On 12 May 2008, at the age of eighty-three, our brother,

Rev. Vincent J. Spinos, T.O.R.

died at Altoona Regional Health Center, Altoona Campus.  Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, T.O.R., Fr. Edward Sabo, T.O.R., Fr. Frank Scornaienchi, T.O.R., his brother, Anthony, his sister-in-law, Dolores, and niece, Christine were with him when he died.

He was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, on September 27, 1924, the son of Joseph and Lena Magazzu.  He entered the Franciscans of the Third Order Regular on September 14, 1942.  Fr. Vincent professed his vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience on February 22, 1944.  He continued his studies for the priesthood at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, from where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Licentiate in Sacred Theology.  He was ordained to the Priesthood at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on October 4, 1950.

Fr. Vincent was named the assistant pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he ministered from 1951 to 1965 and then at St. Patrick Church in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota until 1967.  In 1968 he was an instructor at Cathedral High School in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  He was appointed Novice Master at St. Bernardine Monastery, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania from 1968 to 1971.  From 1971 to 1974 he was assistant pastor at St. Patrick Church, Inver Grove Heights and was named pastor in 1974.  In 1981 he was named pastor of St. Joseph Church in Delano, Minnesota until 1989.  For a short period of time he was the pastor of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the former Barnesboro, Pennsylvania.  Fr. Vincent was named parochial vicar at St. Bridget Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  In 1990 he retired at St. Bridget Friary, where he remained until 2007.  In 2007 he returned to St. Bernardine Monastery until the time of his death.

Fr. Anthony Criscitelli, T.O.R., Minister Provincial, presided at Fr. Vincent�s Funeral on May 16, 2008.  Fr. J. Patrick Quinn, T.O.R. delivered the homily.

Fr. Vincent was dearly loved by the parishioners where he served and many came to see him off when he returned from Minnesota to St. Bernardine Monastery.

            May he rest in peace!

Homily at mass for Fr. Vincent Spinos, T.O.R.

On 29 April 2007, at the age of seventy-nine, our brother,

Rev. Alan F. Polimine, T.O.R.

died at Saint Bernardine Monastery, Hollidaysburg, PA . He died peacefully in his room having retired there for the night after spending the earlier part of the evening visiting with the friars.

Fr. Alan was born in Brooklyn, New York on 11 June 1927. He was the eighth child of eleven born to Fortunato and Rosalia (Borello) Polimine. He was baptized three weeks later at Sacred Heart Church (now combined with Saint Stephen�s) in Brooklyn. He entered the Franciscan Preparatory Seminary in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania and began his formation as a Franciscan on 8 September 1951. He professed his vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience on 16 July 1953. He continued his studies at the Franciscan Preparatory Seminary and in 1954 entered The Catholic University of America where he completed a BA degree in Philosophy in 1960 and did graduate studies in language. He was ordained to the priesthood by Most Reverend John McNamara, D.D. at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. on 6 June 1959.

Fr. Alan lived a very deliberate and regular life making him a good choice to direct the formation of Candidates and newly professed as they prepared themselves for the discipline of religious life. In his early years as a friar he was frequently engaged in ministries related to the formation of the men of our Province. He served briefly as a chaplain at Saint Gabriel�s Hospital in Little Falls, Minnesota until August 1960. At that point he was assigned as econome of Saint Louis Friary and served as an instructor in religion and English at Cathedral High School in Saint Cloud, MN. In June of 1965 he was appointed Novice Director, a capacity in which he served until 1968. 

The years from 1968 until 1974 were very busy for Fr. Alan. He was appointed the Local Minister of Saint Thomas More House of Studies, served as the Director of the Professed (1971- 1974), was a delegate to the General Chapter in Rome, served as Provincial Councilor (1968- 1971) and Vicar Provincial (1971- 1974). Beginning in 1974, Fr. Alan turned his ministerial attention to parish ministry. From 1974-1982 he was the Local Minister and Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. From 1982-1986 he was the Local Minister and Pastor of Saint Anthony�s Parish (combined now as Saint Clare Parish) in Johnstown, PA. In 1986 he returned to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where he was dearly loved, as the Parochial Vicar. Fr. Alan served faithfully and energetically in many capacities for 34 years until health issues in 1994 moved him into early retirement. In 1999, Fr. Alan took up residence at Saint Bernardine Monastery where, despite being confined to a wheelchair, he continued to contribute to the life of the community as best he could. Most importantly, he offered a warm and welcoming presence to all those who had the joy of encountering him as an enthusiastic porter and hospitable sentinel at the Monastery entry doors.

The true test of a man�s character is the spirit that reveals itself in adversity. Beginning in 1994 Fr. Alan began to show symptoms of a hereditary syndrome affecting his nervous system. The first symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth struck him while he was celebrating Eucharist at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Altoona, PA. In a man of lesser strength of will the debilitating effects of this disease, affecting nerve endings in the extremities and muscle tissue, might have caused the person to give up. Fr. Alan did everything possible to maintain regular activities and contribute to the life of the community. His significant hearing loss did not limit his enthusiastic contributions to conversation at the table and his interest in local and world news. Friar visitors to Saint Bernardine�s were always sure of getting a probing inquiry on what was happening in their world. He was a man of many interests characterized by his love for diverse musical styles. He will be remembered fondly and missed by all.

Fr. Alan was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings: Grace, Ben, Santa, Harry, Dominick, and Rose. He is survived by his Franciscan Community, his older sisters, Josephine (Middlebrooks) and Angeline (Mancuso), and younger twins Joseph and Antoinette (Taggio), as well as nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, and the many friends that formed his extended family.

Visitation was held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 806 11^th Street, Altoona, PA on Tuesday, 1 May 2007 beginning at 3:00 PM. and concluding at 9:00 PM. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday, 2 May 2007 at Mount Carmel at 12:00 Noon. A luncheon was served immediately following the Eucharist in the parish Hall. Interment took place the same day in the community cemetery of the Province of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Bernardine Monastery, Hollidaysburg, PA. 

Homily at mass for Fr. Alan Polimine, T.O.R.

Death Notice Archive