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Superior General Rev. Francis X. Gokey

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Title: Superior General Rev. Francis X. Gokey, 1974-1978

ID: SSE 2/SSE 2.13

Extent: 2.0 Linear Feet

Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by correspondent/office

The bulk of this subgroup is correspondence, which is arranged alphabetically by correspondent/office.  The series also includes correspondence from the South, which is further subdivided by correspondent/office.  Correspondence included in the South sub-series is that which accumulated in the Superior General’s Office.  Most originated in the South, although copies of outgoing mail are sometimes included.  Correspondence with other Local Administrations is located with the local administration files.  The subgroup also includes a subject file on Allentown.

Fr. Frank Gokey was a native of Springfield, MA.  He attended Saint Michael’s College and went to novitiate in Putney, Vt.  After serving in different roles at SMC, he served as permanent secretary of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in Washington, DC.  He arrived back in Winooski when elected Superior General in 1974.  He took over a society that had over 100 members, including novices and scholastics.  The Society was in the process of studying many of its works in the process of writing its Constitutions.  Review of the apostolates continued throughout this term, and some were closed.  Of particular interest was news from France, where a small resurgence of the community occurred.  Fr. Philippe Simmonet, while in residence at Tonnere, met Rev. Daniel Rousseau, who was attracted to the communal life.  He and others became interested in the original mission of the founders of the Society, which had been to rekindle the Catholic faith in the area.  Rev. Rousseau was joined by Pierre Dauvissat, who began his novitiate on June 15, 1975 with Jean Tribut, who had already begun his studies at seminary in Paris.  In April 1978, Rousseau and Tribut made their profession into the Society of Saint Edmund.  When Gokey’s term of office ended and he was not reelected, Gokey went to France to shepherd this new foundation.

Repository: Saint Michael's College Archives & Special Collections

Related Materials: Local Administration Record Group