John J. Agnone was born in Winchester, Massachusetts on July 9, 1927, son of Francis and Mary McNelly Agnone. John had two brothers who are deceased. He graduated from Plymouth High School in June of 1945 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He entered Maryknoll Society on January 6, 1947. After his Novitiate year in Akron, Ohio, he pronounced his First Oath of Obedience on August 30, 1948 and chose the Religious name of Brother Peter. He took his Final Oath on August 30, 1951.

He was assigned to the Bedford Promotion Office for one year and then to Maryknoll College, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, on June 4, 1949. In 1951, he was assigned to Maryknoll Junior Seminary at Los Altos, California, for office work and then to the Maryknoll Center in New York. Brother Peter was missioned to Musoma, Africa, on May 7, 1954 and remained there for eleven years until he was recalled to Maryknoll Center in March 1965. He spent a year studying Liberal Arts courses at Westchester Community College. Next, he was assigned to the Maryknoll Residence at Los Altos, California in September 1969 and transferred to St. Teresa's Residence in December 1973 to assist the Director. On September 29, 1975, Brother Peter was assigned to the new Brothers' Mission Unit in Western Samoa and remained there for seven years. He was then assigned to the Procurator General's office at Collegio Maryknoll in Rome, Italy. The Superior General wrote to Brother Peter after his assignment was completed in Rome and said, "You have served everyone and done it with humor and good will."

In 1987, he was assigned to the Brothers' Formation Program at Kitchawan, New York. On January 1, 1995, Brother Peter was assigned to the Kenya Region and in 1996 he was elected a Chapter Delegate to the Tenth General Chapter in Hong Kong. Today, Brother continues to work at Ukweli Home of Hope in Nairobi, Kenya, ministering to homeless boys. His latest superior wrote of Brother Peter, "He not only does a very good ministry, but is an inspiration to all of us with his energy, optimism, and kindness."

Peter's Reflections             Peter's Ministry

Visit the Ukweli Home of Hope web site

Visit the Maryknollers Currently in Nairobi, Kenya