1930 – 2018
Words of Remembrance for Brother Peter Lagonowicz, FSC
By Brother Gregory Quinn, FSC
Mass of Christian Burial
Christian Brothers Academy
Brothers’ Residence
Lincroft, New Jersey
January 5, 2018
Peter Lagonowicz, Junior, was named after his father and referred to himself and his dad as “Pete and re-Pete.” Peter, the son, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in the year 1930 during the time of the great economic depression. He will celebrate his eighty-eighth birthday this coming June the first, not among us on earth, but in the hallowed halls of heaven, in eternal beatitude.
Peter is first generation Polish American, born of immigrant parents who came to the United States over one hundred years ago, in the early 1900’s. His parents also had three daughters: Wanda, Julie, and Jenny. Six years later, they had two sons who were born six years apart from each other. The older was named Anthony but is now known as Walter from his more that thirty-six years as a Christian Brother.
Peter, Junior, was a late in life son who grew up in a completely bi-lingual childhood since his parents spoke only Polish in the home while his three older sisters spoke English. So, Peter was able to sing all the church hymns in Polish at his ethnic parish church.
When Peter was ten years old, his brother, Anthony, left home for Barrytown, New York, to join the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The Lagonowicz family faithfully visited “Brother Walter” in Barrytown, Washington, D.C., and summers at Oakdale, Long Island, NY.
When Peter, himself, graduated from La Salle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island, he chose to enter the Barrytown Novitiate in 1948. Subsequently he graduated from Catholic University in 1953. His first teaching assignment was in Sacred Heart Grammar School in High Bridge, the Bronx.
After the usual checker-board changes in various New York District High Schools, he took advantage of his bilingual skills to live in Poland with our FSC Brothers there and teach English to their Novices. He continued in this position for the following ten years. On his visits home, his home community was Queen of Peace, North Arlington, New Jersey, until that community closed. Subsequently, his home community became Christian Brothers Academy, here in Lincroft.
Finally, as a bona fide senior citizen in his seventies, Brother Peter retired from full time teaching. He cut a path into the C.B.A. academic routine and formed a volunteer group of boys to do Bible Studies as an extracurricular activity. Brother Peter shared his religious faith with these boys as a true son of Saint John Baptist de La Salle until he turned eighty-seven years of age. Then he decided to accept the limitations of his earthly life span to savor the wisdom that comes with “old wine in old wine skins.”
Brother Peter surprised all of us on the day of his death. After having lunch with the Brothers, he went upstairs to his room, sat in his comfortable chair, and breathed out the last breath of his earthly body, and passed on to his particular judgement as a faithful servant answering the call of God to eternal bliss.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Brother Peter Lagonowicz, FSC
Born Peter Paul Lagonowicz in Providence, RI, on June 1, 1930
Entered the Barrytown Novitiate on June 24, 1948
Received the Religious Habit and Name, Brother Alexius Peter, on September 7, 1948
Pronounced Perpetual Vows in Hillside Hall, Troy, NY, in 1955
Died at Christian Brothers Academy Community, Lincroft, NJ, on January 2, 2018
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:
Friday, January 5, 2018
Viewing from 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am
BROTHERS’ RESIDENCE
Christian Brothers Academy
854 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738-1698
Burial following at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, Marlboro, NJ.
Luncheon at Christian Brothers’ Residence after burial
The District of Eastern North America remembers Brother Peter with memorial liturgies according to the tradition of the Institute. Through their prayers, communities and individuals entrust Brother to God’s loving care.
Brother Peter passed away unexpectedly in the community during the early evening. May he rest in peace.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1954-1955
New York, NY
Sacred Heart School: teacher
1955-1956
Barrytown, NY
Holy Family Community: infirmarian
1956-1959
Staten Island, NY
St. Peter Boys High School: teacher
1959-1967
Syracuse, NY
Christian Brothers Academy: teacher
1967-1970
Syracuse, NY
Christian Brothers Academy: vice-principal
1970-1971
Tempe, AZ
Arizona State University: full-time study
1971-1974
Detroit, MI
De La Salle Collegiate: teacher
1974-1978
Garrison, NY
Christian Brothers Retirement Residence: director
1978-1979
Paramus, NJ
Paramus Catholic High School: teacher
1979-1980
Paramus, NJ
Paramus Catholic High School: director
1980-1981
New York, NY
La Salle Academy: teacher
1981-1982
Troy, NY
La Salle Institute: vice-principal
1982-1983
Albany, NY
Christian Brothers Academy: teacher
1983-1990
Albany, NY
La Salle School: teacher
1990-1995
Paramus, NJ
Paramus Catholic High School: teacher
1995-1996
Czestochowa, POLAND
Novitiate Community: staff
1996-1998
Lublin, POLAND
Scholasticate Community: staff
1998-2003
Lublin, POLAND
Scholasticate Community: director of scholastics
2003-2006
Kamyk, POLAND
Novitiate Community: director of postulants
2006-2018
Lincroft, NJ
Christian Brothers Academy: library assistant
Brother Poland
Brother Peter Lagonowicz, FSC
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Viz. Marian Szamrej
I considered Brother Peter to be a wonderful friend. While he was stationed in Poland, my brother and I spent a week with him traveling around the countryside. Peter and I spoke about once a month over the past five or six years. I am going to miss hearing his voice. May he rest in peace.