The Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual-Spiritual Tradition (CFIT) appointed Jack Clark Robinson, OFM, to its board and elected him treasurer at its board meeting January 29, 2021.
A desire to spread the Franciscan tradition
CFIT Chair Dominic Monti, OFM, distinguished professor of Franciscan Studies at St. Bonaventure University, said Father Jack’s addition to the CFIT board brings a wealth of experience, organizational skills, and a desire to spread the Franciscan tradition.
Responsible for financial accounting and funding
As treasurer, Fr. Jack will be responsible for providing accurate and accessible accounting of the organization’s finances and identifying and retaining funding that will allow the Franciscan organization to continue its initiatives to retrieve, preserve, and articulate the Franciscan intellectual and spiritual tradition.
A specialist in Franciscan history in the United States
Fr. Jack specializes in the history of the Franciscans in the United States, studying the activities of Franciscans who came to the United States after 1840 to serve marginalized immigrants and proclaim the Gospel. That rich and diverse history, he says, is not as well known, even among Franciscans, as the medieval origins of the movement founded by Saint Francis of Assisi.
Experience in formation, leadership, and parish work
Fr. Jack currently is moderator of ongoing formation for the Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has served in a variety of ministries, including as minister provincial of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province; chair of the Interprovincial Commission of the U.S. Friars of the Order of Friars Minor; adjunct faculty for the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas; and parish and formation work. He holds a B.A. in speech and drama from Kentucky Wesleyan College, a J.D. from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, an M.Div. from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a Ph.D. in United States history from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Author of books about Franciscan history and spirituality
The author of numerous books and articles about Franciscan history and spirituality, Fr. Jack is completing a book on the history of Franciscan friars and men in the United States from 1800 to 2000. He serves on the board of the Academy of American Franciscan History.
The Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual-Spiritual Tradition (CFIT), established in 2001, promotes a contemporary retrieval of the distinctive theological and spiritual vision that animates the Franciscan movement. CFIT strives to retrieve, preserve, and articulate that tradition in a language understandable to contemporary men and women and that addresses contemporary issues and encourages and supports the work of scholars and practitioners of this tradition. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.franciscantradition.org.
