January
21–23 St. Anthony Friary hosts a Come and See weekend for two prospective candidates.
23 Bob Weakley dies. His funeral is celebrated on Jan. 28 at Holy Family Parish in Oldenburg, Indiana.
31 Louie Lamping celebrates his 93rd birthday at St. Clement Friary.
February
Celebration of Black History Month
Desks donated by the Roger Bacon High School community arrive in Jamaica for use by happy and grateful students there.
7–11 Annual Interprovincial Retreat held in Malibu, Calif., at the Serra Retreat Center. Charlie Smiech hosts more than 30 friars.
25 Battle for Kyiv, Ukraine, begins with an offensive launched by Russia and the leadership of the US-6 Franciscans responds.
26 Sr. Vickie Griner, OSC, and other Poor Clares around the world begin the first stage of the Revision of the Poor Clare General Constitutions at the request of Minister General Massimo Fusarelli, OFM.
March
Friars at St. Francis Seraph Church continue to open the doors to people who are homeless and in need of warmth, safety and rest.
2 Ash Wednesday begins Lent.
Max Langenderfer, Dominic Lococo and Robert Seay gather to reflect on their spiritual journeys using the encyclical, Laudato Sí, with a group at Mercy Community at Winton Woods.
The Rite of Election is celebrated at many cathedrals in dioceses we serve.
Cliff Hennings moderates an online group conversation on March 7 with parishioners from Holy Family in Novi, Mich., where he serves as associate pastor.
Jeff Scheeler videos parishioners and others praying the Peace Prayer of St. Francis for the people of Ukraine and posts on the Transfiguration Parish Facebook page.
St. Mary of the Angels parishioners in New Orleans receive a nail on Ash Wednesday, which they drop in a metal bucket on Good Friday. They also participate in a Revival with area churches, featuring Fr. Maurice Nutt, CSsR, preacher. Other traditions include Stations of the Cross and Adoration.
March 29–April 3 Meeting of the US-6 in Florida
30 Al Mascia first performs his play based on the life of Bl. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap., at Maryville Retreat Center in Holly, Michigan. The title of the one act, one friar musical is “More Love than Skill.” Michael Radomski assists with set up.
April
4–8 English Speaking Provincials meet in Florida.
10–17 Holy Week
13 Robert Seay co-hosts and presides at an ecumenical prayer service at Mercy Community at Winton Woods focusing on “The Seven Last Words
of Christ.”
18 Mark Soehner renews the vows of the temporary professed in Chicago.
20 With the friars serving in Jamaica, the Daughters of Divine Love celebrate their 25th anniversary on the island nation.
25–30 Fr. Russel Murray, OFM, (spiritual assistant for the Poor Clares of the Holy Name Federation, USA), visits with Poor Clares and Cincinnati friars.
30 Roger Bacon holds its “Evening for Excellence” fundraiser.
May
1–4 Provincial Council meets in Easton, Pennsylvania.
3–6 “Gather and Discern” meeting for the new province is held at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center, Detroit, Michigan. Twenty friars from around the country gather to envision a new future for Franciscan life in the United States.
6 Staff Day for Curia employees, featuring a presentation by Murray Bodo
9–12 Treasurers, Communications and Development staff from various provinces meet at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.
23–27 Last Chapter of St. John the Baptist Province. St. Meinrad, Indiana. Jubilees are celebrated. Other activities are an ethical boundaries with adults presentation, and a chapter mandate to reflect at the local house chapters and include an action in Fraternal Life Plan.
27–28 Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, and Fr. Roberto Serrano, OFM, (The Bleacher Brothers) are in town for a Reds baseball game. Their visit was part of pilgrimage during which they traveled the United States, in habits, to attend baseball games and engage young people in their faith.
June
Temporary professed friars begin a summer of service in various ministries.
5–10 US-6 meeting in New York. David O’Brien (currently CFO for SJB Province) is appointed to the future Our Lady of Guadalupe Province as CFO.
13 St. Anthony’s feast day is celebrated, especially at the St. Anthony Shrine.
13-16 Provincial Council meets with Sponsored Ministries.
