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John Rainone Obituary
75, a senior priest of the Diocese of Providence, died Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Born in Providence, a son of the late Louis and Antonina "Ann" (Certo) Rainone. He leaves his brother Louis Rainone and his wife Pam and his Godchild Melanie. Father Rainone attended Saint Adalbert School and LaSalle Academy, both in Providence. In preparation for the priesthood, he studied at Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick and Saint Bernard Seminary in Rochester, New York. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1970, at Saint Augustine Church in Providence by Bishop Bernard M. Kelly. Father Rainone served as assistant pastor at Saint Mary Parish, Cranston (1970-73); Saint Mary Parish, Pawtucket (1973-82); and Saint Ann Parish, Cranston (2003-04). From 1982 to 1985, he was Catholic Chaplain at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, while continuing to reside first at St. Mary Parish, Pawtucket, and then St. Margaret Parish, Rumford. In 1985, he was appointed pastor of Saint Anthony Parish in Woonsocket. In 1991, Father Rainone completed sabbatical studies at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, and then returned to Rhode Island Hospital as Catholic Chaplain and Director of Catholic Pastoral Care of hospitals, with residence at St. Joseph Parish, Providence. In 1996, Father was appointed as an advocate for the diocesan Tribunal, while continuing his residence at St. Joseph Parish, Providence. In 1997, he returned as Catholic Chaplain to Rhode Island Hospital; and then in 1999, became Director of Catholic Pastoral Care at Eleanor Slater Hospital, Cranston. In 2007, Father was appointed as Director of Pastoral Care and Catholic Chaplain at Saint Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island, Our Lady of Fatima. Hospital, North Providence. In 2012, Father Rainone retired from active ministry as a senior priest. In addition to his other duties, Father Rainone served as diocesan archivist; Chaplain of the Pawtucket and Cranston Police Departments; and was a member of the International Conference of Police Chaplains. He also served as administrator pro tem of Sacred Heart Parish, Woonsocket; Saint Rita Parish, Warwick; and Saint Ann Parish, Providence, respectively. Father Rainone lived at St. John Vianney Residence in Providence during his retirement and resided there at the time of his death. Due to the coronavirus restrictions currently in-place, calling hours and a Mass of Christian Burial are respectfully omitted. A private prayer service will be held at Mount Pleasant Funeral and Cremation Service, Providence, followed by burial at St.Ann Cemetery, Cranston. A Memorial Mass for Father Rainone will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John Vianney 493 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI 02908 or St. Adalbert's Church 866Atwells Ave., Providence, RI 02909. For further information and condolences, please visit MOUNTPLEASANTFH.COM.
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Memories and Condolences
for John Rainone
David Miner
March 28, 2025
Father John's talks stay with me still to this day. Miss him.
David R Miner
March 28, 2024
Miss my buddy at RIH. He was a great priest. Always willing to lend an ear to your struggles. He helped me a lot over the years. God bless you Father Rainone.
David R Miner
March 28, 2023
miss my talks with father Rainone at RI hospital.
Teri Johnston
March 28, 2022
Fr John, was a great man and a wonderful boss. I worked for him when he was at St. Anthony's, Woonsocket. He was there for the birth of my son who was premature. there is not enough words to describe Fr. John's caring, kindness, and understanding of people.
louis rainone
December 21, 2021
Missing my brother ! Please watch over us during these trying times! I know prayer is poweful
Love Lou, Pam and Miss Mel
Vincent Caramadre
May 1, 2020
Thursday, April 2, 2020, 07:35 PM
Fr John Rainone's presence among us when we were young was reassuring to us . The strength of his vocation with the Lord's work was evident in his actions and his words , daily.
If you were mischievous or outright troublesome , you could depend on him to do the right thing for you or to advocate for you with various situations you could find yourself into as a young kid. He was a disciplinarian if he had to be , was always kind, fair , sometimes tough. He was a truly good man , trustworthy. Always a gentleman.
