William J. Regan, O.S.A.

1879 – 1912 (December 21)

William James Regan, son of Francis Regan and Maria Davis, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on October 6, 1879. He was baptized in the Cathedral of St. Mary, Halifax, on October 21, 1879. William began his education at the school of St. Mary, Halifax, and after five and a half years, transferred to LaSalle Academy, then to St. Joseph Normal School, followed by his acceptance into the novitiate of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He remained with that religious community for ten years, eight of which he taught at the Brothers’ school, Manhattan College, on Second Street, New York. William had received a varied education including Physics, Physiology, School Management, History, and Advanced Drawing.

On June 25, 1906, William applied for entrance into the Order. Apparently, his letter of request was lost, for on August 16, 1906, he made another request from his mother’s home on West Third Street, South Boston, Massachusetts. Shortly after that he was accepted as a candidate during the provincialate of Father Martin J. Geraghty, O.S.A. He entered the novitiate on December 8, 1907, made his first profession of vows on December 9, 1908, and solemn vows on December 9, 1911. On June 1, 1912, he was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Prendergast at the Philadelphia Cathedral, and received his first assignment on August 28th to Saint Rita High School, Chicago, Illinois, together with Joseph Kepperling. 

William Regan he died at the age of 33, on the evening of Saturday, December 21, 1912, of acute Bright’s disease at Saint Bernard Hospital, Chicago. A Requiem Mass was offered at Saint Rita Church, Chicago, on Thursday, December 26, 1912, after which prior James Greeen, O.S.A. accompanied the body to Villanova, where Prior Provincial Martin Geraghty, O.S.A. was celebrant of the funeral rites. William Regan was buried in the Community Cemetery atVillanova.