Athletics

At St. Bonaventure, we work hard and we play hard. More than 80% of our students are engaged in sports-related or fitness activities. And when it comes to Division I basketball, our Reilly Center Rowdies are the best fans in all the land. GO BONNIES!

St. Bonaventure University

News & Events

Bona Ventura: The Good Journey

Jul 26, 2022
The Franciscan tradition runs deep throughout Western New York, particularly in the foothills of the Enchanted Mountains, where St. Bonaventure University immerses the region in the spirit of St. Francis. The effects of this Franciscan-hearted way of living can be felt hundreds and thousands of miles away as many Bonaventure alums have found their way to Franciscan Mission Service (FMS).


By Emily Putzke

The Franciscan tradition runs deep throughout Western New York, particularly in the foothills of the Enchanted Mountains, where St. Bonaventure University immerses the region in the spirit of St. Francis. The effects of this Franciscan-hearted way of living can be felt hundreds and thousands of miles away as many Bonaventure alums have found their way to Franciscan Mission Service (FMS).

St. Bonaventure alumni serving with Franciscan Mission Service are (from left) Mari Snyder (overseas lay missioner on the U.S.-Mexico border), Victoria Wangler (DC Service Corps volunteer), Lauren Barry (DC Service Corps volunteer), and Joshua Maxey (former DC Service Corps volunteer and current FMS board member). Franciscan Mission Service builds partnerships with lay Catholic women and men who are inspired to live and serve in solidarity with economically poor and marginalized communities across the globe as advocates for peace, justice, reconciliation, and care of creation. Long-term mission opportunities are offered through the Overseas Lay Mission program in Bolivia, Jamaica, and on the United States-Mexico border, along with yearlong domestic service opportunities for young adults in the DC Service Corps program.

For Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., President Emeritus of St. Bonaventure University and a board member at FMS, and many Bonaventure alumni serving as DC Service Corps volunteers, overseas lay missioners, and board members throughout the years, the connection between these two organizations runs strong.

“I have learned so much about the work and the lives of our mission members serving abroad and our members serving right in Washington, D.C. Each of these dedicated volunteers is bringing untold generosity into the lives of persons who suffer in ways I can barely imagine,” Sr. Margaret said about FMS’ mission. “One of the gifts I have received is to be part of the work of Liz Hughes, a Franciscan leader whose work I admire a great deal.”

St. Bonaventure offers students the opportunity to live out the Franciscan ministry of presence, whether they’re involved in BonaResponds or serving at The Warming House, Bonaventure’s student-run soup kitchen.

“Francis and Clare of Assisi were close to the poor, to the ordinary citizens of their town,” Sr. Margaret said. “Our students show this same kind of solidarity on so many levels whether in the area around campus or back home. There is no student organization that does not find a way to do something for the needy or to support important services like blood drives, food pantries, collections for families in need, the list goes on.”

Victoria Wangler on a short-term service trip to Guatemala with St. Bonaventure University and Franciscan Mission Service.Victoria Wangler, ’21, graduated from St. Bonaventure with a double major in professional & creative writing and English literature and minors in marketing and Spanish. She is a current DC Service Corps volunteer, serving as FMS’ development and operations associate.

DC Service Corps volunteers are placed in nonprofits throughout the District of Columbia, including the FMS office, United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees, the Fr. McKenna Center, and Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School. Volunteers live together in an intentional community at FMS’ house of hospitality, Casa San Salvador, in northeast D.C. during their year of service.

Wangler credits St. Bonaventure with expanding her understanding of Franciscanism while she was a student.

“I had so many opportunities to lean more into my Franciscan spirituality. Volunteer days at Mt. Irenaeus and The Warming House, as well as longer term service trips, allowed me to directly use my hands and my heart to care for vulnerable people and creation,” she said.

Wangler first heard about FMS when she traveled with St. Bonaventure on a short-term service trip to Guatemala in June 2019. The students stayed at the Valley of the Angels Orphanage outside of Guatemala City, Guatemala, where they spent their days living and volunteering in the community. The trip was led by Meghan Meros, former associate director of FMS.

“It was an incredibly eye-opening and heartbreaking experience that had a profound impact on me. When I came back home, I had a fire in my soul to pursue service after I graduated from Bonaventure. The more I learned about FMS and its domestic service program, the DC Service Corps, the more I felt strongly to apply. I submitted my application in the winter of 2021 and by March I had signed the paperwork and began to plan my new life in Washington, D.C.,” said Wangler.

Lauren Barry, ’21, graduated from St. Bonaventure with her BA in psychology and with minors in sociology and theater. She was first introduced to FMS through a short immersion trip with Bonaventure to St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during her freshman year. The trip was led by Jeff Sved, former director of the Franciscan Center for Social Concern at St. Bonaventure, former FMS board member, and an FMS lifelong missioner who served in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Lauren Barry at Casa San Salvador in Washington, D.C.By her senior year, Barry knew she wanted to do a year of service and was encouraged by Wangler to apply for the DC Service Corps. Through her role as case manager at the Fr. McKenna Center, she assists men experiencing homelessness with applying for Social Security, food stamps, and finding jobs.

Barry’s understanding of Franciscan spirituality, instilled at St. Bonaventure, has grown during her time with FMS.

“When I first came here, I thought care for creation was just nature, but then I broadened my horizons and now see it also as the creation of my Casa members and the relationships I have between them,” she said.

Wangler’s parents, who are also St. Bonaventure alumni, wrote her a letter to open after they helped her move into St. Bonaventure as a freshman in 2017.

FMS Board Retreat 2022“In the center of the page, my mother had written, ‘Welcome to your Bona Ventura – the good journey.’ The bona ventura. The good journey. What is this life if not a good journey? What are God’s plans for us if not the good journey? I am so happy to be here. I am so grateful for finding my home in the Franciscan tradition,” she said.

To learn more about Franciscan Mission Service, visit their website www.franciscanmissionservice.org.

(Emily Putzke is a communications associate at Franciscan Mission Service.)

See All News
  • Mountain on the Road in Atlanta

    Join Fr. John O’Connor, O.F.M. and members of the Mountain community for a Mountain on the Road. Mass and reception will be held in honor of Fr. Dan Riley, O.F.M. on May 4, 2025 at Marist High School.

    Marist High School
    790 Ashford Dunwoody Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30319

    Register here

     


  • Golf with the Bonnies in Rochester

    ⛳We are excited to announce that registration is now open for Golf with the Bonnies (Rochester)! This year’s tournament promises to be an exciting day of golf, camaraderie, and support for our student-athletes.  Proceeds from this event will directly support our student-athletes, providing them with the resources and opportunities needed to succeed both on and off the field!🏌️

    Event Details
    Date📆: Monday, June 23rd
    Time⏰: Registration at 11 AM, Tee off at 12 PM
    Location📍: Ravenwood Golf Club, 929 Lynaugh Rd, Victor, NY 14564


  • Visit us this summer! First campus visit event is:

    Learn all there is to love about St. Bonaventure! Select any of these visit options:

    Saturday, July 12 - DePerro School of Health Professions (1 session only) Morning session

    Saturday, July 19 - School of Business Morning session | Afternoon session

    Saturday, Aug. 9 - Preview Day Morning session | Afternoon session

    Friday, Aug. 15 - School of Arts & Sciences Morning session | Afternoon session


    Also available are weekly campus tours & info sessions. Or consider yourself invited to schedule a virtual visit with an Admissions representative!

    LEARN MORE ABOUT VISITING SBU

See All Events