In college, you never know when a chance meeting can change your entire life trajectory.
Just ask Br. Frank Connor, O.S.A., the once economics major currently pursuing the priesthood and the newest addition to the Grace J. Palmisano Center for Campus Ministry for the 2025-26 academic year.
Before enrolling as an undergraduate student at Villanova University, he never thought much about religious life.
“Like most Catholics around my age – I’m 28 – I didn’t have great faith formation growing up,” he explained. “I fell away from the faith in high school. It wasn’t until I went to an Augustinian school that I started going to Mass again and had a real reversion experience. A lot of that came from the friars that I got to know and became friends with. “
Particularly, Br. Frank said he got close with the late Rev. George Patrick Magee, O.S.A., who once knew Br. Frank’s father. The two periodically had lunch together and talked about Br. Frank’s studies.
“He passed away during my senior year, and at his funeral I had this question in the back of my mind – ‘Should I be an Augustinian?’,” Br. Frank said. “I figured it was just nerves since I was about to graduate.”
Right out of college, Br. Frank worked as a financial journalist for Fox Business and then as a consumer ABS ratings analyst for Kroll Bond Rating Agency in New York City. Despite his professional success, he still felt he was called to do more. Finally, in 2021, Br. Frank left secular work behind and began pursuing life religious.
While at Merrimack College this academic year, he will assist the Rev. Dan Madden, O.S.A., director of campus ministry, and Rileigh Armstrong, associate director of campus ministry, with service trips, participate in various faith-based groups on campus and help with Masses.
“I hope to get involved with the Austin Scholars somehow,” Br. Frank said. “I’ve previously published two books and I’m currently writing an introductory history on the Order of Saint Augustine. I hope I can use my work to teach students about the Order’s history.”
Br. Frank is currently on his pastoral year. During the formation process, Augustinians in training use pastoral years to work to get a better sense of the ministries of the Order. For Br. Frank, he hopes to work in higher education.
After his year at Merrimack, Br. Frank will continue pursuing his master’s degree in divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is expected to graduate in 2027.
“I’m looking forward to working with the students,” he said. “I’ve been able to meet a few of them while orientation was going on. I’m also looking forward to getting real-world experience working with people during challenging times in their lives. Merrimack seems like an incredible, growing school and it’s exciting to be a part of the culture on campus.”
