1890 – 1964 (July 27)
John Joseph McCabe, son of Thomas McCabe and Martha Warren, was born in Cambridge, New York, on June 28, 1890. He was baptized in Saint Patrick’s Church there on July 2nd of the same year. He entered Saint Rita’s Hall in Villanova, Pennsylvania, as a postulant in November, 1907, and entered the novitiate there in June, 1911. He made his simple profession on June 22, 1912, and went to Italy to continue his studies for the priesthood. He was solemnly professed on June 25, 1912. The outbreak of World War I forced him to return to the United States, where, on May 26, 1917, he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Prendergast in the Cathedral of Philadelphia.
Father McCabe was first assigned to Saint Rita’s Parish in Chicago, Illinois, where he served until 1935. During this time, he was very active in the organization and formation of the C.Y.O. From 1935 to 1937, he served as prior and pastor of Saint Augustine’s in Lawrence, Massachusetts. In 1938 he was appointed prior of the novitiate at New Hamburg, New York, and in 1941 as prior of Saint Mary’s Scholasticate at Villanova. From 1947, he assisted in the parish of Saint Joseph in Greenwich and from 1961, that of Saint John in Schagticoke, New York.
In December 1963, Father McCabe retired because of ill helath, and joined the community at Resurrection Parish in Dania, Florida. He died there on July 27, 1964 at the age of 74. His Funeral Mass was celebrated at Villanova by Prior Provincial James Donnellon, O.S.A. Father Robert Russell, O.S.A. was homilist. Father McCabe is buried at Villanova in the Community Cemetery.