A Franciscan on the Beach: The Rev. Joseph Brunneman, O.F.M. Conv. (1822-1874)

By Monsignor Sean G. Ogle

The Conventual Franciscans are one of the three major branches of the Franciscan family. During the mid-1800’s, German Conventuals started coming to the United States to help the growing German community. One of the community’s great pioneers in America was Father Joseph Brunneman (1822-1874). Born in Holland, he joined the Conventuals at a young age. After studying in Italy, Belgium and Germany, he was ordained in 1845. A few years later, a German priest serving in the United States visited Father Brunneman’s convent, arousing his interest in missionary work. In 1848, he came to America, the first Conventual whose work here can be documented.

For six years he ministered to German Catholics in Ohio. In 1854, along with his confrere Father Bonaventure Keller, he traveled to the newly erected Diocese of Brooklyn, which had a growing German population. He soon established a German parish in the Winfield section of Queens known as St. Mary’s, and in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint section he laid the foundations for a parish that he named for the Franciscan St. Anthony of Padua.

In 1859, Father Brunneman extended his ministries to Long Island’s eastern end, where he founded parishes and schools in Riverhead, Sag Harbor, Greenport and Southold, where anti-Catholic prejudice was particularly strong. In this area the Irish Catholics outnumbered the Germans. A history of the Brooklyn Diocese notes: “Frail in stature—yet there were few Catholics on the eastern end of Long Island who were not served by Father Joseph Brunneman.”

In 1868, Father Joseph (as he was known by his parishioners) became the first resident pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea parish in Queens’ Far Rockaway section. At the time Far Rockaway was a seaside resort for New York’s privileged classes, and their largely Irish Catholic servants and shopkeepers. During his six-year tenure, Father Brunemann established a school and a parish cemetery. A local newspaper described Easter celebrations at the parish in 1872:

The festival of the resurrection of Jesus was celebrated in this church yesterday with due solemnity. Although the morning was stormy, the religious ardor of this congregation was not much dampened, for at the morning service at 8 o’clock, the church was well-filled, and about one hundred persons partook of the sacred banquet instituted by Our Saviour. High Mass was celebrated at the usual hour, 10 o’clock. After Mass, the Pastor, Rev. J. Brunneman, addressed the congregation. The following are a few extracts from his discourse: ‘He explained the greatest commandments of God, viz., Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, heart, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength, and Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself… As Christ rose triumphantly from the tomb, so we must rise out of the sloth of sin and with the grace of God we can proclaim victory over Satan…” The sanctuary was tastefully decorated. The choir sang a new Mass by Concone passably well; the beautiful hymn “Today He’s Risen,” was sung by Miss Murphy and Miss Wynn, with organ accompaniment by Miss Brandenberg. Vespers at 4 o’clock closed the services for the day.

Father Brunneman’s health broke down after many years of missionary labor, and he died at age fifty-two in Brooklyn’s St. Peter’s Hospital. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Flatbush. For decades his grave lay unmarked until the people of St. Mary’s parish erected a headstone over the grave. Buried a few feet away is Father Michael Curran, who celebrated the first Mass in Far Rockaway in 1848.

Monsignor Ogle is Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Astoria. From 1995 to 2002 he was Pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, Far Rockaway. It is due to his interests and efforts that a new headstone was erected to Father Brunneman.