1966 – 2018 (September 27)
Michael Ralph Scuderi was born on October 6, 1966, in Darby, Pennsylvania, the older of two sons and one daughter of Samuel F. Scuderi and Carmel Ann Brescia. He was baptized at Saint Charles Borromeo Church, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, on October 30, 1966 and attended Evans Elementary School, Yeadon, Pa., Yeadon Junior High School and Haverford High School. He studied at Villanova University from 1985-1989 where he earned a degree in Commerce and Finance, specializing in Marketing. During that time, he worked, first as manager at a pizzeria, then in the accounting department of a medical systems company in Malvern, Pa., and finally for Mercy Health Systems in Darby, Pa.
Michael entered the pre-novitiate program of the Province at Augustinian College, Washington, D.C. where he began studies at the Washington Theological Union. He was received into the Order as a novice on August 15th, 2002, in Racine, Wisconsin. After completing his novitiate year, he professed simple vows on August 10, 2003 at Saint Thomas of Villanova Church, Villanova.
Following profession, he continued his theological studies in Washington until 2007. He professed solemn vows on October 4th of that year, and completed his MDiv degree in Chicago, Illinois, at Chicago Theological Union. He was ordained to the priesthood on October 24, 2009, at Saint Rita of Cascia Shrine, Philadelphia, by Bishop Louis De Simone, an Affiliate of the Order and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Father Scuderi was assigned in April of 2009 as parochial vicar at Saint Rita of Cascia Parish and Shrine and was appointed treasurer of the local community. Due to health concerns, he was transferred to Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery, Villanova, on August 1, 2015. While there, he continued his priestly ministry with the Handicapped Encounter Christ Group (HEC), assisting in vocational ministry and celebrating Mass at the Holy Child Convent for retired and infirm Sisters of the Holy Child.
For almost the entirety of his life, Father Michael suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and was in constant pain. Possessed of a strong will, much patience and a strong religious attitude, he nonetheless strove to live and to minister with a positive spirit and good humor and in this way was a source of encouragement to many others.
Following innumerable hospitalizations, procedures and operations, Father Michael passed over to the Lord in the early hours of September 27, 2018 at Bryn Mawr Hospital, surrounded by his parents and siblings. He was 51 years old and had been a professed religious for fifteen years and a priest for eight. He was survived by his parents, a brother and a sister and many nieces and nephews.
Father Michael’s Funeral Mass was celebrated on Monday evening, October 1, 2019 in Saint Thomas of Villanova Church, Villanova by Father Joseph Farrell, O.S.A., Vicar General, the brother of Father Michael’s brother-in-law. Father Joseph Genito, O.S.A. preached the homily. Burial took place the following morning in the Augustinian Plot of Clavary Cemetery, West Conshohocken.
