This Month in Provincial History

Maria Hayes Features

Notable events for the month of September include:

One Year Ago
Sept. 16, 2017 – St. Bonaventure University dedicated its newly constructed McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry. The building, which replaced the Thomas Merton Center, gives students 24-hour access to conference and workrooms, a kitchen, and a great room. It also includes the university’s first-ever interfaith prayer tower, a physical reminder that students who aren’t Catholic also have a spiritual home at St. Bonaventure. (Last month, the university dedicated a new bench featuring statues of Saints Francis and Clare, as well as the Wolf of Gubbio and St. Clare’s cat.)

Sept. 20, 2017 – Hurricane María made landfall in Puerto Rico, leaving devastation in its wake. One year later, the archipelago – home to Archbishop Roberto González, OFM, and Alfonso Guzman, OFM – is still recovering.

Sept. 22, 2017 – Siena College marked the 80th anniversary of its founding with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany, N.Y.

Five Years Ago
Sept. 15, 2013 – St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson, N.J., dedicated its renovated conference room to the late Juniper Capece, OFM. Juniper apprenticed to be a tailor in that room when the building was part of the novitiate.

10 Years Ago
Sept. 14, 2008 – More than 400 people attended a Mass commemorating the anniversary of the dedication of St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J. Paterson has been the site of several important events in Holy Name Province’s history – from the arrival of the band of friars from Germany in 1876, to the founding of Holy Name Province in 1901.

15 Years Ago
Sept. 13, 2003 – Paul Chelus, OFM, Octavio Duran, OFM, Gregory Jakubowicz, OFM, and Jim McIntosh, OFM, professed solemn vows at a ceremony presided over by Provincial Minister John Felice, OFM, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City.

Sept. 28, 2003 – Bishop William McCormack, the retired auxiliary bishop of New York, consecrated a new marble altar at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Manhattan.

20 Years Ago
Sept. 19, 1998 – Todd Carpenter, OFM, Jim Sabak, OFM, and Brian Smail, OFM, professed solemn vows at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City.

Sept. 27, 1998 – For his distinguished service to the Church, Felician Foy, OFM, was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal by Bishop Frank Rodimer at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Paterson, N.J.

25 Years Ago
Sept. 2, 1993 – A painting attributed to Rembrandt, worth approximately $1 million, was stolen from the library at St. Bonaventure University. It was never recovered.

— Maria Hayes is communications coordinator for Holy Name Province.

Related Links