Br. Francis Kirchner, O.S.B.

My life began in Louisville, Kentucky. I was raised Catholic, the third of seven children, four boys and three girls. I was fortunate to attend a Catholic grade and high school and attended one year of college before dropping out for lack of funds. At that point, I jumped into several types of work. I was a cashier at a grocery store, property manager for a real estate company, factory worker, and lastly, I started a landscaping business. I enjoyed working with my hands and also being self-employed. Over a fifteen-year period, my company grew into a flourishing lawn, landscaping, chemical application, and lawn renovation business. I had found my niche and enjoyed working with the fifteen employees I hired.

God works in mysterious ways. One day, I received a call from my pastor whom I did not know. He asked if I would be interested in taking on the upkeep of our parish, and I said I would. While working on the parish grounds one day, I was approached by a parishioner asking me to attend a Cursillo retreat. I had never heard of Cursillo retreats and kindly turned him down. Over the next few months, he wore me down, and I accepted his invitation. That retreat changed my life. 

When I returned home, I was on fire for my Catholic faith and wanted to do all I could to help my parish thrive. I became more and more involved with church ministries to the point where I struggled to balance my church and business commitments. During this time, my prayer life grew significantly, and I wanted to do even more for the church. I decided to get a spiritual director to help me. After a period of about a year, my spiritual director (my pastor) told me that I had a religious vocation. I told him he was crazy. I was thirty-nine years old and had no intention of giving up my business and going where?

After two years of prayer, I discerned monastic life as my calling. I applied to a monastery close to home called Gethsemane. Everything was going as planned until I received a letter in the mail from the vocation director at Gethsemane asking if I wanted to attend a “discernment retreat” at Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas. I accepted his invitation, even though I had no intention of entering Subiaco Abbey. After this visit, my eyes were open to a different type of monastic life, a type I had never seen before. After three visits to Subiaco, I decided this was where God was calling me.

Now after twenty-seven years in monastic life, I can say without reservation that Subiaco is where I am supposed to be. I would have never envisioned myself as a monk, but God works in strange ways.

What I enjoy most about monastic life is the camaraderie of living in community. I live with people from different backgrounds and various parts of the world. They all bring a huge variety of gifts and talents to the monastery. We work, pray, and socialize together. I also like the fact that prayer is at the center of our life and all other activities revolve around and are subordinate to our prayer.

I have learned over the years that prayer is the most powerful tool on the earth. Monastic life offers me the opportunity to use this tool for the betterment of the world. I have never been happier.
 

Tell Us More About Yourself!
 

Favorite Book of the Bible?
Psalms, but especially Psalm 139
Favorite verse/verses in the Bible? 
Matthew 10:39--
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Mark 8:35--
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and the Gosepl will save it. 
Do you play a musical instrument? If so, which instrument?
No, but I wish I did.
Favorite Day of the Liturgical Year?
Easter
Prefer to read a book or watch a movie?
Would prefer a good book, but I also like adventure movies.
Starting after high school graduation, what are the schools/colleges/universities that you have attended?
Western Kentucky University, University of Kentucky
Right-handed or left-handed?
Left-handed
Favorite sport to watch?
College Basketball
Favorite sport’s team?
University of Kentucky Basketball Team
What time do you wake up in the morning?
4:15 AM
Favorite saint or saints?
Francis
Favorite place you have travelled?
Medjugorje
What are some of your hobbies?
Photography and researching history
What is the name of a book you have recently read or a movie you have recently watched?
Movie: The Pivotal Players by Bishop Robert Barron
If you could meet any person dead or alive, who would it be?
St. Peter
Do you prefer beer or wine?
Beer
Who is the monk that inspired you the most—and why?
Br. Eric Loran. He helped me during the transition period when I entered the monastery.
What type of music do you usually listen to?
Motown and Country
What are your three favorite foods?
Steak, Corn on the Cob, and Asparagus
What are your three favorite drinks?
Coke, Coffee, and Strawberry Milkshake
If you could have just one dessert for your last meal, what would it be?
Cheesecake smothered with cherries
Why did you choose the name you were given in Religious Life?
It came to me in prayer and I couldn't get it off my mind.
What were the other names you requested to receive at profession?
Jacob and Joshua
Who had the most influence on you growing up?
My older brother, Steve. He was 16 months older and my idol.