Martin McCormack, OFM

1921 – 2002

Fr. Martin McCormack, OFM, was born in Springfield, Mass., on Sept. 24, 1921. In 1939, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.

He was received into the Province’s novitiate in 1942 and professed temporary vows a year later, both at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J. Fr. Martin profess solemn vows in 1946 at Holy Name College, Washington, D.C., and was ordained a priest in 1948 at the church of Mount St. Sepulchre Friary, Washington.

The first 22 years of Fr. Martin’s priesthood were spent in education, specializing in mathematics. He taugh three years at Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in Buffalo, N.Y., and then became an instructor at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y., from 1953 to 1964. H took a year off to study at the University of Oklahoma before resuming his time at Bona’s, where he remained until 1971.

He then moved from education into service-church ministry as associate at Our Lady’s Chapel in New Bedford, Mass., and St. Anthony Shrine in Boston.

In 1987, Fr. Martin officially retired to St. Anthony Residence in Boston. He continued to assist occasionally in the ministry of the shrine for some years, otherwise enjoying a serene existence until the late stages of nephritis required his assignment to Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J., in 2002.

Fr. Martin was a quiet friar. Fellow friars and friends described him as a well-traveled, interesting companion, a long-distance walker, a serious stamp collector and a lover of the ocean.

He died Nov. 14, 2002, at Holy Name Friary. Fr. Martin was 81 years old, a professed friar for 59 years and a priest for 54 years.