Fr. Brian Lhota, OFM 13th President 1955-61 |
FRIEDSAM MEMORIAL LIBRARY Archives Biographical |
Presidents list Archives' site index Biography Index
Fr. Brian Lhota , OFM, served as the 13th president of St. Bonaventure from 1955 until 1961. Fr. Brian was born on December 13, 1913, in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He attended St. Anne and St. Anthony elementary schools there before entering St. Fidelis Minor Seminary in Butler, Pennsylvania. On August 31, 1935, he entered the Franciscan Order and on June 11, 1940, he was ordained a priest in Immaculate Conception Shrine, Washington, D.C. In 1937 he was granted a a bachelor of arts degree From St. Bonaventure University. He received his master of arts degree in 1944 and the doctor of philosophy degree in 1947, both from Catholic University of America.
Fr. Brian came back to St. Bonaventure as an instructor in 1947 and was named Assistant Professor of Philosophy, later he served as the head of the department. He also coached the varsity golf team. During Fr. Brian's presidency, the University expanded both its instructional and building programs. An administration building, Hopkins hall, an arts classroom building , Plassmann Hall, and accommodations for clerical faculty members, The Friary, now Doyle Hall, were built while he was in office. After his term as president he served as Definitor and Director of Studies for the Holy Name Province of the order of Friars Minor. He also served as Visitor General to the English Province and Visitor General to the California Province. After his return to St. Bonaventure, in 1967, he served as a professor of philosophy and retired on Christmas of 1978. He died on January 1, 1984 at St. Francis Hospital in Olean, after a brief illness. He was seventy years old.
Previous president Next president
Biographical Information:
NAME: LHOTA, BRIAN (GEORGE) (FR) (OFM)
DATE OF BIRTH:1913-12-25
PLACE OF BIRTH: MILLVALE, PA.
RECEPTION INTO ORDER: 1934-08-29
ORDINATION DATE: 1940-06-11
WHERE ORDAINED: WASHINGTON, D.C.
SERVED AT SBU: 1941-, 1955-1961, 1967-1978
SERVED AS PRES: 1955-1961
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: RECEIVED MASTER OF ARTS AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FROM CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
LOCATION OF PHOTOS: ARCHIVES, BONAVENTURE , FOUNDERS ROOM
Bibliography:
"Fr. Brian Receives Tribute ' To Show Our Appreciation For What You Did For Us'." The Olean Times Herald, 3 June 1974.
"New President Named at Bona." The Era 25 June 1955.
Archives' site index Biography Index
This page was created by Kevin Lawless as part of an internship during the Fall 2004 semester. Any changes, other than minor editing, are noted at the bottom of the page.
For information about the Archives' collections contact: |
Dennis Frank |
Created 08/30/04 by Kevin
Lawless
Last updated:
03/02/06