Urban Cain, OFM

1921 – 2002

Fr. Urban Cain, OFM, was born on Nov. 15, 1921 in Quincy, Mass., and baptized James. He entered St. Joseph Seraphic Seminary and was received into the Order at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1942. He professed simple vows one year later and made his solemn profession in 1946. Fr. Urban was ordained in 1948.

His first assignment was as a professor at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., where he taught from 1949 to 1952. Fr. Urban then served as a chaplain in the Air Force from 1952 to 1957. For the next 12 years, he was stationed at St. Anthony Shrine, Boston. He then ministered at Our Lady’s Shrine, New Bedford, Mass., from 1970 to 1973, was chaplain at an Atlanta penitentiary from 1973 to 1976, and chaplain of a federal reformatory in El Remo, Okla.

Fr. Urban then served as chaplain of the federal penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pa. He was administrator of the Chapel of the Incarnation in Donaldsonville, Ga., from 1981 to 1983. He returned to St. Anthony Shrine in 1987, where he remained until he retired to St. Anthony Residence in Boston in 1990. In 1998, he transferred to Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J.

He died on Oct. 10, 2002 at Holy Name Friary. Fr. Urban was 80 years old, a professed friar for 59 years and a priest for 54 years.