2015 Religious Jubilarians

Four Franciscans Celebrating Anniversaries

Four Franciscans Celebrating Anniversaries
From left, Brother Campion, Brother Becket, Brother Gerald and Brother Richard.

Four members of the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn are marking significant anniversaries of their entry into the Order. Brothers Campion Lally and Becket Ryan are celebrating their 65th years as Franciscans, and Brothers Gerald Patrick Hedrick and Richard Pinke are 60-year jubilarians. Here are brief biographies of the men:

Brother Campion Lally, O.S.F., currently serves the Order as Business Manager and In-house Counsel, and is a member of the Congregational Finance Committee.

He entered the Franciscan Brothers in 1955, taking the religious name Campion, after attending St. Francis Prep. He received the habit in 1955 and was professed in 1957.

He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. Francis College, and a master’s in mathematics education from Yeshiva University in 1966. He continued his education at St. John’s University School of Law where he was awarded a J.D. in 1991.

He is admitted to the Bar in New York and Florida. His areas of practice include Elder Law, Trusts and Estates, Wills and Real Estate.

He taught at St. Joseph’s School, Babylon, L.I., 1956-57; St. Anthony’s, Greenpoint, 1957-58; and St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Carroll Gardens, 1958-60.

In 1960, he was assigned to St. Francis Prep, Northside, where he taught Latin and math. In 1963, he was transferred to Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope. In 1967, he returned to St. Francis Prep as chairman of the math department. He served as assistant principal of the Prep in Fresh Meadows from 1983 to 1990.

He was active in the New York City Board of Education, having been elected to the Community School Board in District 14 (GreenpointWilliamsburg) for 19 years, serving as its president for 11 years.

In 1993, he worked as an attorney for the legal department of the N.Y.C. Human Resources Administration.

From 1994 to 1997, he served the Diocese of Rockville Centre as executive director of the Office of Health Ministry. Among his duties was secretary of the boards of trustees of the hospitals, hospices and nursing homes of the Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHS).

He served two terms on the Continuing Care Board of CHS, and is presently a member of the Foundation Board of Our Lady of Consolation Nursing and Rehabilitative Care Center in West Islip, L.I.

He has served on the board of directors of St. Agnes Academic H.S. in College Point since 1993. He also served on the General Council of the Franciscan Brothers, from 1999 to 2003.

Brother Becket Ryan, O.S.F., was born in Barberton, Ohio. He graduated from Warren G. Harding H.S., Warren, Ohio, before entering Kent State University. He graduated from Ohio State University.

After many years of Newman Club activity, he joined the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn and began teaching at St. Anthony of Padua, Greenpoint. He then spent two years as a novice in Wyandanch, L.I.

After several years as attendance officer at St. Francis Prep, Northside, he finished his master’s degree in sociology and returned to teach at the Prep in Fresh Meadows, completing 24 years there.

He then spent several years as Advocate for the Elderly at St. Charles Borromeo, Brooklyn Heights, and worked summers at Camp Alvernia, Centerport, L.I.

He also served as alumni director at St. Francis Prep.

Residing at Our Lady of Angels Friary, Bay Ridge, he continues to visits patients at Lutheran Hospital and its Calvary Hospital unit, both in Sunset Park.

Brother Gerald Patrick Hedrick, O.S.F., grew up in Omaha, Neb., where he attended Sacred Heart grade and high schools.

He joined the Marine Corps in 1960 and served in southern California and Okinawa, Japan, until his discharge in 1964.

In 1965, he entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Brothers in Oyster Bay, L.I., and professed his first vows in 1966.

His teaching assignments included St. Brigid’s, Bushwick, 1967-70; St. Francis Xavier, Park Slope, 1970-72; St. Mary Star of the Sea, Carroll Gardens, 1972-78 where he was a teacher and principal; and Our Lady of Angels, Bay Ridge, 1978-86.

From 1986 to1992, he worked for Catholic Charities at Mary Star of the Sea Senior Housing Apartments, Carroll Gardens.

He also worked at St. Anthony’s Guild at St. Francis Church in Manhattan for two years.

From 1995 to 2009, he was an attendance officer at Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope.

Since his retirement he has resided at Our Lady of Angels Friary in Bay Ridge.

Brother Richard Pinke, O.S.F., received the habit in 1965. He attended St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, and earned a master’s from Fordham University.

He was a full-time teacher for 42 years, 41 of which were in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

He taught math and science in grades seven through 10 at St. Anthony’s H.S., Smithtown, L.I.; St. Brigid School, Bushwick; St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows; and Bishop Ford H.S.

He currently resides in Our Lady of Angels Friary, Bay Ridge.

2 thoughts on “Four Franciscans Celebrating Anniversaries

  1. Dear Ed,

    Thank you for the good job you and your staff did in the special religious jubilees section of The Tablet.

    Brother Campion