After his studies at the Seminary , he came to St Mary in Knightsville , Cranston , he was starting the work of the Lord. He was a young man called by God to do the work of God. His actions were meritorious of the true meaning of Opus Dei.
We grew up around him and was one of the best examples of what a priest could be to a parish ;
to the adults as well as we children.
His company was something special that we all shared as children and as we contiued to grew older.
He cared about everyone in the parish , it was noticed , even as a kid .
He was gracious to us when we were young children and later paid the respects to us when we had crossed into and made our way into adulthood.
The words in his mass homilies were challenging , he made you think about your own behavior with yourself and the behavior with the people around you. He supported those words with his own actions of his faith and how he treated people , generally speaking , and the parish folk. Many people do not have the acumen he possessed and utilized with us , everyday. He demonstrated his faith in God by his actions.
He was a regular guy.
He had the fire of Christianity in his soul , you could notice it , and yet he maintained a humility with everyone in the parish. He was not scared to get his hands dirty to help people.
There are many that have received the Holy Orders (men in his line of work ) that manifest a predisposed level of conceit , they do not exactly inspire the love of God.
As I stumbled into adulthood , I sought him out at various parishes for counsel and guidance in my life. He made himself available to me , and most of the time with short notice. Over the years , I could call him , have dinner with him as an adult, and enjoy his company as a person in my life that I trusted and looked up to as a human being and priest.
One of my brothers said , on occasions of serving mass in the mornings at 7am, 730 , 8am , masses where my mother would drop us off, at 645am and shoot back home to take care of the rest of us , getting ready for school, getting us on the bus, etc. He would bring us into the rectory , sit us down with the lady cook , ( the wife of Jim the Federal Marshall , forgot her name) . Fr John would get her to make us some toast and coffee or an egg, before we shoved off to St Mary School for the day. He knew my mother was beset with the other 5 of us in the morning.
He was one of us ; pointing the way , was leading us , to seek Christ in your life. .
For the people who were blessed by God and lucky enough to get to know him as a person as well as a spiritual leader of the parish, we hit the lottery , he was a real priest and true man of God . He gave everyone the time of day, whoever he encountered.
He had a way of being paternal , naturally , avuncular , and fraternal with you at different times for different situations, and sometimes , all at the same time.
Father John's passing is a loss to us all.
We must remember the wealth of God's love he extended to many people , not only the people he considered being close with him, but really everyone in the parish.
We must be grateful to the Lord for having the opportunity to be around Father John at some point of our lives. He will live on in all of us with his spirit and what he taught us about the love of God.
This passing of Father John will be heartfelt by every one of us Caramadre.
Vin Caramadre
Christopher and Trisha Rossi
April 13, 2020
Fr. John was a wonderful priest, friend and mostly a person that was down to earth. He was a very unique individual and we loved him dearly. He married my husband and I 25 years ago this November. We were able to visit him before the pandemic and it was a shock to us that his death came so quickly. He sounded wonderful a week before he passed. During this difficult time, it is very hard to accept that he is gone. We do not feel we have closure. We hope we do not miss his memorial when it is safe to do so. He deserves a beautiful Mass. He talked about his Godchild Melanie singing at his Mass. I could see the love for her in his eyes and words. Louis, Pam and Melanie you were blessed to have such a wonderful, loving, funny person in your lives. I thank God that we were blessed to be able to say what we wanted and to thank him for all he has done for us before he went home to God. May he Rest In Peace We love you Fr. John. Our condolences to his family and friends. Sincerely, Christopher and Trisha Rossi
Carmela Beausoleil
April 10, 2020
To the family of father john...he will be missed...he was the one person who came to my parish and opened my eyes to god!! When he became pastor at saint anthonys is was the best it had ever been..families, children,elderly were all welcomed with open arms....he was a man who was real and open and accepting of everyone...he made my faith ...he became a personal friend to my family...he married me..he baptized our children...saw us thru confirmations....he was there thru it all....so father john...i can never repay you for all youve done for me and my family....but i can promise you this....you will always be in our hearts and never forgotten....i am qho i am because of you!! Rest safe and may god keep you and love you in his loving arms!! You will be missed....with all our love...paul mel kyle and kailey beausoleil
Patricia Roberge-McWilliams
April 5, 2020
Please accept my most heartfelt sympathy as you grieve for your brother FJ, uncle and friend.
