Franciscan Retreats: Our Staff

Preaching Staff

		Brother Bob Roddy, OFM Conv., is the Director of Franciscan Retreats. Bro. Bob jjoined our staff in January 2007. A native of Nebraska, he has served at our Franciscan Retreat Centers at Mount Saint Francis, Indiana and Mesilla Park, New Mexico. Bro. Bob brings over 17 years of experience in preached retreat ministry. He has also served as an editor for major Catholic Publishing Company and as Administrator of St. Bonaventure Friary in Washington, DC. He has pursued graduate studies in English and Christian Spirituality. His interests include food [he loves to cook], film, and travel.
		Father Howard Hansen, OFM Conv., returned to Franciscan Retreats in October 2001, after serving in pastoral ministry in Iowa. A native of Ohio, Fr. Howard is a recovering alcoholic. Fr Howard preaches with passion and deep sincerity. He is expert in the history and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and often hears fifth steps. He is deeply interested in Native American History. He often plays the accordion for our retreatants. He contributes a daily homily to the www.FranciscanRetreats.net website.
		Fr. Steve McMichael, OFM Conv. , is the Guardian of St. Joseph Cupertino Friary. Fr. Steve is no stranger to Franciscan Retreats; he began his journey with the Franciscans here in the mid-1970s. A native of Minnetonka, and a son of St. Therese Parish, Fr. Steve is an Associate Professor at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN. Fr. Steve also leads pilgrimage groups with the Francis- can Pilgrimage program. Fr. Steve has a strong interest in interfaith dialogue, especially among Christians, Jews and Muslims. He is an avid Hockey Fan, and makes a mean corndog.
		Kris Joseph is married, and has two adult children and two grandchildren. She is a spiritual director and licensed psychologist with a private practice out of Caron- delet Spirituality Center. She has served on staff at Franciscan Retreats since 1998. Kris is interested in the deep connection which we each have with God. She helps others to find comfort and assistance in the midst of the movement of their lives through this connection. Kris has a passion for gardening and an interest in nature. Both of these help to inform and form her ability to listen and wait, to see subtle changes, to trust “the slow work of God”, and to search for the growth often released after pruning.
	Corrine Kindschy is a trained spiritual director, having completed her studies in spirituality in the Master of Theology program at the College of St. Catherine. Upon retirement and the death of her husband, Corrine served as a certified counselor with Catholic Charities, St. Paul. Currently, she works as a companion guide in Spiritual direction and other areas of spirituality. Corrine resides in White Bear Lake, Minnesota
		Terri Mifek, is a Certified Spiritual Director and is excited to be returning to the Franciscan Retreat House were she was a member of the retreat team in 1999 and 2000.She enjoys sharing her experiences through writing and is a regular contributor to Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions as well as The Catholic Spirit. In her spare time Terri likes long walks in nature, gardening, ice skating, good books and traveling. Her three young grandchildren help her remember what is impor-tant in life and her three grown daughters as well as her husband of thirty seven years keep her laughing and growing.

	Nancy Murzyn attended Franciscan Retreats for twenty years before we invited her to join our staff. Nancy has a Master of Arts degree in theology from the College of St. Catherine. Nancy worked at the US Postal Service for 27 years as a letter carrier, a counselor in Equal Employment Opportunity, a mediator in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and a teacher in Employee Training and Development. In her free time Nancy enjoys traveling, writing, taking classes and volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem for Ramsey County. She has a passion for Italy, poetry, animals and old movies.
Friars in Residence
	Bro. John Bamman, OFM Conv. , is in his third year of temporary vows, and completing studies for ordination at St. Paul School of Divinity. Bro. John is a native of Ohio. He earned a Masters degree in theol-ogy from the University of Seattle and spent a number of years driving tour buses throughout the Northwest. Bro. John recently completed nine months of study in Costa Rica.
Culinary Staff
	Judy Miller, is our kitchen manager, and chef; her creativity and extraordinary care in creating our meals is well known to staff and retreatants alike. Judy is a native of Prior Lake, Minnesota. She graduated from Mankato State and has since pursued her vocation in cooking at the Holiday Inn in Bloomington, where she was Director of Food Services, at the Renaissance Festival (as La Feast Chef) and at Keystone Senior Community in Prior Lake. She is a member of the International Cake Exploration Society, which practices the art of cake decorating. Judy is a wife and mother of two children with five grandchildren


Music Ministry

		Chris Martin, graduated from the University of Portland (Oregon) with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. She later earned a Master's Degree in Music Education from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. Chris taught music in the public school system for nine years and served as choir director at two parishes in Portland for many years. In 1998, Chris and her husband, Mike, moved back to Minnesota; she joined the staff at Franciscan Retreats in 2000. When Chris and her husband visit Oregon, she plays and sings in a group called "Maggie's Parlour." The four women in the group play a variety of instruments and perform several styles of music. Irish music is one of their specialities. Their CD is available in the bookstore downstairs.

		Marya Hart --joined our music ministry staff in December, 2000. She also serves as a Music Minister at St Peter Claver Church in Saint Paul. An accomplished pianist, Marya often serves as an accompanest for the Children's Theater.

Office Staff

		Kelley Chromy, is our bookkeeper and bookstore manager. Kelley has worked at Franciscan Retreats for over ten years, and many retreatants know her well. Her near-encyclopedic knowledge of retreatants and their needs is a constant source of amazement to the Director. Let’s put it this way, Kelley is to Franciscan Retreats what Google is to the Internet, only much more helpful and charming. She and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four adult children, and they are the owners of The Village Market in Prior Lake.

		Jean Myers joined our staff in December, 2006. Jean handles all of the retreat registrations, contracting for outside groups, maintains our mailing list, and creates brochures for retreats, in addition to answering the phone, and all those e-mails! Jean, and her husband, Rich, have three children, and have lived in Savage for the past 15 years. Jean has worked at Firstar Bank, Super-Valu and the Knights of Columbus. She and Rich are members of St. John the Baptist parish in Savage.