Br. Zirmilian Cyril

William P. McGinnis was born on December 28,1867 at Mill Cove, on the north-central shore ofQueens County, Prince Edward Island. He was oneof three sons of Hugh and Margaret McGrathMcGinnis who entered the Christian Brothers. OnAugust 11, 1884 William entered the Holy Angels’Novitiate at Martinez, California. On ChristmasDay of 1884 he received the habit along with sevenother “Prince Edward Islanders.” He received thereligious name of Brother Zirmilian Cyril and onMay 1, 1886 was assigned to Sacred Heart in SanFrancisco and shortly thereafter to Santa Fe. “Aftersome time he was sent to Sacramento where aintermittent fever bothered him considerably. Thesituation got so bad that he was unable to get toclass. So it was thought best to send him to Martinezwhere his health could improve. Then, upon theadvice of a physician, the young invalid was sent toNew Mexico Territory in hope that the clear highair would give back his health.” Brother Zirmilianwas in his twenty-three year at the time of his deathfrom tuberculosis, having been a De La SalleChristian Brother for only seven years.