Deceased Friars
James Gavin, OFM Cap.,1932-2021
Our brother James Gavin, OFM Cap., passed gently into eternal life in the early hours of Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Brother James was born in Stranooden, County Monaghan, Ireland, on June 8, 1932, the seventh of eleven children born to Joseph and Catherine (Clerkin) Gavin, who worked a ten-acre farm to provide a living for their family. Such was life at that time that James, not unlike his siblings, received the bare minimum of education – grade school only – before leaving school in 1946 to help manage the family farm. Beginning in 1954, he became quite literally a “journeyman laborer”, working variously as a farm hand, cabinet maker and furniture repairman as he began to think of leaving Ireland for North America. On a Monday evening in March 1956, he boarded a ship in Belfast headed for Birmingham, England, where he would spend a year working as a toolmaker and making friends before finally flying to Canada in June, 1957.
Robert E. McCreary, OFM Cap., 1937-2021
Our brother Robert E. McCreary, 84, was called to the Lord’s eternal life on Wednesday morning, March 24, 2021, at Canterbury Place Nursing Home where he was cared for in his last month. His cousin and our confrere Robert L. McCreary, OFM Cap., and his sister, Charlotte, kept company with him during the days prior to his death, supporting him with prayer and the sacraments of the Church.
The first of four children born to Judge Robert McCreary and his wife Ellen (Cain), young Robert grew up in Monaca, PA. He was born on January 2, 1937, and was baptized at St. John the Baptist Church there, attending its public elementary school. After one year at Monaca High School, he chose to enroll at St. Fidelis High School and College Seminary in Herman, PA, in 1951, the same year that his cousin Robert L. McCreary enrolled in the College program there.
Reginald Russo, OFM Cap., 1941-2021
Our brother Reginald Russo, OFM Cap., died late Monday night, February 15, at Shadyside Hospital from complications of post-Covid pneumonia. He entered eternal life in the presence of fellow Capuchin friars, including his older blood brother and our Capuchin brother Francis X. Russo, OFM Cap., who prayed with him as he died.
Reginald was given the name Carmen at his birth on July 30, 1941, the sixth of seven children born to John and Theresa (Izzo) Russo of Mahoningtown, PA. He was baptized at St. Lucy Church there and educated in the local public elementary school before following his older brother and enrolling at St. Fidelis High School and College Seminary in Herman, PA in 1955 to receive both his high school and college education. Like other collegians at the time, he moved to St. Conrad Friary, Annapolis, MD, where he was invested with the Capuchin habit and entered the novitiate following his second year of college in 1961. It was there that he received the Religious name Reginald by which he would be known for the rest of his life - when he wasn't called, affectionately, "Reg." He made profession of the vows as a Capuchin on July 14, 1962, and returned to St. Fidelis to complete his college studies.
More of Reg's story & info on the funeral plan and livestreaming...
Richard Lubomski, OFM Cap., 1944-2021
Our brother Richard Lubomski, OFM Cap., passed to the Lord on Monday afternoon, February 8, 2021, at Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, from complications arising from infection by the Covid-19 virus. He was 76 years of age.
Richard Joseph Lubomski was born in Pittsburgh to Joseph A. and Frances (Staresinic) Lubomski on December 21, 1944. He was baptized at St. Anthony Church and educated at the parish grade school in Millvale before attending Shaler Public High School. Richard would often tell the story of his parents’ marriage with a smile: his father was reprimanded by his pastor for wishing to marry Frances Staresnic. Her parents were Slovenian, and the pastor, who was Polish, chided Joe: “You couldn’t find a Polish girl?” Somehow, the marriage worked out – and Richard was a great credit to his “dual heritage.”
Read more about Richard and view videos of his funeral vigil & Mass... .
+Bill Fey, OFM Cap., 1942-2021
Our brother bishop Bill Fey, OFM Cap., who retired as the second Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea, in October 2019, died late Tuesday night, January 19, 2021, at Shadyside Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, from a Covid-related illness. Since July 2020, he had been in residence at St. Augustine Friary in Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville), PA.
“Bishop Bill” was born William Regis Fey in Pittsburgh, PA, on November 6, 1942, the son of Regis and Dorothy (Clair) Fey. Initially, he attended Middlesex Elementary School in Valencia, PA, before attending St. Paul Grade School in Butler. On graduation, he enrolled at our Capuchin seminary, St. Fidelis High School and College in Herman, PA.
Upon completing his second year of college studies, Bill was invested with the Capuchin habit in Annapolis, MD on July 13, 1962, receiving the religious name Br. Elroy (we assume Elroy Face was famous on the Pittsburgh Pirates team at the time?). He made his profession of vows one year later on July 14, 1963, and in 1968, he returned to his baptismal name, William, when that option became available. That same year, he was ordained to the priesthood in a class of Capuchins that numbered seventeen (17) friars, the highest number ever ordained for the community.
Fr. Senan Glass, 1930-2020
Capuchin friar Senan Glass, OFM Cap., died on Saturday morning, December 26, 2020, following a short residence at Manor Care Nursing Home in Wexford, PA, where he had been undergoing rehabilitation following treatment for an infection at Shadyside Hospital, Pittsburgh. He was 90 years old.
Born and baptized Paul Glass on February 27, 1930, in Uniontown, PA, the future friar was raised in Brownsville, PA, and he and his family were members of St. John Parish in Uniontown. He began his education at the parish elementary school and completed grade school at St. Peter School in Brownsville before entering St. Fidelis Seminary High School and College Seminary in Herman, PA, in 1944. Following his second year of college, Paul received the name Br. Senan as well as as his Capuchin habit when he began his Capuchin novitiate in Annapolis, MD, on July 13, 1951, and made his first vows as a friar on July 14, 1952. He returned to Herman complete his collegiate studies and moved on to study Theology for the priesthood at Capuchin College in Washington DC in 1954. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1957 along with Capuchin classmates Basil Gasper (+1994), Bennett Colucci (+2000) and Leon Leitem, who survives him.
Fr. Dismas Young, 1938-2020
Our Capuchin brother Dismas Young, OFM Cap., died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday morning, December 17, 2020, at Vincentian Home in McCandless, PA. A proud “Butlerite” from St. Paul Parish in Butler, PA, his baptismal name was Leo, born to parents Eugene and Mary (Steinhiser) Young on November 12, 1938. He was one of four children born to the couple and was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Eugene, and his sister, Nancy (McKain). His sister Alice (Bernard) Carbin survives him and shares our loss.
Leo was familiar with the Capuchins who would come to his parish from nearby St. Fidelis in Herman, PA. After graduation from Butler High School, he felt his call to be a Capuchin brother and entered the Capuchin Brothers Training Center in Cumberland, MD. When he decided that perhaps a call to the Capuchin priesthood might best suit his talents, he enrolled at St. Fidelis College and Seminary in Herman, PA, in 1958, where he would join classmates who were a bit younger than he: John Getsy, Joseph Mindling, Emil Fischer (+2001) and William Wiethorn (+2014). They were all invested as Capuchins after their novitiate year in Annapolis, MD, where Leo was given the name Dismas. He wore his name proudly and never returned to his baptismal name as others did when permitted to do so in 1968. Besides, his patron was the “good thief” whose faith on the cross near Jesus allowed him to accompany Jesus to paradise. The class professed their first vows on July 14, 1961.
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