The Abbey of the Genesee

spacer

Our Deceased

Our Deceased

Monastic Community Buried at Genesee
followed by
Genesee Founders of Novo Mundo Buried There
and
Benefactors Buried at Genesee

spacer

Monastic Community

click names for a brief biographical sketch

Fra. Dennis Mayer
Mar 20, 1924 – Sep 25, 1951

Br. Elias Morad
Feb 21, 1923 – Aug 23, 1985

Br. Michael Hughes
Dec 12, 1920 – Jan 14, 2000

Fr. Simon Smith
Aug 12, 1894 – Mar 25, 1952

Dom John V. LaFlamme
Aug 4, 1915 – Jul 16, 1988

Br. Sylvester McCormick
Mar 7, 1909 – Oct 18, 2000

Dom Gerard McGinley
Apr 21, 1906 – Sep 19, 1955

Fr. Paul Kent
Jul 8, 1922 – Jun 20, 1991

Fr. Joseph Stanton
Nov 19, 1922 – Aug 8, 2002

Fr. James LaNasa
Feb 19, 1923 – Feb 22, 1958

Br. Paschal Galligan
Feb 21, 1924 – Aug 23, 1991

Fr. Regis Tompkins
Nov 7, 1908 – Oct 11, 2002

Br. Herman Somers
Apr 21, 1908 – Jan 31, 1961

Br. Alexis Ehmann
Sep 13, 1910 – Sep 6, 1994

Fr. Thomas Bond
Jul 8, 1906 – Jun 10, 2006

Fr. Augustine Westland
Apr 28, 1896 – Dec 16, 1970

Fr. Joseph DeSimone
Nov 1, 1922 – Nov 9, 1994

Br. John Baptist Schmidt
Jan 8, 1916 – Feb 7, 2009

Fr. Bede Czarny
Sep 7, 1901 – Feb 4, 1978

Fr. Urban Snyder
Apr 7, 1912 – Jan 25, 1995

Br. Andrew Nolan
Oct 20, 1922 – Nov 29, 2009

Br. William Troy
Apr 1, 1925 – Apr 11, 1980

Br. Hugh Haney
Oct 22, 1906 – Apr 23, 1998

Fr. Raymond Fournier
Mar 24, 1924 – Sep 21, 2010

Fr. John Horton
Sep 8, 1911 – Oct 1, 1980

Br. Simon Wong
Feb 18, 1930 – Aug 17, 1998

 Br. Henry Hufnagel
Apr 18, 1925 - Dec 1, 2011

Fr. Ambrose Blouin
Aug 17, 1906 – Dec 21, 1983

Br. Quentin Zettler
Nov 20, 1919 – Nov 13, 1998

 

 


Frater Dennis Mayer 1924-1951

He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, entered Gethsemani as a choir novice in 1947, and was called Frater Dennis, the title Frater (Brother) being customarily used for choir novices at the time. While still in simple vows at Gethsemani he was chosen as the second superior of the projected Genesee foundation, and he set to work preparing for the move.

At this time he learned he had cancer, but continued with his plans for Genesee, and came up with the other founders. He was a tall, friendly, cheerful, very intelligent person and also a skilled carpenter. With the help of several laymen he built Bethlehem chapel as an extension to the original building.

He made a great impression in the Genesee Valley area and Father Joseph Cirrincione, a good friend of the community, read excerpts from Frater Dennis's letters on his Family Rosary for Peace radio program. Shortly before he would have been ordained a priest, he died of cancer at age 27 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. He was the first monk of the Genesee community to die.

At that time the liturgy and clerical studies were in Latin, and Frater Dennis often used a Latin motto, Ego amo te (I love you). For many years after his death his mother would write to the community annually around the time of his death, and would always use that motto, Ego amo te.


Father Simon Smith 1894-1952

He was born in Lebanon, Kentucky not far from Gethsemani, the twelfth of thirteen children of devout Catholic parents of African-American descent. As a boy he often visited Gethsemani with his father, who worked there as a plasterer, and early in life he determined to become a Trappist at Gethsemani eventually.

