In Memoriam | Brother Richard Mazza, C.F.X. (Brother Saverio) 1943-2026

“Our lives belong not just to us but also to others. Likewise, our deaths do not belong only to us, but also to our families, our loved ones, and the world. We are meant to give both our lives and our deaths to others as gifts.” — Fr. Ron Rolheiser, Our Best Farewell

Brother Richard Mazza understood this truth in a quiet and natural way. He lived his life as a gift, and in the end he gave his death as a gift as well. Today we thank God for the blessing of his life — a life that touched his family, his fellow Xaverian Brothers, and the many friends, students, and colleagues who knew him. His gifts were gentle, faithful, and deeply human.

Richard was born on April 29, 1943, in Utica, New York, to Saverio and Marie Mazza. He was one of three children and was predeceased by his loving parents and his cherished sisters, Elaine and Marie. He is survived by his nieces and nephews — Donna, Carolyn, Kevin, Johnny, Annie, Julie, and Tony — and by his childhood friend Al Gazilli, who was like a brother to him.

Richard’s family came to the United States from Calabria in southern Italy. That heritage shaped him deeply. Loyalty to family and friends was natural to him. Love was shown through presence — being there for birthdays, funerals, feast days, and times of illness. The family home and the parish church were the center of life. Sharing a meal was never just a meal; it was an expression of love. Those same values stayed with Richard for the rest of his life

Richard first met the Xaverian Brothers while he was a student at Notre Dame High School in Utica. He felt called to follow Christ and to share God’s love through his life and ministry. He entered St. Joseph’s Novitiate in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts, on July 8, 1961. On September 8 of that same year, he received the religious habit and the name Saverio, Italian for Xavier. When he professed his vows, he committed his life to self-giving love and to serving others wherever the mission would lead him. Like most religious, he probably did not realize at the time that he was also committing to give away his death one day — but in the end, he did exactly that.

Richard continued his religious and professional formation at Xaverian College in Silver Spring, Maryland, and at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a BA in French in 1967. In 1968 he earned an MA in French at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1982 he completed a Master’s degree in Spirituality at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

Richard served the Church through Catholic education in several Xaverian schools: St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Massachusetts; St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Massachusetts; and Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Chinguri, Bolivia. He was a very effective and joyful teacher. Whether he was speaking English, French, or Spanish, his students felt accepted and encouraged. He made people feel that they belonged, and that gift stayed with them.

Richard also served the Congregation in the ministry of formation and in leadership. He worked as a formator for the St. Joseph Province and as Director of Initial Formation in Likasi, DR Congo in the 1990’s and later returning in 2008 to serve as Novice Master in Lubumbashi. He served on the General Administration as a Councilor and as a member of the Pastoral Care Team. He also served as an Associate Member of the Leadership Team for Xaverian Sponsored Schools. He gave himself quietly and faithfully wherever he was needed.

The purpose of this In Memoriam is not only to remember what Richard did, but to give thanks for who he was. Many Brothers and friends say the same things when they speak about him: his joy, his ability to listen, his humor, and his kindness. He had a way of being present to people that gave them hope and the feeling he cared for them. He supported others without judging them. Personally, I always looked forward to being with Richard. Our conversations were full of energy and laughter—life-giving. Richard also could be hardheaded testa dura especially about things that mattered to him. He was always outgoing — a true extrovert. We used to joke that he could walk into a meeting room of one hundred teachers or administrators, and, within half an hour, he would know everyone’s name. By the end of the meeting, he would already have lunch plans for the next six months.

A close friend once shared something Richard told him: “My vocation is all about fidelity — fidelity to God above all, but also to my Brothers.” The joy and loyalty we experienced in Richard came from his deep love for God and for his Brothers. As Pope Francis once said, God calls us to joy. Our lives and our presence in this world are the fruit of a divine vocation. Richard believed that with all his heart. He embodied the joy of which Pope Francis talked.

Richard also gave us one final gift — his death. In a very quiet way, especially for the Brothers at Xaverian House, he showed us how to trust God completely. His death was not without pain. For me it was painful to see how frail he had become, yet each day in chapel it was deeply moving to see his fidelity to God and his Brothers as he quietly prepared his breviary for prayer or sat in silence with his eyes closed praying or greeted us with a smile in the dining room.. Richard’s joy was also a gift in his dying. His warm “Buongiorno, fratello mio” for me was always uplifting. Our communicating with Italian hand gestures, always evoked laughter. Richard taught us that accepting physical diminishment can free the human spirit from fear and suffering.

For Fr. Rolheiser, giving others our death means living and dying in such a peaceful and grateful way that what we leave behind becomes a final gift to those who loved us. Today we thank Richard for his final gift. We believe he is with us in a new way, and that his spirit continues to encourage us.

Richard, thank you for the lessons you gave us., our brother. Rest in the peace of Christ.

O Lord, I cannot understand your ways, but I must adore them. (FP)

Prepared by Brother Edward Driscoll, CFX