Friars formerly at Siena

Fr. William L. Beaudin, O.F.M.

Fr. William L. Beaudin, O.F.M., entered the Franciscans shortly after graduating from Siena College in 1976. He received his theological and ministerial education at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, MA, earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1981. After four years of parish work in Manhattan, Fr. Bill went back to school, this time to Catholic University of America where he pursued undergraduate and graduate studies in music, leading to a Masters in Liturgical Music.

Following the completion of his music degree, Fr. Bill was assigned to St. Francis Retreat house in Rye Beach, NH. There he engaged in retreat ministry and spiritual direction and served as the director of music and director of Franciscan Life Experience, a sabbatical program for Franciscan men and women from around the world.

1992 brought Fr. Bill to St. Anthony Shrine in Boston and to the position of director of music for the Shrine. He was also a confessor, spiritual director, and instructor in the Shrine’s adult faith formation program. In 1997, he moved on to the St. Francis Chapel and City Ministry Center in Providence, RI where he was the vicar of the Franciscan community and the Chapel’s director of worship.

In February of 2002, Fr. Bill came home to Siena, and on July 1 of that year, became the college’s chaplain, a position he held until June 2009. He also served as a friar-in-residence in Plassmann Hall (his old dormitory when he was a student here thirty years ago) and Hennepin Hall, and as the Guardian of the Siena Friary.

Fr. Bill now lives and works at St. Patrick and St Anthony parish in Hartford CT.

+ Fr. Michael Blastic, O.F.M.

Fr. Michael W. Blastic was a native of Chicago, IL, where he joined the friars in 1968. He served as a Visiting Professor of the First Year Seminar here at Siena. Before coming to Siena in 2012, he taught at the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University and at the Washington Theological Union in Washington DC.

His area of expertise was the early Franciscan tradition and he did research and published on the Writings of Francis and Clare of Assisi, the Franciscan hagiographical Tradition, and the early Franciscan tradition of theology and spirituality.

Fr. Michael presented workshops and retreats on Franciscan topics to a variety of audiences, and he was more recently appointed as the Spiritual Assistant for the Mother Bentivoglio Federation of Poor Clares in the USA.

After leaving Siena, Fr. Michael served on the Interprovincial Novitiate Team in Santa Barbara CA.

Fr. Michael died on December 21, 2023.

+ Fr. Richard Biasiotto, O.F.M.

Fr. Richard Biasiotto, O.F.M., who was a member of the friar staff at St. Francis Chapel on Wolf Road in Colonie, hailed from Allentown, PA where he was born on November 18, 1938. He attended parochial school there and entered the seminary as a high school sophomore in 1952. He made profession as a Franciscan Friar in 1958 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1964.

Fr. Richard's first assignment was as a high school teacher in math and science.  After four years he was reassigned to Holy Name Province headquarters in New York City, where he served in various administrative capacities for the next sixteen years.

In 1985 Fr. Richard was appointed pastor of St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson, NJ.  In 1991 he was assigned to St. Anthony's Friary in Butler, NJ, where he served the Friar Community as Guardian.  His most recent assignment before St. Francis Chapel was as Parochial Vicar at St. Leo's Parish in Elmwood Park, NJ.

In his spare time, Fr. Richard was an avid Radio Amateur operator (call sign KC2FOL) and also enjoyed working with computer hardware and software, especially using the Linux operating system.

Fr. Richard died on May 14, 2015. May he rest in peace.

+ Br. Romuald Chinetsky, O.F.M.

Brother Romuald Chinetsky, O.F.M., who hailed from Throop, PA, entered the Franciscan Order in 1956, took his first vows in 1957, and made his solemn vows on January 26, 1960. His career as a Friar took him to St. Joseph Seminary in Callicoon and St. Francis College at Rye Beach as cook and baker for a total of ten years. He came to Siena College in 1967 as guest master of the Friary and was a fireball member of the community for many years. He died on March 10, 2020.

Bro. Rom's energy and industry never ceased to astound the people with whom he lived. Despite the fact that Rom's work was considered 'internal ministry', he has over the years touched the hearts of many students, faculty, and staff. He was greatly loved by the Maintenance Staff of the College. His favorite pastime was classical music.

Bro. Romuald died on March 10, 2020 at Teresian House in Albany. May he rest in peace.

