Friar Rich looking out over the Spoleto Valley from the walls of San Damiano Monastery (Umbria, Italy).

Friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv. is a Solemnly Professed Friar, in formation for the priesthood. He began his 2022 Summer Assignments as one of 60 delegate friars at the May 23-27, 2022 Ordinary Provincial Chapter. Phase II of the Chapter will be celebrated July 11-15, 2022.

Friar Rich also shared: “Following the first session of chapter, I participated in the JPIC CFF Pilgrimage to Italy. I was there with Our Lady of the Angels Province Friars Tim Blanchard and Franck Sokpolie, as well as friars from the Our Lady of Consolation Province and the St. Bonaventure Province.  While we saw the major pilgrimage sites in Assisi, Padua, and Rome, we were also able to experience the outreach ministries of many of our brothers (and Franciscan sisters) in Italy, to the poor, the immigrant, the marginalized, and those struggling with addiction.  It was an awesome experience to see the places that were foundational for our Order, but also to see how our Order is still serving the Church there.” [Photo at left: Friar Rich is pictured in the top row, 2nd from left, with the JPIC CFF pilgrims, outside of the walled-up Holy Door of Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican]

Friar Rich will again serve as a delegate friar for the second session of the Ordinary Provincial Chapter before heading to our Port St. Lucie pastoral ministry ~ St. Lucie Catholic Church, for a few weeks of a parish assignment, until he returns to the Post-Novitiate Friary (St. Bonaventure Friary, Silver Spring, MD) for the fall semester, at The Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC.