† FRIAR BONIFACE REINHART, OFM CONV. 

Friar Boniface (William) Reinhart, OFM Conv. was born in Breslau, Ontario, on September 19, 1927 and entered eternal life on December 28, 2019. He was the youngest of 10 children born to the late Edward and Emma (née Sherrer) Reinhart. In addition to his Franciscan family, he leaves behind his sister Margaret Sabiston and sister-in-law Bernice Reinhart. Friar is predeceased by three brothers; Wilbur, Jim and Edgar and three sisters; Venette, Mary, Dorothy and two siblings who died at birth. Friar Boniface will also be sadly missed by his many nieces and nephews.

Friar Boniface entered the Franciscan Novitiate on August 20, 1948 in Cohoes, NY. He made his Profession of Temporary Vows on August 21, 1949 and his Profession of Solemn Vows on October 4, 1952. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 4, 1954. He studied at the Franciscan College of St. Bonaventure in Rome, Italy from 1951-1955 receiving a Degree in Theology in 1955.

During his years as a Franciscan friar priest, he served in many parishes in the U.S. and in Canada. His first assignment was as Assistant pastor to the Italian parish of St. Francis in Hoboken, NJ. After ministering there for three years, he was assigned to St. Anthony Friary in Toronto where he was the promotion manager of The Companion, the Canadian Franciscan Magazine (1958-1960). Moving on from that ministry in 1960, Friar Boniface served as both Teacher and Spiritual Director at St. Francis Seminary, Staten Island, NY for the next six years. In 1968, he returned to Canada and was assigned to St. Francis Parish in Montreal, Quebec as Associate and then as Pastor. He then accepted the assignment to become the pastor of St. John the Apostle Parish in Kingston, Ontario in 1976. In 1982 Friar Boniface was elected as the second Custos of the Franciscan Custody of St. Francis of Assisi in Canada which was founded in 1976. Serving as Custos he resided in St. Raphael Friary in Burlington, Ontario from 1982 to 1984 and in 1984 was assigned to St. Anthony Friary in Bramalea, Ontario where he also served as Associate Pastor until 1994. In 1994 Friar Boniface received his last and longest assignment to St. Bonaventure Friary in Don Mills (Toronto) where he served with joy and holiness as a friar priest until his death on December 28, 2019. Friar Boniface will be remembered for his powerful preaching, ministry of healing prayer, exuberance for life, and his wonderful laughter.

                  Embracing Love

                     A Vocation Prayer

Loving and Generous God, it is You who call us by name and ask us to follow You. Help us to grow in the Love and Service of our Church as we experience it today.Give us the energy and courage of Your Spirit as we make all things new.Grant us faith-filled ministers who will embrace Christ’s Mission of love and justice.Bless our faith community by raising up dedicated, generous disciples who will serve Your people as Sisters, Friars, Priests, Deacons and Lay Ministers.Open our hearts to hear Your call and inspire us to know You better.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen                       

†Friar Canice Connors, OFM Conv.

Born on December 3, 1934 in Hazelton, PA, Fr. Canice entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual in 1954 and made his vows as a friar on August 15, 1955. Fr. Canice was ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1961. After receiving an MA in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, he pursued an MA in psychology from the University of Ottawa. Fr. Canice dedicated many years to the education and formation of young people as headmaster of Canevin High School in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1971 he was awarded a PhD in psychology.

Fr. Canice continued to serve God’s People as a member of the Archdiocesan Chancery of Baltimore, MD. Blending remarkable expertise with deep compassion, he served as Director of Southdown Institute in Holland Landing, Ontario and St. Luke’s Institute in Silver Spring, MD. Fr. Canice shared his years of experience as a friar-priest with seminarians when he was Rector of St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, NY.

In 1997 Fr. Canice received the President’s Award of the National Federation of Priests Councils in acknowledgement of his service to the Gospel of Jesus. He served his brothers in the Franciscan order as Minister Provincial of The Immaculate Conception Province, leading the friars in lives of community and ministry. He served other fellow religious as a member of the Board of Directors, Vice-President and President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.                As pastor, Fr. Canice led the Parish of Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem, NC. He also was the Rector and Pastor of the Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse, NY.

            In 2008, our friend, Fr. Canice, came to us as a member of St. Bonaventure Friary, Toronto. We remember him as a man of great spiritual stature, preaching the Word of God with depth and wisdom. His “Theology and Tea” sessions sparked wonderful discussions as he led us in exploring our call to practical holiness and generous service. Fr. Canice was father, brother and friend to us.

            When his health declined, Fr. Canice moved to Mercy Nursing Facility, Lackawanna, NY, where he continued to minister the Sacraments to his fellow residents until Sister Death called him home on March 17, 2019. He was laid to rest in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Buffalo, NY.

           MAY HEAVEN BE HIS AND MAY PEACE BE OURS.

† Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv.

Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv., was born in Toronto on May 3, 1932 and away on March 31, 2019. He was the son of the late Geoffrey and Margaret (nee Kirk) Suckling. Friar David was a beloved brother his Franciscan Family and father to his children: Chris (Hermie), Sara Cornfield (Alan), Donald MacDonald (Zoe), Molly Srebot (Mike), Michelle Newman (Bruce) and †Vivienne Brown. He is remembered by his grandchildren Stephanie (David), Nadia (Sam), Danielle (Adam), David, Kyle (Steph), Miles, Piers, Rowan, Berit, Connor, Tamsin, Tallis, Jason (Sharon), Tammy, Jamie, Katie, Emily, Rebecca, Tiffany (George) and Miranda (Jeff). Fr. David will be greatly missed by his grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Friar David served in the Army Reserved from 1960-61. He and his wife †Margaret Mary Suckling, who died in 1990, raised their family on their farm. Having lived as a Secular Franciscan, the notion of a further call into the Franciscan way of life filled his heart. On August 13, 1995, Friar David made his Profession of Temporary Vows. And on September 20, 1998 he made his Profession of Solemn Vows as a Franciscan Friar. Friar David lived in the Friaries of St. Anthony and St. Bonaventure in Toronto. We remember him as a gentle minister in our parish of St. Bonaventure and beloved fatherly presence in the Catholic School of St. Bonaventure. He served as a Member of the Boards of the Messenger of St. Anthony, the Tobias House: Caring in the Spirit of St. Francis, Retired Religious of the Archdiocese of Toronto at the Houses of providence and The Friends of St. Francis: St. Clare Inn. We thank God for the gift of knowing Friar David. We will miss his warm smile and Franciscan spirit. May the Angels lead him into Paradise.