Meet the Franciscans
Bishop Bob Lombardo, Superior and Founder
Final Vows: August 15, 1988
Ordained Priest: May 12, 1990
Ordained Bishop: November 13, 2020
College: University of Notre Dame
Originally from: Stamford, CT
Before I was a Franciscan… I worked at Price Waterhouse as an accountant.
Hobbies: Notre Dame Football, Going to the Gym
Favorite Saint: St. Anthony of Padua
Favorite Gospel Passage: Matthew 25:31-46
Fun Fact: As a young friar I did mission work in Bolivia and Honduras, where I learned to speak Spanish fluently.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Living in a supportive community that is enthusiastic about living the Franciscan life centered on Jesus and the Church, while generously serving the poor and preaching and teaching the Gospel.
Sr. Kate O’Leary
Final Vows: October 4, 2015
College: Xavier University
Originally from: Chicago, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I worked as a surgical/trauma ICU nurse at Loyola Medical Center.
Hobbies: Playing music, German Shepherd training
Favorite Saint: St. Thérèse, Padre Pio, Mother Teresa, JPII
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 15:9
Fun Fact: I won the female division of the A-10 shootout during my junior year of college.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Spending time before Jesus in the Eucharist—everything comes from Him and through Him.
Sr. Alicia Torres
Final Vows: October 4, 2015
College: Loyola University Chicago
Originally from: Navy Brat
Before I was a Franciscan… I worked in the pro life movement.
Hobbies: Writing, reading, coffee, running, art projects
Favorite Saint: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 17:20-26
Fun Fact: I have read Little Women approximately 17 times since the age of 13 and identify strongly with Jo March!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: How our life of prayer and friendship with Jesus, especially through the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, enable us to love one another. From that place of authentic communion, we can go forth to love and serve the poor and preaching the Gospel in so many ways!
Sr. Stephanie Baliga
Final Vows: September 4, 2016
College: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Originally from: Rockford, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I was an advocate for market based solutions to environmental issues.
Hobbies: Running, pretending to be an IT person, reading children’s books, and trying to motivate Team OLA with memes and GIFs
Favorite Saint: St. Faustina
Favorite Gospel Passage: Luke 15:11-32
Fun Fact: I run faster than tow trucks, street sweepers, and slow bikers. In the winter, I wear a chicken hat while running, which I have worn on almost every winter training running since the age of 9.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: The Eucharist provides the graces we need to bring the poor, our students, and our volunteers to the heart of Jesus.
Sr. Jaime Mitchell
Final Vows: September 22, 2018.
College: Johnson and Wales University
Originally from: Trumbull, CT
Before I was a Franciscan… I was in the world of hospitality from a travel agent to study abroad coordinator to selling wine and beer to working at a maternity home and on an organic farm! Phew! And, oh, a youth minster, too!
Hobbies: Singing, painting, doodling, sketching, dabbling with the guitar, and swimming
Favorite Saints: St. Anthony of Padua and St. Mary Magdalene
Favorite Gospel Passage: Matthew 6:26-30
Fun Fact: At age 17, I appeared on the David Letterman Show and read “number 10” in the Top 10 List.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: There are many favorite things that I love about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist: time in prayer both communally and privately, especially while present before the Eucharist, witness to Divine Providence on a daily basis, laughing with my brothers and sisters in community, the gift of grace and joy, seeing Christ in my neighbor and being able to love and serve them daily, and learning to embrace my cross in order to follow Jesus more closely.
Sr. Jess Lambert
Final Vows: September 8, 2019
College: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Originally from: Elmhurst, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I had a short stint as a hipster vegan working for a sustainability firm, #adulting, and wearing a scarf everyday.
Hobbies: Reading novels, walking or running in nature, and listening to books or podcasts
Favorite Saint: St. Joseph
Favorite Gospel Passage: Mt 1:18-25
Fun Fact: I had the opportunity to study abroad a few times in college, and still keep in touch with my host family from Senegal.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Daily seeing God’s providence at work: in the people that He brings into our life, in how He cares for us, and in how all things work for the good. His daily providence sheds more and more light on the mystery of how sending His son Jesus was his ultimate gift of providence. In Him, all is GIFT.
Sr. Laura Toth
Final Vows: April 23, 2022
College: Beloit College
Originally from: Battle Creek, MI
Before I was a Franciscan… I was in grad school at the University of Chicago and working at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Hobbies: Reading, entering into my poetry era, rearranging the four pieces of furniture in my room, trying to learn to like tea, and delighting in trees and birds whenever possible
Favorite Saints: St. Cecilia and St. Thérèse
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 19
Fun Fact: I have very low spatial awareness and yet am inexplicably highly skilled at driving giant U-Haul trucks and parallel parking any car, anytime, anywhere.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Striving to follow St. Francis’ personal witness of living the Gospel without qualification and centering his whole life on the Person of Jesus Christ. I also love that our life is structured in a way that makes it so natural to live the deep connection between seeing, loving, and serving Jesus in the Eucharist and seeing, loving, and serving Him in the poor.
Br. Matt DeAngelis
Temporary Vows
College: Politecnico di Torino
Originally from: Born in Newport, RI, grew up in Torino, Italy
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a power plant engineer.
Hobbies: Playing the upright bass and the electric bass
Favorite Saint: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 17
Fun Fact: I played the electric bass in several cover bands. I even got paid to play. For a New Year’s Eve concert, I once played until 4 AM.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Our life at Mission of Our Lady of the Angels allows us to be instruments of Jesus. We have the opportunity of meeting Him in the Eucharist and then He invites us to carry out His work among our neighbors.
