Bro. Randy is the Pilgrimage and Retreat/Program Director of Our Lady of Consolation.  Before coming to the Shrine Bro. Randy was involved in the teaching ministry to children with special needs for 12 years.  He then moved into formation work within the Province, as well as working in the Vocation Office.  After leaving the Vocation office, Bro. Randy worked as a Pastoral Associate at Saint Cecilia’s Parish in Ames, Iowa.

His love for working with Young Adults led him to working as the Province Retreat Minister to Young Adults.  He ministered in Louisville, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and New Mexico at our retreat centers for several years.

Bro. Randy has been stationed in Carey since 2004 and has been a Conventual Franciscan Friar for over 25 years. 

Fr. John Raphael Hadnagy is a native of Woodbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C.  His family settled there after his father was stationed in Washington by the Navy.  He is the oldest of four children.  “Fr. JR,” as he is sometimes called, credits his parents’ living out of gospel values with much of what pulled him to religious life.  “Even though we didn’t have much money, we always had enough food to add an extra place at our table for someone who didn’t have a place to eat or we had a pull-out sofa for someone who had no place to go.”

Fr. John Raphael entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1981 and did his undergraduate studies at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri and his graduate studies at the Washington Theological Union in Silver Spring, Maryland.  He made

Friar Angelo J. Catania, OFM Conv. is the Assistant Pilgrimage Director for Hospitality for the Shrine and the Retreat House at Our Lady of Consolation.  Before coming to the Shrine Brother Angelo was in charge of the meal preparation for our major Seminary when it was located in Chaska, Minnesota and at Franciscan Retreats Prior Lake, Minnesota. He ministered at Mount Saint Francis, Indiana on the Retreat Team, as Guest Master, Sacristan and Receptionist for retreatants and visitors to the Mount.

In 2005 Bro. Angelo returned to Carey for a second time since his previous assignment here from 1976 – 1988.  Bro Angelo has served as a hospitality minister for many years throughout the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.  He has been a Conventual Franciscan Friar for over 40 years, and enjoys Religious Life and his ministry to the people of God very much! 

Mr. Jack Gerding serves the Shrine as our Director of Music Ministries.  Growing up at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Glandorf, Ohio, he started his vocation in church music at a very young age by singing in the choir and playing for school Masses.  After completing his degree in Sacred Music, Mr. Gerding served St. Cyprian Catholic Church in Riverview, Michigan, and St. Patrick of Heatherdowns in Toledo, Ohio and now the Shrine. 

Here at Our Lady of Consolation, Mr. Gerding is responsible for coordinating the weekday and weekend music ministers as well as directing the Shrine Chorale, Resurrection Choir, Jubilate Children’s Choir, Cantor Guild, Assumption Choir, and the 100 voice Carey Ecumenical Choir.  Mr. Gerding has had the privilege to travel to Italy with his choirs and to sing for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.