Deceased Friars

Daniel Ostler, OFM

Daniel Ostler

1894 – 1953

Fr. Daniel Ostler, OFM, was born on Feb. 5, 1894 in Paterson, N.J. He grew up within the shadows of the friary there, and after graduation from St. Bonaventure Grammar School, he entered St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary, Callicoon, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1914, professing temporary vows one year later. He made his solemn profession in 1918 and was ordained in 1921.

His first assignment was to the Callicoon seminary, but within the year he transferred to the Province’s Mission Band. He preached missions and retreats for seven years before physical ailments began to plague him. Fr. Daniel endured 13 operations, always with patience and a sense of humor. He spent two years in Beach Haven, N.J., before transferring to the friary in Paterson, where he spent the rest of his life: as chaplain of St. Francis Hospital for a year, and assistant in St. Bonaventure Parish for three years, and as chaplain of St. Joseph Hospital for eight years.

Fr. Dan was an ideal hospital chaplain, for his own sufferings taught him to be genuinely empathic with all his patients. He was a friar who brought cheerfulness and laughter into the lives of the sick and discouraged. He also wrote a manual for nurses, based on his own personal experience. Even during his final years of serious illness, he did secretarial work for the Pious Union of St. Anthony, and maintained his geniality and boyish spirit to the end.

He died on Nov. 26, 1953 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Hoboken, N.J. Fr. Daniel was 59 years old, a professed friar for 38 years and a priest for 32 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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Daniel Ostler, OFM

Daniel Ostler

1894 – 1953

Fr. Daniel Ostler, OFM, was born on Feb. 5, 1894 in Paterson, N.J. He grew up within the shadows of the friary there, and after graduation from St. Bonaventure Grammar School, he entered St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary, Callicoon, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1914, professing temporary vows one year later. He made his solemn profession in 1918 and was ordained in 1921.

His first assignment was to the Callicoon seminary, but within the year he transferred to the Province’s Mission Band. He preached missions and retreats for seven years before physical ailments began to plague him. Fr. Daniel endured 13 operations, always with patience and a sense of humor. He spent two years in Beach Haven, N.J., before transferring to the friary in Paterson, where he spent the rest of his life: as chaplain of St. Francis Hospital for a year, and assistant in St. Bonaventure Parish for three years, and as chaplain of St. Joseph Hospital for eight years.

Fr. Dan was an ideal hospital chaplain, for his own sufferings taught him to be genuinely empathic with all his patients. He was a friar who brought cheerfulness and laughter into the lives of the sick and discouraged. He also wrote a manual for nurses, based on his own personal experience. Even during his final years of serious illness, he did secretarial work for the Pious Union of St. Anthony, and maintained his geniality and boyish spirit to the end.

He died on Nov. 26, 1953 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Hoboken, N.J. Fr. Daniel was 59 years old, a professed friar for 38 years and a priest for 32 years.