Sr. Macey Angadicheril
Temporary Vows
College: University of North Texas
Originally from: Arlington, TX
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a speech and language pathologist.
Hobbies: Writing, reading, singing, people-watching, good conversations, spending time with the community, my family, close friends and our dogs
Favorite Saint: St. Faustina
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 21
Fun Fact: People often ask me how I feel about the weather in Chicago since I am from Texas. The truth is I enjoy experiencing all four seasons in Chicago! (Texas is still the best state though.)
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Learning to love abundantly in the right order starting with our foundation of prayer and time with Jesus in the Eucharist all the way to the people we meet on the streets of Chicago and beyond.
Sr. Emily Persicketti
Temporary Vows
College: Villanova University
Originally from: Manhattan, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a nurse in a small pediatrician’s office.
Hobbies: Going on nature adventures, running, playing soccer, improving my Spanish skills, delighting in really lame wordplay at every opun opportunity
Favorite Saint: St. Martha
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 1:1-14
Fun Fact: I’ve backpacked ~420 km (~260 mi) across the north of Spain on pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. I walked from León to Santiago de Compostela and then continued on to the coastal towns of Fisterra and Muxía. I greatly aspire to go back and complete the entire Camino Frances (~780 km/500mi) some day!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Being challenged to see, love, and serve Jesus in the Eucharist, in the poor, in our volunteers, and in our community members every single day. I love working together to provide a place where people from so many different walks of life all can come to be nourished both physically and spiritually.
Sr. Maggie Flynn
Novice
College: Northwestern University
Originally from: Greenfield, MA
Before I was a Franciscan… I was, variously, a communications administrative assistant, a reporter, and a news brief writer and editor.
Hobbies: Reading, writing, running, knitting, learning Spanish, catching up on hockey highlights
Favorite Saint: St. Charles de Foucauld
Favorite Gospel Passage: Luke 1:68-79
Fun Fact: I played club ice hockey in college, despite not knowing how to skate – and one time, scored a hat trick!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Becoming more deeply immersed in the inextricable connection between the sacrifice of the Mass, adoring Jesus in the Eucharist, and serving Him in the poor.
Sr. Jen Lyons
Novice
College: Eastern Michigan University
Originally from: Sheffield Lake, Ohio
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a high school math teacher
Hobbies: Going on walks (preferably either past a cornfield or in the snow), drinking coffee, reading, and playing soccer
Favorite Saints: St. Mary Magdalene and St. Padre Pio
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 10:1-18
Fun Fact: I had a summer job making cotton candy and ever since it’s been my absolute favorite sweet treat!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Experiencing great joy from spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist and interacting with neighbors, volunteers, and the other Franciscans.
Sr. Mia Widhalm
Novice
College: Columbia College of Missouri
Originally from: Crystal Lake, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I was in college studying human services and psychology and working for an afterschool program.
Hobbies: Baking, biking, playing trumpet, singing, writing songs and parodies
Favorite Saints: St. Michael the Archangel and St. Gianna Beretta Molla
Favorite Gospel Passage: Luke 12: 22-32
Fun Fact: During the pandemic, I took a gap year off of school to serve as a missionary, including working with the poor alongside the CFR sisters in Atlantic City, NJ, and as a Totus Tuus summer missionary in Madison, WI.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Living with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, praying with my brothers and sisters in the community, and having the privilege of encountering our Lord in His distressing disguise in the poor.
Bridget Parker
Postulant
College: Central Michigan University
Originally from: Fowlerville, MI
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a high school math teacher.
Hobbies: Quilting, running, frisbee, painting
Favorite Saints: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John Vianney, and Bl. Solanus Casey
Favorite Gospel Passage: Luke 1:73-75
Fun Fact: When my car reached 300,000 miles, I threw a birthday party for it!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Learning more about how to pray and how God loves me and getting to serve as a part of the community.
Kristine Campbell
Postulant
College: Bradley University
Originally from: Peoria, IL
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a youth minister in Monmouth, IL.
Hobbies: singing, hiking, and crocheting
Favorite Saints: St. Mary Magdalene and St. Josephine Bakhita
Favorite Gospel Passage: John 6:66-68
Fun Fact: I found a dinosaur bone with my dad when I was 12!
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: Learning to love Jesus and others both through the Eucharist and the poor.
Anna Polivka
Postulant
College: University of Notre Dame
Originally from: Loveland, OH
Before I was a Franciscan… I was a college student. I was involved with Campus Ministry and worked as an RA in my hall.
Hobbies: Reading, running, throwing a frisbee, staring out of windows
Favorite Saints: The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Favorite Gospel Passage: Luke 12:22-34
Fun Fact: Over the course of my lifetime, I have caught and peacefully removed four birds and one bat from various buildings/enclosed spaces.
Favorite thing about being a Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago: I love praying in community with my brothers and sisters, and I love our Franciscan emphasis on ongoing, daily conversion and renewal in Christ.
Prayer for Vocations
Most High, Glorious God,
Enlighten the darkness of our hearts.
Instill in us
A correct faith, a certain hope,
And a perfect love,
A sense and a knowledge, Lord,
That we may do Your holy and true command.
Amen.
Heavenly Father, we beg you to inspire the
hearts of many young men and women to join
the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago. We
pray through the intercession of Our Lady of
the Angels, St. Francis, and all the Saints for
many new vocations, so that the poor can be
cared for and the Gospel can be preached
and taught with zeal. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary… Glory Be...