SSE Manuscripts. Rev. Joseph Couture, SSE Collection, 1937-1987 | Saint Michael's College Archives & Special Collections

Father Joseph Couture was born in Burlington, VT on June 15, 1906.  He attended high school at Saint Anne’s Academy in Swanton, VT and entered the SSE novitiate in 1927.  He attended Saint Michael’s College, graduating in 1930.  After his ordination to the priesthood in 1934, he became an instructor at St. Edmund’s Juniorate in Swanton.  He went to Pontigny, France in 1936, where he served as novice master until 1941.  He also worked in a number of parishes during his years in France.  At the outbreak of World War II, he returned to the US and began teaching at the new SSE seminary in Randolph.  He also worked for a time at Saint Michael’s.  From 1947-1956 Fr. Couture served in the Edmundite Southern Missions.  Between 1956-66, he worked at Saint Michael’s College, where he had briefly worked in 1946-47.  He returned to the Southern Missions in 1966 and he remained there until his death in 1993.

Fr. Couture was an avid amateur historian.  He spent a great deal of time working on histories of both the Edmundites (In Vermont and other locations)  He also wrote biographies of Catholic Clergy in Vermont and produced a number of parish histories for SSE parishes.  His body of work is extensive and includes much information not found elsewhere.