FRANCISCAN FRIARS AT ST. CLEMENT
St. Clement is home to about twenty Franciscan friars who participate in parish life and do various work in the Cincinnati area. See below for the Parish Secretary's weekly bulletin feature, Friar's Corner.
Want to write a note to a friar? The friars love receiving mail!
Please send correspondence to:
St. Clement Friary
4536 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45217
Want to write a note to a friar? The friars love receiving mail!
Please send correspondence to:
St. Clement Friary
4536 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45217
Fr. Bryant Hausfeld
Fr. Bryant was raised in St. Bernard, OH at St. Clement parish. Fr. Bryant lived 55 years in the Southwest as a priest and was a pastor at a single parish on a Navajo reservation for 19 years! Make sure to say hi if you see Fr. Bryant around town!
Fr. Carl Langenderfer
Fr. Carl grew up Glendale at St. Gabriel Parish. He graduated from Roger Bacon High School and joined the Friary right after at the age of 18. He has ministered in parishes in Ohio, Indiana, and Louisiana and has also done formation work with new recruits.
Fr. Damian Cesanek
Fr. Damian was born and raised in Phoenixville, PA, just west of Philadelphia. He joined the seminary his sophomore year of high school , joined the friars in 1960, then and was ordained in 1969. Most of his ministry involved parish work as a pastor in a total of eight different states! In his free time, Fr. Damian likes to read a variety of theology and fiction.
Bro. David Crank
Bro. David was born in Columbus, OH and joined the order in 1985. He was a funeral director and embalmer prior to joining the friars. His first assignment was in Houton, TX to be a part of the Kolby Project, which was the ministry serving the HIV/AIDS community where he was a chaplain in the 60-bed unit of the HIV/AIDS hospital. From there, Bro. David was called to Cincinnati where he served as the Director of the Office for Senior Friars. His last assignment was working in the St. Francis Seraph soup kitchen, and he is now retired. In his free time, Bro. David enjoys reading, meditation, and visiting with family and friends.
Fr. Frank Jasper
Fr. Frank grew up on Clinton Springs and Vine Streets and attended St. Clement parish. He joined the Friars in 1965 right after graduating high school. After ordination, he was assigned to Oldenburg, Indiana, and then went to graduate school in Chicago where he majored in Counseling. He then earned his Doctorate degree in Psychology at the University of Detroit. He ministered in counseling throughout the Midwest for 45 years, and moved back to Cincinnati in 2008 and has served in administration ever since. He is currently the Guardian of the Friars and the Chaplain of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in Hartwell. In his free time, he likes to take pictures of people and nature and take walks around the city.
Fr. John Bok
Fr. John Bok grew up in Reading, OH. He graduated from Roger Bacon High School, and after ordination, his first assignment was at Roger Bacon as a Science Teacher. He eventually worked as a Dean of Students and Principal at Roger Bacon, working there for a total of 18 years. He then was head at Saint Rita School for the Deaf for nine years, and then the Friars elected him Provincial from 1990-1999. He then worked as a Pastor in Galveston, TX from 2000-2011. He retired and came back to Cincinnati with residency at St. Clement Friary. His ministry in retirement is to preside at Mass several days a week at different convents around the Cincinnati area. Fr. John is a sports fan, and his favorite hobby is reading mystery novels. Some of his favorite authors are Lee Child, John Sandford, Michael Connelly, John Grisham, David Baldacci, and Janet Evanovich. In his free time,
he spends time with his siblings, nieces, and nephews.
he spends time with his siblings, nieces, and nephews.
Bro. John Carey
Bro. John was born in Marysville, Michigan. He worked for one year after high school and then joined the friars in 1952. He served as a chef for two years. And then for four years, Bro. John was a bus driver for St. Jospeh School. For many years, he did various work around the friary. Currently, Bro. John proofreads all the publications for the friary and the Church and picks up the Church’s trash Monday-Saturday. In his free time, he likes to watch sports and read spiritual books and novels.
Fr. John Paul Flajole
Fr. John Paul grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan. He attended University of Detroit and later transferred to the Franciscan Seminary Duns Scotus College. He taught high school religion and also did pastoral work in Texas. Wherever he lived, he served as a hospital chaplain. In 2015, at the age of 80, he retired and came to the Friary after serving for 15 years in pastoral work in Galveston, Texas. Fr. John Paul will be turning 90 years old this June! In his free time, he enjoys walking in the nearby park, reading in Spanish, and for many years was an avid golfer who caddied for many professional golfers!