In 1921 he entered the seminary of the Divine Word Society (S.V.D.), and was ordained priest in May, 1934, Kentucky’s first priest of African-American descent. He spent several years in the active ministry in various parts of the country, much appreciated for his parish work and the many missions he preached. In 1948 he finally did enter Gethsemani, and was a quiet, cheerful, and well-liked member of the large group of novices. He was given charge of the beehives, and did not seem to mind being stung by the bees.

Father Simon made his solemn profession on May 20, 1951 and a few days later was appointed novice master of the new foundation of the Monastery of Christ the King in Piffard, New York. Though he found the cold weather difficult to bear, he obeyed cheerfully. He was known for giving short, and very good and helpful sermons.

He had a heart attack on March 22, 1952 and was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, New York where he died a few days later. His funeral took place on a cold, snowy day, and for his burial he was carried from Bethlehem House, where the community was living at the time, to the original cemetery within the present Abbey enclosure.


Dom Gerard McGinley 1906-1955

“The Valley of Mary’s Smile” was the name given to the Genesee Valley area where the monastery is situated by its founding superior and first abbot, Dom Gerard McGinley. He had been born on the family homestead near Baldwin, Wisconsin and as a teenager moved with his family to St. Paul, Minnesota. Both his parents died when he was young, and he was then raised by his older brothers and sisters.

He entered the Paulist novitiate in Oak Ridge, New Jersey in 1925 but transferred to Gethsemani in January, 1926. He made solemn vows in 1932, was ordained priest in 1935, and served the Gethsemani community as novice master and prior. Abbot James Fox of Gethsemani appointed him first superior of the projected foundation of Genesee in 1949.

Fr. Gerard led several groups of monks from Gethsemani to Genesee in the spring of 1951 and quickly got the community off to a vigorous start, spiritually and materially. He made many friends in the area, began the buildings of the monastery, established its work program of farm and bakery, and gave strong spiritual support to the monks and novices. When the monastery became an abbey in 1953 he was elected its first abbot on October 13, and received the abbatial blessing from Rochester’s Bishop James Kearney on November 9.

His death from complications of diabetes and a heart condition at the 1955 General Chapter at Citeaux was a profound shock to the young community. Dom Gerard formed the monks of Genesee into a warm, happy, loving community and this spirit of his remains an integral part of its heritage to the present day.


Father James LaNasa 1923-1958

He was born in Rochester, New York and later lived in Geneva, New York. After graduating from Canisius College in Buffalo, he studied at Syracuse University and earned a degree in law. He then practiced law for a few years.

He entered the fledgling Genesee community in December, 1951 while it was still living at Bethlehem House, and was the first person to enter the community here at Genesee and persevere. He was a serious, perceptive monk who concentrated on all that he was doing in the daily monastic routine, and also related well with others in the community.

He developed prostate cancer while in simple vows, but continued his studies for the priesthood. He was already very weak when he made solemn vows in August, 1957. He then spent some time being cared for at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, where Bishop James Kearney of Rochester ordained him to the priesthood in November, 1957. Father James then returned to the Abbey, and died in the Abbey infirmary on February 22, 1958.


Brother Herman Somers 1908-1961

He was born in nearby Batavia, New York. He married and he and his wife had two daughters. After she divorced him, he entered the Abbey as a laybrother oblate in 1954. His former wife and his daughters visited him regularly at the Abbey, on friendly terms.

Brother Herman was serene, pleasant, tranquil, and observant of the Rule. Before entering the Abbey he had worked at metal lathing. In the monastic community he worked in the bakery office and as bookkeeper. Also, he drove the Monks’ Bread truck to town several days a week, taking a box lunch with him and always returning in time for Compline.

He developed cancer and was cared for at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. When near death he returned to the Abbey and died very peacefully in the infirmary, after many in the community had visited him and spoken with him.


Father Augustine Westland 1896-1970

He was born in Denver, Colorado. As a young man he entered the Jesuits, studied theology at a seminary in Spain, was ordained a Jesuit priest, became a seismologist, and taught seismology at a Jesuit college, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama for many years.

In the late 1940s he entered Gethsemani, and came to Genesee in the early 1950s as one of the founders. He served the Genesee community as prior, professor of theology, and guestmaster, and was much appreciated as a confessor by many both inside and outside the community.

