Father Ralph Anthony DiOrio Jr., 94, referred to as the “healing priest” and founder and director of the Apostolate of Divine Mercy and Healing, passed away on Monday, Jan 20 at Life Care Center of Auburn.
He was a priest for 68 years and was faithfully committed to celebrating Mass daily and teaching about Jesus with the ultimate goal of saving souls.
Father DiOrio will be remembered for his love of God and for how deeply he cared for all people, his holistic healing ministry and for the good he did during his lifetime. Father DiOrio, a noted evangelist and philanthropist, strived to bring faith, hope, love and purpose to all whom he met.
Father DiOrio was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on July 19, 1930. He was one of three children of the late Ralph Anthony DiOrio, Sr., and Ismalia “Mollie” (Pazienza) DiOrio. His closest relatives include his sister, Jude Ann DiOrio, a brother Louis DiOrio and his wife Mary, along with many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and an abundance of other relatives and friends throughout the world.
At age 15, Father DiOrio entered the minor seminary of the Missionary Fathers of St. Charles in Chicago, Illinois. In 1949 he entered the Immaculate Conception Novitiate in Staten Island, New York, and professed his first religious vows on Oct. 7, 1950.
Father DiOrio received a bachelor’s degree from St. Charles Seminary, and continued on to the Sacred Heart Seminary in Melrose Park, Illinois, where he completed four years of Sacred Theology.
He was ordained a Missionary Father of St. Charles by Bishop Raymond Hillinger on June 1, 1957, in Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, and served in parishes in Illinois, Ontario, Canada, Ohio and New York.
In 1961, he was given the job of assistant master of novices at the Immaculate Conception Novitiate, located in Cornwell, New York, where he taught at nearby West Point Army Academy.
He came to the Diocese of Worcester on March 29, 1968 and served as associate pastor at the parishes of St. Anna, Leominster; Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Ann, Worcester; Our Lady of Loreto, Worcester; St. Bernard, Fitchburg, and St. John, Worcester.
In 1972, Father DiOrio received a master’s degree in education and psychology from Fitchburg State College, along with supplemental training in social work psychology. He furthered his studies at the University of Ponce in Puerto Rico and at Worcester State University.
After his incardination as a diocesan priest in 1973 he was named associate director of the diocesan Spanish-speaking apostolate.
On Mother’s Day 1976, Father DiOrio was blessed with the gift of healing. After a period of discernment, he established and directed the Apostolate of Divine Mercy and Healing, a non-profit charitable organization which continued for over 40 years.
The highlights of Father DiOrio’s career are numerous. They include one memorable open-air service in India, where 250,000 were in attendance. Other services took him to Mexico, most of North America, Europe, India, the West Indes, the Leper Colony in Molokai, Hawaii, and the Pacific. He also drew large crowds to the Worcester Memorial Auditorium, Madison Square Garden, Carnagie Hall and Las Vegas. His philanthropic endeavors helped build a Children’s Hospital in Alleppey, India and a chapel for the nuns in St. Lucia. He was fortunate to have had five encounters with St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Kolkata.
Father DiOrio’s holistic ministry of healing has been recognized and promulgated throughout the world. Stories about his ministry have appeared in newspapers and magazines, on radio and on national television. He was also an author of 11 books, numerous pamphlets, and had an extensive media ministry and website. Father DiOrio initiated a local Italian radio program called “The Catholic Hour,” which he designed and directed from 1963 to 1967. In addition to his national and international crusade work, he also held many retreats and seminars.
In 1980 his biography, The Man Beneath the Gift, written with Donald Gropman, was published by William Morrow & Co.
In 1992, Anna Maria College in Paxton, acknowledged him with an honorary doctorate in the humanities. In 1997, he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He also held Massachusetts teaching certificates in Italian, Latin and Spanish.
Because of his religious and humanitarian work, he received numerous honors and awards.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Father DiOrio’s memory to the Priest Retirement Fund, c/o Diocese of Worcester, 49 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609 or the non-profit foundation, the Father Ralph A. DiOrio, Jr. Foundation, Inc., c/o Debra Seaman, 263 South Street, Auburn, MA 01501.
Visitation will be at St. Joseph Church, 10 H. Putnam Road Ext., Charlton from 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 with a vigil service at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated by Bishop McManus on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 11 a.m. in the church. A private burial will follow. Britton Funeral Homes, Inc. is conducting arrangements. To leave a note of condolence or to share a memory, visit brittonfuneralhomes.com.