Brother Philip Revell C.F.X.

Brother Richard Philip Revell, C.F.X., a member of the Congregation of the Brothers of Saint Francis Xavier for forty-six years, passed away on October 5, 2025.  He was 68 years old.

Born in Glossop, Derbyshire, UK, Brother Philip was the son of Mary (Keane) Revell and the late Richard Revell. He received his early education at Xaverian College in Manchester, UK, followed by a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1978.

In 1979, Brother Philip entered the Congregation of the Xaverian Brothers, professing his first vows in 1980. He made his perpetual profession on December 3, 1985. During his career, he furthered his education with studies at Manchester Polytechnic, Boston College, and the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California.

Brother Philip began his ministry at Xaverian College in Manchester, where he taught religion and French. In 1989, he was named vice-principal of the college. His work in education was complemented by a deep commitment to social justice, which led him to volunteer as a prison chaplain. This work sparked a calling that would define much of his ministry. In 1992, he transitioned to full-time prison chaplaincy, serving as Roman Catholic Chaplain at Her Majesty’s Prison, Brixton, and later at Her Majesty’s Prison, Manchester, where he ministered for over a decade. From 1997 to 2001, he was the Roman Catholic Representative to the European Chaplains section of the International Prison Chaplains Association.

In 2002, Brother Philip was appointed Director of Scholastics for the Xaverian Brothers in Lubumbashi, Congo, where he served for twelve years. In addition, he also taught Biblical Theology at the Institute of Maria Maria in Lubumbashi and at the Academy for English Education of Lubumbashi.

In 2016, Brother Philip joined the faculty of Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, where he served as a religion teacher and campus minister. In 2024, he became a member of the community at Xaverian House in Danvers.

He leaves behind his mother, Mary, and his brothers in religion, as well as three brothers, Michael, Paul, and Stephen, who reside in England.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 11, 2025 at 10:30AM in Saint Richard’s Church, 90 Forest St., Danvers. Burial will follow at the Xaverian Brothers Cemetery in Danvers. Visitation will take place prior to the Mass at the church, from 9:30-10:15AM.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Xaverian Brothers Retirement Fund, 4409 Frederick Ave., Baltimore, MD 21229.  Arrangements are by C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers Square.