Category Archives: today

John A. Drabinski, O.S.A.

1889 – 1927 (October 9)

John Aloysius Drabinski was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary on September 29, 1889, to John Drabinski and Mary Maurer. He immigrated to the United States and lived in Camden, New Jersey, where he attended St. Peter School and later St. Vincent Orphanage, in Tacony. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1907, and professed simple vows on July 6, 1908. He was solemnly professed on July 6, 1911. John was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Edmond Prendergast in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, on May 30, 1914.

John F. Blethen, O.S.A.

1922 – 2001 (October 7)

John Blethen was born December 14, 1922 in San Diego, California. He graduated from St. Augustine High School and attended San Diego State University for one year. He then joined the Augustinians making his Novitiate in New Hamburg, New York, and professing his first vows in 1943. He studied theology at Augustinian College in Washington, D.C. and received a Masters Degree from Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood February 2, 1949.

John J. Farrell, O.S.A.

1932 – 2012 (October 5)

John Joseph Farrell was born on November 5, 1932, on Staten Island, New York, one of three sons of John Farrell and Mildred Dwyer. He was baptized on November 20, 1932, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Staten Island, and attended the parish school and Augustinian Academy. Upon graduation, he was received into the Order as a novice on September 9, 1950, and professed simple vows on October 1, 1951, at Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, New York.

Thomas P. Fogarty, O.S.A.

1888 – 1950 (October 4)

Thomas P. Fogarty was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, on June 29, 1888, the son of Edward Fogarty and Katherine Mackey. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania in 1907 with his brother, Daniel, and together they professed simple vows on July 6, 1908. That same year, on September 30th, the two brothers went to Rome to continue studies at the International College of St. Monica, and made solemn profession there on October 18, 1911.

Joseph I. Boyle, O.S.A.

1909 – 1981 (October 1)


Joseph Ignatius Boyle, the son of Daniel Boyle and Agnes Reily, was born in Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1909. He attended Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, and was received as a novice on September 9, 1928. He professed first vows on September 10, 1929, and solemn vows September 10, 1932. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova College in 1933, he went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in Education from Catholic University in 1937. He pursued his theological training at Augustinian College, Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception by Bishop John McNamara on June 9, 1936. He and his brother, Francis X. Boyle, O.S.A., chanted their first Solemn High Mass at the Church of the Holy Ghost, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

John J. Bowles, O.S.A.

1839 – 1911 (September 30)

John Joseph Bowles was born in Limerick, Ireland on June 6, 1839. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania in 1868, professed simple vows on January 8, 1869, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Wood on April 3, 1871. He was solemnly professed on January 22, 1872.

James E. Farrell, O.S.A.

1921 – 1999 (September 29)

James Edward Farrell was born in Rochester, New York, the son of James H. Farrell and Nora A. Burke, on December 9, 1921. He received his early education at Saint Augustine Parish School and the Aquinas Institute of Rochester, and attended Niagara University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in economics. Before entering the Province, he spent more than twenty years in the insurance business. In April, 1967 he sought admittance to the community as a Brother candidate. Following his novitiate, he professed simple vows on June 6, 1970, and solemn vows on September 16, 1973.

John J. Corr, O.S.A.

1890 – 1954 (September 29)

John Joseph Corr was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 3, 1890, to Joseph Corr and Catherine Donegan. He received his early education at local public and Catholic Schools and spent one year at Roxbury Latin School. Later he worked as a clerk, before he entered Saint Rita’s Hall, Villanova, Pennsylvania, in 1907. He became a novice on June 25, 1910, at Villanova, and made his profession of simple vows on June 25, 1911, and was solemnly professed on the same date in 1914. John was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Philadelphia by Archbishop Edmond Prendergast on May 27, 1916.

Thomas M. Carr, O.S.A.

1756 – 1820 (September 29)

Thomas Matthew Carr, son of Michael Carr and Mary McDaniel, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was baptized, possibly on the day of his birth, at St Catherine Church, on January 14, 1755. He had one known sibling, a sister who, years later, joined him in America. He entered the Order at the age of 16, made his novitiate at John’s Lane in Dublin, and was professed on November 6, 1772. He received his education at the Augustinian house of studies at Toulouse in Southern France, and was ordained there on June 13, 1778.

James P. Furlong, O.S.A.

1849 – 1872 (September 28)

James Peter Furlong was born in County Wexford, Ireland, on March 1, 1849, to Patrick Furlong and Anastasia Gleeson. He entered the novitiate from Ireland in Ghent, Belgium, in 1867, and made his first profession there on November 25, 1868. He came to the United States as a professed cleric the following year, in broken health due to the unfavorable conditions of the cold, damp monastery of Saint Stephen in which he and his companions lived. He made his solemn profession of vows on November 26, 1871, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Wood at Overbrook on February 29, 1872.