Michael V. O’Halloran, O.S.A.

1934 – 1975 (June 17)

Michael Vincent O’Halloran, son of Michael O’Halloran and Delia Walsh, was born on Staten Island on July 9, 1934, and was baptized there at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church on July 29th. Following his early education, he attended Saint Peter’s High School, Staten Island, from 1949 to 1953, and the following year entered Augustinian Academy as a post graduate postulant. He was received into the Novitiate as a clerical novice in 1955. Michael professed simple vows on September 10, 1956 and, shortly thereafter, became ill with a blood disease that was to plague him for the rest of his short life. After major surgery in 1957, he was considered cured, only to have the disease recur some few years later. 

In 1959 he requested and received permission to change from the clerical state to the lay brotherhood and was granted a dispensation from the Congregation of Religious to make a second novitiate of only six months. He was professed on September 20, 1959 and made Solemn Profession on September 20, 1962

Brother Michael trained as a Practical Nurse and was assigned to the Villanova Monastery to care for the retired and infirm of the Province. Although in poor health himself, he cared for the friars with great gentleness, zeal and devotion.

The final years of his life were spent in great suffering, and he was forced to be hospitalized for long periods of time. He spent the greater part of the last two years of his life in Bryn Mawr Hospital or the Clinical Center of the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Brother Michael died in Bryn Mawr Hospital on Tuesday, June 17, 1975 at the age of 41. Following a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, June 20th, at Saint Mary’s Hall Seminary Chapel, he was buried in the Saint Mary’s Hall Cemetery, Villanova. His body was later transferred to Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, PA.