July 2nd is the anniversary of the death of Father Bernard M. Albers. Father Albers was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1894. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania in 1915, and was ordained to the priesthood in St. Thomas’ Church in Villanova in 1922.
Joseph A. Coleman was born in Balbriggan, Ireland, on May 17, 1842. He entered the Order in Ireland, and at 22 years of age made his novitiate at Ghent, Belgium. He continued as a student in that General House together with John Fedigan of the American mission. He was professed on August 15, 1865. Joseph then left Ghent for Hoxton, London, sometime after January, 1868, and was ordained by Archbishop Henry Manning in the bishop’s chapel on July 26, 1868. On October 8 of that same year he was named collector for the mission at Hoxton. At the Irish Provincial Chapter of 1871 he was named prior at Drogheda, and in 1875 prior at Dublin.
Edward Joseph Chapman was born April 23, 1917 in Centralia, Pennsylvania to Joseph Chapman and Anne Lavelle. He was baptized April 29, 1917, at St. Ignatius Church, in that city, and received his elementary education in the parish’s elementary school. He attended St. Ignatius High School in Centralia, for three years, and Conyngham Township High School, Aristes, PA., where he earned his diploma in 1934. Edward did post-graduate studies, as a postulant, at Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, and was received into the novitiate on September 9, 1935.
James P. Brice, son of Michael Brice and Bridget McNelis, was born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, on June 19, 1891. He entered the novitate at Villanova on June 22, 1911, and professed vows on June 22, 1912. He was solemnly professed on June 25, 1915. Following theological studies in both Villanova and Rome, Italy, he was ordained on May 27, 1917, in the Philadelphia Cathedral.
Charles Edward Bauman was born on October 22, 1901 on a farm in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. On September 10, 1917, he entered Saint Rita’s Hall, Villanova, graduating in June, 1920. On June 27, of the same year he entered the novitiate at Villanova and made his first profession of vows on June 28, 1921. After studies at Villanova College which were completed in June, 1920, Charles began theological studies there. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul by Bishop Crane on June 11, 1927. Another year of theological studies was completed in Washington, DC, where, at the same time, he attended the Catholic University. In June, 1928 he received a Master of Arts degree in Sociology.
Norman William Galloway was born in Dumbarton, Scotland on May 2, 1920, the fourth of seven children born to Mary Burgess and James Galloway. The family immigrated to the United States and settled in the Bronx, New York, where Norman attended Saint Nicholas of Tolentine High School for two years and DeWitt Clinton High School for two years. He entered the novitiate on September 9, 1941 and was professed on September 30, 1942. He made his solemn profession on September 30, 1945
John Hugh Devir was born in County Donegal, Ireland on December 23, 1841 to Henry Devir and Catherine Gibbons. He immigrated to the United States in September, 1864 and entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania, on January 5, 1866. He made his profession of simple vows on January 19, 1867, and was solemnly professed on January 20, 1870. John was ordained to the priesthood in Saint Augustine’s Church in Philadelphia by Bishop Thomas Becker of Wilmington, Deleware, on January 30, 1870.
Charles Patrick Brown was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 17, 1898 to John Brown and Mary Lyons. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pa. in 1924, and, following his novitiate, professed first vows on June 26, 1925. He made solemn profession on the same date in 1928, and was ordained to the priesthood at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 1931 by Bishop Thomas Shahan.
Charles James Baker was born on Staten Island, New York, on May 24, 1879, to Charles Baker and Angelina Fulton. He attended Augustinian Academy, after which he was employed for several years as a clerk. Charles entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1904, and professed simple vows on July 4, 1905. He was solemnly professed on July 6, 1908, and on Thanksgiving Day of that same year, was ordained a subdeacon by Augustinian Bishop William Jones of Puerto Rico at Villanova. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Philadelphia Cathedral by Bishop Edmund Prendergast on May 14, 1910.
John Frail, son of Michael and Mary Frail, was born in County Galway, Ireland on June 24, 1846. He was vested at Villanova, Pennsylvania on December 1, 1901, and was professed on July 7, 1908 with the name Brother Possidius.