February 2 is the anniversary of Vincent J. McGarvey, O.S.A.

Vincent McGarvey, OSA was one of the most influential Augustinians to serve in our Province. He was born in Lansdowne, PA in 1917 and was formed by Catholic education beginning at the grade school of St. Francis de Sales Church in Philadelphia, graduating from Augustinian Academy in Staten Island, NY and going to the Good Counsel Novitiate in New Hamburg, NY.

He graduated from Villanova University after living in St. Mary's Hall for four years. He studied theology at Augustinian College in Washington, D.C. for four years and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1935 after three years of study. As a student priest he completed a Masters Degree in education at Catholic University.

Briefly he was assigned as assistant Novice Master in New Hamburg but was soon assigned as associate pastor at St. Patrick's Church in San Diego where he became a mainstay of the parish for the next thirteen years. In 1956 he returned east to St. Nicholas of Tolentine in the Bronx to be near his ailing mother. After her death he retuned to California working under Fr. John Burns, OSA in Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Hollywood.He eventually became pastor when Fr. Burns was forced to step down due to health reasons in 1961.

Soon after that he was appointed Vice Provincial holding down both jobs for the next six years. During the years of Vatican Council II Fr. McGarvey oversaw a great deal of Province expansion including sending Province members to the Peruvian missions, encouraging post-graduate studies, taking on a high school in Modesto, CA, and the beginnings of Province flying when an airplane was contributed. When his term as Vice Provincial ended he returned to St. Patrick's as pastor and was there into the 1970's.

In 1980 Fr. McGarvey was named pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Castro Valley, CA when the California Augustinians expanded into the Bay Area. He then moved to Central Point, OR where he served as pastor. He later moved to Shady Grove, OR becoming pastor of a smaller parish.

Eventually he retired to St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ojai. While there he traveled to San Diego to visit his doctor. During that visit he suffered a stroke resulting in his death.

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