Who We Are

We serve the Catholic Church as brothers and priests, devoting our lives to the search for God in a communal life of poverty, prayer, and service to others. Our province is only a small part of a great movement of women and men, filled with a passion for the Gospel, keeping the spirit of St. Francis alive all over the world.

He was a saint for all times.

Why We Love Francis

He preached peace in an era when life without war was unthinkable. He embraced the poor while others treated them with scorn. And he allied himself with nature centuries before humanity understood its connection to every living thing.

We are the Province of
St. John the Baptist

Living and proclaiming the Gospel is our goal. We do so as brothers to each other and to the world, living with and for the poor, promoting justice, peace and the care of creation, working with all women and men of good will and inviting them to share our Franciscan spirit. Facing our future with hope, we echo Francis of Assisi who said, “Let us begin again.”

Friar Flashback

“Our faith compels us to stand with the vulnerable, including our immigrant brothers and sisters. We have done so continually, but we must show our support and solidarity now in a special way. Now is the time for action.”

Our Heritage

Help us raise awareness, prayers and financial support for the friars in Syria, who continue to celebrate Mass, provide pastoral care and offer humanitarian aid – water, medicine, food and more – in the midst of this devastating conflict.

Our

Leadership

Provincial Minister

Fr. Mark Soehner, OFM

Provincial Vicar

Fr. William Farris, OFM

Provincial Councilors

Br. John Barker, OFM

Fr. Bob Bruno, OFM

Br. Vincent Delorenzo, OFM

Fr. Page Polk, OFM

Staff Directory

Reflections from our friars.

Friar Voices Blog

Encounter with a stranger

by Fr Mark Soehner OFM | Sep 4, 2018 | Friar Voices | 0 Comments

Moving is disorienting, no matter how often a person has done it. Bruce and Bryant Hausfeld stopped in recently. They’ve moved so many times that they switch up the biblical phrase, “pilgrims and strangers” and describe themselves as “strange pilgrims”. Anytime a...

Franciscan Joy: Strumming feeds his spirit

by Br Jerry Beetz OFM | Aug 16, 2018 | Friar Voices | 0 Comments

One of the things that brings me joy as a Franciscan is music. All my life I have been blessed with a good singing voice. As a young man I sang in our church and school choirs at St. John the Baptist Parish in Harrison, Ohio. Later I became a member of the chorus at...

Reception of Novices

by Fr Mark Soehner OFM | Jul 27, 2018 | Friar Voices, Vocation Vibes | 0 Comments

Fourteen novices were received into the Order on July 16 in Santa Barbara, Calif., in a simple ceremony that included four provincials, three secretaries of formation and a host of supporting friars, representing all six of the restructuring provinces. There was also...