Mark A. Garrett, O.S.A.
1945 – 2009 (April 23) Mark Anthony Garrett was born on March 13, 1945, in Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of Thomas A. Garrett and Velma Moersdorf, and was baptized at Our Lady of Victories Church, Jersey City, N.J. He attended public and parochial schools in New Jersey and later in Decatur, Illinois, and, from […]
Robert Browne, O.S.A.
1772 – 1839 (April 20)
Robert Browne was born in Ireland in 1770. The records of the Irish Province show that he asked to enter the novitiate on November 13, 1786, when he was about 16 years old. He made his novitiate in Rome and, at his profession, took the name Nicholas. He studied at St. Matthew’s, the Irish Augustinian seminary in Rome, and at Bologna from 1790 to 1796. He was ordained in 1795. He returned to Ireland where he is listed as a member of the Dublin community in 1803.
James T.S. Conway, O.S.A.
1845 – 1869 (April 19)
James Trowbridge Sylvester Conway, son of Thomas Conway and Rebecca Van Brant, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 13, 1845. He entered the novitiate at Ghent, Belgium, where he made his first profession of vows on July 9, 1866. He was solemnly professed on July 24, 1869. Having completed his studies, he returned to the United States in 1868, suffering from consumption. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Philadelphia Cathedral by Bishop Jeremiah Shanahan of Harrisburg on October 24, 1868.
William Fink, O.S.A.
1889 – 1967 (April 18)
William Liguori Fink was born on August 29, 1889, in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania, to John J. Fink and Mary Shorb. He received his elementary education at St. Joseph Parochial School, McSherrystown, and after completing one hear of high school at St. Joseph, he entered the Augustinian minor seminary at St. Rita’s Hall, Villanova, Pennsylvania, where he completed his secondary education. He was received into the novitiate on July 6, 1908, and professed simple vows on July 7, 1909, and solemn vows on September 22, 1912.
John A. Crosson
1939 – 1996 (April 18)
John Allan Crosson, son of John E. Crosson and Eleanor Laskey, was born on Staten Island, New York, on December 10, 1939, and was baptized on December 31, 1939 in the Church of St. Paul, Staten Island, where he received his early education. He studied at St. John Baptist de la Salle and Don Bosco Technical High School in Paterson, New Jersey, and on July 15, 1957, entered Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, N.Y., as an oblate. Two years later he began his six month postulancy. On January 24, 1960, John entered the novitiate at New Hamburg, N.Y., professed simple vows on January 25, 1961, and three years later made solemn profession.
William F. Berry, O.S.A.
1897 – 1926 (April 17)
William Francis Berry, son of William Berry, a watchman, and Ann Jennings, was born in Castlebar, Count Mayo, Ireland on February 13, 1897. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1906, studied at Saint Anselm Grammar School in the Bronx and at local public schools before he entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania in 1916. He pronounced first vows on June 24, 1917, and solemn vows on June 27, 1920. He was sent to Spain to study theology and was ordained there on July 15, 1923.
Edmund L. Burke, O.S.A.
1916 – 1984 (April 16)
Edmund Lawrence Burke, son of Lawrence Burke and Jennie Proctor, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 30, 1916. He received his early education at Visitation and Saint Clare grammar schools and spent his high school at Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York. He entered the novitiate on September 8, 1934, and professed first vows on September 10, 1935 and solemn vows on September 10, 1938. After his novitiate he began college work at Villanova College and received his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1939. He pursued theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington, DC, where he was ordained to the priesthood at Trinity College on May, 28, 1942.
John J. Curran, O.S.A.
1917 – 1992 (April 14)
John Joseph Curran was born on September 10, 1917, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John J. Curran and Catherine Burke. He had one brother. Baptized on September 23, 1917, in Our Lady of Victory Church, Philadelphia, the family moved to Wildwood, New Jersey, where John attended Saint Ann’s Parish School and Wildwood High School. In 1939 he graduated from Villanova College with a B.S. in Biology. He entered Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, as a postulant in February of 1940. Upon completion of his novitiate at Our Mother of Good Counsel, New Hamburg, N.Y., John professed simple vows September 10, 1941, and three years later, September 10, 1944, he made solemn profession.
The resurrection of Christ alone…

“The resurrection of Christ alone bolsters our faith more than the multitude…”
James A. Donnellon, O.S.A.
906 – 1971 (April 11)
James Augustine Donnellon, son of James Donnellon and Catherine Mahon, was born on September 10, 1906, in the parish of St. Joseph, Niagara Falls, New York. The Donnellons moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts, where James received his elementary education in St. Laurence O’Toole Parish School. He graduated in 1920, began high school at St. John’s Preparatory School, Danvers, MA., and then entered Augustinian Academy on Staten Island, New York, graduating in 1924. On August 15, 1925, he was received into the novitiate, professed first vows on August 16, 1926, and made solemn profession on August 16, 1929.