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…
Fr. Dan Riley O.F.M. at a men’s basketball game / Photo courtesy of Cassidey Kavathas BY CLAIRE FISHER, STAFF WRITER Father Dan Riley, O.F.M., a `64 St. Bonaventure University graduate, has made a name for himself on our campus. Not only is he a founder of Mt. Irenaeus, but he has also become a pivotal…
BY KURT MARTONE, NEWS ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR. In the closing month of this year’s spring semester, Fr. Greg Jakubowicz, then chaplain of St. Bonaventure University, was investigated for creating a hostile work environment for his staff and student volunteers associated with University Ministries. On April 18, 2021, Jakubowicz, who made a note of attending each on-campus…
For Br. Kevin Kriso, O.F.M., his love of God is rooted in early childhood experiences, while his dedication to Franciscan life came through a natural progression of events. Br. Kevin, a Mt. Irenaeus guardian, said he had a typical baby boomer upbringing in the suburbs of New York City, attending St. Hugh of Lincoln Elementary…
For Fr. Francis DiSpigno, O.F.M, becoming a Franciscan was something he has toyed with since childhood. DiSpigno, executive director of University Ministries, first became infatuated with Franciscan life at the age of 11, after learning from his older brother who was attending the Franciscan St. Anthony’s High School, on Long Island. “I don’t think anyone’s…
By Hannah Gordon Fr. Ross Chamberland, O.F.M., is no stranger to the religious life, but rural areas—well, that’s a different story. Fr. Ross, professor and director of the Lateran Center for Catholic Identity, was raised in Nashua, New Hampshire—the second largest city in the state with a population of about…
By Emma Zaremba Features Editor The essence of a person survives in the people he or she leaves behind. Father Robert Struzynski, O.F.M. and a former friar at Mt. Irenaeus, died December 13. At 78 years old, Father Bob obtained several titles, all while serving as a member of the Order of Friars Minor…