Bro. Bradley Tuel
Bro. Bradley grew up in the Bay area in California. He is a convert who came into the Catholic Church when he was 37 years old. He became a friar at the age of 44. For most of his time as a friar, he worked in Arizona pursuing a degree in photography at the University of Arizona. In August, he will begin teaching a ministry course at Roger Bacon. In his free time, Br. Bradley likes to take pictures and has a passion for contemplative photography, which focuses on how God intersects with art.
Fr. John Joseph Gonchar
Brother John Joseph (Br. JJ for short) was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA in 1931. He became a Franciscan friar through simple profession of vows in 1950 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1956. Early on, his ministry involved the preaching of 40 Hour Devotions in various parishes and giving retreats at our St. Francis Retreat House in Easton, PA. While stationed in Easton, PA, he taught high school religion and Latin. The island of Jamaica, West Indies welcomed his ministry for almost seven years. He eventually came to join the community at St. Anthony Shrine on Colerain Ave. After a brief stay at St. John the Baptist Friary in Sharonville, OH, he was assigned here to St. Clement Friary. Being retired and relieved of any major responsibilities, he is enjoying the many blessings of living with a community of loving friars.
Br. Michael Barrett
Bro. Mike was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was previously a friar for 18 years, 14 of those years serving as a priest. He then left the order and is now starting the formation process again after being invited to come to St. Clement by the friars, for which he is most grateful! While in Cincinnati, he has been working at Kroger. While serving as a friar, he did parish work around the Midwest, and his Deacon year, he served in Michigan with Native Americans. In July, he will be moving to the Old Mission in Santa Barbara, CA, where he will continue formation. He is very active and likes being in nature! In his free time, he enjoys cooking, gardening, bicycling, and more.
Br. Josh Richter
Bro. Josh was born and raised in Hamilton, OH. He was homeschooled and grew up being extremely involved in his parish and participating in 4-H. He is one of the youngest friars in the U.S. at only 28 years old. He is still in initial formation, currently in his Pastoral Immersion Year which is the year in preparation for his solemn profession of vows. Currently, Bro. Josh teaches theology and helps coordinate Community Outreach projects at Roger Bacon and hopes to be assigned to St. Clement and Roger Bacon after he finishes formation. This summer, Br. Josh will make a month-long retreat in Assisi. In August, he will profess solemn vows in Albuquerque with 4 other friars. In the fall, he will return to Chicago to finish his theology studies at Catholic Theological Union, in which he hopes to serve as a Deacon. He plans to graduate next year and be ordained a priest in August of 2026. In his free time, Bro. Josh enjoys archery, gardening, cooking, and puzzles.
Bro. Kevin Duckson
Bro. Kevin was born in Dayton, OH. After high school, he was introduced to the Franciscans through his Church and became a member of the Secular Franciscans. He then entered the Order in Oldenberg, IN. He went to Mt. Airy and made profession on October 18, 1969. His first assignment was a cook at Mt. Airy. His next assignment was at St. Mary’s in Bloomington, IL, where he served as cook and porter. He was then called back to Mt. Airy where he did formation and maintenance work for fourteen years. He was then assigned to St. Francis, the old seminary, for seven years where he did maintenance, cooking, and took care of elderly friars. He was then transferred back to Bloomington where he spent twenty years doing maintenance on the church property and St. Joseph’s cemetery. From there, he and Fr. Ric came to St. Clement in June of 2016. His ministries have largely consisted of maintenance in larger formation houses and taking care of the elderly and sick friars. Bro. Kevin’s favorite aspect of the Catholic faith is celebrating the Mass and saying the Divine Office with the community. In his free time, Bro. Kevin enjoys gardening, feeding the birds, and listening to soft music.
Bro. Michael Charron
Bro. Michael was born and raised in Cincinnati. After high school, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from University of Cincinnati and then worked for Fifth Third Bank. He then joined the friars and worked at St. Monica St. George, making his Solemn Vows in 2014. He then went back to Catholic Theological Union to earn his Master’s of Divinity (the same University Pope Leo XIV graduated from!). He knew he didn’t want to be ordained and that he had another calling of becoming an attorney. He spent a year in Mexico learning Spanish and then attended Law School in Grundy, VA. In 2021, he spent time working at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin where he helped Afghan refugees and where he realized his passion for immigration law. He currently works as a case manager for Judge Searcy and also does immigration work on the side, which he would like to eventually do full-time. He currently serves as the Chronicler of the friary, writing down things that happen in the house and enjoys hosting a movie night for the Friars every Friday night. He spends his free time doing immigration work, but has recently started growing African Violets!
