St Josephs Preparatory Seminary - Yearbook (Holy Trinity, AL)

Page 16 text:

In Memoriam athef Alphonsus Benson, M.S.Ss.T., S.T.D., S.S.L., died in Win- chester, Virginia, on August Ist, after a painful illness of more than a year. He had been professor of Sacred Scripture at nearby Holy Tri- nity Mission Seminary. Born in Albany, New York, on February 20, l9l8, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Benson he received his early education at the Vincentian lnstiture in Albany. 0nSeptember 8, I935, he made his first vows as a Missionary Servant of the Most Holy Trinity. His trainingfor the priesthood took place in Alabama, at St. Joseph's Preparatory Sem- inary, and at Washington, D.C. where he attended classes at the Cath- olic University of America and the Carmelite College. Ordained on May I8, I944,he offered his first Solemn Mass in his home parish, St. Vin- cent de Paul, on May 2Ist. After ordination Father Alphonsus studied Sacred Scripture at the Catholic University of America and at the Biblical Institute in Rome. He received his licentiate degree in that science in I950. From then until his death he was occupied with teaching at the Missionary Ser- vants' seminaries, first at Silver Spring, Maryland, and later at Win- chester. ln recent years he had been the Survey of Periodicals Editor for The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, published by the Catholic Bib- lical Association of America in Washington, D.C. Recently Father Alphonsus visited the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Healso revisited the scenes of his biblical studies in Rome and Egypt. It was after an excursion to Mount Sinai that he was forced to return to the United States. He entered Winchester Memorial Hos- pital because of cancer early in July of l958. A solemn requiem Mass was offered for Father Alphonsus at Sacred Heart Church, Winchester, on August Uth. His body was placed in the Missionary Servants' Cemetery, at Holy Trinity, Alabama. Father Alphonsus' death was in full keeping with his priestly life. His last words were Not my will but Thine.

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X V! H X ll This love, this knowledge of God was the same incentive that moved Father Thomas Augustine Judge, the founder of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, to give his life in the establishment of the Community. They humbly perform their offices fo priests and brothers In imitation of their saintly founder's life. The life of a Missionary Servant priest is that of catechizing, preaching, andoffering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and bringing spiritual solace to bereft souls, The priest's silent aid, the Missionary Servant Brother, performs his duties offarming, clerical work, and youth organization. All this gen- eratesfrom the love of the Triune Gom alove for propagating thetruths of the Faith which He has given us. Therefore, wehumbly dedicate this year's Spes Gregis to theMission- ary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, who in the short span of thirty years, have risen to great heights inbringing the Catholic Faith tothe regions of our nation which lack it most.

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Father Alphonsus Benson, M.S.Ss.T. 0 God, whom amongst Thy Apostolic prsests didst adorn Thy servant Alphonsus with the pruestly dlgnlty, grant, we beseech Thee, that he may also be associated with them In everlasting fellowship. Amen.