Services for Msgr. Francis B. Pellegrino

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Msgr. Francis B. Pellegrino

Services for Msgr. Francis B. Pellegrino Monsignor Francis B. Pellegrino died peacefully June 11 at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, Calif. His good friend Father Thomas A. Bland, pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Carmichael, had administered Holy Viaticum and the final rites of the Church and was in attendance, along with Msgr. Pellegrino’s remaining family. 

Msgr. Pellegrino had been living in Carmichael since his retirement from active ministry in 2003. Msgr. Pellegrino faithfully served the Diocese of Salt Lake City for 51 years, and on May 13 celebrated the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Francis Benjamin Pellegrino was born in Helper, Utah on Feb. 18, 1927, the son of John Pellegrino and Josephine A. Migliaccio. He attended Notre Dame School in Price from 1932 to 1940 and Carbon High School from 1940 to 1942. He attended St. Joseph’s Seminary in Mountain View, Calif. from 1942 to 1946, and theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, Calif. from 1946 to 1951. He was ordained at the Cathedral of the Madeleine by Bishop Duane G. Hunt on May 13, 1951, for the Diocese of Salt Lake City. He served as assistant pastor from 1951 to 1956 in Cedar City, Tooele, Bingham and Price.

As pastor, he served at St. Helen Parish in Roosevelt (1956-1963), Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City (1963-1977), Saint Anthony Parish in Helper (1977-1985), and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Magna (1985-1990). On June 28, 2001 he was invested as a Prelate of Honor, with the title of monsignor, by Bishop George H. Niederauer at the Cathedral of the Madeline. In 1991-92, he served as temporary administrator at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sandy, and in 1992 at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale. He then served as pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City from 1992 to 2003, from which assignment he retired on Aug. 1, 2003. 

As stipulated in Msgr. Pellegrino’s burial instructions, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Parish with Fr. Bland as the main celebrant and homilist, on Friday, June 17, at 10 a.m. The Most Rev. Jaime Soto, Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, and the Most Rev. William K. Weigand, Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento, plan to attend. Monsignor Rudolph Daz, pastor of Saint Olaf Parish, and Father Donald Hope, pastor of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish and administrator for Good Shepherd and Saint Anthony of Padua parishes and San Rafael Mission, will represent the Diocese of Salt Lake City presbyterate at the funeral liturgies in California. Msgr. Pellegrino will be buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Sacramento, Calif.

A Memorial Mass for Msgr. Pellegrino will be celebrated by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, at The Cathedral of the Madeleine on Tuesday, June 21, at the regularly scheduled 8 a.m. Mass. All are invited. Monsignor Robert R. Servatius, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, will be the homilist.