Fr. Ric Schneider
Father Ric Schneider is the youngest of 11 children, four of whom became Franciscan priests, following four uncles ahead of them who were also Franciscan priests. Father Ric taught high school for 10 years at Roger Bacon and Saint Francis Seminary. Then, he spent the next 10 years in vocation work, giving vocation talks, almost daily, in 17 different dioceses. His next venture was in parish work, Pastor in 3 different parishes, one in Louisiana, in Batesville, Indiana, and finally 23 years in Bloomington, IL. Retiring to Saint Clement in 2016, he took up a new ministry, substitution, helping out in parishes all over the diocese. He is currently the second oldest friar at Saint Clement. One final note, he is the friar that builds bird houses. Just recently, he gave away number 400.
Fr. Pat McCloskey
Fr. Pat was born and raised in Howell, MI, until ninth grade when he moved to St. Francis Seminary north of Mt. Healthy. After high school and one year of college, he joined the order in 1967. He finished seminary at St. Leonard’s, south of Dayton, in 1975. The first nine years after his ordination, he lived at St. Clement Friary and taught Religion and English at Roger Bacon High School. In 1972, he began working and writing for St. Anthony Messenger as a summer intern and has continued to do that ever since. He worked for St. Anthony Messenger Press (now Franciscan Media) for one year, and then spent 6.5 years working in Rome at the OFM general headquarters. For over five years, he wrote the Order’s international newsletter.
During the years he was working for that office in Rome, he went to Berlin a week after the Berlin wall was opened and also went to Jerusalem in January 1991 right before the Gulf War began. After returning from Rome, he again worked at Roger Bacon full-time for seven years as a Chaplain and teacher. In June 1999, he began working full-time with St. Anthony Messenger Magazine while teaching one period a day at Roger Bacon. In June of 2002, Fr. Pat became the editor-in-chief of the magazine, in which he served in that role for 8.5 years. In January of 2000, he began writing “Ask a Franciscan” column in the magazine, which he still does.
In August of 2023, he began a one-year assignment at St. Francis retreat house in Easton, PA, until the province withdrew from sponsoring that ministry. He has been officially retired and living at St. Clement since December 2025. He has an MA in Theology from the University of Dayton and an MA in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University in Southwest New York, and he reads Italian. He has written nine books, including Peace and Good: Through the Year with St. Francis of Assisi. He also worked on a province history project which contained six volumes privately published.
Fr. Pat appreciates all of the ministries for which he’s been involved and the international travels he’s gone on for some of them. In retirement, Fr. Pat enjoys reading and writing. He recently wrote a short afterward in the book 101 Questions and Answers about U.S. Catholics, published by the Journalism School at Michigan State University.
During the years he was working for that office in Rome, he went to Berlin a week after the Berlin wall was opened and also went to Jerusalem in January 1991 right before the Gulf War began. After returning from Rome, he again worked at Roger Bacon full-time for seven years as a Chaplain and teacher. In June 1999, he began working full-time with St. Anthony Messenger Magazine while teaching one period a day at Roger Bacon. In June of 2002, Fr. Pat became the editor-in-chief of the magazine, in which he served in that role for 8.5 years. In January of 2000, he began writing “Ask a Franciscan” column in the magazine, which he still does.
In August of 2023, he began a one-year assignment at St. Francis retreat house in Easton, PA, until the province withdrew from sponsoring that ministry. He has been officially retired and living at St. Clement since December 2025. He has an MA in Theology from the University of Dayton and an MA in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University in Southwest New York, and he reads Italian. He has written nine books, including Peace and Good: Through the Year with St. Francis of Assisi. He also worked on a province history project which contained six volumes privately published.
Fr. Pat appreciates all of the ministries for which he’s been involved and the international travels he’s gone on for some of them. In retirement, Fr. Pat enjoys reading and writing. He recently wrote a short afterward in the book 101 Questions and Answers about U.S. Catholics, published by the Journalism School at Michigan State University.
Bro. Kenn Betz
Bro. Kenn was born in Northern, KY. His family moved to St. Bernard when he was ten years old. Bro. Kenn went to St. Clement School from 4th-8th grade and then graduated from Roger Bacon High School in 1963. He entered the Order right after high school and was in formation in Indiana and Michigan. He worked at various Native American Reservations in Arizona and New Mexico, and then he came back to work in Cincinnati in 1984 and has been at St. Clement ever since. He is St. Clement's longest friar resident! He does maintenance work at the friary and for many years used to help all the friars move. He is now semi-retired, working at St. Anthony's Center in ORT. He currently has a prison ministry called Kairos at Warren Correctional Institution. In his free time, he likes to read various types of subjects on his Kindle. Bro. Kenn has a musica background and has been an avid guitar player for fifty years, regularly playing at the Spanish mass!
