RINGWOOD, N.J. — Bonaventure Hayes, OFM, 76, a professed Franciscan friar for 56 years and a priest for 50, died Sept. 26 at Holy Name Friary.
A wake service is being held Friday, Sept. 28 at Holy Name Friary in Ringwood. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Sept. 29 at St. Anthony Church, 65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, NJ 07405. Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, will preside and Charles Miller, OFM, will give the homily. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Butler.
Early Years
Bonaventure was born on Nov. 8, 1941 in Medina, N.Y., to Carl and Louise (née Kolb) and baptized Frederick Carl. He attended Alden, N.Y., High School and graduated in 1959 before going to St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y., where he intended to major in mathematics with a minor in chemistry. However, after his freshman year, he realized his vocation to religious life and from 1960 to 1961, he attended the Province’s St. Joseph Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.
He was received into the Order of Friars Minor on July 14, 1961 at St. Raphael Novitiate Lafayette, N.J., and professed first vows there one year later. He made his solemn profession on Aug. 22, 1965 at Christ the King Seminary in Allegany, N.Y., and was ordained on Dec. 16, 1967 at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C.
Ministry
Bonaventure’s first assignment was at Christ the King Seminary in Allegany, N.Y., where he taught the New Testament. Two years later, he began pursuing higher studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., earning his licentiate of sacred theology in 1972. He also pursued German studies during the summers of 1969 and 1972 at the Goethe-Institut and could speak the language, in addition to being able to read Aramaic, Coptic, French, Greek, Hebrew and Latin.
After finishing his studies at Catholic University, Bonaventure moved to England to pursue a doctorate from Cambridge University’s Divinity School. He returned to Christ the King Seminary in 1976 and began a 27-year stint as assistant professor of the New Testament. During his time there, he also earned a master of library science from the State University of New York at Buffalo to aid in his work as director of Christ the King’s library. While continuing in both roles, Bonaventure was appointed provincial archivist in 1989. After a long career in academics, he retired in 2003 to St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., and moved to Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J., several months later.
— Maria Hayes is communications coordinator for Holy Name Province.
Related Links
- “Bede Fitzpatrick Dies in New Jersey” – Sept. 14, 2018, HNP Today
- “Ringwood Friary Earns High Marks in Government Report” – Jan. 7, 2009, HNP Today