Reverend Philip Joseph Speranza

Obituary

Reverend Philip Joseph Speranza was born March 19, 1947 at St. Charles Hospital in Aurora, IL, USA. Parents were Mary (Mondello) Speranza (4-5-1921 to 2-14-2017) & Samuel Speranza (1-30-1913 to 5-26-1996).  Philip grew up in Wheaton IL, a western suburb of Chicago, IL.  His mother was born in Chicago and his father was born in Yatesboro, PA, but grew up in Villa Rosa, Enna, Sicily.  His father returned to the US in 1929.  He was drafted into the US Army in 1942 & served in the European theater, liberating the village he grew up in.  Philip worked summers on the Northwestern Railroad (out of Chicago) to help pay for his private high school tuition.  His hobbies, besides books & reading, were old pocket watches and science fiction movies.  Eating Mom's homemade ravioli was his favorite meal. Philip knew from about age 8 that he wanted to be a priest.  He graduated high school from Sacred Heart Missionaries Seminary in Geneva IL. He attended graduate school at Northern IL University in DeKalb, IL.  Philip's interest in Orthodoxy began at an early age - comparative religions is an unusual interest for an 18 yr. old.  Eventually, the draw of Orthodoxy won his heart & soul.  He was ordained an Orthodox priest 1-21-1973 & recently celebrated 46 years as a priest.  He served churches in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) in Ontario & Alberta provinces during these 46 years.  Most recently, he "semi-retired" & was assigned as associate pastor at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. He is survived by his sister, Joanne Speranza Walker; her husband, Larry F. Walker, of Inverness Florida; Philip's nephew, Eric P. Walker & Eric's family, wife, Michelle & daughters, Heather & Hannah of Kingston Illinois: and numerous cousins in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Brazil, Belgium & Sicily.

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