23–26 The Franciscan Alumni Association meets in San Antonio, Texas.
July
2 William Compton, Domingo Martinez and Matthew Tran (both HN) make first profession at Old Mission Santa Barbara.
14–15 Carl Langenderfer and Bill Farris attend the Early Rule of 1221 Conference at St. Bonaventure University.
25–29 150 friars ages 65 and under meet for “Gather and Discern” in Kansas City.
August
1–5 Mark Soehner attends the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in Buffalo, New York.
10 A Transitus celebration for the Feast of St. Clare at St. Clare Monastery, Cincinnati, is held with many friars in attendance.
15–18 All six Provincial Councils meet in Malibu, California, with the Delegate of the Minister General Caoimhín Ô’Laoide, OFM.
17 Mike Chowning, Pat Reistenberg, and Eileen Connelly, OSU, see firsthand the devastation of the floods in Eastern Kentucky. Many of our former parishioners were hard hit. SJB friars left those parish communities in 2016.
September
4 David O’Brien, OFS, makes his life profession in the Secular Franciscan Order at St. Francis Seraph Parish, Cincinnati.
4 The annual Limburger on the Lanai party is celebrated at St. Clare Friary.
5 Detroit area friars gather for a Labor Day celebration at Transfiguration Friary, Southfield, Michigan.
8 Blane Grein is featured on “The Voice of the Southwest.”
8 Friars and parishioners of St. Mary of the Angels, New Orleans, participate in a Peace Prayer Walk through the Ninth Ward. They prayed for an end to crime and violence.
17 Michael Chertock, resident pianist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, performs his composition, “Mass for the Feast of St. Francis,” written by Murray Bodo. The adult choir of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Montgomery performs, with Joshua Goines conducting. Held at St. Francis Seraph Church, the proceeds benefitted the Center for Respite Care.
Sept. 25–Oct. 3 Provincial Council has its last meeting at Clifty Falls State Park, Indiana.
October
2 On the feast of the Guardian Angels, a car propels itself over the vehicle of John Bok while he is on his way to celebrate the 9 a.m. Mass at a local parish. John is only faintly aware of activity, but upon seeing the video, recognizes what has happened. The car is driven by a 17-year-old who had a seizure. As he continued to accelerate, he hit a road sign that lifted the car over the passing vehicle of John Bok. The teenager was not injured in the accident.
3–4 Transitus and celebrations of the Feast of St. Francis occur province-wide. Pet blessings are also celebrated on various days throughout that week.
5 Annual Friars’ Bistro fundraiser at the St. Francis Retreat House, Easton, Pennsylvania
7 Former Provincial Minister Jeremy Harrington celebrates his 90th birthday at Transfiguration Parish, where he serves as associate pastor.
9–15 Mark Soehner and Pat McCloskey (Secretary of ESC) travel to Lithuania for a meeting of the Provincials of the English Speaking Conference.
12 Murray Bodo celebrates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Francis: The Journey and the Dream during a gathering at St. Anthony Shrine.
30 Br. Alessandro Brustenghi, OFM, and Br. Eunan McMullan, OFM, arrive for a week of local choral performances. Alessandro is the internationally known “Voice of Assisi” with a strong operatic voice and has made records with Decca Records in London. Eunan is a former lawyer and now manager for Alessandro.
November
2 Br. Alessandro Brustenghi, OFM, performs at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains Cincinnati.
3–7 Phil McCarter participates in an immersion experience organized by the Franciscan Network on Migration at the border of El Paso, Texas, and Mexico.
23 On the day before Thanksgiving, the Franciscan Outreach Program, located at Church of the Transfiguration, distributes more than 400 Thanksgiving meals.
24 Sr. Vickie Griner leaves for Rome for meetings of the International Commission on the General Constitutions of the Order of St. Clare.
25 St. Francis Seraph Church opens its doors for “A Franciscan Christmas,” complete with many creches from around the world, a live Nativity and Dickens Village.
December
9 Art Espelage dies. His funeral will be celebrated on Jan. 16, 2023, at the St. Anthony Shrine.
Christmas is celebrated throughout SJB Province.