+ Fr. Matthew T. Conlin, O.F.M.

Father Matthew T. Conlin, O.F.M., a native of Barker, NY, entered the Franciscan Order in 1940, made his first profession on August 13, 1941, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 17, 1945. He attended Niagara University and he holds a Ph.D. from University College, Dublin.

During Fr. Matt's earlier years at Siena he was Professor, English Department Chairman, Dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and President of the College from 1970-76. Under his direction the College expanded greatly and became a center of academic excellence. His publications have appeared in The Tablet, Modern Drama, Renascence, and New York Folklore Quarterly.

Before returning to Siena to join the staff at St. Francis Chapel on Wolf Road, Fr. Matt held administrative posts in Holy Name Province, taught at Catholic University of Puerto Rico, was director of Anthony Houses, Inc., and was Pastor of St. Paul's Church in Wilmington, Delaware. During his final years at Siena, he worked as a prison chaplain at Mount McGregor Correctional Facility.

Fr. Matt was very interested in the Peace and Justice concerns of the Church. His favorite pastimes were fishing and gardening.

Fr. Matthew died on April 14, 2012. May he rest in peace.

Fr. Kevin Daly, O.F.M.

Fr. Kevin Daly, O.F.M. was born and raised in New Jersey, one of nine children growing up in Little Falls, NJ with three brothers and five sisters in an Irish Catholic Family. He attended and graduated from Siena College, graduating in 1974 with Fr. Dan Dwyer O.F.M. While he was at Siena College he competed in both Cross Country and Lacrosse.

After graduation Kevin entered the Franciscan Friars in Brookline Mass. Upon completing his studies in theology, Kevin was first solemnly professed in New York City in 1978 and then ordained to priesthood in 1980 in Silver Spring Maryland with Siena classmates Dennis Tamburello O.F.M., Jim Scullion O.F.M. and Kevin Mullen O.F.M. (class of 1975). Kevin has divided his ministry between Parishes in New Jersey and New York City and Campus Ministry at Siena College.

Fr. Kevin currently ministers at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Brant Beach NJ.

+ Fr. Mathias Doyle, O.F.M.

Fr. Mathias F. Doyle, O.F.M. entered the Franciscans after graduating from Siena College in 1955. He was ordained in 1962. After teaching for two years at St. Francis College in Rye Beach, N.H. he received his M.A. degree from the Catholic University of American in 1965 and his Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Notre Dame in 1968.

His first assignment after studies was to Siena College where he taught Political Science and served as co-Director of the Franciscan Formation program. He also holds a Certificate in Educational Administration from Harvard University 1983.  In 1972 he was elected guardian of the Franciscan community at Siena College. In October of 1975, he was elected as the 17th President of St. Bonaventure University.

In 2002-2003, Fr. Mathias served as the first Administrator’s Fellow at the Agency for International Development and later as an Administrative assistant to Congressman Amory Houghton in Washington D.C. He was then appointed as the Director of the Office of Peace and Justice at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, MA. where he served until his appointment as Director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy at Siena College in the Fall of 2007.

Fr. Mathias died on June 16, 2016. May he rest in peace.

+Fr. peter A. fiore, o.f.m.

+ Fr. Capistran J. Hanlon, O.F.M.

Father Capistran J. Hanlon, O.F.M., a native of Rutherford, N.J., entered the Franciscan Order in 1953 and was ordained to the priesthood on March 12, 1960. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado and is a retired Professor of Sociology at Siena. He has published widely in his field and is well known for his work with the native peoples in Arizona.

Along with his teaching ministry, Capistran helped in parishes in the Albany Diocese by celebrating liturgy and preaching; he was Vicar in the Siena Friary for eight years, and was Chaplain for many years for the Ancient Order of Hibernians, as well as Chaplain to the Colonie Police Department.

His favorite pastime was photography. Capistran presented three photography shows and had his work published in books, magazines, calendars, and postcards.

Fr. Capistran died in Ringwood NJ on February 5, 2015. May he rest in peace.

Br. Michael J. Harlan, O.F.M.

