Friar James McCurry, OFM Conv., former minister provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province, was honored on Apr. 11, 2026, with the 2026 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award, given by the Institute for Religious Life (IRL) at its annual meeting, “Mary, Mother and Model of the Consecrated Life,” held at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. Previous recipients include Saint Mother Teresa, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Cardinal John Carberrry, and Cardinal Albert Meyer. Friar James knew them all.
“After several months of pondering about tonight’s prestigious award, and asking over and over the question, “Why me, Lord?”, God provided the hint of an answer,” Friar James said. “At the beginning of this current year, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV proclaimed from the Vatican that 2026 would be the Year of St. Francis in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the Saint of Assisi’s death. So, here before you now, in the Year of St. Francis, the IRL is honoring a Franciscan. I pray that this honor will redound to all my fellow Franciscans, some of whom are present this evening, including two ministers provincial, my successor Friar Michael Heine of Our Lady of the Angels Province and Friar Paul Langevin of St. Bonaventure Province.”
During his priestly ministry, Friar James has lectured, conducted retreats and spiritual days, and preached in all 50 of the United States, as well as in over 60 countries on all seven continents. He is the author of Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity, has published several articles, and appeared on numerous radio, television, and video programs. His “Mariology” series on the Eternal Word Television Network was syndicated for several years, and he has frequently be a guest on EWTN.
“It was an honor to represent all of the friars as Friar James was honored,” said Minister Provincial Friar Michael Heine, OFM Conv. “Thank you, James, for representing all of us. We are very blessed to have you among us.”
Friar Michael was among more than a dozen friars who attended the award ceremony.
Closing his remarks, Friar James said, “May God and Mary help us consecrated men and women to accomplish all that remains to be finished in the lives we have professed. May God and Mary give us the grace that the poet Hopkins’ final words might come to be fully realized on that unknown day when each of us departs this mortal coil:
“In a flash, at a trumpet crash, I am all at once what Christ is, / since he was what I am, and This Jack, joke, poor potsherd, / patch, matchwood, immortal diamond, Is immortal diamond.”
