"Br. Al" was born on March 27, 1916 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the son of Stanley and Laura (Jasionek) Stanczak. He entered the Conventual Franciscan Friars in 1932 at St. Joseph Cupertino Novitiate in Ellicott City, Maryland where he made his first profession of vows on June 5, 1933. Br. Al later professed his solemn vows on April 11, 1937. In his early assignments, Br. Al's primary responsibility was the day-to-day support of the friars with whom he lived. In 1935, Br. Al was assigned to St. Stanislaus Kostka parish, Rockford, Illinois. Four years later, he was transferred to St. Stanislaus B.M. Parish in Chicopee, Massachusetts. After eighteen years at St. Stanislaus, Br. Al was assigned to Bishop Ryan High School in Buffalo, New York. After only one year, he returned to St. Stanislaus in Chicopee in 1958 and ministered there for an additional ten years. In 1968, Br. Al was assigned to St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He returned to the Chicopee area in 1973 when he was assigned to St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts to assist with the Franciscan Mission Association. As new ministries emerged in the Church as a result of the Second Vatican Council, Br. Al's role of service in the Franciscan community and in the Church took on new forms. In 1978, he was transferred to St. Stephen parish, Shamokin, Pennsylvania where he was appointed a Eucharistic Minister by the Most Reverend Joseph Thomas Daley, Bishop of Harrisburg. This new and emerging ministry in the Church provided Br. Al with the opportunity to touch people's lives in a special way. It was a ministry he faithfully exercised until his health began to fail. He visited the homebound, the hospitalized, and those in local nursing homes and comforted them with his gentle presence and by offering them Jesus, the bread of life in Communion.
In 1983, Br. Al was assigned to Mater Dolorosa Friary in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Weakened by diabetes, he eventually became a resident of St. Lucian house in New Britain, Connecticut in 1990 and later a resident of Msgr. Bojnowski Manor, also in New Britain, Connecticut. The experience of sickness was a constant reminder to Br. Al of his identification with the suffering Jesus. The vows Br. Al professed early in life, took on new meaning in sickness as he experienced the poverty of limited activities; obedience to God's will, even in suffering; and the chaste offering of his body in illness. Br. Al died on October 6, 1996 at New Britain General Hospital. He was in the 80th year of his life and the 63rd year of his religious profession.
A Wake Service for Br. Al was observed on October 9 and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on October 10 at St. Stanislaus B.M. Basilica in Chicopee, MA. He was buried in the Friars' Plot of the Parish cemetery. Br. Al is remembered with affection. He was a generous and unassuming friar. A perfectionist by nature, he was faithful in fulfilling his responsibilities both within the friary and to the people of God. As Br. Al always received everyone in a gentle and understanding fashion, may the Lord now receive him into his merciful and loving arms.

"Br. Al" was born on March 27, 1916 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the son of Stanley and Laura (Jasionek) Stanczak. He entered the Conventual Franciscan Friars in 1932 at St. Joseph Cupertino Novitiate in Ellicott City, Maryland where he made his first profession of vows on June 5, 1933. Br. Al later professed his solemn vows on April 11, 1937. In his early assignments, Br. Al's primary responsibility was the day-to-day support of the friars with whom he lived. In 1935, Br. Al was assigned to St. Stanislaus Kostka parish, Rockford, Illinois. Four years later, he was transferred to St. Stanislaus B.M. Parish in Chicopee, Massachusetts. After eighteen years at St. Stanislaus, Br. Al was assigned to Bishop Ryan High School in Buffalo, New York. After only one year, he returned to St. Stanislaus in Chicopee in 1958 and ministered there for an additional ten years. In 1968, Br. Al was assigned to St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He returned to the Chicopee area in 1973 when he was assigned to St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts to assist with the Franciscan Mission Association. As new ministries emerged in the Church as a result of the Second Vatican Council, Br. Al's role of service in the Franciscan community and in the Church took on new forms. In 1978, he was transferred to St. Stephen parish, Shamokin, Pennsylvania where he was appointed a Eucharistic Minister by the Most Reverend Joseph Thomas Daley, Bishop of Harrisburg. This new and emerging ministry in the Church provided Br. Al with the opportunity to touch people's lives in a special way. It was a ministry he faithfully exercised until his health began to fail. He visited the homebound, the hospitalized, and those in local nursing homes and comforted them with his gentle presence and by offering them Jesus, the bread of life in Communion.
In 1983, Br. Al was assigned to Mater Dolorosa Friary in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Weakened by diabetes, he eventually became a resident of St. Lucian house in New Britain, Connecticut in 1990 and later a resident of Msgr. Bojnowski Manor, also in New Britain, Connecticut. The experience of sickness was a constant reminder to Br. Al of his identification with the suffering Jesus. The vows Br. Al professed early in life, took on new meaning in sickness as he experienced the poverty of limited activities; obedience to God's will, even in suffering; and the chaste offering of his body in illness. Br. Al died on October 6, 1996 at New Britain General Hospital. He was in the 80th year of his life and the 63rd year of his religious profession.
A Wake Service for Br. Al was observed on October 9 and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on October 10 at St. Stanislaus B.M. Basilica in Chicopee, MA. He was buried in the Friars' Plot of the Parish cemetery. Br. Al is remembered with affection. He was a generous and unassuming friar. A perfectionist by nature, he was faithful in fulfilling his responsibilities both within the friary and to the people of God. As Br. Al always received everyone in a gentle and understanding fashion, may the Lord now receive him into his merciful and loving arms.