John J.X. Glynn, O.S.A.

1907 – 1966 (March 3)

John Joseph Xavier Glynn was born on December 17, 1907, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the son of Martin Glynn and Katherine McDonaugh. He was baptized on December 22, 1907 at Saint Mary’s Church, and attended the parish school and then Saint John's Preparatory School in Danvers. He transferred to Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York as a postulant, and entered Our Mother of Good Counsel Novitiate. He made his profession of simple vows on August 16, 1927, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Villanova College in 1930, and his Master of Arts degree from The Catholic University in 1934. After the completion of theological studies at Augustinian College in Washington, D.C., he was ordained at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on June 13, 1933.

Father Glynn was first assigned to Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai, California, from 1934 to 1936. From 1936 to 1944 he was vice-principal of Saint Rita's High School in Chicago, Illinois. In 1944 he was appointed principal of Saint Thomas High School in Rockford, IL., where he remained until 1959, He, then, was rector, principal, and regent of studies at Saint Augustine Seminary in Holland, Michigan from 1959 until 1963.

After 30 years of ministry in the educational apostolate, Father Glynn was assigned to parochial work at Saint Clare of Monetfalco Parish, Chicago. Father Glynn collapsed while returning from a parish communion call and died at Holy Cross Hospital on March 3, 1966. He is buried in Saint Mary's cemetery in Lawrence, MA. 

John J. A. Glynn, O.S.A.

1904 – 1981 (April 26)

John Joseph Augustine Glynn, the son of John Glynn and Katherine Walsh, was born on the feast Saint Augustine, 1904, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There he received his early education at Saint Mary's Grammar School and at Lawrence High School. Following graduation, John entered Villanova in 1920, was received as a novice in 1922. He made simle profession of vows on June 24, 1923, and solemn profession in 1926. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova College in 1925 where he also followed his theological courses and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Dougherty and at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia on June 2, 1928. After completing graduate studies, he was granted a Master's degree by Catholic University in Washington on June 11, 1929. 

For many years Father Glynn devoted his talents to Catholic education. His first appointment was as a teacher at Malvern Preparatory School, from 1929 to 1935. He then joined the community at Saint Augustine High School in San Diego, California, and in 1942 was assigned to Saint Rita High School in Chicago. His last assignment in classroom teaching was in the academic year, 1942-1943 at Cascia Hall Preparatory School, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Father Glynn thoroughly enjoyed teaching wherever he happened to be and did not look forward to being assigned elsewhere, yet when he arrived at another school he was content, and this was particularly true of his tenure in Tulsa. In later years he was engaged in pastoral work, first at Saint Mary's Parish, Lawrence, MA, from 1962 to 1965, and finally at Saint Laurence O'Toole, from 1965 to 1979.

In December, 1979, failing health required that he be admitted in residence at Mary Immaculate Nursing Home in Lawrence where he died on April 26, 1981. Father Glynn devoted particular attention to the preparation and delivery of his sermons. Always proper in his demeanor he was accorded a high place in the affections of the parishioners whom he served, which received formal public recognition particularly at the celebration of his golden jubilee of ordination on June 4, 1978. Father Glynn is buried in the Augustinian plot in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Lawrence, MA. 

John F. Glynn, O.S.A.

1913 – 2006 (September 23)

John F. Glynn was born February 26, 1913, in Lawrence Massachusetts, one of three sons and one daughter of Michael and Margaret Glynn, both from Ireland. John attended public schools in Lawrence and then began his preparation for religious life at Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York. He spent a year at Good Counsel Novitiate in New Hamburg New York and professed his first vows on September 13, 1932. He studied at Villanova College, graduating with an AB in Philosophy in 1936, and then until 1939, pursued theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington DC. During those same years, he earned an AM in Classical Languages from Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1939.

Father Glynn's first assignment was to St. Augustine High School, San Diego, California where he taught from 1940 to 1959. At various times during those years, he was also vice-principal, moderator of the alumni, coach of junior varsity football, founder of CARRA, a social organization for the city's Catholic high schools, and Latin teacher to the Diocesan seminarians.