In April, 1960 he suffered a major stroke, and was paralyzed on his left side, and largely bedridden, for the rest of his life. Because he had a rather active temperament, his prolonged illness was a real trial for him. But he fought the good fight of serving the Lord, referring to himself as "The Old Warrior," listening to Spanish music, and continuing to serve as confessor for many in the community.

He died in his small room in the old infirmary, in the presence of Abbot Jerome Burke. Many friends from outside the community attended his funeral, which was held on a cold, snowy winter day.


Fr. Bede Czarny 1901-1978

He was born in Chicago, Illinois, the next to youngest in a large Polish-American family of nine or ten children. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago, entered Gethsemani in 1949, and came to Genesee as a founder in the early 1950s.

Fr. Bede was cheerful, friendly, and thoughtful of others, a good community man. He was solid in his monastic observance, with an especially fervent devotion to our Lady. He was novice master for awhile in the 1950s, and prior in the early 1960s. Somewhat frail physically, he served the community by distributing mail, helping the porter at the gatehouse, hearing guests’ confessions, and giving spiritual guidance to guests at the retreat house.

His final illness was quite difficult. Due to the condition of his health, he had to spend a few months in hospitals in Batavia and Buffalo, and then several days at a nursing home in Geneseo, where he died. He bore this final cross with courage and his accustomed good spirit.


Brother William Troy 1925-1980<

He was born in Paterson, New Jersey and was a high school biology teacher. After his marriage ended in divorce, he entered the community on three different occasions over a period of twenty years or so, the final time being in September, 1978. On this third attempt to follow our way of life he had great determination to stay in the monastery, which he loved very much.

Brother William was a hard worker, a good cook, and a fine craftsman in wood. He was very friendly and personable, a good community man. And he struggled mightily to overcome a natural tendency to flare up in anger.

On Easter Friday in 1980, while still a novice, he had a major heart attack and died at 3:00p.m. in the Abbey’s old infirmary before an ambulance, which had been summoned, could arrive. His sudden death was quite a shock to the community. He had persevered to the end in a rather unique way, and he was remembered with much admiration and affection.


Father John Horton 1911-1980

He was born in California and grew up in Kansas. As a young man he entered the Catholic Church, studied at a seminary, and was ordained to the diocesan priesthood in 1944. He entered Gethsemani in 1946 and came to Genesee as a founder in the 1950s.

Father John was a calm, quiet person who served the community as refectorian and by working in the library. He was an avid bird watcher and could often be seen in the woods behind the Abbey with a pair of binoculars draped over his neck, carrying a book describing various types of birds to be seen. He had had rheumatic fever as a boy and was in frail health throughout his life.

By his own description of himself, he was a loner in community life, but was always peaceful in his relations with others. ln the last few months of his life, as his health declined due to his rheumatic heart condition, he awaited the Lord’s coming with quiet, even eager, anticipation. And on the very day of his death he grew in his ability to relate with others in a friendly way. He died in his room in the old infirmary while the community was celebrating Vespers and Mass on a bake day.


Father Ambrose Blouin 1906-1983

He was born in the bayou country of Louisiana and as a young man entered the Benedictines at St. Joseph’s Abbey, St. Benedict, Louisiana. He was sent to Rome to study theology at Sant’ Anselmo and was ordained priest in 1932. He transferred to our Order at Gethsemani in 1948 and was one of the original founders of Genesee, leaving Gethsemani on April 4, 1951 with Fr. Gerard and Brs. Alexis, Paschal, and Sylvester, staying overnight in Cleveland, Ohio, arriving in Piffard on April 5, and staying for the first few weeks at Westerly, the Porter Chandlers’ summer residence nearby.

Father Ambrose served the Genesee community as sacristan, Father Master of the Laybrothers, and subprior for many years. He was reliable, devout, and sincere. A few years before his death he developed dementia symptoms, and had a series of slight strokes.

In 1982 several members of his family, who had visited him on a number of occasions before, came from Louisiana to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his priestly ordination. This proved to be their final visit. He died during the night of September 20-21, 1983 seemingly of a stroke, in his room in the old infirmary.


