On June 13, Catholics honor the memory of the Franciscan priest St. Anthony of Padua. Although he is popularly invoked today by those who have trouble finding lost objects, he was known in his own day as the “Hammer of Heretics” due to the powerful witness of his life and …

Some years ago, St. Pope John Paul II named St. Francis of Assisi the patron of ecology, which inspired the Franciscans to add “Care for Creation” to our commissions of peace and justice. It is also a great reminder that our gardens’ St. Francis statues are a sign of this …

The following is a statement from the provincial ministers of six provinces belonging to the Order of Friars Minor in the United States regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Feb. 24, 2022 — We are horrified at the unfolding violence in Ukraine and the death and destruction unleashed on the …

Fr. Robert “Bob” Weakley, OFM, died Jan. 23 at St. John the Baptist Friary in Cincinnati. Fr. Bob, 80, served as a teacher, pastor and chaplain, and was known for his love for reading, walking and good conversation. Born on March 31, 1941 in Peoria, Ill., Fr. Bob was one …

Fr. Carl Hawver, OFM, died Dec. 31 at St. Margaret Hall in Cincinnati. Fr. Carl was 78 years old and had been under palliative care for some weeks. A sensitive and caring friar, he was known for his love for singing, creativity and helping those he ministered to feel free …

Fr. Neri Greskoviak, OFM Known for his creativity and humor, Fr. Neri Greskoviak, OFM, died Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, at St. John the Baptist Friary in Cincinnati. Fr. Neri was 85 years old. Born on March 23, 1936, in Minonk, Ill, Richard Greskoviak was one of four children of Joseph …

By CNA Staff Vatican City, Jul 17, 2021 / 05:00 am Pope Francis urged members of the Order of Friars Minor on Saturday to seek renewal as they face “the challenges of declining numbers and aging.” In a message to participants of the order’s general chapter in Rome on July …

As a friar and priest, I took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, meaning that there is a lot of things I can’t do in this world. Many would see this as throwing my life away, but I can’t help but see the opposite.

Cincinnati – Fr. Jack Wintz, OFM. He was a teacher, a missionary, an award-winning journalist, and an author whose books brought comfort to grieving pet owners. A man of many talents, Fr. Jack Wintz, OFM, died Jan. 11 in Cincinnati at the age of 84. In his long and distinguished …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Jan 10, 2021 / 03:52 pm MT (CNA).- For the first time in over 54 years, the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land were able to offer Mass on their property at the site of Christ’s baptism, located in the West Bank. …