Deceased Friars


Vincent Shea, OFM

Vincent Shea

1917 – 2001

Fr. Vincent Shea, OFM, was born on May 9, 1917, in Somerville, Mass. In 1941, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.

He was received into the Franciscan Order in 1945 at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J., and professed temporary vows the following year. In 1949, Fr. Vincent professed solemn vows and was ordained a priest in 1951 in Washington, D.C.

Fr. Vincent’s early assignments were as parochial vicar at Holy Name in Garfield, N.J., St. Joseph’s in East Rutherford, N.J., St. Stephen of Hungary, in New York City and St. Anthony in Butler, N.J. He served as pastor of St. Bonaventure in Allegany, N.Y., followed by a year of continuing education at the Washington Theological Union.

In 1980, he returned to active ministry as chaplain at St. Francis Hospital in Olean, N.Y., then became guardian and pastor of St. Stephen’s in Croghan, N.Y., from 1982 until 1989. He then moved to Boston to serve as associate at St. Anthony Shrine and, for a short time, associate at Sacred Heart Friary in East Rutherford.

In 1990, Fr. Vincent retired to Warwick, N.Y., for a couple of years until being transferred in March 1993 to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J. He later moved to St. Anthony’s Friary in Butler, but his needs dictated his return to Ringwood.

He died Sept. 6, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y. Fr. Vincent was 84 years old, a professed Franciscan for 55 years and a priest for 50 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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Vincent Shea, OFM

Vincent Shea

1917 – 2001

Fr. Vincent Shea, OFM, was born on May 9, 1917, in Somerville, Mass. In 1941, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.

He was received into the Franciscan Order in 1945 at St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J., and professed temporary vows the following year. In 1949, Fr. Vincent professed solemn vows and was ordained a priest in 1951 in Washington, D.C.

Fr. Vincent’s early assignments were as parochial vicar at Holy Name in Garfield, N.J., St. Joseph’s in East Rutherford, N.J., St. Stephen of Hungary, in New York City and St. Anthony in Butler, N.J. He served as pastor of St. Bonaventure in Allegany, N.Y., followed by a year of continuing education at the Washington Theological Union.

In 1980, he returned to active ministry as chaplain at St. Francis Hospital in Olean, N.Y., then became guardian and pastor of St. Stephen’s in Croghan, N.Y., from 1982 until 1989. He then moved to Boston to serve as associate at St. Anthony Shrine and, for a short time, associate at Sacred Heart Friary in East Rutherford.

In 1990, Fr. Vincent retired to Warwick, N.Y., for a couple of years until being transferred in March 1993 to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J. He later moved to St. Anthony’s Friary in Butler, but his needs dictated his return to Ringwood.

He died Sept. 6, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y. Fr. Vincent was 84 years old, a professed Franciscan for 55 years and a priest for 50 years.