Fr. John Celichowski, a Capuchin-Franciscan friar, is the Provincial Minister of the Province of St. Joseph. Prior to his election in June 2008, he was Pastor of St. Martin de Porres Parish, Milwaukee. He also served in the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph’s Corporate Responsibility Program, as Director of the Province’s Office of Pastoral Care and Conciliation, and as a member of the Provincial Council. In addition, he also served on several church and community boards and organizations, including Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH), the Adult Learning Center, Allied Churches Teaching Self-Empowerment (ACTS), and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility in New York.
Since March 2006 Fr. John has served on the Board of Directors of Franciscans International, a nongovernmental organization that promotes peace and human rights at the United Nations. He also continues to serve on the International Justice, Peace and Ecology Commission of the Capuchins, based in Rome. He previously served as Pastor of Our Lady Gate of Heaven Parish, Chicago (1993-97) and as Pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Milwaukee as well as Chaplain to the St. Benedict Community Meal (2000-2004).
A Milwaukee native, Fr. John made his first profession as a Capuchin in July 1988, his perpetual profession in August 1992 and was ordained to serve the church as a priest in June 1993. A 1980 graduate of St. Lawrence Seminary, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Political Science) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1984, a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union (Chicago) in 1993, and a Juris Doctor (Law) degree from Georgetown University (Washington, DC) in 2000. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar and the American Bar Association.
His writings have appeared in several professional journals and magazines, including the American Indian Law Review, the Catholic Lawyer, and Celebration magazine, Origins, Worship and The Cord (a journal of Franciscan spirituality).
