The Franciscan Brothers sorrowfully announce the passing of former Minister General, Brother Tony Dolan (1946-2025), who died peacefully on the evening of October 3, 2025, in the company of his family and his Franciscan brothers. Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister, Bodily Death. (St Francis of Assisi). Being called home on the anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis, could hardly be a more apppropriate divine intervention, a day that has alway been special for Tony.
A giant of our institute, Tony’s earthly journey is done, leaving us but to remember, mourn, and celebrate the gift of his heart and soul to the mission and ministry of the Franciscan Brothers. For such a tower of strength, it must have been a challenge for Tony to respond to God’s call to return home to Him. In his mind, Tony still had so much to do because he was man of great passion for the poor, a warrior for justice, a social visionary and a heroic trailblazer. To paraphrase a Shakespeare line, death must be proud to have taken him.
At the same time, we are confident that Tony was completely at peace and fulfilled in his vocation. Were he to address us, his sorrowing friends, he would surely echo the words of St. Francis, “I have done what was mine to do; may Christ teach you what you are to do. Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.”
Tony was born in Corramartin, Aughnasheelin, Co. Leitrim, Ireland, on September 19, 1946. As the seventh son of a seventh son, Tony, in the Irish tradition, had the distinction of being a healer; a person gifted with “cures” for specific physical conditions. Healing societal wounds was hardly the cure people had in mind for the young Tony, but it was the gift that marked him as God’s chosen.
Education and Formation: Tony attended Drumbibe National School. While there, along with classmates Br. Peter Roddy (cousin) and Br. Michael Gormley (neighbor), he was recruited to attend St. Anthony’s Franciscan Brothers Juniorate, Clara, Co Offaly. After a year, he was sent to the Franciscan Brothers Novitiate, Corrandulla, Co. Galway, where he professed temporary vows in September 1962. Then it was on to the Franciscan Brothers Scholasticate, Pilltown, Co. Louth, 1962-66.
On completion of his Leaving Certificate in 1966, Tony matriculated to the University of Galway, where he studied Agricultural Science. To supplement his practical agriculture knowledge and skills, he spent the 1968-69 school year at the Franciscan Brothers Agricultural College, Mountbellew, before continuing to University College Dublin for a master’s degree in Agricultural Science.
Leadership: After serving on the faculty of Mountbellew Agricultural College, Tony was appointed principal in 1973, a position he held until 1989. The Connacht Tribune captured Tony’s legacy thusly: “Brother Tony Dolan left his indelible mark on the education of generations of young farmers through almost two decades at Mountbellew – most of those years as college principal. At Mountbellew, he led the development of new dairy and beef units and associated training at the college which in turn enabled many young farmers in the region to successfully navigate their way in a rapidly modernizing agriculture of the time.”
After Mountbellew, Tony’s next stop was Molo, Kenya (1989 to 2009) where he was appointed principal of the Franciscan Brothers Agricultural College in Baraka. A very much scaled down version of Mountbellew, the college had the mission of building human capital through skill development of smallholder farmers by practicing sustainable farming. As in Mountbellew, Tony spearheaded the academic and physical growth of the college, but this time it through NGO funding, not the Irish government. During his time in Baraka, Tony saw the transformative power of an agricultural economy-of-scale in East Africa, with sustainable practices enabling the retention of young farmers on the land, as opposed to rural flight.
Tony’s next move may have been his most courageous. Adraa, Uganda is remote; as in ten hours from any sizeable town and located in the “poorest of the poor” regions. But it’s where Tony and the Franciscan Brothers were called in 2009. Soon they established what is today the Franciscan Brothers Agriculture College, Adraa. Despite the lack of “necessities” such as electricity, which we take for granted, the college flourished through the grace of God, and courses for subsistence farmers from throughout the area commenced.
Honors: September 2, 2019, was a day of extraordinary honor for Tony’s family, the Franciscan Brothers, and his slew of colleagues, partners and friends around the world, when his alma mater, University College Dublin (UCD), conferred on him a Doctor of Science degree “honoris causa.” The conferring took place within the regular Doctor of Science conferring ceremony on September 2nd. The university honored his leadership in sustainabity, saying he was “….twenty years ahead of his time with the promotion and teaching of practical and grounded actions for sustainable agriculture in Kenya and Uganda. Intercropping, soil and moisture management, agro-forestry and beekeeping are all practices which epitomize sustainable agriculture and were promoted by Br Tony in the training programs developed and delivered to farmers in Kenya and Uganda.”