Br. Michael J. Harlan, O.F.M., a native of Sparkill (Rockland County), New York, graduated in May, 1978 from St. Thomas Aquinas College with a B.S. in Business Administration. His “first career” was in newspaper advertising sales with Hearst Advertising Service, Inc. in New York City and during this time met the Franciscan friars at St. Francis Church. Michael was received into the Franciscan Order on June 17, 1982, made his first profession of vows on June 4, 1983 and solemn (final) vows on June 21, 1987. He studied philosophy at Canisius College and Catholic University, and theology at the Washington Theological Union during his formation as a Franciscan friar. He later studied pastoral ministry and counseling at Boston College, attaining a Master of Arts degree in May, 1996.

Before coming to Siena College in 1996, Michael lived and worked at St. Anthony Shrine, Boston, MA., serving as a site supervisor for the Franciscan Volunteer Ministry program (a year-long service program for young adults who live in community and serve among the poor). He has also lived and served at Holy Name Church, New York, NY., St. Francis Retreat Center, Rye Beach, NH, St. Mary’s Church, Pompton Lakes, NJ, Holy Name College, Washington, DC, St. Francis Friary, Brookline, MA and St. Patrick’s Church, Buffalo, NY.

Michael served as the Director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy from 1999-2005. Prior to holding this position, he served as Associate Campus Minister for four years in the Office of Campus Ministry. Throughout his time at Siena, he was a member of the Residence Life Staff and a Friar-in-Residence.

In June 2005, Michael was appointed secretary of Holy Name Province. He resides at the Provincial headquarters at St. Francis Friary, 135 West 31st St. in New York.

Fr. Gregory Jakubowicz, O.F.M.

Fr. Greg Jakubowicz, O.F.M. is a native of suburban Buffalo, NY. He first met the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province at South Buffalo’s Bishop Timon High School where he attended high school. Fr. Greg earned his B.A. from Saint Bonaventure University and then went on to earn his J.D. from SUNY at Buffalo School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in New York State in 1991. Prior to joining the Franciscan Friars, he spent five years working for LexisNexis in Charlottesville, VA.

In 1997 Fr. Greg joined the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province. He professed his first vows in 1999 and professed his solemn vows in 2003. He was ordained to the presbyterate in 2004. His first ministerial assignment after ordination was at his alma mater as an Assistant Professor of Business Law. However, after one year Fr. Greg was assigned by his Provincial Minister to be Vocation Director for the Franciscans and moved to New York City. Two years later Fr. Greg was asked to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the Washington Theological Union, a Roman Catholic graduate school of theology and ministry in Washington, DC.

Fr. Greg was the college chaplain at Siena from July 2009 to July 2014.

+Fr. Michael Joyce, O.F.M.

Fr. Michael Joyce, O.F.M. joined the Order of Friars Minor in 1961. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1967. After finishing theological studies he was sent to Holy Name Province’s mission in Japan in 1967.

After two years of Japanese language studies in Tokyo, he served the parish communities in the cities of Maebashi, Ota, and Kiryu, all in Gumma Prefecture. In 1977 until 1984 he was assigned to the parish in Kita Urawa where he also ministered in the friars’ novitiate program.

In 1984 Fr. Michael was reassigned to the Franciscan Order’s Africa Project. He spent one year serving at the Order’s mission office in Rome. His first assignment in Africa was to Malawi 1985-1986. In 1986 he went with the first four Malawian friars in formation to join the post novitiate formation course with the Capuchin and Conventual friars in Livingstone, Zambia. In 1990 he was assigned to the friars’ pre-novitiate formation house in Mbarara, Uganda from which time he also engaged in the retreat ministry. In 1992 he was reassigned to the friars’ mission in Subukia, Kenya. In 1997 he moved to Nairobi, Kenya where he continued the retreat ministry.

In 1999 Fr. Michael returned from Africa to the States. He has ministered at Boston Arch Street and Providence, Rhode Island and was then assigned to minister at St. Francis Chapel, Colonie NY while living with the friars at Siena College.  In 2016, Michael moved to St. Anthony Friary in Butler NJ to live in retirement.  

Fr. Michael died on August 15, 2022. May he rest in peace.

Br. Walter Liss, O.F.M.

Br. Walter Liss taught in the Computer Science department and served as a Friar in Residence in Padua Hall.

