Father Christopher Berlo, C.P., St. Paul of the Cross Province (1902-1979)

Born December 27, 1902 in Roxbury, Massachusetts he was educated in Boston schools and went to the Passionist Preparatory Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. He professed his vows on September 20, 1921 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was sent on to Germany to continue his studies and was ordained on August 15, 1927 in Austria. He remained there were he renovated a two hundred year old church and monastery. He designed and built a new Passionist monastery in Schwarzenfeld in Palatinate, Germany and was elected the first superior. He was a preacher of missions and retreats in Germany. He published a book on Latin Liturgical Chant which was presented to Pope Pius XI. In May 1943 he became a military chaplain. He was captain and served in the South Pacific with the United States infantry. He retired from the Army in 1958 and was construction engineer at the Passionist monasteries in North Palm Beach, Florida; Riverdale, New York; and Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. His last project was supervisor of construction for the convent and retreat house of the Passionist Nuns, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Stationed in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he assisted at the St. Ann’s Novena where he handled the public address system and music. He died at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.