Fr. Joseph Kordas was born on July 16, 1879, in Kosina, Poland. Prior to his admittance to the Franciscans he had his primary and secondary training in Poland. Motivated by the grace of a religious vocation, he entered the community of the Friars Minor Conventual in Lwow, Poland and completed his Novitiate and professed his simple vows on June 298, 1900. His philosophical and theological training was obtained in Krakow, Poland and he was ordained to the priesthood on July 9, 1905. After his ordination Fr. Joseph migrated to the United States and joined the Province of St. Anthony of Padua, serving the parishes of Corpus Christi, Buffalo, NY; St. Stanislaus Kostka, Baltimore, MD; St. Joseph, Webster, MA; Mater Dolorosa, Holyoke, MA; and St. Francis de Sales, Hartland, WI. On October 9, 1920 he was appointed the first Novice Master of our Province in the newly-formed Novitiate at Athol Springs, NY. In 1928 Fr. Joseph founded and almost single-handedly edited the Province publications entitled The Seraphic Chronicle – Knonika Seraficka. After 15 years of editorship he reluctantly relinquished it because of failing eyesight. On retirement, Fr. Joseph edited two volumes of a projected 20 volume series of sermons. He possessed an admirable simplicity and passion for work which he methodically planned and executed with the greatest of diligence. On October 6, 1950 Fr. Joseph met Sister Death in the Friary of St. Francis de Sales, Hartland, WI, in the 72nd year of his age, the 51st of his religious profession and the 46th of his priesthood. After the Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated in the Province of St. Bonaventure, the mortal remains of Fr. Joseph were transported to Chicopee, MA and laid to rest in the Parish Cemetery.