Deceased Friars

Augustine Cox, OFM

Augustine Cox

1912 – 1961

Fr. Augustine Cox, OFM, was born in Gary, Ind., on Sept. 3, 1912. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., and entered the Province’s novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 25, 1932, professed temporary vows Aug. 26, 1933, and made his profession of solemn vows Sept. 17, 1936. Fr. Augustine was ordained a priest May 30, 1939, in Washington, D.C.

His first assignment was to Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., where he taught Spanish for a year. He then went to St. Joseph Church in Winsted, Conn., as an assistant. In 1945, he was asked to serve as secretary to Fr. Anthony Iglesias, the delegate general of South America. Fr. Augustine went to Lima, Peru, as secretary, and worked there for a year.

He returned to the United States and ministered at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City for the next seventeen years — on the altar, in the confessional and in the parlor. Fr. Augustine became deeply involved with the Puerto Rican community, which was growing rapidly in New York City at that time. The extent of his charities to troubled families will never be fully known.

Fr. Augustine’s happy smile and cordial greeting were his trademarks at 31st Street. He died in St. Clare’s Hospital in New York City on June 3, 1961. He was 48 years old, a professed friar for 27 years and a priest for 22 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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Augustine Cox, OFM

Augustine Cox

1912 – 1961

Fr. Augustine Cox, OFM, was born in Gary, Ind., on Sept. 3, 1912. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., and entered the Province’s novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 25, 1932, professed temporary vows Aug. 26, 1933, and made his profession of solemn vows Sept. 17, 1936. Fr. Augustine was ordained a priest May 30, 1939, in Washington, D.C.

His first assignment was to Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., where he taught Spanish for a year. He then went to St. Joseph Church in Winsted, Conn., as an assistant. In 1945, he was asked to serve as secretary to Fr. Anthony Iglesias, the delegate general of South America. Fr. Augustine went to Lima, Peru, as secretary, and worked there for a year.

He returned to the United States and ministered at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City for the next seventeen years — on the altar, in the confessional and in the parlor. Fr. Augustine became deeply involved with the Puerto Rican community, which was growing rapidly in New York City at that time. The extent of his charities to troubled families will never be fully known.

Fr. Augustine’s happy smile and cordial greeting were his trademarks at 31st Street. He died in St. Clare’s Hospital in New York City on June 3, 1961. He was 48 years old, a professed friar for 27 years and a priest for 22 years.