Deceased Friars

Donald Stellpflug, OFM

Donald Stellpflug

1922 – 1992

Fr. Donald Stellpflug, OFM, was born on May 30, 1922 in Philadelphia. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., and was received into the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1943. Fr. Donald professed temporary vows one year later, made his solemn profession in 1947 and was ordained in 1949.

He served as an assistant at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New York City from 1950 to 1956, when he volunteered to travel to Bolivia as a missionary. Fr. Donald ministered in Bolivia for 20 years before transferring to Lima, Peru in 1978, where he served as pastor of Holy Name Parish. An excellent administrator, he was responsible for the new church, dedicated in 1992.

Fr. Donald was always interested and involved in ecclesial movements that fostered a sense of Christian community. He guided the growth of the parish school with its 1,500 students, as well as the 900 adult students in the Vespertina, a school for household servants in the area. Fr. Donald served as spiritual director of the Legion of Mary for all of Lima. He faithfully visited a home for the handicapped and was an excellent friar with a great sense of humor.

He died on Jan. 15, 1992 in Lima. Fr. Donald was 69 years old, a professed friar for 47 years and a priest for 42 years. He is buried in the cemetery of the Convento de los Descalzos, where St. Francis of Solano is also buried.

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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Donald Stellpflug, OFM

Donald Stellpflug

1922 – 1992

Fr. Donald Stellpflug, OFM, was born on May 30, 1922 in Philadelphia. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., and was received into the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1943. Fr. Donald professed temporary vows one year later, made his solemn profession in 1947 and was ordained in 1949.

He served as an assistant at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New York City from 1950 to 1956, when he volunteered to travel to Bolivia as a missionary. Fr. Donald ministered in Bolivia for 20 years before transferring to Lima, Peru in 1978, where he served as pastor of Holy Name Parish. An excellent administrator, he was responsible for the new church, dedicated in 1992.

Fr. Donald was always interested and involved in ecclesial movements that fostered a sense of Christian community. He guided the growth of the parish school with its 1,500 students, as well as the 900 adult students in the Vespertina, a school for household servants in the area. Fr. Donald served as spiritual director of the Legion of Mary for all of Lima. He faithfully visited a home for the handicapped and was an excellent friar with a great sense of humor.

He died on Jan. 15, 1992 in Lima. Fr. Donald was 69 years old, a professed friar for 47 years and a priest for 42 years. He is buried in the cemetery of the Convento de los Descalzos, where St. Francis of Solano is also buried.