological studies in Rome. He was nominated for canonization, the process by which one is declared a saint, in 2001.

Life

Frank Parater was born on October 10, 1897 to a Catholic family in Richmond, Virginia, the son of Captain Francis J. Parater, Sr. and his second wife, Mary Richmond. While growing up, he served as an altar boy, and attended the Xaverian Brothers' School (subsequently called Saint Patrick's School) and Benedictine High School (subsequently called

Benedictine College Preparatory Benedictine College Preparatory is a private Roman Catholic military high school in Goochland, Virginia. It is owned and operated by the Benedictine Society of Virginia, part of the American-Cassinese Congregation. Benedictine offers educatio ...

) in Richmond. In 1917, he graduated as the valedictorian of his class. Parater was active in scouting, and achieved the rank of

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle S ...

. Parater decided to pursue a vocation to the priesthood after high school and began college at Belmont Abbey Seminary in 1917. As a seminarian, he was noted for his dedication to prayer and his intellectual and physical abilities. In 1919, his bishop, Denis J. O'Connell, sent him to study theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He officially began his studies there on November 25, 1919. In January 1920, Parater became very ill with rheumatic fever. He received

last rites The last rites, also known as the Commendation of the Dying, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of Christian faith, when possible, shortly before death. They may be administered to those awaiting execution, mortall ...

and died on February 7. After his death, his "Act of Oblation," a sort of prayer and spiritual testament he had written, was discovered. Two popes have asked for copies of it, and it has been published in English and in the ''

L'Osservatore Romano ''L'Osservatore Romano'' (, 'The Roman Observer') is the daily newspaper of Vatican City State which reports on the activities of the Holy See and events taking place in the Catholic Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not ...

'' in Italian. His body is interred in the mausoleum of the North American College in Rome's

Campo Verano The Campo Verano (Italian: ''Cimitero del Verano'') is a cemetery in Rome, Italy, founded in the early 19th century. The monumental cemetery is currently divided into sections: the Jewish cemetery, the Catholic cemetery, and the monument to the ...

cemetery.

Cause for canonization

The ' of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

to begin the cause for Frank Parater's canonization was granted on May 8, 2001. The bishop of Richmond at the time, Walter F. Sullivan, established the tribunal on March 24, 2002. The postulator of the cause is Rev. J. Scott Duarte, J.C.D.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parater, Francis J. 1897 births 1920 deaths American Servants of God Pontifical North American College 20th-century venerated Christians Religious leaders from Richmond, Virginia Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond Religious leaders from Virginia Catholics from Virginia

Life

Cause for canonization

See also

References