In his address to the graduates of the Class of 2019, Brother Tony offered this sage advice: “Have a world view that encompasses all of humanity and all of creation. Selfishness, greed and ‘me fein’ attitudes are leading to the destruction of humanity. Think globally, act locally.” He asked the graduates to recognize their God-given talents, saying: Develop the marvelous resources and gifts given to you by our loving Creator – human, social, natural, spiritual, physical and financial.” And no doubt, Brother Tony’s most profound words of the day related to listening to God’s call to each of us. Invoking Frederick Buechner’s words, “The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Tony indeed lives a life at the vortex of that meeting place.
Following the ceremony, Tony sat down for an in-depth and revelatory interview with John Connolly (Leitrim Observer). Discussing our obligation of social responsibility in the response to his first-hand experience of poverty and lack of opportunity for the massive workforces of East African countries, Tony underscored our Institute’s commitment to sustainable agriculture as a means of developing a thriving agricultural economy, thereby providing dignified rural family-life in the field of Africa. “The reality,” he said ‘is whether you are black, or white…human beings are the same all over the world. You take the small-scale farmers of any part of Kenya; they are no different from our own fathers and mothers who strived to educate us back in Aughnasheelin.”
A Sportsman: Lest we present Tony as one consumed only with mission ideals, it’s important to remember he was well-rounded and not “all work and no play.” A gifted athlete with enormous physical prowess, the six-foot-four-man played center field for Leitrim senior footballers in addition to serving, with great distinction, both Aughnasheeling and later Mountbellew at the club level. His fondest memories were leading Leitrim to victory over Mayo in the Connacht Championships and scoring the winning point for Mountbellew in the Galway County Championship over perennial powerhouse, Corofin.
Leadership in the Institute: Always open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and the will of his fraternity, Tony took on various roles at the local and general levels of the Institute, before his inevitable election as Minister General of the Franciscan Brothers on June 27, 2017. In an impromptu interview immediately following his election (click here to view), Tony was his usual candid self in accepting his commitment to his calling as Minister General, even as he reiterated his vision of sustainability in East Africa.
Closing Times: Tony returned to Ireland on January 31, 2024, and after spending time in his beloved Mountbellew and visiting friends, he undertook a sabbatical at An Tairseach (The Threshold) in Wicklow town, Ireland. By Easter time, his thoughts had become deeply introspective, as if his whole being was at one with the laws of nature and the Will of God. He wrote to the brothers: At this time of year and on this Holy Saturday in Ireland you can feel and see the transition from Winter to Spring and Death to Resurrection. Trees are still bare but growth and new life is budding and appearing all around at ground level, and on this special day of waiting we have the sense that the Good Friday pain and suffering of our loving, caring Saviour and Redeemer is about turn to the joy, hope and reassurance of the Resurrection.
Funeral Arrangements:
Reposing at the Franciscan Oratory, Mountbellew Agricultural College H53 WE00 on Monday October 6th from 4.30pm to 8pm.
Removal from Franciscan Community House on Tuesday morning to St. Mary’s Church, Mountbellew for Funeral Mass at 12 noon. Burial afterwards in the Brothers’ cemetery.
Family Flowers only – donations if desired to Franciscan African Fund, Mountbellew
Funeral Mass may be viewed on this LINK
Statement by Brother Charles Lagu, Minister General
Dear Brothers, Families, Relatives, Friends, Partners, and Friends of the Franciscan Brothers,
Peace and comfort to you all.
It is with deep sorrow and reverence that we announce the passing of our beloved Brother, Br. Tony Dolan, OSF, who was called to eternal rest yesterday evening at our Motherhouse in Mountbellew, Ireland. Br. Tony had been courageously battling cancer since last year, and throughout his journey, he remained a quiet beacon of faith, dignity, and resilience.
His life among us was marked by unwavering commitment to the Franciscan mission, gentle wisdom, and a spirit of service that touched many across generations and continents. Whether in community life, ministry, or moments of quiet companionship, Br. Tony embodied the heart of St. Francis—humble, joyful, and deeply rooted in God.
In a profoundly moving coincidence, Br. Tony’s death occurred on the eve of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi, the very moment we commemorate our Seraphic Father’s passage from earthly life to eternal glory. This sacred timing is not lost on us. It is as though Br. Tony, having completed his earthly pilgrimage, was gently ushered into the embrace of the same divine mystery that welcomed Francis centuries ago. Even more striking is that Br. Tony had postponed making a decision about whether to accept the acquisition of a specialized wheelchair-accessible vehicle until the date of our Feast Day. This quiet deferral now appears deeply prophetic—as if he had already been angelically informed of his imminent departure to the next world of Saints and Angels. In this, we find consolation and a sacred reminder: that a life lived in simplicity, fidelity, and surrender to God’s timing will surely be crowned in grace.
