His name may be Placid, but at 89, the fire of Franciscan evangelization still rages in the heart of the friar, the founder of the Franciscans Downtown storefront mission in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
There, in his hometown after years spent in large missions such as Covenant House, a youth shelter outreach in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Fr. Placid Stroik leads a Franciscan outreach that ministers to the seat of Portage County.
The mission features a wide range of activities that illustrate Franciscan heritage, from films and artwork devoted to Franciscan themes to outreach to the homeless.
“We never intended to do that,” noted Fr. Placid about the mission to the homeless, which involves regular meals and a place to gather during Wisconsin’s cold winter as well as the other seasons. The mission took up the slack of providing lunch after the local Salvation Army withdrew from that ministry after COVID. The meals attract some 40 regulars.
Franciscans Downtown began after Fr. Placid, eager for more duties while serving as a chaplain at a convent, asked his provincial for permission to establish a downtown outreach.
As in many other smaller Midwestern towns, much of the commerce has shifted to big-box stores on the edges, leaving space available in the struggling downtown. Fr. Placid soon found a former kitchen supply store he remembered from his youth and set up the mission.
With the assistance of a deacon and his wife, Fr. Stroik directs the informal drop-in center. Every Wednesday, there is a movie and a discussion. There are also prayer services and art displays, all focused on Franciscan spirituality, including a virtual pilgrimage to Assisi, complete with photos of the San Damiano Chapel.
The friar emphasizes a human touch, making a point of baking cookies —a skill he learned from his mother. He remains a presence, even as he approaches 90 and suffers from some leg problems, which cause mobility concerns.
But the mission continues. It is a vital way to keep the Franciscan charism alive, as the number of friars and Franciscan Sisters has declined, and those remaining are getting up in years, said Fr. Placid.
The Diocese of La Crosse recently implemented an evangelization campaign titled “Rebuild My Church,” a theme the mission has taken up as its own, particularly as it refers to the words heard by St. Francis of Assisi.
“It’s an opportunity to keep a Franciscan presence, one conversation at a time,” said Fr. Placid, who has come full circle back home.
He was an educator in Philadelphia, held leadership roles in the Franciscan province, and spent two decades at Covenant House, serving troubled youth on the streets of Manhattan.
He was born just 10 blocks from the mission site, one of eight children. He grew up in St. Peter’s Parish and wanted to be a diocesan priest, but there was no diocesan seminary or Catholic high school nearby.
So, he went off to the Franciscans. He spent some time at a diocesan seminary, wavered over whether to remain with the friars or pursue a diocesan priesthood, and eventually chose the Franciscan life.
In 2012, the friar returned to Wisconsin, serving as a chaplain in Manitowoc before getting the idea to establish the mission.
“Franciscans Downtown is like a waiting room,” Fr. Placid told the Point/Plover Metro Wire. “It’s a space for people to pause and take their next step—finding a job, healing a relationship, waiting for new beginnings. We’re not social workers. We’re here to support and empower people without judgment.”
The article for the new site was helpful, he said, getting the word out about the mission. But because of an editing error, he was labeled as retired. It’s a word not in his lexicon.
“The editor assumed you have to be retired at age 89,” said Fr. Placid. That is not the case. For Fr. Placid, the fire still burns.