Biographies of people buried between 1900 & 09
Fr. Salvatore Carruccio (1846 - 1903)
Father Carruccio is the only Roman Catholic priest buried at Weaste Cemetery. His last position was priest at All Souls R C Church, Weaste.
Salvatore Carruccio was born in Naples, Italy on Christmas Day 1846. He was educated in that city and in Rome. He was conscripted into the army, but as he was a pacifist, he deserted. He was befriended by brigands and eventually sought refuge in the then Papal States. It was here that Salvatore started his preparation for missionary work in Australia, but that was not to be.
Salvatore's first appointment was as Master of Ceremonies at a Rome basilica whilst studying at the Papal University. Here he met Dr Herbert Vaughan, (later to become Bishop of Salford and then Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop of West-minster), who persuaded Salvatore to come to England. He became Procurator for Mill Hill Missionaries in London, then Dr Vaughan brought him to the Salford Diocese. He acted as Master of Ceremonies at Salford Cathedral whilst training for the priesthood and was ordained at the Cathedral on 26th December 1876.
Father Carruccio became assistant to Fr. Stephen Byrne at St. Joseph's, Goulden Street, Manchester, (1877 – 1885); then Rector at St.Joseph's, Todmorden (1885 – 1890); then St.Gabriel's, Castleton (1890 – 1897); and finally in 1897, Priest at All Souls, Weaste, where he died in 1903.
He proved himself to be a successful worker and organiser and was also Roman Catholic Chaplain at Weaste Cemetery. Although his foreign accent made it difficult for some people to understand him, he won the hearts of the people and the respect of Protestants as well. Fr. Carruccio had a strong devotion to the doctrine of Purgatory and was continually offering prayers for the souls of the faithful.
He resided at the presbytery on Eccles New Road. In November 1903 he started suffering from bronchitis. It lasted for about five weeks before he finally succumbed on Sunday 27th December 1903 and died aged 57.
Father Carruccio was buried on 30th December 1903. A large number of priests and congregation attended the funeral. After a Requiem Mass performed by the Bishop of Salford, his massive oak coffin was removed from All Souls Church in Cemetery Road to the nearby Weaste Cemetery. He wanted to be near his congregation at Weaste, rather than be buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Moston and the Bishop of Salford gave his consent to his request.
