NEW YORK — Some notable Holy Name events that took place in past Mays are listed below.
One Year Ago
May 12-14, 2008 — Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, represented the English-speaking Conference (ESC) at a special meeting of the 14 OFM conferences throughout the world in Rome with the General Council to plan 2009’s General Chapter, which takes place May 24 through June 22. John was elected president of the ESC in 2007.
May 24, 2008 — Five friars were ordained to priestly ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan. This was the largest group of Holy Name Province friars to be ordained in nearly 20 years. This May 16, four more HNP friars will be ordained.
Five Years Ago
May 6, 2004 — Friars living in the 31st Street friary in Manhattan moved to interim lodging before the start of construction of the new friary. St. Francis of Assisi Friary was completed in May 2007. (Photos of the space during construction and the friars’ move into the completed friary can be viewed on the Extranet.)
10 Years Ago
May 8, 1999 — Roberto Gonzalez, OFM, (pictured, right) was formally installed as archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Last month, Roberto was present at the installation Mass for the new archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, atSt. Patrick’s Cathedral.
May 16, 1999 — Ground was broken for the first-ever elementary school at St. Francis Parish in Raleigh, N.C., where Daniel Kenna, OFM, was pastor. The Franciscan School, which opened its doors to 320 students in fall 2000, more than doubled enrollment to 677 students by 2008. The school can currently accommodate 81 students per grade.
15 Years Ago
May 7, 1994 — St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan observed its 150th anniversary at a special Eucharist with Cardinal John O’Connor of New York as the principal celebrant and homilist.
25 Years Ago
May 22, 1984 — Benedict Taylor, OFM, founder of CREATE Inc., received the Pierre Toussaint Award at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. The award is named after a Haitian slave who lived and worked as a hairdresser in New York during the early 1800s. According to the National Black Catholic Congress, it was not unusual for a lady of fashion to spend over a thousand dollars yearly on the care of her hair, and Toussaint’s cheerful manner won him many clients. He was a benefactor of St. Vincent de Paul on Canal Street, the first Catholic school for Black children in New York City, and generously shared his wealth with those who needed it.
33 Years Ago
May 5, 1976 — Mathias Doyle, OFM, was installed as the 17th president of St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y. His 15-year term is second only to Thomas Plassmann, OFM, who served as the university’s president for 29 years. Doyle Hall, one of SBU’s residences, was dedicated in 1990 upon the end of Mathias’ term.
— Compiled by Rebecca Doel