NOTRE DAME, Indiana – Rev. Frederick Serraino, C.S.C., 93, died at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Ind. on February 4, 2024.
Fr. Serraino was born on August 16, 1930 in Cincinnati, OH, to Antonio and Philomena (Mania) and is the third oldest of six children. In 1950, he graduated from Western Hills University High School in Cincinnati before entering the draft in 1951 and serving with the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Korean War. After returning from the war, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1957. In 1957, he moved to Los Angeles and worked at Douglas Aircraft Co. until he received an offer to teach school in Wrangell, AK, for the U.S. Civil Service Commission. In 1961, he taught school in Germany with the U.S. Army before returning back to Los Angeles to substitute teach while taking night classes at UCLA. He entered the Holy Cross Seminary in North Easton, MA, in September of 1963 and was ordained a Holy Cross priest on December 21, 1968.
In 1968, after ordination, Fr. Serraino was assigned to the faculty at St. Peter’s High School in Gloucester, MA, for a year before being assigned as faculty to Notre Dame High School in Biloxi, MS until 1972. From 1972-1974, he served as an assistant in Cartavio, a district of Santiago de Cao in Peru. In 1975, he returned to the United States and was assigned as faculty to Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, MD, for four years before assisting at Family Theater Productions in Hollywood, CA until 1985. From 1985-1986, he studied at the Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, before assisting at St. Juliana’s Parish in West Palm Beach, FL from 1990-1991. In 1991, Fr. Serraino was assigned as Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Bronx, NY until 1995. He went on a sabbatical for a year, before returning to Family Theater Productions as its National Director in 1996. From 1998-2003, he served as Assistant District Superior in Lima, Peru before his assignment as Assistant Superior at Christopher Lodge in Cocoa Beach, FL, until 2006. From 2006-2008, he served as Director of Health and Aging for the Provincial House in Bridgeport, CT. From 2008-2010, he was assigned as Superior of the Dartmouth Community in North Dartmouth, MA, before returning to reside at Christopher Lodge until 2019. In 2019, Fr. Serraino moved to Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, IN.
He is preceded in death by his parents Antonio and Philomena and sisters, Louise Jackson and Rose Serraino. He is survived by his sister Carmella Berger and brothers, Frank Serraino and Wayne Serraino. He is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.
The Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. ET on Friday, February 9, 2024 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the University of Notre Dame campus. You may also join us via livestream at https://livestream.holycrossusa.org.
Burial will be in the community cemetery at Notre Dame. Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions in support of the mission and ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross can be made to: United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 765, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0765 or online at https://donate.holycrossusa.org
