1933 – 2019 (April 4)
Alfred J. Ellis was born on December 8, 1933, in Carthage, New York, the son of Toufic Ellis and Angèle Hobeiche. He had two sisters and three brothers, one of whom, Kail C. Ellis, is also a member of our Province. Al was baptized in Saint James the Minor Church, Carthage, New York, and his elementary and high School education took place at the Augustinian Academy, Carthage. Al entered the Order as a novice in 1954 and after a year at Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, New York, professed simple vows on September 10, 1955. He then went to Villanova University where he received a BA in Philosophy in 1959. He professed Solemn Vows on September 10, 1958, and pursued theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington, DC, receiving an MA in Religious Education in 1963. He was ordained to the priesthood on February 9, 1963, at the Saint James the Minor Parish, Carthage, by Bishop Stanislaus Brzana.
In September 1963, Father Al was assigned to Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Jamaica, New York. From 1964 to 1968, he ministered at Immaculate Conception Parish, Hoosick Falls, New York. In August 1968 he was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish, Lawrence, Massachusetts and the following year to Saint Mary Parish, in the same city. In August 1971 he was appointed director of novices at Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, and afterwards from 1975 to 1979 served in his home parish of Saint James the Minor Church, Carthage. From 1979 to 1985 he was assigned to Saint Augustine Parish, Troy, New York, and the following year was a member of the formation team at Good Counsel Novitiate, Lawrence. When the novitiate was relocated to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1986, Father Al moved to Our Mother of Good Counsel Monastery, North Andover, Massachusetts. In 1988 he was assigned to Assumption/Saint Paul Parish, Mechanicville, New York, where he served until 1991 and then at Immaculate Conception Parish, Hoosick Falls, New York. From here he was assigned to Saint Augustine Parish, Andover, Massachusetts beginning in 1993.
Father Al volunteered for ministry in the Province’s foreign missions in Botha Hill, South Africa in 2005 and remained there until 2008. He returned to the United States and served once again at Saint Augustine Parish, Troy. On December 14, 2011, he retired to Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery, Villanova.
Father Al Ellis was a gentle man who often displayed a playful spirit in the company of his fellow friars. He was precise, orderly, prayerful and responsible in all of his duties and in his retirement years in the Villanova Monastery enjoyed the companionship of his religious brothers and the attentiveness of the nursing staff. He passed away on Thursday evening, April 4, 2019. He was 85 years old and was a professed member of the Order for 63 years and a priest for 56 years. His Funeral Mass was offered on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at Saint Thomas Church, Villanova. Father Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. was celebrant and Father Kail Ellis, O.S.A. preached the homily. Father Al was buried at Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, PA.
