Cyril Seaman, OFM

1929 – 2012

Fr. Cyril Seaman, OFM, was born on Sept. 24, 1929 in Kansas City, Kan., and baptized Edward Michael. He attended the parish elementary school, graduating from Ward High School in Kansas City before attending St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., from 1947 to 1950. He was received into the Order in 1950 at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J., where he received the name Cyril Joseph in honor of his home parish and ethnic heritage. Fr. Cyril professed temporary vows one year later, made his solemn profession in 1954, and was ordained in 1956.

From 1957 to 1958, he participated in the “fifth year” pastoral theology program at St. Anthony Shrine. At its completion, he was assigned to Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., where for four years he taught English and worked in the library. He went to Washington to complete a master’s degree in library science at The Catholic University of America before returning to Siena as a full-time reference librarian. Fr. Cyril served in that capacity for the next 21 years.

He expressed his warm pastoral instincts through his work and enjoyed a unique ability of learning people’s names and their family situations through chatting with students and fellow staff members about their lives.

After more than 25 years of serving at Siena, Fr. Cyril joined the staff at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, where he became a popular confessor. In 2005, he retired from active ministry to St. Anthony Residence in Boston, and in 2011, moved to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J.

He died on Nov. 8, 2012 at Holy Name Friary. Fr. Cyril was 83 years old, a professed Franciscan friar for 61 years and a priest for 56 years.