Father Aidan M. Mullaney, T.O.R., 86, of the Third Order Regular Franciscans of the Province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, died Wednesday at St. Francis Friary/ Mount Assisi Friary, Loretto.
He was born in Tewkesbury, Mass., and given the name George Joseph. He was the son of the late Margaret Mullaney Plummer and George Plummer.
He is survived by three cousins: Kathleen Powers and Ann Marie Joyce in Massachusetts and Tom Joyce in Pennsylvania; and his Franciscan brothers.
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Father Aidan was a graduate of Our Lady of Perpetual Help High School, Roxbury, Mass. He entered the Third Order Regular on June 18, 1944. He professed his temporary vows on Jan. 15, 1946, and his solemn vows on Jan. 19, 1949. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 24, 1952, by the late Bishop Richard Guilfoyle of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona.
Father Aidan received a B.A. degree in philosophy from St. Francis College, Loretto; studied theology at St. Francis Seminary, Loretto, and the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.; and received an S.T.L. and S.T.D. in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, Italy. In 1998, he was honored by the conferral of the title Master of the Order by the Minister General at the Immaculate Conception Chapel, Loretto.
During his long and faithful ministry, Father Aidan served as follows: St. Francis Seminary, Loretto; St. Thomas More High School, Philadelphia; St. John Vianney Seminary, Steubenville, Ohio; member of the House of Prayer of the Franciscans Community, Coden, Ala.; director of the Franciscan Retreat Center, Winchester, Va.; chaplain at Veterans' Hospital, Pittsburgh; member of the Portiuncula House of Prayer, Boston, Va.; chaplain to the Sister of Charity, Carrollton, Ohio; staff and councilor at SS. Cosmas and Damian Generalate, Rome, Italy; staff of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio; staff of Franciscan University Austria Campus, Gaming, Austria; assistant at the T.O.R. novitiate, Bonaventure Hall, Loretto; local minister at Sacred Heart Friary, White Post, Va.; and local minister at Holy Spirit Friary, Steubenville, Ohio.
From 2006 until the time of his death, Father Aidan served in the ministry of prayer at St. Francis Friary/ Mount Assisi Friary, Loretto.
Friends will be received from 4 until the 7 p.m. vigil service today at the chapel of St. Francis Friary, Loretto. A funeral Mass will be concelebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 21, 2012, at the friary chapel with the Rev. Richard L. Davis, T.O.R., Vicar Provincial, as principal celebrant. After the Mass, committal will take place at the Franciscan Friars' cemetery on the campus of St. Francis University, Loretto.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired T.O.R. friars, c/o T.O.R. Friars Retirement Fund, St. Francis Friary, P.O. Box 137, Loretto, PA 15940.
Arrangements are by Gibbons Funeral Home, 301 Church St., Gallitzin.