From 1959 until 1965 Father John was stationed at Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai, CA, teaching Latin and eventually serving as Headmaster. In 1965 he was with a small community of Augustinians teaching at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. In 1966 he became the founding co-principal of Central Catholic High School in Modesto, CA, and remained there until 1974 when he returned to Villanova Prep.

In 2001, when his health began to decline and he showed signs of early Alzheimer's, he moved to St. Joseph's Health Center in Ojai. As the disease progressed, he moved to Autumn Years, an Alzheimer's care facility in the Ojai valley. In both facilities he received loving and professional care. He died on Saturday, September 23, 2006.

Although Father John has had a distinguished career as teacher and administrator at a number of schools, it is with Villanova Prep that he is most associated. Thousands of alumni remember receiving his Christmas card each year with a had-written personal note. He personified to parents, students, faculty and to the larger community the stated values of the school: truth, love and community.

His Funeral Mass was celebrated on Thursday, September 28 at Villanova Preparatory School. A memorial Mass was held at Saint Patrick’s Church, San Diego, the following day. Internment followed in the Augustinian plot at Holy Cross Cemetery.

John E. Glennon, O.S.A.

1906 – 1945 (June 13)

John Edward Glennon, son of Thomas Glennon and Marie Morgan, was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, on March 20, 1906. He received his education in Pope Leo XIII Elementary School there, and at Boston College High School. Upon graduation from Boston College in 1930, he entered Boston’s Saint John Seminary and completed his theological education at Saint Bonaventure. He entered the novitiate at New Hamburg, New York in September, 1935, and made his simple profession on September 10, 1936. He did graduate work also at the Preachers’ Institute of Catholic University. He was ordained to the priesthood in the chapel of Augustinian College in Washington, DC, on September 29, 1938. Two of his brothers, James G., and Charles F., Glennon, became priests in the Archdiocese of Boston.

After ordination, Father Glennon was assigned in October, 1938, to Saint Rita High School in Chicago, IL. The following year he became a member of the Province Mission Band with his residence at Saint Laurence Community, Lawrence, Ma. From May, 1943, until his death he was an assistant pastor at Our Mother of Consolation Parish in Chestnut Hill, PA.

Father Glennon died in his sleep at the age of 39, while visiting his parents in Boston on June 13, 1945, just hours before his brother, Chaplain Charles Glennon, was to return home from a German prison camp. It was Father Charles who celebrated the Requiem Mass at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Jamaica Plain on June 16th, in the presence of Archbishop Richard Cushing who presided and gave the absolution, Bishop Louis Kelleher, auxiliary bishop of Boston, Father Mortimer Sullivan, O.S.A., Prior Provincial and many Augustinians and Diocesan Priests. Father George Walker, O.S.A. preached the sermon. Father John was buried in his family's plot in Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Roxbury, MA. Two days later a Requiem Mass was also celebrated at Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill.  

Richard A. Gleason, O.S.A.

1865 – 1939 (July 2)

Richard Anthony Gleason was born in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, on February 7 1865, to Denis Gleason and Julia Connelly. He entered the novitiate at Villanova on February 2, 1882, and made his profession of vows on February 2, 1883. He was solemnly professed on May 4, 1886, and was ordained to the priesthood on October 10, 1888 in the Cathedral of Philadelphia.

Following ordination, Father Gleason served at Villanova College. In 1900 he was assigned to Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was then appointed to the Province’s Mission Band with residence on Staten Island, New York. There followed assignments to Saint Mary's in Lawrence, Massachusetts and then to Saint James, Carthage, New York. In 1929 he was appointed to Immaculate Conception, Hoosick Falls, New York.

Father Gleason died in Philadelphia's Misericordia Hospital on July 2, 1939 at the age of 73. He was buried in the Community Cemetery at Villanova, following a Requiem Mass on July 5th at Saint Thomas of Villanova Church.

Father Gleason was a thoughtful and kindly gentleman with a cheerful disposition.

Dante L. Girolami, O.S.A.

