On October 30, 2009, the Bishop of the Toledo Diocese - the most Reverend
Leonard P. Blair - ordained Conventual Franciscan Friar John Bamman to the priesthood at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio.
An interview with Friar John Bamman just a few hours
before his ordination to the priesthood
John Bamman actually encountered the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Carey as a teenager. He was intrigued by their way of life and promised himself to check up on them some time in the future. With life being the way it is, John managed to have many adventures before coming across the Franciscans again.
Bishop Leonard P. Blair and Friar John Bamman
Always intrigued by the mountains, he left his Ohio home and settled in Washington State where he worked as a ski patrol person in the winters and a camp counselor in the summers. As much fun as this lifestyle was it left John feeling hollow. Taking a degree at Seattle University's School of Theology helped John alleviate this hollowness. He used a lot of what he learned at school in his next position as a tour bus driver. God however was calling John to another life. After visiting many religious orders and dioceses, John rediscovered the Conventual Franciscans. Their way of life suited him perfectly. John knew that in the Order of Friars Minor Conventual he had found what God wanted him to be.
(Source of photos on webpage and homepage as well as of the video: Friar Paul Schloemer.)
