Who We Are

Our Friars

Friar Stories: Journeys to Franciscan Life

Fr. Anthony LoGalbo, OFM

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Br. Anthony LoGalbo, OFM, was received into the Franciscan Order on July 14, 1966 and professed solemn vows August 29, 1971.

I think Holy Name Province has been very supportive for lay brothers to be involved in various types of ministries. I’m certainly grateful that, when I entered, the province was trying to upgrade training for brother candidates.

After my formation, I worked as librarian at Holy Name College in Washington, D.C., and was asked to serve in friar formation as assistant director and vicar. I also got involved in spiritual direction with other religious, and in Cursillo with lay people. Realizing the province wanted me to continue, I got a master’s degree in Christian spirituality from Creighton University.

After 10 years, I thought, if you’re going to do a mission experience, it’s better to do it before I get any older — I was almost 35. I was sent to Brazil and given faculties to preach, perform weddings, baptize. I got involved with the vocation group, Secular Franciscans, and taught in the parish school.

I enjoyed Brazil, and there was a need. In some ways, they’re far ahead of where we are in the U.S. because they’ve never had sufficient clergy. A lot of our work was to prepare lay people to assume responsibilities in the Church.

I served three years there — if not for the decline in health of my mother, I probably would have stayed. Returning to the U.S., I worked for the Franciscan Missionary Union.

Then in 1988 I was asked to come to St. Bonaventure University’s library, where I work mainly with the Franciscan Institute collection, some 17,000 volumes. I also teach two courses for the Institute: an introduction to Franciscan studies, mainly how to do research and the resources that are available, and a course in Franciscan spiritual direction.

Fr. Jack Zibert, OFM, asked me to be friary vicar in 1993. I was his formation advisor in Washington so he kind of leans on me. We work together.

In the city of Olean, I work with a support group for people with AIDS. Deaths change the group and then it picks up again. We’ve had people with HIV, and some parents or significant others who gain some understanding of what their son or daughter is going through — if the relatives live elsewhere, sometimes all they have is a telephone connection, so the group gives them another face.

I feel I’m contributing something here at St. Bonaventure. There’s a need for my services, and I’m very happy. It’s been a good experience.

Three years ago we went through a change in presidency. And having the first lay president for us friars was a real challenge. So when we define Franciscan presence, it’s not just the people who wear the brown robes. And many lay faculty and staff display the same commitment, loyalty, sense of service to people who come here as the friars do.

I hope the way we friars touch people — those served by us and those who work along with us —engenders a hope and a positive spirit. I’d like to see Catholics somehow get on fire to use their gifts and talents in whatever way they can, whether it’s being more of a Gospel presence where they work or assuming more responsibility in parishes, or possibly considering maybe to do this full-time as a priest, brother or sister, or a Secular Franciscan.

That would be my hope, that people associated with the friars of Holy Name Province would be awakened to the possibilities, and have a sense of hope and optimism. We live in difficult times — even sometimes in our Church people get discouraged.

We need to have a really positive image, people who take Jesus Christ at his word, that this person Jesus Christ can make a difference in our lives, and basically that message is a hopeful message. We need to build on the things we have together.

Through patient dialogue and conversation, at least we can come away with a deeper understanding of differences and try to live with them, but not let them become obstacles. I think there are enough divisions in the world without our own divisions in Christianity.

To describe myself in one word? I guess happy. Roll with the punches. A certain flexibility. In my vocation, no matter where I’ve been stationed, people have opened up their lives to me, and I’ve accepted them into my life — that interchange, it’s just phenomenal.

—This essay was written in 1997 when Br. Anthony was working at the Franciscan Institute at St, Bonaventure University. It appeared in the March 2000 issue of The Anthonian magazine.