We, the Franciscan Brothers and our collaborators, mourn his loss deeply. His absence will be felt in our prayers, our gatherings, and our shared work. Yet we also give thanks for the gift of his life, and for all he has been to us in the Institute as a whole.
We invite all who knew him—whether near or far—to join us in prayer, remembrance, and thanksgiving. May his soul rest in the peace of Christ, and may we carry forward the light he shared with us.
With heartfelt condolences and fraternal solidarity,
Cardinal Archbishop of Washington, Robert McElroy, addresses the moral elements of the current efforts by the Trump Administration to detain/deport undocumented persons in the United States.
In a world of willful disregard for the very basics of human dignity and with a dangerous and growing tolerance for genocidal practices, it is most appropriate to seek true wisdom from our recently deceased Pope Francis. This presentation marks the occasion of the first-ever TED talk by a Pope. We hope it gives you renewed hope for a change in how we treat each other.
The Franciscan Brothers are filled with sadness to announce the death of Tom Burke, Pine Grove, Mountbellew, Co. Galway. Tom passed peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff in the Galway Hospice, surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his loving parents Marie and Patrick Burke. Mourned and sadly missed by his loving wife Dorothy and stepchildren Deirdre, Michael, Éilis, Derry, Siobhán and Patrick, sons in law Gerard and Brian, daughters in law Linda and Sarah, his adored grandchildren Leah, Mollie, Anna, Mya, Derry, Ella, Samuel, Lana and Stephen, his beloved sister Majella (Pat) and brothers Paddy (Dolores), Seamus (Patsy), Michael (Susan), Noel (Bridie) and Cyril (Ann), nieces and nephews along with relatives, neighbours and many many friends.
May his kind gentle soul rest in peace
A tribute from Brother Charles Lagu, Minister General on Tom Burke’s passing: Last July during our bicentennial celebration and in a light, humorous way, Tom whispered to me that he was not certain if I would find him breathing when I visit Mountbellew next June/July. In response I told him “Tom you have been a hero to us as OSF Brothers. You made footmarks in Ireland and in Baraka-Kenya. The story of any of those institutions cannot be spoken or written without you being named. He looked in my eyes and said, “Br. Charles I am happy, and you have my blessings. Be strong in the new role you have been entrusted. You are not alone. God is with you and the Brothers are with you. They’ll support you. If you don’t find me alive don’t worry but accept God’s will.”
We know how painful and irreplaceable it is to us and Tom’s family losing such a credible soul. Our sincere condolences to the bereaved family members, relatives, Franciscan Brothers fraternity and friends. We, the Franciscan Brothers fraternity are with you in thoughts and prayers. May Tom’s humble soul rests in God’s abode. May God console all of us who are affected by this loss during this difficult time in our lives. Rest in Peace, Tom
Read Tom Burke’s eulogy by Brother Peter Roddy’s here
Welcome to the website of the Franciscan Brothers of the Third Order Regular as we celebrate our bicentennial year of serving God’s people. You are meeting us at a marvelous time in our epic journey from the early days of catechesis and rudimentary education for the rural poor in the west of Ireland to our mission today of enhancing human sustainability via formal education in agricultural and academic skill development among the rural poor in Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan.
In pursuing our mission and setting forth on another 200 year journey, we are reminded that new times call for new methods. In the words of Pope Francis, “For new wine, new wineskins.” That message was the driving force of our just concluded General Chapter and in the joyful celebration of our bicentennial which occured on Sunday, when we formally celebrated with Mass, followed by lunch in Mountbellew (Link to Photo Gallery)
His Excellency, Francis Duffy, Archbishop of Tuam, was the main celebrant, with concelebrants, Most Reverened Tom Deenihan, Bishop of Meath, Fr, Aidan McGrath, OFM Provincial in Ireland, and Fr. Karl Burns, pastor of Mountbellew Parish, Also present were Frs.Joseph Lehman and Seraphim Beshone, members of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis (Loretto, Pennsylvania), and early off-shoot of our Mountbellew community, Another off-shoot Order from Mountbellew are the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, New York, who were represented by Brothers Damien Novello, Bill Boslet, Leonard Conway and Superior General, Gabriel O’Brien. Many local clergy and Religious Sisters were also present on this epic day of celebration. Friends, family and co-workers of the brothers filled the church to capacity Special thanks to the wonderful choir and all who helped in preparing the beautiful ambiance of the worship space. To view the Eucharistic celebration, Click Here
Br. Charles Lagu, Minister General
The Franciscan Brothers of Mountbellew are delighted to announce the election of Brother Charles Lagu OSF, a native of Uganda, as Minister General, at their just concluded General Chapter. Brother Charles is the first non-Irish born Minister General of the Order, which was founded in Mountbellew in the 1820s.
