Deceased Friars

Alban A. Maguire, OFM

Alban A. Maguire

1915 – 2001

Fr. Alban Maguire, OFM, was born on Sept. 28, 1915 in Meriden, Conn. After graduating in 1928 from St. Joseph Elementary School in New Britain, Conn., and spending one year at a local public high school, he enrolled to St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary, Callicoon, N.Y. His Franciscan vocation began with his response, unknown to his parents, to the vocational ad in The Anthonian. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1934, professing temporary vows one year later. Fr. Alban made his solemn profession in 1938 and was ordained in 1941.

His first two assignments, for one year each, were to Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New York City, before he began graduate studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington. But his fulltime studies were interrupted in 1947, when he was appointed as a lector in theology at nearby Holy Name College. He ultimately earned his doctorate in sacred theology in 1958.

Fr. Alban served at Holy Name until 1973, accepting several leadership roles in addition to his teaching duties: assistant master of clerics and chaplain at the University of Maryland (1947 to 1952), vicar (1958 to 1964), guardian (1964 to 1967) and Provincial Councilor (1967 to 1973). He then became rector of Christ the King Seminary, Allegany, N.Y., and supervised the transfer of the seminary to East Aurora, N.Y., in 1974. There, he served as provincial prefect of education until 1976.

In 1976, Fr. Alban was elected Provincial Vicar. Four years later, the Provincial Council elected him to complete the term of Provincial Minister Fr. Charles Finnegan, OFM, who had resigned May 9, 1980 due to health reasons. Fr. Alban was elected Provincial Minister in his own right in 1982. At the end of his term in 1987, he became an associate at St. Francis Parish, Wanaque, N.J., where he spent three years before moving to St. Anthony Shrine, Boston. In 1992, he became parochial vicar and, ultimately, senior friar in residence at St. Camillus Parish, Silver Spring, Md. Eight years later, he transferred to Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J.

He died there on March 21, 2001. Fr. Alban was 85 years old, a professed friar for 65 years and a priest for 59 years. He was the older brother of Fr. Crispin Maguire, OFM.

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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Alban A. Maguire, OFM

Alban A. Maguire

1915 – 2001

Fr. Alban Maguire, OFM, was born on Sept. 28, 1915 in Meriden, Conn. After graduating in 1928 from St. Joseph Elementary School in New Britain, Conn., and spending one year at a local public high school, he enrolled to St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary, Callicoon, N.Y. His Franciscan vocation began with his response, unknown to his parents, to the vocational ad in The Anthonian. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1934, professing temporary vows one year later. Fr. Alban made his solemn profession in 1938 and was ordained in 1941.

His first two assignments, for one year each, were to Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New York City, before he began graduate studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington. But his fulltime studies were interrupted in 1947, when he was appointed as a lector in theology at nearby Holy Name College. He ultimately earned his doctorate in sacred theology in 1958.

Fr. Alban served at Holy Name until 1973, accepting several leadership roles in addition to his teaching duties: assistant master of clerics and chaplain at the University of Maryland (1947 to 1952), vicar (1958 to 1964), guardian (1964 to 1967) and Provincial Councilor (1967 to 1973). He then became rector of Christ the King Seminary, Allegany, N.Y., and supervised the transfer of the seminary to East Aurora, N.Y., in 1974. There, he served as provincial prefect of education until 1976.

In 1976, Fr. Alban was elected Provincial Vicar. Four years later, the Provincial Council elected him to complete the term of Provincial Minister Fr. Charles Finnegan, OFM, who had resigned May 9, 1980 due to health reasons. Fr. Alban was elected Provincial Minister in his own right in 1982. At the end of his term in 1987, he became an associate at St. Francis Parish, Wanaque, N.J., where he spent three years before moving to St. Anthony Shrine, Boston. In 1992, he became parochial vicar and, ultimately, senior friar in residence at St. Camillus Parish, Silver Spring, Md. Eight years later, he transferred to Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J.

He died there on March 21, 2001. Fr. Alban was 85 years old, a professed friar for 65 years and a priest for 59 years. He was the older brother of Fr. Crispin Maguire, OFM.