Prior to joining the Franciscans he worked in the information technology field and earned a Masters in Computers & Information Systems from Bentley College. Brother Walter studied theology at the Washington Theological Union. He has held a variety of ministry assignments including service to the poor, the elderly, those suffering from mental illness, and soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Br. Walter currently serves as the director of the Province's postulancy program in Silver Spring MD.

+Br. Gary Maciag, O.F.M.

Brother Gary Maciag, O.F.M., a native of Passaic, N.J., entered the Franciscan Order in 1979. He took his first vows on June 7, 1980 and his final vows on June 18, 1983. An M.I.T. graduate with a major in Philosophy, he holds a Master of Fine Arts from The Catholic University of America.

Gary was an Assistant Professor in the Creative Arts Department and directed campus theatre productions. He served as Siena's Director of Theatre and Director of the Siena College International Playwrights Competition. A talented musician, he often generously volunteered to play the guitar at campus liturgies.

After leaving Siena, Br. Gary lived for a time at Assumption of Our Blessed Lady Friary in Wood-Ridge, NJ, and served as Special Assistant to the President at Felician College in Lodi NJ. He also served as Executive Director of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, while living at St. Bonaventure University. In 2017 he moved to NYC and worked in our Provincial Office.

Bro. Gary died on February 25, 2018. May he rest in peace.

Fr. Kevin J. Mullen, O.F.M.

Fr. Kevin J. Mullen, O.F.M. served as the tenth President of Siena College from 2007-2014. Born in Paterson NJ, he graduated from Siena College with a degree in History in 1975. That same year he entered the Franciscan Order as a novice. He was professed in June 1976 and ordained a priest in May 1980.

Fr. Kevin went on to pursue a doctorate in Moral Theology at the Catholic University of America. He taught full time at Christ the King Seminary and at several other institutions, and also served as guardian and rector of St. Anthony Shrine in Boston MA, and as guardian and pastor of St. Leo's parish in Elmwood Park NJ. He came to Siena in 2005 to become the guardian of the Siena Friary and the Director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy. He was appointed President of the College in June 2007.

Fr. Kevin is now the Provincial Minister of Holy Name Province and resides in New York City. He will continue his association with Siena College as a member of the college's Board of Trustees.

For more on Fr. Kevin's election as Provincial Minister, see the article on our web news archive.

+ Fr. Reginald Reddy, O.F.M.

Fr. Reginald J. Reddy, O.F.M., a native of Staten Island, N.Y., entered the Franciscan Order in 1954, made his first profession of vows on August 13, 1955, and was ordained to the priesthood on February 25, 1961. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, and as Associate Professor of Physics he taught Astronomy and other courses in the Physics Department at Siena. Before working on his doctorate he was Chairman of the Science Department at Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean, N.Y.

Fr. Reginald retired from teaching in 2002 and was named Professor Emeritus in 2003. He then worked on the staff of St. Francis Chapel on Wolf Road, and served as chaplain to the Filipino community in the Albany area and to the Albany area Knights and Dames of Malta. Favorite pastimes: walking, reading, and star gazing.

Fr. Reginald died peacefully in his sleep early Tuesday morning May 28, 2019 at Teresian House in Albany. 

+ Fr. Blaise Reinhart, O.F.M.

Father Blaise F. Reinhart, O.F.M., a native of College Point, N.Y., entered the Franciscan Order in 1950, made his first profession on August 13, 1951, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 9, 1955.  A graduate of St. Bonaventure University, he holds a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America. He taught Economics in the School of Business at Siena and after retirement was named Professor Emeritus.

During his years at Siena Fr. Blaise held the administrative posts of Chairman of the Economics Department, Dean of Men, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Dean of the School of Business.  He was frequently a Chaplain for cruise ships throughout the world. He was known in the tri-city vicinity as not only an avid but also an expert and championship bridge player.

Fr. Blaise died on August 10, 2019. May he rest in peace.

+ Fr. John E. Van Hook, O.F.M.

Fr. John Van Hook had degrees from St. Bonaventure University, the Antonianum in Rome, and Johns Hopkins University. He was a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy. He wrote: "Reading is my passion -- the morning papers, all kinds of books. Critical reading is an encouragement for a healthy prayer life. In addition, bicycling and mountain hiking are good for reflection and exercise."

Fr. John died on November 5, 2015, in Ringwood NJ. May he rest in peace.