Roger Lopez, OFM

“The Gospel always needs to be proclaimed!” says Roger Lopez, OFM. But this friar understands that proclaiming the Gospel in the 21st century can be challenging but also exciting: podcasts, videos, and other forms of digital media can be a place where the spiritually hungry can be nourished by God’s word.

He has more to say in this week’s Franciscan Spirit video.

School is in session across the country—and that means bullying will be back in full swing. Friar Roger Lopez, a religion teacher at a Franciscan high school, has a response to those who harm others: “There’s no place for bullying the kingdom of God.” Enjoy this Franciscan response to bullying!

May is one of the most beloved months of the Church year because it has been designated as the month of Our Lady. And thanks to Scripture, Friar Roger Lopez says, we have a window into who Mary really was.

He has much more to say in this week’s Franciscan Spirit Video. Enjoy!

We might think that the hope of Lent has to do with our hope that we will get through it, that we will come to

Ash Wednesday is just a few days away. Many of us will be spending the next few days deciding what to give up. But Roger Lopez, OFM, encourages us to slow down and really think about what this season means. Lent isn’t about what external temptations we want to give up. Lent is more an internal journey of discovery and oneness with God.

For Roger Lopez, OFM, his road to the Franciscans wasn’t paved with struggle or strife—it was paved with food. After his meal with the friars was over, he noticed how the brothers immediately began working together to wash dishes, put away food, and clean the kitchen. In those simple acts, Friar Roger saw the makings of a family, a family he wanted to join.