Friars from Holy Name’s ordination class of 1958 commemorated their 50 th anniversary last week with gatherings in Boston and Paterson, N.J.
On April 27, Howard O’Shea, OFM, Joseph Nangle, OFM, Charles Finnegan, OFM, and Anthony Peloquin, OFM, Custody of the Holy Land, celebrated their 50th anniversary of ordination with a Mass at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston.
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, was the celebrant, and Howard and David Convertino, OFM, director of the Shrine, were concelebrants. Charles gave the homily.
Many friars, family members and former classmates attended the liturgy. John highlighted the 50-year commitment of these four men in an age when commitment is often taken lightly, according to John Maganzini, OFM, vicar of the shrine.
Following the Mass, the jubilarians, friars, and guests went to the shrine auditorium for a festive brunch. The friars gathered for a celebratory preprandium and dinner in the friary.
On the same day, a Mass was celebrated at St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, , for eight members of the class of 1958 — DePaul Genska, OFM; Evan Greco, OFM; Juvenal Leahy, OFM, a Holy Name alumnus; Gerald McCaffrey, OFM; Thomas Murphy, OFM; Bartholomew Renda, a former member of the Province; Ignatius McGeady, OFM, an alumnus; and Sennen San Fratello, OFM. Ignatius and Sennen were not able to attend.
Evan celebrated the Mass with concelebrants Fr. Anthony Mastrueni of the Paterson Diocese, who gave the homily, and Fr. Charles Macissac.
The jubilarians were ordained April 25, 1958, at Mt. St. Sepulchre Holy Land Shrine in Washington, D.C.
Friars celebrating their 25- and 50-year anniversaries of their profession of vows will be honored by the Province on June 19.