Brother Elias Morad 1923-1985

Brother Elias died on August 23, the same day of the year as Brother Paschal, and they had both been born on the same day, February 21. Brother Elias was born into a large, closely-knit Lebanese-American family of Melkite rite Catholics in Cleveland, Ohio and spoke Arabic fluently. He was a paratrooper in World War II, and also a professional prizefighter. He underwent a profound religious conversion experience while living in Lebanon, and entered Genesee as a laybrother in 1954.

His life in the monastery always had an eremitical tone to it, and it was a real experience to see him praying in church. He would be totally absorbed in prayer, seemingly oblivious of his surroundings, for long periods of time. In the late 1960s he received permission to live as a hermit on the Abbey property, and his small hermitage on the ridge in the woods behind the Abbey is still known as Brother Elias’s Hermitage.

He 1ived a very austere life, but was able to blend this with an extremely warm, friendly, brotherly spirit which he manifested quite openly. He died of cancer, and suffered a good deal during his final months. His large family visited him often during his illness, and filled the church for his funeral. A man of deep prayer, he made a very real impact on those who knew him.


Dom John Vianney Laflamme 1915-1988

He was born in the province of Québec, Canada, the youngest member of a very large French Canadian family. He became a young oblate at the monastery of Mistassini in 1926, entered the community of Mistassini in 1934, made profession of solemn vows in 1941, and was ordained, priest in 1944.

He was elected abbot of Mistassini in 1960 and served in that role until 1965. He then spent a year or so at the monastery of Prairies, in the province of Manitoba, Canada but because he had a heart condition the climate there was too cold for him. He came to Genesee in 1966 and changed his stability to Genesee in 1971. For a number of years he spent several months each winter at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia, and would return to Genesee for the summer months.

Dom John, as he was known, was a very cheerful, friendly man. He liked vigorous outdoor work and did some of this in his first few years at Genesee. But he was eventually unable to continue this because of the many health problems which increasingly marked his later years. He bore these infirmities, and the difficulties of living outside his native land and speaking a language other than his mother tongue, with courage, fortitude, and grace. He died during a hot summer night while sitting on a bench outside the old infirmary, seemingly of a heart attack. He is remembered with a good deal of respect and affection.


Father Paul Kent 1922-1991

He was born in Norwood, Ohio and served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He entered Gethsemani in l946, made solemn vows there in 1951, came to Genesee a year or two later, and was ordained priest at Genesee in 1954. Father Paul, who was known as Father Luke for many years until he returned to his baptismal name of Paul in the 1960s, had a very real devotion to our Lady. He was a talented worker, doing especially well at carpentry.

In actual fact, it was difficult for him to live peacefully with other people. Because of this, in 1966 he was required to leave the property on an exclaustration, Subsequently he built a hermitage in Texas and lived there as a hermit, faithful to his monastic commitment and his priesthood, for the rest of his life. During these years a number of the monks kept in touch with him by mail.

After he died it was discovered in his will that he had requested, if it be possible, that he be buried in the Abbey cemetery. Abbot John Eudes readily arranged that his remains be returned to the Abbey. A funeral mass was celebrated for him in the Abbey church, and he was buried in the Abbey cemetery.


Brother Paschal Galligan 1924-1991

He was born in Queens County in the city of New York and as a young man served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He entered Gethsemani in 1947 as a laybrother and while still in simple vows became one of the original group of founders of Genesee, leaving Gethsemani with Fr. Gerard McGinley and the other founders on April 4, 1951 and arriving in the Genesee Valley the next day.

Brother Paschal once said that he found it easy to be cheerful, and he had a special gift for rejoicing with those who were rejoicing. He saw the brighter side of things, and had a good brotherly spirit. He also loved animals, and cared for their needs. He was a man of real simplicity, and made special efforts to understand other peoples’ needs, and not to offend other people.

He had great devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and followed her Little Way faithfully. He developed cancer, and in his last months was very much at peace, trusting in God’s love for him. He died very peacefully in his room in the old infirmary in the presence of Abbot John Eudes and two of the brothers, who were saying the Prayers for the Dying for him.


