Brother Antonio Montera, O.S.F., a Franciscan Brother of Brooklyn for 66 years, entered Eternal Life peacefully on October 7, 2026. Brother Antonio was born Richard John in the Ridgewood section of Brooklyn, the fourth of five children to Pasquale Montera and Theresa Falbo: John♱, Marie♱, Lillian♱, and Gloria. He attended P.S. 116 through 6th grade, graduating from St. Brigid’s School in 1954 and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in 1958. After spending a year attending St. John’s University in Brooklyn, and after speaking to Brother Donald Sullivan, his former teacher, he entered the Franciscan Brothers’ Novitiate in Wyandanch on the Feast of St. Bonaventure, July 14, 1959, and received the habit on the following February 2, 1960.
In 1962, he was professed and spent the next three years at the Brother Columba Reilly Scholasticate on Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn, eventually receiving NY State Mathematics Certification and degrees from Saint Francis College and New York University.
In 1964, Brother began teaching at St. Patrick’s School on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn, followed by St. Aidan’s School in Williston Park and Our Lady of Good Counsel School in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. From 1967 to 1973 Brother Antonio taught Religion at Bishop Ford High School in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. This was followed by five years at St. Anthony’s High School in Smithtown and six years teaching math at La Salle Military Academy in Oakdale.
Brother returned to teaching at St. Anthony’s in 1984 and was part of the move from Smithtown to South Huntington. In 1988 he became Registrar and continued in that capacity for 30 years until he retired in 2018. Brother continued for one year as an Administrative Assistant and left St. Anthony’s in September of 2019.
In 1968, Brother Antonio was asked to work on extracurricular activities as the moderator of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams. Brother loved working with these teams for over 40 years. Brother was inducted into the CHSAA Coaches’ Hall of Fame in 2017. He was also inducted into St. Anthony’s Alumni Hall of Fame as an Honorary Alumnus in 2019 at a gala affair with over 250 attendees.
Brother Antonio is survived by his sister Gloria, extended family and his Franciscan Brothers.
Wake
Saint Anthony’s High School Chapel
Thursday, October 15, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday, October 16, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Closing Prayer Service
Saint Anthony’s High School Chapel
Friday, October 16, 2026
10:45 AM
Mass of Christian Burial
Saint Anthony’s High School Chapel
Friday, October 16, 2026
11:00 AM
Committal
Holy Rood Cemetery
Westbury, New York