Category Archives: today

Philip H. Foley, O.S.A.

1921 – 1963 (January 29)

Philip Henry Foley was born on May 24, 1921 in Audubon, Iowa, to Philip Foley and Veda Minerman. He was baptized in June 1921, at Saint Patrick’s Church in that city. Philip attended Saint Sabina Parochial School, Chicago, for six years before enrolling in Saint Nicholas of Tolentine School, Chicago, for the last two years of his elementary education. He began his secondary education at Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Chicago, and later transferred to Saint Rita High School. After a year at Saint Rita, Philip was accepted as a postulant into Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, which granted him a diploma in 1942.

Anthony A. Cirami, O.S.A.

1908 – 1987 (January 29)

Anthony A. Cirami was born on January 26, 1908, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph Cirami and Maria Grazia, and was baptized in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in South Philadelphia. He received his early education at Our Lady of Good Counsel School, and entered Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, as a postulant on September 9, 1924. He was admitted into the novitiate in 1928, and professed simple vows on September 10, 1929.

Eugenio Zega, O.S.A.

1910 – 2001 (January 29)

Eugenio Maria Zega, son of Pietro Zega and Rosa Marziali, was born on November 5, 1910, in S. Angelo in Pontano, Le Marche, Italy. He attended the elementary school in that town from 1920 to 1925, and high school at the Ginnasio Salesiano, from 1925 to 1929, at Genzano, Lazio, Italy. In 1930, he entered the novitiate in Tolentino where, after he professed simple vows on October 18, 1931, he studied philosophy and theology from 1931 to 1936.

Henry A. Fleming, O.S.A.

1826 – 1885 (January 27)

Henry Ambrose Fleming, son of William Fleming and Anna Tanner Ra, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 26, 1826. Reared a staunch Presbyterian, upon reaching manhood he was converted and received into the Church by Father John O’Dwyer, O.S.A., on July 4, 1847. He entered the seminary at Saint Charles but was obliged to discontinue there in order to support his aged mother. He had attended Villanova College from 1851 until 1854, and following his mother’s death in January 1869, he then returned to Villanova several months later as a postulant. He was admitted to the novitiate on January 20, 1870, professed simple vows on January 21, 1871, and then solemn vows on January 25, 1874.

John W. Dwyer, O.S.A.

1889 – 1920 (January 26)

John William Dwyer, son of Patrick Dwyer and Elizabeth Lawler, was born in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, on January 22, 1889. His primary education was obtained at Holy Infancy Parochial School, South Bethlehem, Pa, after which he attended Villanova Preparatory School for four years. He was received into the novitiate on June 25, 1909, made his simple profession of vows the following year, and in September, 1911, was sent to Saint Monica’s International College in Rome for his theological training.

Edward J. Burns, O.S.A.

1915 – 1999 (January 26)

Edward John Burns was born on October 10, 1915, in Torrington, Connecticut, to Edward Burns and Judith Palm, and was baptized at St. Francis Church in the same town. He received his early education at St. Francis Parochial School and Torrington High School. In September 1932, he enrolled in the Commerce and Finance Department at Villanova College, as a candidate for the BA Degree in Economics which he received in June 1937.

Timothy Donovan, O.S.A.

1838 – 1875 (January 25)

Timothy Donovan, son of Michael Donovan and Mary Leary, was born in Skibbereen, Ireland, in 1838. He entered the novitiate at Villanova on January 5, 1866, and made his simple profession on January 19, 1867. He professed final vows on January 20, 1870. After pursuing his philosophical and theological studies he was ordained to the priesthood at Old Saint Augustine Church, Philadelphia, by Bishop Becker of Wilmington, Delaware, on January 30, 1870.

Walter A. Coar, O.S.A.

1868 – 1899 (January 25)

Walter Augustine Coar, son of Robert B. Coar and Catherine Hickey, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on January 5, 1868. He entered the novitiate at Villanova on September 2, 1888, and pronounced simple vows on September 3, 1889. After completing his philosophical and theological studies at Villanova and making his solemn profession on September 4, 1892, he was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia by Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan on May 27, 1895. 

Joseph G. Bugeia, O.S.A.

1884 – 1969 (January 25)

Joseph Gelasius Bugeia, son of Paul Bugeia and Mary Chircop, was born in Rabat, Malta, on February 1, 1884. He was baptized in the Cathedral of Saint Paul, and it was on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul that he died. On June 23, 1901, Joseph entered the novitiate of the Maltese Province at Saint Mark Monastery in Rabat, and made his simple profession on June 24, 1902. Following theological studies, he was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Gozo, Malta, on June 5, 1909. 

Charles A. Beckerman, O.S.A.

1890 – 1933 (January 25)


Charles Aloysius Beckerman, son of George Beckerman and Karoline Klein-Akernau, was born in Veen, Prussia, on September 28, 1890. His primary education was obtained at Saint Alphonsus and at Saint Vincent schools, Philadelphia. From Saint Vincent Orphanage, Tacony, Pennsylvania, he entered the Augustinian Preparatory Scholasticate, Saint Rita Hall, Villanova. He was received as a novice on July 4, 1907, and made profession of vows on July 6, 1908.