Brother Alexis Ehmann 1910-1994

Brother Alexis was Germany’s gift to Genesee. Born In Offenbach am Main, Germany in 1910, he moved to Chicago with his family in the late 1920s and entered Gethsemani as a laybrother in 1938. He was at Gethsemani’s first foundation at Conyers, Georgia for awhile, but returned to Gethsemani. He was then one of the original group of founders of Genesee, arriving in the Genesee Valley with Fr. Gerard and the others on April 5, 1951.

Brother Alexis worked as cook, kitchen manager, and accountant and always took his work with the utmost seriousness. He seemed largely oblivious of the fact that some in the community were not able to take work quite as seriously as he did. His devotional life, especially his Marian devotion, was marked by tenderhearted piety and had a definite emotional tone. He loved to write out his thoughts on various spiritual topics, and would gladly share them with anyone who was interested in reading them.

He was generous in his consideration for his brother monks and for the community’s guests, and very regular and faithful in his daily monastic life. He had some health problems in his final years, but stayed in his room in McGinley Hall rather than move to the infirmary. He died during the night, having been in church for Compline the previous evening.


Father Joseph DeSimone 1922-1994

Born in Italy, he entered the Franciscans in his youth, studied at a seminary in Spain, was ordained to the priesthood, and served as a missionary in Colombia. In the 1950s he entered our Order at Viaceli in Spain, but soon transferred to Genesee, which he had visited on his way from Colombia to Viaceli.

He made solemn vows at Genesee, and served the community as sub-master of choir novices and as an assistant cantor. He was also a talented craftsman, especially in wood. In the mid-1960s he studied moral theology at the Alfonsiana in Rome. Soon after returning to Genesee he asked to live as a hermit living off the property, and pursued the eremitical life in a number of places, eventually in British Columbia, Canada. He visited Genesee at this time, and then returned to his hermitage in British Columbia, where he died. He lies buried in the cemetery of Genesee.


Father Urban Snyder 1912-1995

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and became a lawyer. He entered. Gethsemani in 1942, made solemn vows, and was ordained a priest in 1947. He served at Gethsemani as novice master for the choir monks. He came to Genesee in the 1950s, and was later sent to Rome for studies, and then spent two years helping at the Generalate of the Order in Rome.

Father Urban then spent a very long time, over twenty-five years, on an extended leave of absence. While away from the Abbey and the monastic life, he developed Alzheimer’s disease. He returned to Genesee in 1992 and was cared for in the Abbey infirmary. Shortly before he died in the infirmary, though no longer able to speak, he was able to communicate his appreciation to the visiting nurse, and to those in the community who helped care for him.


Brother Hugh Haney 1906-1998

He was born in Manhattan and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. As a young man he worked on Wall Street, in New York’s financial district. He entered Gethsemani in 1945, and came to Genesee as a member of the founding group in 1951.

Brother Hugh was, throughout his entire monastic life, one of the most deeply loved and respected members of the community. A naturally friendly man, with a warm smile and an agreeable manner, he was devout in his monastic life, always generous in serving the community, and very humane in all his ways. Everyone seemed to like him and to appreciate his good monastic spirit.

He was an avid reader, and kept in touch with both traditional classical works of spirituality, and lively accounts of current Church and world news. In his later years he experienced a number of health setbacks, including the amputation of his left leg below the knee a few years before he died. He bore all this with patience and cheerfulness. He died in his room in the Abbey’s old infirmary, having been cared for by a community which loved him very much indeed.


Brother Simon Wong 1930-1998

A few years after Brother Simon died, one of the monks who had lived with him for many years said: "I can't imagine anyone not loving Brother Simon." Calm, patient, tranquil, gentle, inoffensive, he was a very easy man to live with. He had been born in Cincinnati, Ohio the sixth child in a family of seven children, His parents had been born in south China. They were not Christians, but his older brothers and sister had been baptized as Catholics while attending a Catholic school and they had him baptized as a baby.

As a young man he visited Gethsemani frequently, served in the U. S. Army, and worked in the family business. He entered Genesee in 1960 and for many years was faithful to the daily round of liturgical prayer, lectio divina, and manual labor. In the 1980s he received permission to live as a hermit in a small hermitage on the monastic property, which became known as Brother Simon’s Hermitage.

