Deceased Friars


Aidan Burns, OFM

Aidan Burns

1898 – 1964

Fr. Aidan Burns, OFM, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 2, 1898. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.

In 1918, he entered the Province’s novitiate and professed temporary vows the following year. Fr. Aidan made his solemn profession of vows in 1922 and was ordained a priest in 1925 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Fr. Aidan began his ministry at St. Joseph’s Seminary, where he taught for two years. He then served for four years at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City, and in 1932 he became pastor of St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J. This began a long period of service in the North Jersey parishes.

From 1937 to 1946, Fr. Aidan was assigned to St. Anthony’s in Butler in charge of the Pompton Lakes parish. When St. Mary’s became an independent friary, Fr. Aidan served as praeses and pastor from 1946 to 1949. For the next six years, he was pastor of St. Anthony Church in Butler.

After four years back at St. Francis in New York, he became the chaplain of the Franciscan Sisters in Ringwood, N.J.

He died Sept. 4, 1964, at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, N.J. Fr. Aidan was 66 years old, a professed friar for 45 years and a priest for 39 years.

Each of us should be called a lesser brother, a Friar Minor. Each one of us should wash the feet of the others.”

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Aidan Burns, OFM

Aidan Burns

1898 – 1964

Fr. Aidan Burns, OFM, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 2, 1898. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.

In 1918, he entered the Province’s novitiate and professed temporary vows the following year. Fr. Aidan made his solemn profession of vows in 1922 and was ordained a priest in 1925 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Fr. Aidan began his ministry at St. Joseph’s Seminary, where he taught for two years. He then served for four years at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City, and in 1932 he became pastor of St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J. This began a long period of service in the North Jersey parishes.

From 1937 to 1946, Fr. Aidan was assigned to St. Anthony’s in Butler in charge of the Pompton Lakes parish. When St. Mary’s became an independent friary, Fr. Aidan served as praeses and pastor from 1946 to 1949. For the next six years, he was pastor of St. Anthony Church in Butler.

After four years back at St. Francis in New York, he became the chaplain of the Franciscan Sisters in Ringwood, N.J.

He died Sept. 4, 1964, at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, N.J. Fr. Aidan was 66 years old, a professed friar for 45 years and a priest for 39 years.