NEW YORK — Allan Von Kobs, OFM, 74, a professed Franciscan friar for 55 years and a priest for 37, died on April 9 at Lenox Hill Hospital.
A Memorial Mass for Allan will take place at a later date, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early Years
Allan was born on Sept. 18, 1945, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Marcelious and Marie (née Schmidt). He attended St. Joseph High School in Pulaski, Wisconsin, and St. Mary’s Seminary in Lemont, Illinois. He then entered the Congregation of the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis in Cincinnati, Ohio, in May 1964. Allan began his novitiate in December 1964 and made his first profession in 1966 and professed his final vows in 1970 in Cincinnati.
He received a bachelor of arts degree from LeMoyne College in Syracuse. New York, in 1971 and a master’s in mathematics education from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1974. Allan was elected to the congregation’s general council in 1976 and moved to the general curia in Aachen, Germany. He was one of the few members of the congregation allowed to study for the priesthood. Allan was ordained in Aachen, West Germany, on Oct. 9, 1982. That year, he was also chosen the congregation’s General Procurator to the Holy See. While in Rome, Allan attended the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he received a licentiate of sacred theology in 1988 and doctor of sacred theology in 1993.
Allan was received into the Order of Friars Minor on Dec. 14, 1989 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City. He professed solemn vows on Dec. 7, 1992 before Anthony Carrozzo, OFM.
Ministry
Except for one year, Allan spent his time as a member of Holy Name Province in New York City. From 1989 to 1993, he was stationed as an associate at St. Francis Friary on West 31st Street, while he completed his doctoral studies.
After spending 1993 to 1994 at St. Francis Chapel in Providence, Allan was again assigned to St. Francis Friary, where he served a variety of roles. They included assistant to the director of HNP communications, parochial vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, and director of planned giving for St. Anthony’s Guild. Since 2003, he had served as a financial administrator for Holy Name Province. Beginning in 2006, he also served in this role for the HNP Franciscan Missionary Union and for Franciscan Bread for the Poor.
Memorial donations may be sent to Franciscan Friars – Holy Name Province, 144 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001-3202.
— Jocelyn Thomas is director of communications for Holy Name Province.
Related
- Our Friars page of HNP website
- Holy Name Province Franciscan Missionary Union
- Congregation of the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis website