Valentino, Francis P. (Father)

Jesuit Father Francis P. Valentino died on May 6, 2017, at Murray-Weigel Hall, in the Bronx, New York. He was born on Feb. 16, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, and went to Brooklyn Prep.

He entered the Society of Jesus at St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, New York, on July 30, 1954.

The standard course led him to Bellarmine College in Plattsbugh, N.Y., then to Shrub Oak, New York, for philosophy. He taught at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City for regency. During his theology studies at Woodstock, Maryland, he was part of a group that visited the Maryland School for Boys every week.

He was ordained on June 13, 1968, in the Fordham University Church. He dedicated ten years to the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., working on his doctorate. He received his doctorate in psychology at the Catholic University of America in 1978 and pronounced his final vows on Feb. 19, 1983. Between 1978 and 1991, he moved about, working as a psychologist, therapist, chaplain, psychology and theology teacher.

He returned to St. Peter’s College to teach philosophy for three years, then interrupted his stay at St. Peter’s for a year at the Josephinum, a Pontifical College in Columbus, Ohio. After two more years at St. Peter’s he moved around spending one or two years in various parishes while teaching occasionally at St. Joseph’s Seminary and serving as a psychotherapist.

He moved to Murray-Weigel in 2009, weakened by illness.