Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe elect Provincial Minister, Vicar at Chapter of Elections in St. Louis

(St. Louis, Mo.) The friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe elected a new Provincial Minister and Provincial Vicar on Wednesday, appointing Br. Michael Perry, OFM as the next Provincial Minister and Erick López, OFM as the next Provincial Vicar in a vote held at the 2026 Chapter of Elections.

The election marks a significant moment in the life of the province, which was established through the unification of five U.S. Franciscan provinces in 2023. It is the first Provincial Chapter of Elections held by the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe since that historic union.

Br. Michael, who serves as director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Integral Ecology at Siena University in Loudonville, New York, will begin his term as Provincial Minister immediately, succeeding Br. Lawrence Hayes, OFM, who served the province since its unification. Provincial Vicar Erick López, OFM, who served on the first Provincial Council for the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will serve alongside Provincial Minister Br. Michael. Both of them will serve six-year terms.

The elections of the Provincial Minister and Provincial Vicar are among the principal responsibilities of the Chapter, which also includes the election of a new Provincial Council, whose members will serve in three-year terms. The friars will elect the Council before the end of the week. Together, they will help guide the province's mission and the future of Franciscan life across the United States.

Following the election, friars gathered in prayer as the newly elected Provincial Minister and Vicar professed the Oath of Fidelity and Profession of Faith.

Follow the province Facebook @Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe and friars.us for latest updates.

About Br. Michael Perry, OFM and Br. Erick Lopez, OFM

Br. Michael Perry, OFM, currently serves as director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Integral Ecology at Siena University in Loudonville, New York.

He professed simple vows on Aug.11, 1978, followed by solemn profession on Oct 10, 1981. He was ordained a priest on June 2, 1984.

He served the Order of Friars Minor as Minister General, the 120th successor of St. Francis of Assisi, from 2013 to 2021, as well as Provincial Councilor and Provincial Minister for the legacy Sacred Heart Province.

Br. Michael worked at the International Office of Justice and Peace at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as Catholic Relief Services and Franciscans International, which works on human rights, poverty, peace, and integral ecology at the United Nations. He also served as a missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as Zaire).

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Quincy University, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in in Missiology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a Ph.D. in religious anthropology from the University of Birmingham, U.K.

Br. Erick López, OFM served on the first Provincial Council of theProvince of Our Lady of Guadalupe and is based in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Born in Cuba, he migrated to Colombia as a young adult and in 1999, he moved to the United States. He professed simple vows on June 3, 2006, followed by solemn profession on Aug. 21, 2010 and ordination on May 21, 2011.

Br. Erick ministered for nearly nine years at St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland. He also served on the novitiate formation team at Old Mission Santa Barbara, California. He has served as regional vocation director, guardian, Provincial Councilor of the legacy Holy Name Province, and board member of Siena College (now Siena University).

Br. Erick holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry and a Master of Divinity from Washington Theological Union.

About Chapter of Elections

The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe continue to prepare for the Provincial Chapter of 2026 taking place this July in St. Louis. A Chapter is a major gathering during which friars come together to elect leadership, review reports and proposals, and make decisions that guide our mission. Part of the upcoming Chapter will focus on choosing the next Provincial Minister, Provincial Vicar and Provincial Council. Capitulars (voting members of the Chapter) will discuss and vote on proposals that will provide broad direction and guidance for the new Provincial Administration.

About the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Order of Friars Minor)

The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe form a coast-to-coast Catholic brotherhood devoted to living the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis of Assisi and in imitation of Jesus Christ. The friars’ work is rooted in prayer, fraternity, care for the poor, education, art and social justice. Founded in October 2023, the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe was established through the unification of five U.S. provinces that belonged to the Order of Friars Minor, and includes missions in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Cuba and Jamaica. Combining their gifts has allowed the friars to renew their Franciscan witness to American society and begin an exciting new chapter of their long history in the United States. They go forth under the guidance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness, whose compassion and advocacy for the oppressed and suffering calls them to live in solidarity with the marginalized.To learn more, visit friars.us and connect with @friarsguadalupe on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.