Born on September 14, 1965, and ordained on May 15, 2004, the Reverend Joseph B. Collins III entered eternal life on November 5, 2024.

Raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Father Collins studied radio, film, and television at Jersey City College before embarking on a career as a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigative specialist.

After discerning his calling, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie. While there, he participated in the Army’s Chaplains Basic Officer’s Course. He was ordained by Cardinal Edward Egan and assigned first to St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus parish in Staten Island, then served as parochial vicar at the Church of St. Benedict in the Bronx.

On May 15, 2010, Father Collins became a chaplain with the New York State Army National Guard, Catholic New York reported at the time.

He was in residence at the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Monica – St. Elizabeth of Hungary – St. Stephen of Hungary but served as Catholic chaplain for New York State’s National Guard units, and was attached to the 69th Infantry Regiment, which placed him under the direction of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA during his service.

“I love being a parish priest, but there’s something different and incredible, and something I really enjoy being a priest in uniform and serving these brave men and women,” he told Catholic New York. “I consider it an honor and a privilege.”

Father Collins later served as chaplain at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. 

Chaplain (MAJ) Peter Pomposello, currently an active-duty Army chaplain, remembered his Dunwoodie classmate:

“After two decades of devoted priesthood, he died at the age of 59, serving faithfully until the end as he had from the very first day. Father Collins and I were classmates, housemates, and comrades in both faith and military service. We shared seven years of formation, living and learning the life of the priesthood side by side, and I was privileged to witness firsthand the love he had for his calling.

“From his early days with the ‘Fighting’ 69th in New York, Chaplain Collins carried with him the indelible mark of a soldier-priest. He trained as a paratrooper and served in combat. He carried himself with a demeanor that brought light-hearted peace to those around him. His voice, whether in counsel or prayer, was a source of comfort to so many.

“Charismatic and compassionate, Father Collins made everyone feel as though they had a personal share in his care. More than anything, he cherished the privilege of bringing the Eucharist to others, knowing it was the greatest gift he could offer to those who bore the burdens of military life. May Father James Collins share the fullness of Jesus in Glory that you and I receive from the sacraments served by priests like him. May he rest in peace.”

RECEPTION OF THE BODY AND WAKE ⦁ LYING IN REPOSE