Some notable August events that took place around Holy Name Province are listed below.
One Year Ago
Aug. 5, 2012 — John Aherne, OFM, and Jeffrey Upshaw, OFM, professed their first vows as Franciscans at the Franciscan Interprovincial Novitiate in Burlington, Wis. (On Aug. 2, four men professed simple vows — Dennis Bennett, OFM, Casey Cole, OFM, Edgardo Jara Araya, OFM, and Ramon Razon, OFM.)
Aug. 11, 2012 — Ministries around the Province marked the 800th anniversary of St. Clare’s entrance into religious life on her feast day.
Aug. 26, 2012 — More than 200 people — including Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM — participated in a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Narrowsburg, N.Y., where William Scully, OFM, is pastor.
Five Years Ago
Aug. 23, 2008 — The restoration of historic St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City was completed. Four new shrines were also added to the West 31st Street church, which was previously renovated in 1992.
Aug. 27, 2008 — Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, Daniel Riley, OFM, director of Mt. Irenaeus, and Peter Schneible, OFM, a biology professor at St. Bonaventure University, participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school’s new science building, the William Walsh Center. (In September, SBU will dedicate its newest building, the William E. & Ann L. Swan Business Center, on Sept. 12.)
10 Years Ago
Aug. 1, 2003 — St. Joseph’s Parish in West Milford, N.J., was returned to the Diocese of Paterson.
Aug. 15, 2003 — Louis Iasiello, OFM, was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (upper half) and named deputy chief of chaplains for the U.S. Navy at a ceremony held at the Washington Navy Yard. (Louis retired from the Navy in 2006.)
Aug. 18, 2003 — The Provincial offices were relocated from West 32nd Street to temporary facilities on West 27th Street in New York City to allow for construction of a new office-friary building. (Provincial Office staff members moved to the building’s current location on West 31st Street in July 2007.)
20 Years Ago
Aug. 11, 1993 — Franciscan religious and laypeople gathered at St. Bonaventure Church, Paterson, N.J., to mark the opening of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the birth of St. Clare.
30 Years Ago
Aug. 13, 1983 — A former friar reunion was held in Brookline, Mass. (Earlier this year, friars reunited with their former classmates at an event held in New York City.)
50 Years Ago
Aug. 12, 1963 — Nearly 100 friars gathered in Butler, N.J., to pay tribute to James Keenan, OFM, the first member of Holy Name Province to celebrate his 60th anniversary as a priest. (Three HNP friars reached this milestone in 2013 — Mario Di Lella, OFM, of St. Petersburg, Fla., Pius Liu, OFM, of Taiwan, and Hugh Eller, OFM, of Ringwood, N.J.)
— Compiled by Maria Hayes