Ash Wednesday 2026: The Jubilee of St. Francis
Ash Wednesday 2026: The Jubilee of St. Francis Homily by friar Mario Serrano, OFM Conv. If you are still wondering which penitential practices to undertake during Lent, Pope Leo has asked us to consider listening and fasting. That is to make room for the Word and to listen to the…
A Sacrament to be Remembered
2026 marks eight hundred years since the Transitus—the passing of St. Francis of Assisi from this world to eternal life. To remember his death is to remember how he lived: utterly rooted in God’s Word. Francis did not only preach the Gospel; he returned to it repeatedly, letting it shape…
Remembering Terre Haute: 153 Years of Franciscan Presence
The Catholic Church first came to what is now western Indiana in the form of the Wea people, who were evangelized by the Jesuits in the 1700s. They built villages along the banks of the Wabash River, often placing a large cross in the center. They were joined by French…
Beneath the Same Desert Sky: Remembering the Sacred Bond between the Tigua and the friars
The desert sun rises over Ysleta del Sur, casting its first light on the adobe walls of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Here, faith and culture have intertwined for centuries—ever since the Tigua people journeyed south from their homeland with Franciscan friars at their side. When our friars returned…
The Mortar That Binds Us: A Look Back at 175 Years of St. Anthony Strong
Friar Florian Tiell, OFM Conv., friar Christian Moore, OFM Conv., and friar John Bamman, OFM Conv., pause for a photo in St. Anthony’s prayer garden, where every engraved brick tells a story of faith, family, and 175 years of rebuilding together. Standing among the names and memories of generations, they…
From Pilgrims to Province
My first experience at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio was unforgettable. The atmosphere, the stunning shrine church, and the general environment made me think I was at St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec, Canada. This happened in 1968. I was just a new postulant in…
From Boyhood Memories to Friar’s Vocation
The Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio, traces its roots to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In 1873, a Luxembourg-born priest, Father Joseph Golden, was asked to include the village of Carey in his ministry across northwestern Ohio. When he arrived—serving there once a…
Remembering through the Eucharist
Remembering through the Eucharist By friar Wayne Hellmann, OFM Conv. Memories abound! For the friars 2026 promises to be a year rich in memories. 2026 is separated by 800 years from that day in 1226 when St. Francis, on the eve of October 3rd, “fell asleep in the Lord.” In…
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