This morning the Chapter elected Michael Perry, OFM, to serve as the next Vicar General of the Order.  Br. Michael is currently the Provincial Minister of the Sacred Heart Province, USA.

Br. Michael was elected today as Vicar General of the Order receiving 103 votes out of a possible 152. Br. Michael is originally from Indianapolis. He was born in 1954, entered the Order in 1977, professed solemn vows in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1984.

Br. Michael worked for 10 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo as pastor, educator, and director of development projects. He received his Ph.D. in Religious Anthropology at the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham, UK in 2002. He has also worked for the U.S. Bishops’ Conference, Franciscans International, and Catholic Relief Services.

On June 10, 2008, the friars of Sacred Heart Province elected him to serve as their Provincial Minister. Br. Michael had served on his Provincial Council since 2005.

Mere moments after his election, Br. Michael expressed the following thought, “I feel like I did when I was elected Provincial; the same though came to mind today as it did then: while it is easy for me to invite others to step out into the deep, God and the brothers today are now calling me to do the same in a new way.”