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St. Francis of Assisi is walking the walk at Siena College in Loudonville. 

On Nov. 22, the Franciscan university welcomed Brother Michael Perry, OFM, to bless the college’s latest statue: an eight-foot-tall depiction of a young St. Francis walking barefoot in the footsteps of Jesus, which was installed outside the college’s recently renovated Patricia Gioia Hall. 

Brother Perry has served as Superior General of the branches of the Order of Friars Minor and is the former General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor, a title that comes directly from St. Francis of Assisi. Brother Perry also served as the commencement speaker at Siena this past May and will be joining the campus’ Franciscan community in January.

“We see this image of this young man who dared to step out, much like the young people of today who dare to step into the Siena world and into the university and college, with no idea what their lives will be,” Brother Perry said. “But the important thing is they’re willing to take the first step.”
Other speakers included Chris Gibson, Siena College president; Ned Jones, vice president for Enrollment and Marketing; Father Mark Reamer, OFM, ‘83, vice president for Mission; and Peter G. Crummey, supervisor of the Town of Colonie. 

“We’re really excited about this statue,” Gibson said. “It’s a depiction of St. Francis in motion, really calling us to our mission here at Siena and what we really work on, which is an education of a lifetime. This will really put a fine point on our Franciscan mission.”

The statue was designed by John Collier, a renowned artist known as one of the sculptors for the Catholic Memorial at Ground Zero, which is located at St. Peter’s Church in lower Manhattan. His various works can often be found in and around churches.

Along with the dedication, Brother Perry announced a new initiative on environmental issues that is being developed with the Vatican in alignment with St. Francis’ “Laudato Si’,” the second encyclical by Pope Francis that laments environmental degradation and calls for action against global warming. Such sustainability projects are important not only to the Franciscans and the Catholic community but to the Siena students and faculty. “I think that Siena has been for a long time trying to become ever more sustainable and prepare future leaders who will keep that in mind,” Brother Perry said. “Changing the course of technology and changing the course of attitudes and outlook on life and to develop a (better) understanding of human life.”

Dr. Kate Meierdiercks, department chair and associate professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences, is hopeful that on-campus sustainability initiatives will be able to “partner with Brother Perry and work with student-engaged community work” on sustainability projects.

“I think Siena is uniquely positioned to do this work with its Franciscan mission and also with the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability work,” Meierdiercks said. “We hope to collaborate with faculty and students in the School of Science and from the schools of business and liberal arts.”

In his time as general minister, Brother Perry was able to work alongside Pope Francis and recently met with the Holy Father at his study on Oct. 6 to discuss the war in Ukraine and issues caused by the on-going climate crisis. Brother Perry was able to gift the pope a Siena Saints T-shirt and was given a promise that Pope Francis would be praying for Siena’s students.

Gibson added that Siena’s work in sustaining the campus environment goes hand in hand not only with the values of the Franciscan order, but with Siena’s values to maintain a beautiful space dedicated to God’s creation.

“Siena College has been graced to be named among one of the 50 most beautiful campuses (by Condé Nast Traveler magazine), something we think St. Francis would be proud of,” Gibson said. “It’s one of the things we keep front and center … and this statue is central to that.”

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