Franciscans of Reconciliation

Community is essential to our self-understanding as Franciscans. Thus, we gather in "houses", so that we may benefit from ongoing contact with one another. However, OFR houses are not friaries in the traditional sense, and it is important to understand how we use the term.

Perhaps, when you hear "houses", you imagine a single address where all the brothers and sisters live in the same complex of buildings, sharing the responsibilities for one piece of property, eating in the same refectory, gathering for the Daily Office in in a common chapel, each assigned to a single room in the dormitory — a fairly common vision and a traditional form for monastic religious life. However, that is not what we mean when we speak of "houses".

Following in the tradition of the earliest friars, we are not in any wise isolated in a religious compound — after all, Franciscans are not truly monks. We are out in the world, engaged in various ministries, coming together periodically to share our stories, to draw strength from our common life, to worship and pray and learn together, and to be sent forth again "to love and serve the Lord". Therefore, as OFR uses the term, a "house" refers to a local group of sisters and brothers who live in close enough proximity to gather regularly — a monthly local chapter meeting is the minimum — and form an identity as a subset of the larger Franciscans of Reconciliation community.

At least two Franciscans must be able to gather in this way to form an OFR house. Each house has its own character and charism. The ministries expressed vary with the gifts of the local members. Yet taken together, the various houses comprise the community known as OFR.

The Community of St. Francis (CSF) is the OFR community in Chicago, Illinois. CSF is the home of the Virtual House of Studies, an educational ministry of the OFR, and the Progressive Catholic Review.

Bp. Raphael Adams is the Guardian of the Community of St. Francis. Contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 773.720.1040.

Meet the Community of St. Francis

The Right Rev. Raphael Adams, ofr, is Guardian of The Community of St. Francis. A Franciscan his entire adult life, Fr. Rafe studied Philosophy at Quincy College and received a B.A. in Sociology from Loyola University, Chicago. He also received his M.S. from Rush Medical University, where he taught in the Occupational Therapy program for many years. As a practitioner Rafe has both worked at and consulted with numerous agencies, including Hines Veterans' Hospital and Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. He has the distinction of being the only serious competition at the moment for Greg's title of "Resident Old Curmudgeon," although he is, and always will be, a young whippersnapper by comparison to Greg.

Brother Francis Leo, ofr, is involved in chaplaincy at a local Chicago hospital. He has an extensive background in health care and holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in Nursing from UCLA. Frank's previous long experience as a Franciscan spans time in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans. He is our touchstone for that which is kosher in Franciscan life.

The Rev. Liam Nioclás Kelly, ofr, is the Pastoral Developer of a parish that will be staffed by the Community of St. Francis. Born in Belfast, (Northern) Ireland, Nioclás came to Chicago to work at the Martin D'Arcy Museum at Loyola University as a Research Scholar/Professor (2002/2003) having completed his masters at the Courtauld Institute of Art (University of London) in medieval art & architecture. From 2002 until 2003, he also became a Research Scholar in the Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Newberry Library of Chicago examining, translating and catalogueing Medieval liturgical manuscripts. He holds a B.Phil. in Aesthetics from St. Patrick's Pontifical University, a B.A. (Hons.) in Philosophy and Classical Studies from the National University of Ireland and a Dip. Theology from the Dominican Studium ratified by the Angelicum, Rome (Pontifical University of St. Thomas). In addition to these accomplishments, Nioclás does an excellent imitation of John Wayne.

The Rev. William Gabriel, ofr, received his B.S. (cum laude)in Sociology from the University of Louisville and his J.D. from Northern Kentucky University. Fr. Will is involved in an ecumenical ministry to the homeless and poor of Louisville and has gained the respect and affection of a wide circle of ecumenical partners in ministry. Although Will has only recently become a Franciscan, he is young enough to say that he has been one for most of his adult life.

The Rev. Dr. Gregory Holmes Singleton, ofr, is Professor of History, Emeritus, at Northeastern Illinois University. While active on the faculties at Northwestern University and Northeastern Illinois University, Greg was also concurrently Adjunct Professor of Church History at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (ECUSA). His educational preparation includes: M. Div. from Union Theological Seminary, New York City; Ph.D. in History from UCLA; Post-Doctoral Study at the University of Chicago Divinity School's Institute for the Advanced Study of Religion. Greg is known around the globe as the "Resident Old Curmudgeon." Many former colleagues and students can testify to the reasons why.

The Rev. Jeannine Carol Singleton, ofr, is a volunteer at Evanston Hospital and is the primary contact for incoming community members who wish to discern a direction for their individual social ministries in the Northeast Chicago/Evanston area. She is Administrative Director of the Virtual House of Studies. She has prior administrative experience in a variety of settings, from Misericordia Home for the Developmentally Disabled (Chicago) to the Librarian for Immanuel Lutheran Church, Evanston, IL. Mother Jeannine has also served as Treasurer in two congregations. She holds a B.A. in Sociology (Magna Cum Laude) from Mundelein College, has done graduate work in Sociology at Loyola University, Chicago, and has had additional training and education through the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago (catechist training), the Valparaiso University Liturgical Institute, the Metropolitan Chicago Synod (ELCA) Diakonia Program, and Duke University Divinity School Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. She is known as "The Queen of Purple" because she holds the legal rights to the color in all its hues. Please send her a check for $ 0.25 each time you wear purple.

Brother Ned Singleton, NF (Natural Franciscan). Whereas the rest of us had to be accepted and professed, Br. Ned is one of those creatures that never rebelled against God in the first place and is thus a Natural Franciscan. We learn a great deal from him and he keeps us endlessly entertained. No Franciscan house should be without at least one NF member.

Associate of the Community

The Rev. Dr. Robert Ross Farra is a pastoral associate of the Community of St. Francis. He is also a psychotherapist and the Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Center at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL. Bob's professional education includes an M.S.S.W from The University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Family Systems from Florida State University. Bob received his theological education at Nashotah House and Chicago Theological Seminary. He also took advanced studies in Interfaith Ministries at The New Seminary in New York City. When Bob's busy practice and administrative duties permit, he presides and preaches at our liturgies. He is the inspiration for a Country/Western song well known in the community.

The Franciscans of Ft. Lauderdale is the OFR community in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. This community staffs the parish of Sts. Francis and Clare at 101 NE 3rd Street.

Fr. Vincent Treglio is the Guardian of the Franciscans of Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 954-962-8375.

Fr. Peter I. Sanchez, ofr, was born in Cuba and raised in New York, New Jersey, California, and finally, Florida. He considers himself a "Jersey boy," though. Fr. Peter has a BS in Psychology/Biology from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL (Go "Noles"), and an M.D. from the Universidad Central del Este, in the Dominican Republic. After graduating from medical school, he did his internship and residency at the SUNY - Upstate Medical Center, in Syracuse, NY., where he lived and taught as Assistant Clinical Instructor for almost eight years...brrrr! The call for a more exciting life led him to New York City, specifically Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx, where he worked as the psychiatrist for the newly formed AIDS Team. He also was director of the Bilingual/Bicultural Inpatient & Outpatient Services there. It was there that he came to grips with his much delayed vocation, and finally yielded to the call of God, took a hiatus back in Florida, and entered the Order of Friars Minor (Holy Name Province). Fr. Peter received a Master of Divinity from The Florida Center for Theological Studies, and is currently undertaking a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine, in Fort Lauderdale, where he lives with his life-partner, Mr. Edmilson da Cruz, Brandie and Leo (two Pekingese), along with Charlie and Mushu-Kitty (two terrific cats). He practices psychiatry/pain medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.