Bob’s journey with the Franciscans began during his time at St. Louis University. The Franciscans’ house of studies, a popular Sunday Mass destination, introduced him to the Franciscan way of life, preaching, and hospitality. This encounter left a lasting impression on Bob, a Chicagoan, and set him on a path toward the Franciscan community.

Bob was a career funeral director and owned two funeral homes on the South and Southwest Sides of Chicago. His funeral homes built a reputation for distinctive and affordable service, often for the economically challenged. His funeral homes also had beagle rescues as grief companion dogs. Bob attended the Franciscan church of St. Peter’s In-The-Loop for most of his adult life. In the middle of his career, he attended the Washington Theological Union and the Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree with Preaching concentration. He later received a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching degree. His passion for preaching and accompanying grieving is clear by his thesis, FUNERAL PREACHING: A MOMENT TO EVANGELIZE AND RECONCILE.

Bob’s journey with the Franciscans continued in 2021 when he retired to enter the postulancy, later selling his funeral homes to a longtime, trusted employee. After the novitiate, he and his classmates professed their first vows in July 2023. Currently, he resides at the post-novitiate formation community, San Damiano Friary, in San Antonio. Over the past year, he has taken ordination-required courses at the Oblate School of Theology. His upcoming assignment for Summer 2024 will be at the Holy Cross Retreat Center in Mesilla Park, NM. For the 2024-25 academic year, Bob will remain at San Damiano Friary, continuing his work in Adult Faith Formation and as a pastoral team member at St. Matthew Catholic Church, San Antonio. He will also be taking pastoral and conversational Spanish courses at the Mexican American Catholic College.