Brother Benjamin S. Sunday, CSC ~ July 28, 1922 - June 4, 2025

CONGREGATION OF HOLY CROSS
Moreau Province

Brother Benjamin S. Sunday,CSC
July 28, 1922 - June 4, 2025

Brother Benjamin Stanley Sunday was born in Meriden, Connecticut, on June 28, 1922, the youngest of the three sons of Thomas Mielcarz and Mary Sondej Mielcarz, both Polish immigrants. Within a few weeks, Benjamin was baptized at St. Stanislaus Church in Meriden. When he was 4 years old, his father passed away and his maternal aunt and uncle (Mary and Andrew Sadaj) adopted him. (Sunday is the English rendering of Sadaj.)

Benjamin received his primary and secondary education in Middletown, Connecticut. In the parish of St. Mary’s, he received the Sacrament of Confirmation in 1932, and was taught by the Felician Sisters at the school. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1940, Benjamin enrolled at Morse Business College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he took commercial courses, majoring in stenography, typing and bookkeeping, completing the program in 1941.

By September of 1942, he was working in Washington, D. C., as an administrative assistant to an officer in the 4th Squadron, Army Air Corps Headquarters in Bolling Field, Washington D. C. Benjamin’s service was so valued that the officer persuaded him to join the Air Corps in January 1943 and continue as his administrative assistant in the Pacific Theatre in the Target Unit, Intelligence Division, Twentieth Air Force. Thus, Benjamin served as a Staff Sergeant in Hawaii, Saipan and Guam until his honorable discharge from military service on November 25,1945.

Over the next few years, Benjamin was employed as a secretary at the Russell Manufacturing Company of Middletown (1946-1948), as an insurance claims clerk at the Robert B. Brainard Agency (1948-1951), and as an IBM bank operator at the First National Bank of Boston (1951-1952).

During this last year in Boston, Benjamin took classes in Latin at the Newman Preparatory School, so that he could be admitted to St. Joseph’s Abbey, a Trappist monastery in Spencer, Massachusetts. Since early in life, he had been thinking about a religious vocation, but had not been sure which direction to take. In his hometown, he was impressed by the dedication of the Felician Sisters to their vocation, and he witnessed the joy in young women from the neighborhood who entered the religious life. His initial response to the call was to join the Trappists in June 1952.

As a novice at St. Joseph’s Abbey, Benjamin was given the name Frater Philip. In August 1953, when the novice master had determined that he was not suited for the demanding regime of austere contemplative life, Benjamin left St. Joseph’s Abbey and reentered “the world” as a payroll clerk and bookkeeper at Shrivers Gas Conversions, Inc.

Still, the inner call persisted and Benjamin applied to be admitted to the Brothers of Holy Cross. The Abbot at St. Joseph’s Abbey provided a strong testimonial on his behalf, describing Benjamin as sincere, affable, kind, and open. Seeing Benjamin’s ready good will and intelligence, and vouching for his sincerity and earnestness, the Abbot recommended him to Holy Cross, saying, “I know he will give his best.”

Although he left the Trappists, Benjamin reserved a special place in his heart for St. Joseph Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, where he first explored religious life. For many years, he returned there to make his annual retreat.

Upon being accepted to enter the St. Joseph Juniorate in Valatie, New York, Benjamin wrote to Brother Hyacinth: “In checking with the railroad information office here in Hartford with reference to railroad connections to Valatie, N.Y., the gentleman could not be of much assistance – he said that he had not heard of Valatie (believe it or not). Any information you can pass along these lines will be appreciated.”

Benjamin arrived in Valatie to begin his candidacy on June 15, 1954. The following month, he was received into St. Joseph Novitiate, Rolling Prairie, Indiana on August 15, 1954, at age 32. He made his first profession of vows there on August 16, 1955. Describing his calling, Brother Benjamin wrote, “I believe that I will be able to sanctify myself and serve God as a Brother. That is, if I can correspond with the graces God sends each day.”
Brother Benjamin then was assigned to the Vincent Hall Scholasticate in Austin, Texas to study at St. Edward’s University for the 1955-1956 academic year. Later, he took philosophy courses at Fairfield University, in Fairfield, Connecticut.

In 1956, Brother Benjamin was assigned to Notre Dame High School, West Haven, Connecticut. He made his profession of perpetual vows on August 23, 1958. At Notre Dame High School, Brother Benjamin served all of his active ministry, 58 years. Here he taught religion and typing for many years, worked in the school office, and then ran the bookstore full time. He initiated a gift shop and established an annual Christmas Fair which became a big fundraiser with its raffles and unique prize offerings. Brother Benjamin also helped found the Alumni Mothers group whose volunteer activities raised money for student scholarships.

Brother Benjamin’s persevering commitment to the school, his many kindnesses and good works, and the lasting relationships he cultivated over the years made him legendary at Notre Dame High School. Characteristically, he humbly deferred credit from himself to praise others for the successes they accomplished together.

Cardinal Henry Newman often wrote about one’s defining grace – those virtues which defined a person’s life. Brother Benjamin often spoke of loyalty and generosity as marks of a person’s character. Those were most important to him. From the hundreds of comments on Facebook, it is obvious that Brother Benjamin modeled those virtues and left a lasting memory and impression on the students, staff and faculty at Notre Dame. The common theme expressed by the many remembrances indicated that they knew what was good, proper, and acceptable from Brother Benjamin’s example and that it has served them well. In 2014, at age 92, Brother Benjamin retired from his ministry at Notre Dame High School and moved to St. Joseph Center in Valatie, New York. Up until his death, he continued to maintain contact with the many grateful members of the school community.

God bless our Brother Benjamin and grant him eternal peace. Well done good and faithful servant!

Brother Richard B. Critz, CSC
Brother Thomas A. Dziekan, CSC
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The funeral services for Brother Benjamin S. Sunday, CSC will take place on
Saturday, June 14, 2025.
The viewing and funeral Mass will be held in the chapel at St. Joseph Center in Valatie, New York.
9:30 AM – Viewing in the Chapel
11:00 AM – Mass of Christian Burial
Internment in the Brothers’ Cemetery to follow.
N.B. Times are EDT.
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At the request of Brother Benjamin, any donations in his memory may be sent to the address below. Please write his name on the memo line of the check.
Notre Dame High School
Attn: Development Office
One Notre Dame Way
West Haven, CT 06516