Gotta Love Those Franciscans!

I recently saw a headline noting that twin 92 year old brothers died within hours of each other in Florida.  This intrigued me so I clicked the link and was delighted to see the tag line was Olean!  So, of course, I read more carefully and learned that these two men were Franciscan priests who served many years together at St. Bonaventure.  I was especially tickled by this article from the Buffalo News.  It appears that these two were quite the cards and I couldn't help but smile as I read the article.  It made me think that if I were ever to have to be a priest, I would choose to be Franciscan.  I remember Mom and Dad telling some great stories especially about Fr. Crispin.  It looks like these two were on campus during at least some of the years that Mom and Dad were there so I am guessing some of their stories may actually have been about them!

This is at our kitchen table prior to Judy's wedding.  Note the (usual) table decorations!  Fr. Crispin came all the way to Walton to perform weddings for Kathy, Judy and I.  I can't remember if Paula's was conducted by Fr. Crispin or not but it was always fun to have the out of town wedding guests kind of gasp at his laid back behavior (or worse if he drove back to the rectory after sitting at our kitchen table for a few hours).  We also could reassure our guests that even though it was a Catholic wedding, it was a Franciscan style Mass!  Short and sweet and to the point.

He obviously had a long history with our family and I was sad to learn that he died when his oxygen ignited from a lit cigarette.  I see the same smile in these pictures taken 34 years apart.  Gotta love those Franciscans!