Friar John O’Connor
Courtesy of Franciscan Mission Service
BY: JAMESON ZUBER, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Since Friar John O’Connor was a teenager, he knew that he wanted to serve the Lord. The Brooklyn, New York, native was first introduced to the Franciscan way after a visit to his cousins’ farm in Catskills, New York. The vocations director of a nearby Franciscan seminary heard of O’Connor’s interest. His visit to the farm and their ensuing conversation lit a flame of Franciscan passion inside O’Connor.
Growing up in Brooklyn, O’Connor attended Catholic middle and high schools. His interest in Franciscan life led him to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Callicoon, New York, where he was introduced to leadership in the Franciscan order at just 19 years old.
His training continues throughout his time in college. While studying intensively for his ordination, O’Connor earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Catholic University in Washington D.C. and then went on to earn his master’s degree in theology at the Washington Theological Union.
In 1973, Friar Damian McElrath was hired as the 16th president of St. Bonaventure University, taking along four young friars with him to help reconstruct the relationship between the students and the friars on campus. One of those friars he asked was O’Connor, who was 26 and still four weeks away from his official ordainment.
From 1973 to 1982, O’Connor lived in a small room on the third floor of Robinson Hall, serving the university as the director of campus ministry – now known as university ministry – a pastor of the university parish and as an adjunct professor of theology.
“In those days, 68% of students on campus went to mass,” said O’Connor.
One of O’Connor’s tasks assigned was to renovate the old maintenance building into what is now the University Ministries building. He tore up carpet and painted walls, breathing life into a dilapidated building with his lively prayer and joyful nature.
“We were well known. We were considered one of the three best campus ministry programs in the United States. At that time I heard it was us, Notre Dame and Georgetown,” said O’Connor.
A memorable moment for O’Connor was the day he worked together with the school’s cheer team and professor Bob Donovan to stop an annual food fight that resulted in thousands of dollars worth of food waste every year – for good.
“We basically moved it into a pep rally; they never threw food and haven’t thrown food since,” said O’Connor.
While serving the university, O’Connor also served the community as a member of the Allegany Fire Department, getting promoted to Assistant Chief in 1978, and serving until 1982.
O’Connor moved on from his position as director of campus ministry in 1982 – but still could never leave the university. Even while serving as a Director of the Holy Name College Franciscan Seminary in Washington D.C. and many other roles, O’Connor held a position on the St. Bonaventure Board of Trustees for a total of 21 years.
When O’Connor accepted the position of guardian of the friary in 2023, he had worries that the friars were slowly becoming irrelevant. He is working hard with his fellow brothers of the Franciscan order to change this, and one such way is by increasing the number – and decreasing the age – of the friars on campus.
“I was concerned we were becoming irrelevant on the campus, and so I have been working to change that. I got a couple of younger guys this year – brother Tito, brother Brian and a really great Bonaventure grad that is finishing his training as a friar,” said O’Connor.
zuberjd23@bonaventure.edu