Brother Charles was born on December 15, 1978 in Adjumani District, Uganda, and it was there that his primary and secondary education took place. After secondary school, he joined the Franciscan Brothers of Mountbellew in Kenya. On completion of his initial religious formation program, Charles began his professional education in 2006 at Baraka Agriculture College in Nakuru County, graduating in 2009 with a certificate in Sustainable Agriculture for Rural Development (SARD). He then enrolled at the University of Eldoret and graduated with a B.Sc. in General Agriculture.
After university, Br. Charles engaged in an array of ministries, including teaching and farm management, before becoming principal of Adraa Agricultural College, in his native Uganda. In addition to his educational leadership, Charles has held several key roles with the Franciscan Brothers.
Charles is the youngest of four children, born to his now deceased parents, Ignatius Aribo and Celine Muraa. Both parents passed away while Charles was still in early primary school. Following the death of his mother in 1986, Charles was adopted by his elder brother Gabriel Okudi and his wife, Regina Bayoa. Both his foster parents still live in Adjumani. Charles’ other two brothers, Everest Drichi and Manson Obote, passed away in 2007 and 2010 respectively. His only sister, Jennifer is married and blessed with three children.
The Brothers’ Chapter (General Meeting) concluded in Mountbellew, Co. Galway at the ATU Agricultural College on June 28 and on Saturday July 1, the Brothers celebrated their bicentennial year of service to the People of God.
Joining Br. Charles on the Leadership Team are Brs. Matthew Nyachoti (Kenya), Bernard Kariuki (Kenya), Sean Conway (Ireland) and Hilarion O’Connor (USA).
Delegates to the General Chapter of the Franciscan Brothers:
Brothers from Ireland, Kenya, Uganda and the USA convened on Sunday June 25 at the Franciscan Brothers Agricultural College, Mountbellew, Co Galway, Ireland for our General Chapter. Present at the Chapter were fourteen delegates from Africa, five from the Ireland Region, and two from the USA Region, for a total number of twenty-one brothers. The bothers spent the week in Mountbellew prayerfully discerning a future that aligns more fully to their mission of serving God’s people in the footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare.
Signs of Hope in South Sudan
Play a word association game with Sudan, and the likely responses will include despair, famine, and war. The average American, for instance, could not point to Sudan on a map and not too many are aware that Sudan and South Sudan are two different countries. Formerly a province of Sudan, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, following a long and bloody civil way. With a growing population of 11m, South Sudan is predominantly Christian and home to multiple tribes. More than ten years of peace has allowed this nascent republic to begin coalescing into a unified nationality, although the country is experiencing typical growing pains, such as one-party rule. Still the future is full of hope, thanks to a vital resource: some of the most fertile land in the entire continent. Another source of hope is the presence of the Sustainable Agriculture for Rural Development Institute (SARD), in Tambura Yambio, Diocese of South Sudan. Initiated in 2021 by the diocese, the Institute aims to build “a peaceful, food-secure, and economically enabled society through improved modern sustainable agriculture for rural development.”
Our Franciscan Brother, Boniface Kaylo, a veteran educator in the field of sustainable agriculture for rural development in neighboring Kenya, discerned a call to serve with SARD in South Sudan. There he lives in the bishop’s house and rides his bike to the workplace where he joins his educator-colleagues and the students. According to Boniface, there are thirty-five students pursuing a year’s certificate in sustainable agriculture for rural development. This September, the Institute will have a third intake of students. READ MORE….
The Monks of the West
The historical journey of our brothers through time is marvelously brought to life is this excellent video, aptly titled “The Monks of the West.” Please enjoy. READ MORE…
BBC Interview with Brother Peter Tabichi: In this video, Franciscan Brother and 2019 Global Ambassador for Education, Peter Tabichi, reflects on the challenges and opportunties for teachers and students in these trying times of the Covid virus when students are not able to attend school in person.
Honors
Obituaries
Brother Hyacinth Kennedy
Thank you Br. Hyacinth from Denis O’Sullivan
Brother Paulinus Horkan
Reflections on Fr. Gerry Foley RIP
Brother Larry Grimes: Memories by Matthew McCormack
Brother Laurence Grimes – Brother Edmund Farrell