In his later years all his good qualities reached a certain fullness, and his very presence seemed to radiate a spirit of quiet contemplative wisdom. He was silent but friendly, a good brother. In the fall of 1997 he was diagnosed as having cancer of the pancreas. His last several months were made easier by chemotherapy, and he was a cooperative patient, loved by all the doctors and nurses who cared for him, and very much appreciated, and eventually missed, by his brother monks. He died during the night in his room in the old infirmary.


Brother Quentin Zettler 1919-1998

He was born in Canton, Ohio, served in the U. S. Army during World War II, entered Gethsemani in the late 1940s, and came to Genesee as one of the founders of the community. Brother Quentin served as sub-master of laybrother novices, and later of all the novices, for many years. He was a talented handyman, and very generous in serving others, the first one to volunteer when extra work needed to be done.

He was a man of great simplicity and guilelessness, friendly, reliable, solid in his devotion, and with a good brotherly spirit at all times. Some in the community considered him to be a kind of personal embodiment of the spirit of the community.

He was the last one to die in the old infirmary, before the new infirmary was ready for occupancy in January, 1999. He was sorely missed at his passing.


Brother Michael Hughes 1920-2000

He was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the Bronx and in Valhalla, New York. He served in the U.S. Army for the duration of World War II, and later worked as a gardener, and at road construction, helping to build the New York State Thruway in the 1950s. He entered the community in 1960 as a laybrother, and was always inspired by the ideal of the working brother. He worked faithfully in the bakery, and was in charge of the laundry, and later of the garage.

Brother Michael had a lively personality, and throughout his monastic life he struggled manfully to practice patience, a virtue which did not come easily to him, as he himself often stated, sometimes emphatically.

In the mid-1980s he developed Parkinson’s disease, and later, dementia symptoms. He struggled with his illness, eventually accepted it, and in the last several months of his life he became a patient man. He was the first member of the community to die in the new infirmary, surrounded by Abbot John Eudes and several members of the community.


Brother Sylvester McCormick 1909-2000

Born in 1909 in Rutherglen, Scotland, of mostly Irish ancestry, he was the oldest of seven children and moved with his family to Norwood, Ohio in 1928. As a young man he was a Golden Gloves prizefighter, and also loved to bowl. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II.

He entered Gethsemani as a laybrother in 1948, and was one of the original founders of Genesee, leaving Gethsemani with the founding group on April 4, 1951 and arriving in the Genesee Valley on April 5. For many years he served as porter, and was well known to many people in the local area for his quiet cheerfulness, friendliness, and good sense of humor. Within the community he was known for his silence, fidelity to the daily monastic observances, and good brotherly spirit.

He often said that on three occasions he heard the Lord say to him: “You are my friend,” and that he had not expected that when he entered the monastery. For the last twenty years of his life he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, which he bore with peace, patience, and his accustomed sense of humor. A much-loved senior of the community, he died peacefully at the age of 91.


Father Joseph Stanton 1922-2002

He was born in Englewood, New Jersey, and also lived at various times in Massachusetts and North Carolina. As a young man he married and he and his wife had two daughters and a son. After a particularly painful divorce he waited several years, continuing to work as an engineer and to enjoy boating and playing in a band, and then entered the monastery in 1973 at age 50. He made solemn vows in 1979 and was ordained priest in 1984.

Father Joseph had many talents, especially in the field of engineering. On a few different occasions he spent an extended stay at Genesee’s daughter house of Awhum in Nigeria, where he taught theology and constructed a hydraulic water system to deliver clean water from a nearby stream to the monastery and to the entire village of Awhum.

For the last several years of his life he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, eventually experiencing marked cognitive impairment. At an early stage of this disease he affirmed that he accepted everything that had happened, was happening, and would happen. During this illness he was supported by his monastic community and also by his family. He died at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Infirmary in Rochester, New York where he had been sent for a respite stay. Abbot John Denburger was with him when he died.


Father Regis Tompkins 1908-2002

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and as a young man entered the Jesuits. After twenty- two years as a Jesuit, eleven as a scholastic and eleven as a bro

gipoco.com is neither affiliated with the authors of this page nor responsible for its contents. This is a safe-cache copy of the original web site.