For immediate release
Contact: Jocelyn Thomas
Jthomas@hnp.org
NEW YORK — Feb. 27, 2018 – Br. Gary Maciag, OFM, 61, a professed Franciscan friar for 37 years, died Feb. 25 at Mount Sinai Hospital.
A wake will be offered from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, with a wake service at 6:30 p.m., at St. Anthony Church, 65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, N.J. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated there at 10 a.m. on March 2. Burial will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, N.J.
Early Years
Br. Maciag was born on May 23, 1956 in Passaic, N.J., to Joseph Maciag Jr. and Serafina Maciag (née Mancini) and was baptized on June 10, 1956 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Garfield, N.J. The second oldest of five siblings, he attended the parochial grammar school and graduated from Pope Pius XII Regional High School in Passaic in 1974.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1978 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Br. Maciag entered Holy Name Province’s affiliate program. He was received into the Order of Friars Minor on June 21, 1979 and professed first vows one year later. He made his solemn profession on June 18, 1983.
Ministry
Following his solemn profession, Br. Maciag continued his studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned his master’s in directing in 1984. After completing his degree, Br. Maciag taught theatre for three years at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. He returned to the classroom from 1987 to 1991 as a doctoral student concentrating on performance studies at New York University. While in New York City, Br. Maciag served as a lecturer at NYU and also worked as the associate director of communications for Holy Name Province from 1988 to 1991.
In 1991, Br. Maciag returned to Siena College, where he would teach as an assistant professor of creative arts and director of theatre for the next 16 years. While at Siena, he offered courses in theatre, interdisciplinary arts and management. He also directed a variety of productions, including seven world premieres, and worked in areas such as acting and text development in other plays.
As a professor, he presented his work at numerous national and international conferences, and published research in venues including The Cord and Analecta Husserliana. He was also involved in a number of professional organizations including the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, of which he was a founding member.
After nearly two decades at Siena, Br. Maciag requested a change in assignment. In 2007, he moved to St. Anthony Shrine where he served in a variety of roles, including as director of special projects, human resources, and the Lazarus ministry. He also spent one year of continuing education with Boston College’s Leadership for Change program, a work-based leadership graduate program for working professionals.
In 2012, Br. Maciag moved to St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y., where he began serving as executive director of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities. One year later, he was also appointed director of operations for the Franciscan Institute. He continued his duties for the AFCU when he was appointed special assistant to the president of Felician University in New Jersey in 2015.
Two years later, Br. Maciag returned to New York City to work as a financial assistant in Holy Name’s Provincial Office, where he served until his death.
He is survived by his mother, Serafina Maciag of Hamburg, N.J., and three sisters – Kathy Babinski of Ogdensburg, N.J., and Diane and Lisa Maciag of Hamburg and Stirling, N.J., respectively.
Memorial donations may be sent to Franciscan Friars – Holy Name Province, 144 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001-3202.
About Holy Name Province
Holy Name Province is the largest of seven entities in the United States belonging to the Order of Friars Minor. With ministries in 12 states along the East Coast, its nearly 300 Catholic priests and brothers serve in colleges, parishes, urban ministry centers and a wide variety of social justice ministries, as well as in overseas missions.
The Order, founded in 1209 by St. Francis of Assisi, commemorated its 800th anniversary in 2009. Today, St. Francis, whose feast day is Oct. 4, remains one of the most widely known saints, revered for his affection for nature and care for creation.
Information about Holy Name Province can be found on www.hnp.org. News about the friars and their ministries can be found on the Facebook page of the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province.
Interview and photo requests should be directed to Jocelyn Thomas, HNP director of communications, at 646-473-0265 ext. 321 or jthomas@hnp.org.