Deceased Friars

Paul Seibert, OFM

Paul Seibert

1900 – 1966

Fr. Paul Seibert, OFM, was born on Feb. 21, 1900, in Defiance, Ohio. He studied at St. Fidelis Seminary in Herman, Pa., and entered the Province’s novitiate Sept.10, 1921.

He professed temporary vows Sept. 14, 1922, and made his profession of solemn vows Sept. 14, 1925. Fr. Paul was ordained a priest at the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in Lackawanna, N.Y., on May 29, 1926.

He worked as an assistant at Holy Cross Church in Clason Point, N.Y., for 10 years and served two terms as pastor and guardian at St. Joseph’s Friary in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He then went to Brazil as a missionary and was the first commissary of the Brazilian foundation of Holy Name Province.

He described the early commissariat in Brazil as the fruit of “10 years of digging deep and firm foundations for the future Holy Name Province of Brazil to rest upon.”

Fr. Paul returned to the United States in 1956 and worked at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, where he was also the regional promoter of the Franciscan Missionary Union from 1959 until 1964.

Illness forced Paul to transfer to the Provincial Infirmary at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y., and he died in St. Francis Hospital in Olean, N.Y., on June 12, 1966. He was 66 years old, a professed friar for 43 years and a dedicated priest for 40 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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Paul Seibert, OFM

Paul Seibert

1900 – 1966

Fr. Paul Seibert, OFM, was born on Feb. 21, 1900, in Defiance, Ohio. He studied at St. Fidelis Seminary in Herman, Pa., and entered the Province’s novitiate Sept.10, 1921.

He professed temporary vows Sept. 14, 1922, and made his profession of solemn vows Sept. 14, 1925. Fr. Paul was ordained a priest at the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in Lackawanna, N.Y., on May 29, 1926.

He worked as an assistant at Holy Cross Church in Clason Point, N.Y., for 10 years and served two terms as pastor and guardian at St. Joseph’s Friary in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He then went to Brazil as a missionary and was the first commissary of the Brazilian foundation of Holy Name Province.

He described the early commissariat in Brazil as the fruit of “10 years of digging deep and firm foundations for the future Holy Name Province of Brazil to rest upon.”

Fr. Paul returned to the United States in 1956 and worked at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, where he was also the regional promoter of the Franciscan Missionary Union from 1959 until 1964.

Illness forced Paul to transfer to the Provincial Infirmary at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y., and he died in St. Francis Hospital in Olean, N.Y., on June 12, 1966. He was 66 years old, a professed friar for 43 years and a dedicated priest for 40 years.