Friar Matt's Blog | Deo Gratia - Nader's Blog | Vocations - Friar Michael Lorentsen | St. Mary's, Above Rocks, and Missions |

Blogging Friars Archive

On this webpage you will find retired blogs by members of the Conventual Franciscan community.

Vocations - Friar Michael Lorentsen

Friar Michael Lorentsen, OFM Conv. professed his vows as a Conventual Franciscan on August 4, 1990. He as ordained a friar-presbyter on Pentecost Sunday, 1994. While friar Michael works in vocation ministry, he has also worked in parish and campus ministry settings in North Carolina, El Salvador and Costa Rica. His interests are in spirituality, Latino-Hispanic ministry, social justice and liturgy.

Friar Michael Lorentsen - on the left - and Friar Reto Davatz

Franciscan Life - Friar Matt Foley

Friar Matt Foley was born in Quincy, Massachusetts. He is the second of seven children in what is a devoted Irish-Catholic family. During his high school years, Matt and his siblings went to Mass and attended Catholic schools. While an undergraduate at the Catholic University of America (CUA), Matt realized how important the Roman Catholic faith was to him. He also met the Conventual Franciscan Friars, one of whom was the chaplain at CUA. This man encouraged Matt to pray and figure out what God wanted him to do with his life.

Friar Matt - on the left - and friends

Touched deeply by the Franciscans, Matt entered their candidacy program in 2001. His years of formation included ministries working with the sick, the poor and the dying in the US, Honduras, and Bolivia. Matt also completed a Master degree in theology at Washington Theological Union.

After having professed his Solemn Vows in 2008, Friar Matt will be ordained a priest in the fall of this year.

Deo Gratia - Nader's Blog

Friar Nader Ata is a young Conventual Franciscan studying graduate level theology at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. He is preparing himself for the priesthood. In his blog, he writes about his day-to-day adventures as a friar and how he tries to suffuse each day with Franciscan joy.

Friar Nader Ata

St. Mary's, Above Rocks, and Missions

The Conventual Franciscan Friars from St. Anthony Province and the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist have been running a number of parishes in the West Indian nation of Jamaica for several years. Their mission is to bring the Catholic faith to the local population and to improve their lives. Keeping this in mind, the friars and sisters support the Cassava River Infant and Primary School near Holy Family Church (one of their mission's churches), organize literacy programs as well as clothing and shoe sales, and offer general support to the local community. In their blog the friars and sisters document what life is like for a missionary.

Friars Marco Tasca and John-Jospeh Dolan

at the Conventual Franciscan mission in Jamaica