St. Bonaventure University will celebrate Francis Week Sept. 29 through Oct. 4 with a series of events honoring its Franciscan heritage, beginning with an evening of storytelling and art at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

The opening program, “Stories from the Border,” will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, in the Quick Center. The event will feature Br. Kevin Hamzik, O.F.M., a 2019 St. Bonaventure graduate, and alumna Mari Snyder, Class of 1990. A dessert bar will be provided.

Hamzik, who has returned to campus for a pastoral year before making his solemn vows, works with the Quick Center and University Ministries. He has created eight original icons inspired by people he met during his mission service, including one depicting a refugee he encountered while serving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Hamzik will present an artist’s talk about his icons and the stories behind them.

Joining him will be Snyder, who has been living at Mt. Irenaeus as a Mountain Companion since spring 2024. A former Franciscan Mission Service missioner, she spent two years ministering to refugees in the United States and Mexico. She will share her experiences and insights from accompanying families and individuals who fled their homes in search of a better life.

“This opening event sets the tone for Francis Week,” said Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, O.F.M., vice president for Mission Integration. “It brings together art, faith, and lived experience in service to those on the margins, reflecting the values of St. Francis himself.”

The celebration continues Tuesday, Sept. 30, with an outdoor screening of “Io Capitano,” an award-winning 2023 film by director Matteo Garrone. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Plassmann Quad, with popcorn and candy available. Students and guests are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows. In case of rain, the film will be shown in Doyle Conference Center.

“Io Capitano” follows two Senegalese teenagers on a perilous journey from West Africa to Italy, navigating deserts, checkpoints and the Mediterranean Sea as they pursue their dreams of a brighter future. The film has been recognized internationally, including an Academy Award nomination for Best International Feature Film.

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, the university will host a one-person play, “Rebuild My Church,” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Doyle Chapel. The 70-minute performance explores the life of St. Francis of Assisi in an engaging theatrical format, offering audiences a chance to reflect on the university’s Franciscan identity. A dessert bar will follow the performance.

Francis Week also includes traditions that directly connect the campus community to the spirit of St. Francis.

On Friday, Oct. 3, the annual Blessing of Pets will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in front of McGinley-Carney Center. Members of the campus and local communities are invited to bring their pets for a blessing in honor of the saint’s well-known love for creation and animals.

That evening, the Franciscan friars will lead the Transitus, a 30-minute ritual commemorating Francis’ passage from earthly life to eternal life. The service, which dates back centuries, will begin at 7 p.m. in Doyle Chapel.

Through scripture, prayer, and stories from Franciscan tradition, the Transitus honors the saint’s death on the eve of his Oct. 4 feast day. Refreshments will be offered following the service.

The week concludes Saturday, Oct. 4, with the Feast of St. Francis Mass at 4 p.m. in Doyle Chapel. The liturgy will be followed by a feast day dinner in Hickey Dining Hall, bringing the campus community together in celebration of one of the university’s patron saints.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).