Franciscan Friars
and Staff

Meet the Friars

Fr. Frank R. Sevola, OFM

Pastor, Church of St. Mary Providence, RI
Guardian and Executive Director, St. Francis Chapel, Providence, RI

Education:
B.A., History, St. Bonaventure University, 1982
M.A., Theology, Washington Theological Union, 1991
M.A., Organizational Management, University of Phoenix, 1998

On August 1, 2002, Fr. Frank Sevola, OFM was named Guardian & Executive Director of St. Francis Chapel in downtown Providence, RI. On June 1, 2006 the friars of Holy Name Province assumed the pastoral responsibility for the Church of St. Mary also in Providence, and Fr. Frank was named the first Franciscan Pastor of the parish. He has had previous assignments as Parochial Vicar at Holy Name Parish in New York City and at St. Patrick – St. Anthony parish in Hartford, CT. He was also Assistant Vocation Director for Holy Name Province for two (2) years. Fr. Frank is the President of the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, a member of the Priests’ Council of the Diocese of Providence and serves on various committees in the City of Providence and Holy Name Province.

Fr. Scott Brookbank, OFM, Director of Spiritual Life

Fr. Scott joined our parish during the summer 2008. Originally from Penfield, NY, Fr. Scott received his Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies and a Master of Science degree in Education in 1993 from Nazareth College of Rochester. In 2008, he received a Master of Science degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College in Maryland and a Master in Divinity from Washington Theological Union. He became a friar in 1995 and was ordained in 2008. Fr. Scott is also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Rhode Island.

Fr. Charles O’Connor, OFM, Director of Liturgical Ministry

Fr. Charles has been ministering at the Church of St. Mary on Broadway and St. Francis Chapel since 2003. He also serves as director of all aspects of the liturgy. In addition, Fr. Charles is a certified Spiritual Director and Doctor of Theology. From time to time he offers various talks in Faith Formation, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and Religious Education.

Fr. Michael Joyce, OFM

Fr. Michael Sean Joyce was born in Newark, NJ. He entered in the Franciscans in 1960 and was ordained in 1967.

Fr. Mike was a missionary in Japan from 1967 - 1984 and in Africa (Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya) from 1985 - 1999.

Fr. Mike returned to the United States in 2000 and was stationed in Boston, MA. In 2002, Fr. Mike joined the Franciscan Fraternity in Providence, RI.

Along ministering at St. Francis Chapel, Fr. Mike celebrates the Eucharist with the men in Maximum Security Prison on Sundays.