1915 – 2006 (March 18)

Dante Louis Girolami was born on November 28, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Louis Girolami and Mary Villano. He was baptized in Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, South Philadelphia, and attended elementary school at Francis Reed School, Saint Rita of Cascia Parish School and Wharton Junior High School. He attended Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, and then entered Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York. He was received into the novitiate in September, 1933, professed first vows September 10, 1934 and solemn vows September 10, 1938. He graduated from Villanova College in 1938 with an AB in Philosophy, and pursued his theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington, DC, while working towards an MS in mathematics and science at the Catholic University of America, which he was awarded in 1942. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop McNamara at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC, on June 10, 1941.

Father Dante's first assignment was to Villanova College in 1942 as professor of mathematics. He remained at Villanova College for 19 years as a teacher, Dean of Student Activities, Director of Intramural Sports, and member of the Varsity Athletic Board. Throughout his life, and wherever he was assigned, Father Dante maintained an avid interest in Villanova University sports activity. 

In 1961, Father Dante was appointed pastor of Assumption Parish, Mechanicville, New York. From 1967 to 1974 he was pastor of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Jamaica, Long Island. He then served as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Lawrence, Massachusetts,  and, beginning in 1980, as pastor of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest on June 10, 1991. 

In 1991, at the age of 76, Father Dante was assigned to Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova. He continued to help with daily liturgies in local convents, Sunday liturgy at Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, and communal Penance Services at local parishes and at the Malvern Retreat House. Within the monastery community, he celebrated community liturgies, remaining as active as possible for many years.

He died on Saturday, March 18, 2006, at the age of 90. The funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, March 22, 2006, Saint Thomas Church on Villanova’s campus University, with burial the following day at Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, PA. 

John P. Gilmore, O.S.A.

1844 – 1897 (December 21)

John Phillips Gilmore, the son of Thomas Gilmore and Ellen Phillips, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 5, 1844. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pa., on December 28, 1861, and professed first vows on December 31, 1862. Three years later, he was sent to Ghent, Belgium, to continue his studies for the priesthood, and was ordained there on September 22, 1867, by Bishop Braeg.

Father Gilmore returned to the United States where, in 1872, he was appointed Rector of Saint Mary's in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He said the first Mass ever celebrated in the city of Methuen and the first Mass in the new Church of Saint Augustine in Lawrence. In 1882 he was transferred to Waterford, New York, and in 1890, to Carthage, New York. The following year he was reassigned to Saint Augustine's in Philadelphia.

Father Gilmore suffered from cancer and died at his brother’s home while stationed at Saint Augustine's, on December 21, 1897 at the age of 53. Following the funeral liturgy celebrated by Father Charles Driscoll, O.S.A., at which Archbishop Ryan presided and gave the final absolution, Father Gilmore was interred in the vault at Saint Augustine's.

Thomas F. Gilligan, O.S.A.

1906 – 1969 (December 20)

Thomas F. Gilligan was born in Philadelphia on August 6, 1906, one of ten children of Thomas Gilligan and Ellen Fanning. His brother, Francis, also entered the Order as a member of our Province. Thomas was professed on June 22, 1924, and received his Bachelor and Master of Arts degree from Villanova. He studied theology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and was ordained at the Augustinerkloster, Wurzburg, Germany, on December 20, 1929.

Upon return to the United States Father Gilligan was assigned to Saint Mary's Hall, Villanova, where he served until 1965. From 1937 to 1965 he served also as regent of studies for the province. He was Provincial Secretary from 1938 to 1944, and a definitor from 1950 to 1953. He was prior of the community from 1953 to 1959.

Along with his professorial duties, Father Gilligan contributed to the scholarship of the province through translating works of Saint Augustine. It is his translation of the Soliloquies of Augustine which is published by Fathers of the Church Series. He also published a work of devotion in honor of Our Mother of Good Counsel.

Father Gilligan served on the board which developed the plans for the New Saint Mary's Hall Seminary. He also served as director of the Augustinian Educational Association in its formative years. He was awarded a Doctorate of Laws degree, honoris causa, from Merrimack College in 1957.

In 1965 Father was assigned as prior and pastor of Saint Thomas of Villanova Parish, Rosemont, PA. He retired from this position in October, 1969, and it is here that he died suddenly on December 20, 1969 at age 63. He was buried in the community cemetery, at Saint Mary's Hall, Villanova. Later his body was re-interred in Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, Pa.