Fr. Roch Niemier, OFM
Roch was born in South Bend, Indiana. He entered the Franciscans (Assumption BVM Province) in 1956, and made his final vows in 1961. He was ordained in 1965.
Roch has been part of pilgrimage ministry since 1974. He became a staff member in 1976 and was made Director of Franciscan Pilgrimage Programs in 1981. He stepped down from the position of Director in January of 2005, but continues to lead several pilgrimages each year in Italy. Since May of 2005 Roch has been the Provincial Spiritual Assistant for Secular Franciscan Fraternities bonded to the Assumption BVM Province.
Roch's educational background includes a BA in philosophy from St. Francis College, Burlington, Wisconsin (1961), five years of Theological Studies at Christ the King Seminary in West Chicago, Illinois (1961-1966), an MA in Philosophy from DePaul University, Chicago (1968). In addition, he did guided readings in Franciscan sources at St. Bonaventure University, Olean, New York. This institution awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters in May 2004 for having spent 30 years introducing pilgrims to the life and spirituality of Francis and Clare at all of the places of their lives in Franciscan Italy.
In November 2006, St. Anthony Messenger Press published Roch’s first book: In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare. The book takes the reader on a pilgrimage journey into various facets of Franciscan spirituality that speak to each one’s contemporary heart. The pathway into these reflections is among the places that were significant in the lives of Saints Francis and Clare.
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