The Friars
Brothers in prayer, fraternity, and faithful service.
Senior Friars
March 2026
After many years of faithful and fruitful ministry as Capuchin friars, Fr. Roger White and Fr. Scott Seethaler look back with grateful hearts — and still look forward with hope to the blessings God continues to unfold in their lives. Their paths were different, but their mission was the same: to bring the Gospel to life in the hearts of God’s people. Fr. Roger White - Missionary of Heart and Soul Although his Capuchin superiors initially discouraged his desire to serve in Papua New Guinea, Fr. Roger was convinced that God was calling him there. Trusting that call, he crossed oceans and cultures to serve the people of that land for 38 years. Certainly, Fr. Roger went eager to share the Catholic faith and proclaim the Gospel. Yet, as he reflects today, he recognizes that he received as much as he gave. The rich spiritual life of the people—sometimes mysterious, often deeply mystical—shaped his own faith in powerful ways. He often says that he “fed off the faith of the people.” Their reverence for God and their sense of the sacred drew him deeper into prayer and trust in the Lord. Over the years, Fr. Roger lived among many different tribes, learning their customs, earning their trust, and forming friendships that endure to this day. He walked with them through every stage of life—celebrating births, preparing people for Baptism, guiding families in marriage, and standing with them at the time of death, commending their loved ones to God’s mercy. Even now they remain in his heart. Every morning, Fr. Roger begins his day by praying for the people of Papua New Guinea, thanking God for them and asking the Lord to continue watching over them. In retirement, his ministry may look quieter, but it continues in simple acts of care, like tending the birds in the friary garden so they never lack food. After so many years of self-giving service, we need to make sure Fr. Roger receives the care he deserves. Fr. Scott Seethaler — A Voice of the Gospel While Fr. Scott was never sent to a foreign mission, his ministry of evangelization touched hundreds of thousands of lives here in the United States. Soon after his ordination, it became clear that God had gifted him as a powerful preacher. For more than 50 years, he was sought after for parish missions, retreats, conferences, and spiritual talks—ministering to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. His voice reached far beyond church walls. Fr. Scott also spoke weekly on a Protestant radio station and later had a daily program on a secular station. During breaks from his preaching travels, he recorded five-minute “Joyful Reflections”—always ending with a touch of humor that made people smile and remember his message. But Fr. Scott’s ministry did not stop there. He felt a deep call to serve the poor in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he helped launch a hospital named in honor of his mother, Anna. For years, he made annual visits to guide and encourage that ministry. His concern for the vulnerable led him to support outreach to street children, expand a chapel near a city dump where impoverished families searched for survival, and help rebuild a school damaged by an earthquake. Even today, though he no longer has the stamina for travel, Fr. Scott continues to serve in local parishes, ministers to married couples, and acts as a spiritual director to many. Now, Fr. Scott needs a little care from us. After decades of giving themselves so generously to the Gospel—whether in remote villages of Papua New Guinea, American parishes, on the radio waves, or among the poor of Oaxaca—Fr. Roger and Fr. Scott have blessed countless lives in ways most of us will never fully know. Now, in this season of retirement, they depend on us. The care they need—medical attention, daily assistance, safe housing, and the support of their friar community—comes only through the generosity of friends like you. Your gift is more than financial help. It is a concrete expression of gratitude for two friars who spent their lives bringing hope, faith, and joy to others. Through your kindness, you help ensure that their later years are lived with dignity, comfort, and peace.
Formation
July 2026
Thanks be to God, we have three more Capuchin priests! On a beautiful June morning, our Capuchin family rejoiced as Fr. Stephen Cantwell, Fr. Luke Kim and Fr. Ryan Schmeltzer were ordained to the priesthood. Family members, friends and brother friars filled the church with grateful hearts, thanking God for these three men who have answered His call to serve His people. For these newly ordained priests, the day was the culmination of many years of prayer, study, sacrifice and formation. But it was also a day made possible through the faithful generosity of friends like you. Today, Fr. Stephen is serving at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., where his knowledge of Spanish allows him to minister to a diverse parish community. Fr. Luke has returned to St. John the Evangelist Parish in Philadelphia, PA, where he serves the people he first came to know as a deacon. Fr. Ryan is now ministering at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Cumberland, MD, bringing Christ’s love to the faithful there. Each day these young priests celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. They hear confessions, baptize infants, comfort grieving families, visit the sick, prepare couples for marriage and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every one of these sacred moments is possible because generous benefactors invested in their education and formation. Your kindness helped prepare these three priests. Now I ask you to help prepare those who will follow them. Although we rejoice in these recent ordinations, there are other young Capuchin friars now walking the same path. They are studying philosophy and theology, deepening their spiritual lives and preparing themselves to serve Christ and His Church with humility and fidelity. The journey to the priesthood takes many years. Tuition, books, room and board, healthcare, pastoral training and spiritual formation represent one of the largest and most important commitments our Province makes each year. We want every young man whom God calls to receive the finest education and formation possible, but we cannot do it alone. That is why I am asking for your help today. Would you prayerfully consider making a generous gift to support the education and formation of our Capuchin seminarians? Your generosity is far more than financial assistance. It is an investment in the future of the Church. Long after your gift is made, it will continue to bear fruit in every Mass celebrated, every Confession heard, every child baptized, every family comforted and every soul led closer to Christ by a Capuchin priest. Years from now, another young friar will kneel before the altar to be ordained. He will begin a lifetime of preaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments. When that day comes, you can know that your generosity helped make his priesthood possible. Thank you for your faithful friendship, your prayers and your generous support of our Capuchin ministries. Together, we are helping prepare the priests who will serve God’s people for generations to come.
