Deceased Friars

John Cody, OFM

John Cody

1921 – 1989

Br. John Cody, OFM, was born on Sept. 15, 1921 in New York City. He was received as a tertiary brother in 1937 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1938, professing temporary vows one year later. Br. John made his solemn profession in 1942.

For the next 13 years, he served in a variety of capacities in a dozen friaries throughout the Province. From 1955 to 1970, he had longer assignments at ministries in Boston, Butler, N.J., New York City, Olean, N.Y., and Paterson.

After the Second Vatican Council, Br. John felt a strong desire to teach in the inner city. He enrolled at Fordham University and received his bachelor’s degree in 1971 and a master’s degree in education in 1973. In 1970, he began teaching at St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx, N.Y., where he served for 12 years until illness forced him to move to Sacred Heart Friary in East Rutherford, N.J. In 1989, he transferred to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J.

He died there on Dec. 27, 1989. Br. John was 68 years old, a professed friar for 50 years. He was among the first friars to be buried in God’s Acre, the friars’ plot in Ringwood.

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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John Cody, OFM

John Cody

1921 – 1989

Br. John Cody, OFM, was born on Sept. 15, 1921 in New York City. He was received as a tertiary brother in 1937 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1938, professing temporary vows one year later. Br. John made his solemn profession in 1942.

For the next 13 years, he served in a variety of capacities in a dozen friaries throughout the Province. From 1955 to 1970, he had longer assignments at ministries in Boston, Butler, N.J., New York City, Olean, N.Y., and Paterson.

After the Second Vatican Council, Br. John felt a strong desire to teach in the inner city. He enrolled at Fordham University and received his bachelor’s degree in 1971 and a master’s degree in education in 1973. In 1970, he began teaching at St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx, N.Y., where he served for 12 years until illness forced him to move to Sacred Heart Friary in East Rutherford, N.J. In 1989, he transferred to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J.

He died there on Dec. 27, 1989. Br. John was 68 years old, a professed friar for 50 years. He was among the first friars to be buried in God’s Acre, the friars’ plot in Ringwood.