Father Joseph Darbouze

Father Joseph Darbouze was born on October 26, 1930, in Les Cayes, Haiti to Eva (née Banatte) and Bergeaud Darbouze. He ranked as the second child of his parents’ five children, where Gerard was the eldest, and Annie, Adrien and Pierre followed him. The young boy reveled in a family life full of joy, humor, and mischief while his mother wielded a tight budget to ensure the livelihood of her children. Joseph’s father was the strict disciplinarian to the boys, and a dream Dad to his only daughter. The paramount values in the family were a strong dedication to religious practice, a serious attention to education and a keen awareness of your “prochain,” (the neighbor, the other citizen, the other guy…) 

The young Joseph attended Les Frères de l’Instruction Chrétienne School in Les Cayes where he evolved under the strict guidance of the Christian Brothers. He completed his primary education there, then went on to pursue his secondary studies at Mazenod (Camp Perrin). He obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and his master’s degree in theology at the Grand Seminaire de Notre Dame in Port au Prince. Joseph Darbouze was ordained a priest on July 13, 1958. 

It is noteworthy that he was among the second class of priests to be ordained in Haiti, following the footsteps of his older brother, Monsignor Gerard Darbouze, who was in the first. Previously, the clergy in Haiti was comprised exclusively of European priests. Thanks to Monsignor Jean-Louis Collignon, (from Belgium) who argued and insisted that the local population should be served by its indigenous members, progress was made toward that goal. Monsignor Collignon took under his wing, a series of young men who would later be part of a superior class of priests, which included Father Joseph Darbouze. 

After ordination, Father Darbouze then joined the Diocese of the Grand Anse to serve a myriad of cities including, Baraderes, Miragoine and Jeremie. After many years working in Jeremie, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which almost claimed his life. Circa 1975, after undergoing treatment in the capital city of Port au Prince, he was encouraged to pursue his convalescence within the care of his family in the United States. There, where he nurtured the intentions to stay in the United States, he started learning English, which then became his fourth spoken language, (in addition to French, Haitian Kreyol, and Spanish) as well as having competence with Greek and Latin as was expected for priests at the time. 

In 1976, Father Darbouze joined St. Gregory the Great parish in Manhattan where he later served as pastor from 1999-2005. There, he organized the Parish Profile and History 1907-1996. Combined with his facility in languages and his love of people, he was credited for uniting the parish community as Pastor Emeritus. He served as parochial vicar to St. Gregory from 1976-1980 and Holy Name of Jesus from 1980-1992. Father Darbouze was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 1996. He served as administrator at St. Gregory from 1999-2005. Then he was placed at St. Raymond’s parish in the Bronx where he served as senior pastor until 2006, the year that he retired. However, this retirement status functioned in name only as he continued to serve as a priest for several years thereafter, tending to the needs of the parish community wherever he was needed while there was a shortage of priests.

He started living in Philadelphia in 2020 to be in his family’s care, while the strains of age, illness and the Covid pandemic were raging. Consequently, many details of his life were lost to dementia. However, over the span of 94 years, God saw fit to introduce into the world, a personality colored with wit, intellect and amicability wherever he went. Since that transformative day in 1958, what arose within the young priest was a sublime sense of compassion ranging a professional cadre of 66 years in the cloth. Among the many well-wishers commenting upon Father Jo’s life, what emanated as a most fitting tribute were the words of a longtime friend, Marcel Fournier, who said,

“…Nous garderons de lui le souvenir d’un homme profondement bon et aimant, entièrement ouvert et dédié aux autres, et riche d’une foi profonde et rayonnante, donnant de lui-même sans calcul et sans aucune arrière pensée.

Il n’y avait pas en lui une once d’égoisme.

Il savait écouter patiemment et comprendre ceux qui en avaient besoin.

Il rendait les autres meilleurs autour de lui par son exemple, et le monde a besoin de plus d’hommes comme lui.

Nous l’aimions et il nous manquera…”

“…We will remember him as a profoundly good and loving man, entirely open and dedicated to others, enriched by a deep and radiating faith, giving of himself with no ulterior motive or afterthought. 

There wasn’t within him one ounce of selfishness.

He knew how to listen patiently and understand those who were in need.

He made others around him better by his example, and the world needs more men like him

We love him and we will miss him...” 

And we echo: We love him and we will miss him. We refrain: We love him and we will miss him, miss him dearly.

On December 7, 2024, Father Jo/Uncle TiJo joined a cast of angels where his mother, Eva, rules as queen. God rest his soul.

Fr. Joseph Darbouze was the beloved brother of Annie Metellus; caring uncle of Carole Metellus, Regine Metellus, Alfred Metellus, Jr., Fabienne DiMartino, Adrien Darbouze (Valerie Darbouze), Alix Francis Darbouze, Pierre Darbouze, Jr. (Wendy Darbouze), and Philippe Darbouze; devoted great uncle of Stefan Darbouze, Ashley Eva Darbouze, Sebastien Darbouze, Nicholas DiMartino, Naomie DiMartino, Amber Darbouze, Justin Darbouze, Maya Darbouze, and Robert Darbouze; beloved cousin of Ernest Banatte, Jacqueline Regis (Jean-Robert Cole), Bobby Regis (Elcie Regis), Jean-Marie Banatte, Nelly Banatte, Chantal Banatte (widow of Louis Jr.), Marie Denise Avignon (Judex Avignon). Also survived by a host of second cousins, including, but not limited to Stephane Banatte, Bravianne Adelaide Banatte, Marc Antoine Banatte, Marie Alice Vilma, Jonathan Vilma, Andre-Louis Banatty, Fabiola Marc (Stanley Avignon), Jude-Marie Banatte, and Jules-Marie Banatte.

Relatives and friends are invited to Fr. Joseph Darbouze's Transferal at 9:30 am and then the Visitation immediately following until 10:45 AM on Friday, December 20, 2024 at The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 1723 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, followed by his Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. Interment will be held on Saturday, December 21, 2024 10:30 AM at Mount St. Mary Cemetery, 172-00 Booth Memorial Ave, Flushing, NY 11365.