Born Martin Dusch on March 1, 1859 in Rochester, New York, he went for a year at St. Bernard’s Seminary, Rochester and a year at the Redemptorist College, Ilchester, Maryland. He then applied to the Passionists and professed his vows on December 22, 1878. After that he was afflicted with headaches that he endured all his life. He was ordained on April 27, 1884 and was an assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish, Baltimore, Maryland where he helped a great many poor. He was then sent to St. Michael’s Parish, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for three years. He was then sent to Mexico for three years where he mastered Spanish and preached to the native Indians by often taking trips on horse back. When he returned to the United States he lived at Normandy, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; and St. Paul, Kansas and for six years was a preacher of parish missions where he was in demand because he could speak German. In 1901 he was pastor of Immaculata, Cincinnati, Ohio. He then was sent to St. Joseph’s Parish, West Hoboken, New Jersey when the Passionists took over that parish. When he arrived the conditions were deplorable, the parish was almost bankrupt, and the faithful skeptical of the future. He built a secure economic and devotional base through constant work with the people. An important sign of unity was “The Passion Play” which he wrote a short time after leaving St. Joseph’s. In all he was there only three years. He then went on for twenty-four years in Pittsburgh. He cared for the Passionist Nuns who arrived in 1910 and lived across from St. Michael’s rectory where Father Dusch was residing. He served as their chaplain for ten years. In 1920 he began as a hospital chaplain at Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh.