The Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis
Franciscan Brothers 150th Anniversary
The foundation of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis
by Brother John Hoever on Christmas Eve, 1857.

Timeline: The Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis of Assisi

1182 — Francis Bernadone is born in Assisi


The meeting of St. Francis and St. Clare

1209 — Franciscan Rule of Life receives Papal approval

1226 — Francis of Assisi dies

1816 — Philip Martin Hoever (Brother John) is born in Neuhonrath, Germany


1857 — Foundation of our Congregation on Christmas Eve (Motherhouse in Aachen, Germany)


1861 — Diocesan approbation given, Brother John Hoever, founder, is the first of nine to receive the religious habit. Mother Frances Schervier, foundress, Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis is present for the occasion

1864 — Brother John Hoever dies

1866 — Five Brothers arrive in the United States and begin ministry at Teutopolis, Illinois

1868 — The Brothers begin ministry in Cincinnati, Ohio. Archbishop Purcell writes in his diary this notation: “Today five Brothers from Aix-la- Chapelle established an orphanage in my diocese.”

1869 — St. Joseph Orphanage Home for Boys established in Cold Spring, Kentucky through the kind generosity of Mrs. Sarah Worthington Peter

1870 — Mt. Alverno Boarding School and Orphanage established in the Price Hill section of Cincinnati, Ohio


1905 — The Brothers accept the request of Archbishop Moeller to establish St. Vincent Orphanage on Bank Street, Cincinnati, Ohio to provide shelter for boys who were guilty of minor offenses

1910 — While Brother Athanasius Wietmann was General Minister, the Congregation is recognized as a Papal Institute

1913 — The North American Province of St. Joseph is established with Brother Eusebius Pantel as the first Provincial

1921 — Bishop John B. Morris of Little Rock, Arkansas invites the Brothers to begin ministry in his diocese

1922 — Morris School for Boys, Searcy, Arkansas is established and served as a witness of Catholic education influence in the state for over seventy years

1924 — Mt. Alverno School becomes known as the “Boystown of Cincinnati, Ohio”

1936 — The Brothers extend their educational ministry in Arkansas in taking over St. Raphael Mission for African-Americans in rural Pine Bluff

1958 — Educational ministry is undertaken in New Jersey on parish elementary and diocesan secondary levels

1960 — The Brothers undertake Youth Work at Sky Ranch, South Dakota; Angel Guardian Orphanage, Chicago, Illinois; Boys Home, Scherville, Indiana

1971 — Young House Family Services, Inc. is founded in Burlington, Iowa providing Christian group home care and social services

1974 — Pope Paul VI beatifies Mother Frances Schervier

1978 — Shared ministry is begun with the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor at Schroeder Manor in Hamilton, Ohio

1980 — Catholic education ministry expanded in the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas: Immaculate Conception, North Little Rock and Catholic High for Boys, Little Rock

1981 — Franciscans commemorate the 800th Anniversary of the birth of St. Francis of Assisi

1982 — The revised Franciscan Rule of the Third Order Regular receives approval from Pope John Paul II

1986 — The Community purchases “Woodlands” — a facility for drug and alcohol dependent youth in Burlington, Iowa

1987 — The first American, Brother Mark Gastel, is elected General Minister of our International Congregation with ministries in Europe, Brazil, and the United States

1988 — Pastoral Ministry is undertaken at St. Mary Parish, North Little Rock, Arkansas

1990 — These years saw a decline in vocations to religious life as well as an exodus from religious life, older religious began retiring from active ministry and our Congregation was no exception to this phenomena

2000 — Our Brothers continue to minister to youth in education, to the elderly in social services, in Pastoral Ministry, and juvenile advocacy in the Archdioceses of Cincinnati, Ohio and Newark, New Jersey as well as the Dioceses of Covington, Kentucky; Davenport, Iowa; El Paso, Texas; and Little Rock, Arkansas. Overseas, the Congregation has foundations in Brazil and Europe.