Fr. Pancho Negri, M.S.

He had just turned 50 a few days earlier and had only been ordained for five years when “Padre Pancho” died in Argentina on September 28, 2009. Born to Jose and Josefina Negri on September 24, 1959 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, Francisco Negri soon became known as Pancho to his friends. When the family moved to the outskirts of Buenos Aires, many miles south of Santiago del Estero, they settled in the city of Derqui, into a parish where the La Salette Missionaries ministered. There he grew up. His outgoing personality allowed him easily to make friends wherever he went.

Moving from Place to Place

He had many dreams for a long life. In his late 30s his dreams focused on being a Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette and he entered the pre-novitiate formation program in Cordoba. Later he got his first experience of being an “immigrant” when he moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia, for his novitiate program. His “immigrant” experience ended with his profession on February 3, 1998 when he returned to Argentina to continue his studies in philosophy and theology.
 

Regional Bishop celebrating in Our Lady of La Salette Church, Cochabamba, Bolivia

When it came time for his diaconate pastoral training he once again found himself in Cochabamba. Returning home to Santiago del Estero, Argentina, for ordination on July 25, 2004, Father Francisco Negri, MS, knew his call was to be a missionary elsewhere. He soon returned to the La Salette-staffed parish in Cochabamba.

As the new parochial vicar of the parish of Our Lady of La Salette, he had the chance to work with many “immigrant” people who, even though they were from Bolivia, were nevertheless far from their places of birth. An unstable economic situation in the country had forced many to flee their rural lands and to seek opportunity
in the cities. The hilly barrios where La Salettes ministered on the outskirts of Cochabamba were filled with
partially built houses, many without water or electricity, where these “immigrants” tried to make their homes.
Padre Pancho felt at ease among them and ministered to them.

Meeting Other Immigrants

In January 2007 Fr. Jim Kuczynski, the Vicar-Provincial of the North American La Salette Province, came to

Interior of Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Smyrna, GA

preside at the Regional Chapter in Argentina. During the discussions the topic was broached regarding the possibility of someone coming to the United States to help with Hispanic ministry in his parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in Smyrna, GA. This idea of ministering to a different “immigrant” population appealed to Padre Pancho. In February he arrived in Georgia and began a challenging ministry. He hoped to learn some English and get acquainted with parochial ministry in a different culture, while simultaneously doing reconciling ministry with many “immigrants”, some legal, others undocumented. Once again his easy, outgoing nature helped people feel comfortable around him.

The Challenge of a Lifetime

Padre Pancho's vibrant, colorful, fluid dreams seemed to turn to black and white still-shots sometime later when
he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Through year-long treatments of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants, he continued to minister whenever possible. When he learned that there was no further

Fr. Jim Kuczynski, M.S., homilist at Fr. Pancho’s Memorial Mass

In a Memorial Mass at his parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in Smyma, GA, a few days later, Fr. Jim Kuczynski said:
Today, earlier than we expected, we pray in thanksgiving for the way Fr. Pancho went about his ministry of reconciliation. In 50 years of life, 11 years of religious life and five of priesthood, God’s good work has been accomplished in Fr. Pancho…. He was Argentine to the core. He also had the heart of a missionary… We thank God for our brother and priest, Fr. Pancho, who walked with us on the road, sharing his life and faith, helping us to recognize the Lord in our lives.