RINGWOOD, N.J. — Reginald Redlon, OFM, 90, a professed Franciscan friar for 68 years and a priest for 63, died Wednesday morning at Holy Name Friary.
A wake will be held Nov. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m., with a wake service beginning at 7:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Church in Butler, N.J. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m., also at St. Anthony.
Early Years
Born Jan 10, 1922 in Portland, Maine, to Thomas and Florence Redlon, Reginald was baptized Thomas. He attended St. Mary’s Grammar School in Westbrook, Maine, and graduated from Westbrook High School in 1939. That year, he entered the Province’s St. Joseph’s Seminary in Callicoon, N.Y.
He was received into the Order on Aug. 12, 1943, receiving the religious name of Reginald. On Aug. 14, 1944, he professed simple vows and on Sept. 17, 1947, he professed final vows.
Reginald studied philosophy at St. Stephen Friary in Croghan, N.Y., and St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., and theology at Holy Name College in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1949 in Washington.
Ministry
After his ordination, Reginald majored in psychology at The Catholic University of America in Washington. In 1950, he became prefect of discipline and a philosophy professor at Christ the King Seminary in Allegany, N.Y.
Reginald continued to pursue higher education. He studied at the University of Louvain in Belgium from 1951 to 1955. While abroad, he attended summer school in Paris to study French and in Switzerland to study German and literature. He graduated magna cum laude in 1955 with a doctorate in philosophy.
He taught as a professor of philosophy from 1955 to 1967 at St. Francis College in Rye Beach, N.H., where he also served as rector from 1961 to 1967.
Reginald was elected to the Provincial Council of Holy Name Province in 1967. That year, he became president of St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, where he served until 1972, and a trustee of Siena College, where he served until 1970.
In 1970, Reginald became president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities of the State of New York, a position he held until 1972.
From 1973 to 1982, he served as pastor of two North Jersey parishes — Holy Angels Church in Little Falls and St. Elizabeth’s Church in Wyckoff. In 1980, Reginald served as chairman of the Parish Cluster of Holy Name Province. That same year, he was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from St. Bonaventure University. From 1982 to 1985, he served as Provincial Councilor and director of continuing formation for Holy Name Province. He then served as pastor of St. Anne’s Church in Fair Lawn, N.J., from 1985 to 1994.
In 1986, Reginald became dean of Southern Bergen County and worked in the position until 1991. In 1992, he was awarded the Bene Merenti Medal for his work as pastor at St. Elizabeth’s, as chairman for Bergen County, as pastor of St. Anne’s, and as a dean of Southern Bergen County.
From 1994 to 2003, Reginald worked as a pastoral associate and retreat master at St. Stephen of Hungary Church in New York City. In 2003, he retired at St. Anthony Residence in Boston and moved to Holy Name Friary in June 2010.
Reginald will be buried at God’s Acre Cemetery in Ringwood, N.J.
— Compiled by Theresa Bartha. Photos in the collage located behind the above headshot provided by Beth Eberth.