2008 Chapter: June 20-21 in Cincinnati

Featuring Friday Evening Social  -- and --
Saturday Tours, Sports, Mass, Dinner, Entertainment & Evening Prayer

This year's chapter (reunion for all classes, friends and their families) will again be held at “The Farm:”
10290 Mill Road in the Mt. Healthy area of northern Cincinnati.

Most of the building exteriors and landscape at the seminary have not changed much in the last 30 years, but many of the interior areas have been remodeled into apartments for the elderly. It was a natural transition, since many of the classrooms, offices and lounge areas were the right size for an apartment. Additionally, several cottages have been constructed on the acreage behind the gym. It's interesting to see how they've modernized the buildings while retaining a sense of "old world charm" and peace.

These are the highlights of the reunion weekend (details are further down the page):

Butch Feldhaus '75 and Fr. Gil Wohler '53 are arranging the liturgy for Saturday. 

By the way, Fr. Jeff Scheeler '70, the newly elected Provincial Minister of St. John the Baptist Province, will be with us on Saturday!

Mark your calendar and we hope to see you there. More than 130 attended in 2005 and had a great time at the former seminary! So far, we've heard that these people and their guests will be at the June 20-21 event:

There will be a social with appetizers and drinks at a nearby hotel on Friday, June 20, beginning at 6 pm. We've negotiated a reduced room rate of $95/night at Staybridge Suites, which is off I-75, just north of the intersection of I-75 and I-275. The address is 8955 Lakota Drive West, West Chester, Ohio 45069. (513) 874-1900. When making a reservation, tell them you are with the "Franciscan Group." Staybridge Suites  is 15 minutes from Mercy Franciscan at Winton Woods (the former St. Francis Seminary). Directions: I-75 exit 19 west on Union Centre Blvd, right on Mulhauser Road. Click the hotel name above for more information, additional room options (e.g., 2-bedroom suite), and a map. Thirty rooms are being held for our group until Friday, May 23. After that date, you may be able to get the quoted rate or you can use AAA or senior discount or any other discount that's available to get a room rate that's similar to our group rate.

There will be plenty of catered food and drinks at the hotel on Friday night, beginning at 6 pm. We'll have soft drinks, beer, cheese tray, shrimp, veggies and other hors d'oeuvres. There will be a box for donations to help cover the cost of food and drinks. Last time we did this, several of our members were chatting at tables in the courtyard till midnight and then some! If you play guitar or other appropriate instrument, feel free to bring it along for a jam session/sing-along in the courtyard on Friday. Another sing-along may break out on Saturday evening at the seminary -- remember those old Glee Club songs and hits of the 50's-80's? 

On Saturday morning, Don Weller and Bro. Allen Schmitz will provide a tour of the Franciscan Archives and an opportunity to explore the campus at St. Anthony Friary, 5000 Colerain Avenue. Please meet in the parking lot at 10 a.m. The tour will be 1 to 2 hours, followed by lunch somewhere nearby. The Archives is a fascinating place of discovery which includes many artifacts, photos, paintings, videos, official records from formation schools, etc. The tour will include the friary as well, with its old-world charm intact.

Then on Saturday from 1 to 2 pm there will be a friendly game of basketball in the gym of the former St. Francis Seminary. This will be a pickup game, so come out and play or you may prefer to be a spectator. There will be refreshments in study hall and in the former locker room beneath the gym throughout the day. Restrooms are in the gym and in the rear of study hall. 

Throughout Saturday afternoon and evening, there will be tours of old and new facilities, mass, dinner, entertainment, and time for socializing. Guided tours originating from study hall will start in mid-afternoon, around 3 pm. 

A few of the "cottages" in the field behind the gym:



The Fr. Aubert Grieser Memorial Peace Garden is still looking very good. The most recent additions to that area were the statues that used to reside on Calvary hill. The picture of the garden (below left) was taken in October of last year. Also, a Boy Scout project resulted in development of a nice walking path with handrails that leads down to the Grotto.

Following the Saturday 5 pm concelebrated Mass in the chapel we'll have dinner in study hall.

After dinner the Franciscan Alumni Association annual awards will be presented. This year's recipients of the Christian Life Award and Humanitarian Award will be announced soon.

After the awards ceremony, there will be an evening prayer service where we recall the alumni who have recently passed on to join Jesus and our brother Francis, and light candles in remembrance of them.