Friar James McCurry Elected Minister Provincial

of St. Anthony of Padua Province

Friar James McCurry

The Friars of St. Anthony of Padua Province recently elected Friar James McCurry to the position of Minister Provincial for their jurisdiction. Friar James will take over this role from Friar Michael Kolodziej.

St. Anthony of Padua Province covers large portions of the eastern United States from Florida to Massachusetts. It also has missions in Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, England, and Ireland. Friar James’ current position in the order is that of General Delegate to Great Britain and Ireland. He has made his home at St. Patrick’s Friary in London, England for the last few years.

Conventual Franciscan Friars celebrating 100 years

in 2007 since their return to England and Ireland;

Friar James McCurry is in the middle of the first row of kneeling friars

Friar James has spent his life in the Order of Friars Minor Conventual serving others as best as possible. He approached his work in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and elsewhere with a sense of goodness and wisdom. In his new position as Minister Provincial, he will do the same.

The south of London where Friar James has lived in recent years

In 2007, Friar James participated in the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Order’s return to England and Ireland. The Franciscans’ roots in England however reach back to 1224 when Blessed Agnellus of Pisa and eight other friars landed at Canterbury and began their Order’s mission in England. St. Francis of Assisi was still alive at that time.

Blessed Agnellus of Pisa

By 1538, the Franciscans and other religious Orders in England could not continue their ministries. King Henry VIII was beginning to expel them en masse. A year later there were no religious Orders whatsoever left in all of England. After returning to England and Ireland at the beginning of the last century, the Franciscans and other Orders have provided solace to the vulnerable and brought countless people closer to Jesus. Friar James McCurry has been part of this effort.

(Sources of all related images on webpage and homepage: www.friar.org, www.wikipedia.org, www.franciscans.org, Conventual Franciscan Friars Immaculate Conception Province Provincialgram, and www2.ofmconv.pcn.net/en/.)