May you find comfort in the days to follow with the fond memories of the times you all shared together.
He touched the hearts of many and I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers!
Rest In Peace FJ, Job well done!!
April 5, 2020
To FJ's Family
So sorry for your loss. He was a great friend. Prays and thoughts are with you and your family.
May he rest in Peace
Teri, Mike, Johnston
April 5, 2020
To FJ's family:
So Sorry for you loss. He was a great friend.
Prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.
Teri Johnston.
Maryann Amato
April 5, 2020
To the Family of Father John:
We will truly miss your brother, he was not only our priest, but our friend. We visited with him a couple of weeks ago, a visit we will treasure for many years to come. He was such a gentle man with a kind, loving soul. He had no idea how many lives he touched and just how loved he was, just proves he was a very humble man, with a very big heart. May he rest in peace with our dear Lord.
Sincere Sympathy
Maryann and John Amato
Maryann Ferri-Amato
April 4, 2020
To the Family of Father John:
We will truly miss your brother, he was not only our priest, but our friend. We visited with him a couple of weeks ago, a visit we will treasure for many years to come. He was such a gentle man with a kind, loving soul. He had no idea how many lives he touched and just how loved he was, just proves he was a very humble man, with a very big heart. May he rest in peace with our dear Lord.
Sincere Sympathy
Maryann and John Amato
C Fascione
April 4, 2020
Our Angels smile down on us, Thank you Father.
Kerrie Mendes
April 4, 2020
He was a dear friend to the Grieve/Mendes family. May he Rest In Peace
anthony cataldi
April 4, 2020
with my deepest sorrow to the family.
Eleanor Joly
April 4, 2020
My deepest sympathy to Louis and family and Ann and family on Father John's passing.
I remember Father John when he was a young man going to high school. My sister, Ann & Mac lived upstairs from the Rainone's. He was a nice kid and his Mom and Dad were very nice also.
May he rest in peace.
rosemarie palumbo
April 3, 2020
Sorry Lou, for the loss of your dear brother.
May he rest in peace. .
Kevin Ziegelmayer
April 3, 2020
My condolences to Lou and family. I remember Father John from his time at St. Mary's in Pawtucket, I am saddened to hear of his passing.
Marciano
April 3, 2020
Dear Rainone Family,
You know how special Fr. John was to us... Read the RI Echo article Dad and I wrote last month and this. The second part came out on Wed. Coincidental?
He so impacted our lives, in the best of times and the saddest ones. He was strength when I felt confused and weak, and shared such love and friendship with our family.
Blessed to have had visit in Dec. He will be sadly missed.
When we last talked a few weeks ago, his faith and love of God was in every sentence. He gave me strength, knowing he was at peace.
https://www.therhodeislandecho.com/. See March and April 2020.
Much love,
Deb Marciano & Ray Noll, and Lou Marciano
Dan Fanning
April 3, 2020
Condolences to you and your family Lou. Thoughts and prayers in this difficult time.
David Krzyston
April 3, 2020
From our family to yours, please accept our deepest sympathies.May God always bless John and your family. The Krzystons
April 3, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
April 3, 2020
Always our very dear friend and always front and center in our times of happiness and sadness, Fr John will be sorely missed. Our condolences to his dear family. Eric and Barbara Palazzo
Paula Sotnik-Weiss
April 3, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers to your family, Louis. May you find peace in your good memories. Sotnik Family
Jack Murray
April 3, 2020
Lou so sorry for your loss. What a guy God Bless him and your family .
April 3, 2020
I worked at r.i. hospital when father Rainone was there. He was amazing with everyone including me. He was also a real guy, coming downstairs with the boys smoking cigars and having interesting conversations covering many topics especially about compassion. He inspired a lot of us with his unique insight. Thank you Father John for those times.
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