NEW YORK — As a new year begins, the friars of Holy Name Province are looking forward to the future and, at the same time, taking a glance back at the year that has just passed.
2009 is a year of great joy for the Franciscans worldwide, as they mark the 800thanniversary of the founding of the Order. And, 2009 will also mark significant personal anniversaries in the Franciscan journey of many of the friars of Holy Name Province.
Jubilarians
The Province congratulates the 24 friars who celebrate milestone anniversaries this year, giving thanks to God for their lives and ministry.
Those commemorating anniversaries are:
| 25 Years as Friars | 50 Years as Friars | 60 Years as Friars | 70 Years as Friars |
| Lawrence Hayes, OFM Gene Pistacchio, OFM Peter Schneible, OFM |
David Bossman, OFM Louis McCormick, OFM Michael McDonnell, OFM Nathaniel Necaster, OFM Thaddeus Sapio, OFM |
Roch Coogan, OFM Fergus Healey, OFM Venant Lalonde, OFM Guy Morgan, OFM Finian Riley, OFM |
Dominic Finneran, OFM Emeric Szlezak, OFM |
| 25 Years Ordained | 50 Years Ordained | 60 Years Ordained | |
| Timothy Shreenan, OFM | Angelus Gambatese, OFM Robert Gavin, OFM Thomas Jones, OFM Raymond Mann, OFM Edward Metzger, OFM Roderic Petrie, OFM Matthias Tumulty, OFM (now member of St. Barbara Province) |
Reginald Redlon, OFM |
The Province will recognize the silver and golden jubilarians at its annual celebration in June at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York. Other celebrations are organized by the friars’ local communities and the class.
In Memoriam
The friars are also looking back in gratitude for the lives of their brothers who passed on last year. They are:
Conrad Loftus, OFM, 80, died Jan. 2 in Ringwood, N.J.
Joseph Ganssle, OFM, 76, died March 31 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Arthur Murray, OFM, 86, died April 2 in Ringwood
Bishop Benedict Coscia, OFM, 85, died April 30 in Jataí, Brazil
Colin O’Rourke, OFM, 85, died May 6 in Ringwood
Theodore Lehr, OFM, 77, died May 6 in Ringwood
Francis Matthews, OFM, 48, died May 29 in Liverpool, N.Y.
Clement Healy, OFM, 89, died Sept. 16 in Ringwood
Sennen San Fratello, OFM, 82, died Oct. 12 in Ringwood
James Hynes, OFM, 57, died Nov. 1 in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Alan Sullivan, OFM, 82, died Nov. 3 in Ringwood
Alcuin Coyle, OFM, 79, died Dec. 4 in New York
Holy Name Province wishes readers a new year filled with peace and all good.
Editor’s note: Obituaries of the friars who passed were included in previous issues of this newsletter; they can be found by using the search feature on the HNP Web site.