June History of Holy Name Province

HNP Communications Features

Notable events that took place in the month of June through the years include an ordination, simple profession, jubilee celebrations and imposition of a Provincial Minister.

One Year Ago
June 21, 2018 – The profession anniversaries of eight friars were celebrated at the Province’s annual Jubilee Mass and reception in New York City. The friars marking 50 years since their first profession were Paul Bourque, OFM, Peter Chepaitis, OFM, Daniel Kenna, OFM, Charles O’Connor, OFM, John O’Connor, OFM, and Richard Trezza, OFM. Celebrating 25 years of profession of vows were Russel Murray, OFM, and Sean O’Brien, OFM.

June 23, 2018 – John Aherne, OFM, was ordained a priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church on 31st Street. He is now stationed at St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.

Five Years Ago
June 19-22, 2014 – A Thomas Merton Conference was held at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y., that featured presentations by renowned Merton scholars, including St. Bonaventure alumnus Daniel Horan, OFM, ‘05. Other speakers included Christine Bochen of Nazareth College, Michael Higgens of Sacred Heart University, and Fr. John Eudes Bamberger, OSCO, former Abbot of the Abbey of Genesee.

June 2, 2014 – Theodore McNalley, OFM, died at Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J. He had served at several parishes in New Jersey, including Sacred Heart in Rochelle Park, Assumption in Wood-Ridge, St. Bonaventure in Paterson, and Sacred Heart in East Rutherford, as well as St. Francis of Assisi in New York City.

10 Years Ago
June 17, 2009 – Georgia native Jeffery Jordan, OFM, supported by friends from Albany to Florida, professed his first vows as a Franciscan at St. Paul’s Church in Wilmington, Del. Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, celebrated the Mass at the 140-year-old church.

June 24, 2009 – Eight friars were honored for their golden and silver jubilees of religious profession. The event included a Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street and reception in San Damiano Hall.

June 24, 2009 – Friars, tenants and past and present staff members gathered to celebrate two important events in the life of St. Francis Friends of the Poor: the opening of new offices and the 25th anniversary of St. Francis Residence II. The celebration, which included refreshments and a tour of the recently renovated facility, was held at the West 22nd Street building in New York City with the three friars who founded the residences – John Felice, OFM, John McVean, OFM, and Thomas Walters, OFM.

15 Years Ago
June 1, 2004 – Amadeus Burke, OFM, died at Holy Name Friary in Ringwood at age 96. His first assignment was in Buffalo, N.Y., where he served for four years as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Church. In 1939, he was appointed pastor of St. Stephen Church in Croghan. Twelve years later, Amadeus was assigned to St. Francis Friary in Brookline, Mass., as vicar and associate. His later years included assignments at St. Anthony Shrine and St. Anthony Residence in Boston, and Holy Name Friary. On Aug. 18, 2003, he celebrated his diamond jubilee, 75 years as a friar.

June 9-12, 2004 – Friars from around the Province gathered at Siena College for a special assembly on the “Franciscan Response to Globalization.” Between the friars and their partners-in-ministry, more than 300 people participated in the chapter. Provincial Minister John Felice, OFM, opened the conference and Fr. Francisco O Connaire, OFM, of the Order’s JPIC Office, served as the facilitator. Workshops were held around the Loudonville, N.Y., campus. Among the presentations were: Consuming and Investing for Justice (Mathias Doyle, OFM); Racism, Poverty and Globalization (Benedict Taylor, OFM); Migration of Persons (Brian Jordan, OFM); Community in a Multi-Cultural Church (William McIntyre, OFM); Human Rights and Globalization (Jud Weiksnar, OFM; The Gift and Challenge of Technology (George Corrigan, OFM, and Jim McIntosh, OFM); The Loss of Community and Role of Fear (Joe Nangle, OFM); Environmental Impact from Globalization (Br. Keith Warner, OFM), and Religion and Globalization (Robert Menard, OFM).

20 Years Ago
June 9, 1999 – Francis Tokar, OFM, died in St. Petersburg, Fla., at age 81. The European native spent most of his Franciscan life at friaries in New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey. In all assignments, he was known to be dependable and closely attentive to detail.

25 Years Ago
June 1994 – Louis Canino, OFM, helped celebrate the tenth anniversary of St. Francis House in Boston by recalling how he found people begging for food when he arrived at Arch Street in 1982. As John Quinn, OFM, and Joseph Nangle, OFM, served sandwiches, the line at the Shrine continued to get longer. As rector and guardian, Louis used this as motivation for the founding of St. Francis House. In 1984, when it was opened, Louis served as director, Alexis Mulrenan, OFM, worked in the kitchen, Robert Nee, OFM, coordinated volunteers, and Fr. John Bucchino, OFM, a friar from the Immaculate Conception Province, served as chaplain. Kevin Mullen, OFM, guardian and rector at Arch Street, also attended the tenth-anniversary festivities.

30 Years Ago
June 13, 1989 – George Reilly, OFM, died in Paterson, N.J., at age 67. He was a professed friar for 46 years and a priest for 41 years. He served at Sacred Heart Parish in Rochelle Park, N.J., the first and shortest of five parochial ministries that spanned more than 30 years. George also served at St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J., and in Narrowsburg, N.Y., where he was tasked with building a friary to serve the towns of Lake Huntington, Cochecton, Yulan and Pond Eddy in Sullivan County, N.Y. In 1964, he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church in East Rutherford, N.J., where he supervised the building of the parish school. Later he served at St. Anne’s Church in Fair Lawn, N.J., and then in one of his most beloved ministries as chaplain for the Little Sisters of the Poor in Totowa, N.J.

June 1989 – Volunteers went out two-by-two, in Gospel fashion, ringing 3,000 doorbells in the New Jersey towns of Carlstadt and East Rutherford, asking those who responded, “What can our churches do for you?” According to the late Brennan Connelly, OFM, then pastor of St. Joseph Church in East Rutherford, “the mission wasn’t to secure converts or donations, but instead to team together volunteers from Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran and Pentecostal churches. What started out as a religious census turned into what one volunteer called “caring and sharing.” “We’re assessing the responses and hope either to connect people with community programs already in existence or try to develop new ones to serve the most pressing needs.”

50  Years Ago
June 1969 – As General Minister Fr. Constantine Koser, OFM, emerged from the main entrance of St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street, he was greeted by a siren and airhorn salute from firefighters who stood outside their firehouse across the street. t Members of Engine 1 and Ladder 24, hearing the robust ringing of the church bells for the Votive Mass of St. Francis, decided they’d add a crowning touch to the festivities. At the end of the four-minute salute, the General Minister waved in appreciation.

70 Years Ago
June 1949 – At the Provincial Chapter held at St. Joseph’s Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y., under the presidency of General Procurator of the Order and Commissary and General Visitor to the Province Mathias Faust, OFM, it was announced that Thomas Plassmann, OFM, was named Provincial Minister by the General Council. At the time, he was serving as president of St. Bonaventure University in Western New York. Edmund Murphy, OFM, was named “Custos,” an earlier title for the Provincial Vicar. Gerald McGlynn, OFM, Benedict Ballou, OFM, Valentine Long, OFM, and Callistus Smith, OFM, were appointed to the provincial council. Alexander Wyse, OFM, was named Provincial Secretary at the end of the chapter.

— Compiled by Jim McIntosh and Jocelyn Thomas.

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