Fr. Tom Fox
Fr. Tom was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. He attended minor seminary for six years in Westmont, IL, and he became a Franciscan novice in 1955 and continued studying philosophy and then theology for a total of seven years. He was ordained in 1962. After ordination, he was sent to higher studies at Catholic U for one year. He then went to Bonn in West Germany where he studied Old Testament. His thesis was on the prophet Amos, the first of the written prophets. After studying in Germany for nine years, he came back and taught at Catholic Theological Union. Following his time teaching, for four years he participated as part of leadership teams in Marriage Encounter retreats outside of Chicago. Then, he started working in the Social Justice field in Chicago, leading the Justice and Peace Office of the Province. He then worked in El Salvador on the Franciscan Central American Pilgrimage and was there for three years. In 1990, for a year, he came back to the States and joined the Refugee Aid project in San Antonio, TX, and then served as an associate pastor for two years. He specialized in Hispanic Ministry for the rest of his career in both San Antonio and Indianapolis. After nineteen years, he moved to two other places before becoming semi-retired in Crowley, TX. Following his time in Texas, he stayed in Indianapolis for six years and then retired at St. Clement in 2024. In retirement, Fr. Tom enjoys woodworking!
Fr .Bill Farris
Fr. Bill was born in SW Wisconsin and was raised first in Iowa and then in South Bend, IN. He is the second oldest of seven children and has over twenty-five nephews and nieces! He went to the St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati staring in 1964. He then went to college in Detroit, majoring in Philosophy. After college, he studied four years of theology in Centerville, OH, at St. Leonard College and then was ordained in 1977.
Fr. Bill started his ministry in a parish in Detroit serving as an Assistant Pastor and served there for two years. He then began work in the Provence Formation Program. Nine years later, Fr. Bill returned to parish work at Corpus Christi in Cincinnati. Three years after that, he became Pastor at St. Louis Parish in Batesville, IN. Following that assignment, he was assigned to Roger Bacon High School where he served as President for twelve years. In 2013, he returned to the parish where he was first assigned in Detroit where he served as Pastor. He was then elected Vicar Provincial from 2017-2023. In 2023, Fr. Bill took a short sabbatical, and then in 2024, he served as the Guardian at St. Joseph Friary in Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood. He recently moved to St. Clement to replace Fr. Frank Jasper as Guardian of St. Clement Friary.
In his free time, Fr. Bill enjoys gardening. He also enjoys tracing family roots and has traced his family back to 1801! He loves reading, especially history and fiction.
Fr. Bill started his ministry in a parish in Detroit serving as an Assistant Pastor and served there for two years. He then began work in the Provence Formation Program. Nine years later, Fr. Bill returned to parish work at Corpus Christi in Cincinnati. Three years after that, he became Pastor at St. Louis Parish in Batesville, IN. Following that assignment, he was assigned to Roger Bacon High School where he served as President for twelve years. In 2013, he returned to the parish where he was first assigned in Detroit where he served as Pastor. He was then elected Vicar Provincial from 2017-2023. In 2023, Fr. Bill took a short sabbatical, and then in 2024, he served as the Guardian at St. Joseph Friary in Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood. He recently moved to St. Clement to replace Fr. Frank Jasper as Guardian of St. Clement Friary.
In his free time, Fr. Bill enjoys gardening. He also enjoys tracing family roots and has traced his family back to 1801! He loves reading, especially history and fiction.
Fr. Jeremy Harrington
Fr. Jeremy Harrington just moved into St. Clement Friary. He was born in Lafayette, IN. He attended the high school seminary and received Solemn Vows in 1954 and was ordained in 1959. His first assignment was at Roger Bacon High School where he taught English, Journalism, and Religion. After teaching, he worked for many years at St. Anthony Messager, where he served as the Editor of the magazine and St. Anthony Press. He served as Provincial, and then after finishing his term, he worked in Washington, D.C. as Guardian at The Monastery of the Holy Land. He then did parish work in Michigan for ten years. After his time in parish life, he came to St. Clement Friary to enjoy retirement. In his free time, Fr. Jeremy likes walking in nature and reads a lot of books and magazines. He particularly likes historical fiction. Please give Fr. Jeremy a warm welcome!
