Fr. Francis Bethel, OSB

A native of Wichita, Fr. Bethel converted to the Catholic faith in 1972 while studying in the Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas. Though Fr. Bethel majored in Classical Antiquities, he did not complete those studies and, instead, traveled to the French Benedictine Abbey of Notre Dame de Fontgombault where he professed his vows and was ordained a priest in 1983. As one of the founders of Our Lady of Clear Creek, he has held various roles from teaching philosophy and dogmatic theology to serving as master of novices for 19 years and prior for 15 years. Fr. Bethel is a master of oblates and provides spiritual direction at the Abbey. He's the author of "From Silence to Silence: A Benedictine Pilgrimage to God’s Sanctuary" (2025, TAN Books).