Fr. Bob Mitchell, OFM: Always be who you are before God

​I was born in North Bay, Ontario, the middle child in a loving family of seven children. When I was six years old, I decided that I wanted to be a priest. It was probably due to my parents’ prayers that I received the call, although I myself had wanted to do it. My sister, who was two years older than me, and I would play priest at home.

When I was 17, I decided to go to St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. At the time, I belonged to the Congregation of the Resurrection, a community of priests who had boarding schools all over North America. I lived three years with them. At the end of those three years, however, my father had a massive stroke. He was five years bedridden with intensive suffering before he died. The best advice that I was ever given by my father was: “Bob, always be who you are before God.” I have always tried to follow that advice throughout my life

With my father bedridden, there was no breadwinner in the home where there were still two younger children. I decided that I would come home and become the breadwinner of the family. I became a teacher with a focus on special education and worked with disadvantaged students. The Government of Ontario heard about me and hired me to train teachers to go into the hospitals to work with the patients. I worked for 20 years as a teacher and a specialist.

Then my pastor spoke to me about my Religious vocation. He advised me not to return to the Resurrectionists because, as he said, they had already moved on. He gave me the contact number for a community in the western part of Canada. It was the Franciscan Friars.

I wrote to the Provincial who was living in Regina, Saskatchewan. I expected an answer in a reasonable length of time, but I received no answer until seven months later. The letter read: “Dear Mr. Mitchell, I have to start this letter with an apology. My secretary put your letter under the blotter on my desk and you can see how often I clean my desk. We would be glad to have you come.”

Photo credit: Adam Thom

So, on the second of June, 1970, I came to Lumsden, Saskatchewan, where the postulancy and novitiate were located. I was 39 years old. It was unusual at that time for someone to enter at that age because 35 was the cut off age, but they took the “old boy” anyways because I was already a teacher. They gave me an opportunity to see if I would fit in and I have been here ever since.

I have served as a Franciscan Friar in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Regina, mostly in either pastoral work in the parish or preaching retreats and giving spiritual direction. I am still doing spiritual direction. My preaching took me all over the world: New Zealand, United States, England, across Europe, the West Indies. Here in Canada, it was my work for about 22 years to preach retreats to many Religious communities every summer, both men’s and women’s communities of various spiritual families: Benedictines, Carmelites, and Franciscans. I also preached for a laywomen’s fraternity, the Kingship of Christ, and was the spiritual director for lay Carmelites.

I believe that the foundational success of my priesthood’s ministry is due to the lay people. I was never anywhere that I was not supported by the lay men and women who listened and responded. I made a point of wanting to hear what their hearts wanted to say. I continue to hear from these people even decades later. It matters so much for people to be heard. 

​My advice to people who ask “Father, how do I become close to Jesus?” is to spend time with Him in adoration or in the tabernacle. During our Friars’ retreat recently, we had two hours of adoration each evening and I was there. I also recommend my favourite prayer, the Peace Prayer of St. Francis, which is such a beautiful, heartfelt prayer!
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My advice to young people about their vocation is: Pray, pray, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. I carry the young people in my heart. 

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​Based on an interview with Fr. Bob Mitchell, compiled by Sr. Dianne Turner, OSE.