About Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Community · Friendship, New York
Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Community is a contemplative Franciscan retreat community rooted on nearly 400 acres in the Allegheny hills of southwestern New York, in the rural town of Friendship (mailing address West Clarksville), Allegany County. Sponsored by the Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe and closely partnered with St. Bonaventure University, the Mountain welcomes guests of all faiths for prayer, hospitality, retreats and the simple Franciscan way of life. A resident community of four professed friars lives on the land alongside long- and short-term lay companions, celebrating Sunday Mass in Holy Peace Chapel and extending ministry 'on the road,' 'in the home' and through digital media across the country.
- Established
- 1984
- Patron
- Fr. Irenaeus Herscher, ofm (the community is named in his memory; he was the longtime St. Bonaventure University librarian)
- Rector
- Br. Kevin Kriso, ofm — Guardian of Holy Peace Friary and Animator of Mt. Irenaeus (since 2024, following the death of founder Fr. Dan Riley, ofm)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo (Holy Peace Chapel was dedicated by Bishop Edward Head of Buffalo); Mt. Irenaeus is also a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Why belong here
Mt. Irenaeus offers a contemplative Franciscan way of life grounded in nearly 400 acres of woods, trails, gardens and seven hermitages in rural western New York. Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. in Holy Peace Chapel is open to everyone and is followed by a shared brunch; guests of all faiths (or none) are invited to stay overnight, walk the labyrinth, help in the garden or simply be still. The community extends its hospitality far beyond the Mountain through 'Mountain on the Road,' 'Mountain in Your Home' evenings in cities like Buffalo, Rochester, Washington, D.C. and California, a digital ministry, and a long-term Companion program — making it both a local retreat house and a national Franciscan outreach.
Mass times at Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Community
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Mt. Irenaeus
Mt. Irenaeus grew from a single off-campus retreat for St. Bonaventure University students in 1971 into a 400-acre Franciscan mountain community with seven cabins, the House of Peace and Holy Peace Chapel. The Mountain was incorporated in 1981, named in 1983 in memory of Fr. Irenaeus Herscher, ofm, and rooted on 207 acres of land purchased in West Clarksville, N.Y., in 1984.
- 1971: Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, and Fr. Gervase White, ofm, lead first off-campus SBU student retreat
- 1981: Advisory board forms; Mountain incorporated as a not-for-profit
- 1983: Named 'Mt. Irenaeus' in memory of Fr. Irenaeus Herscher, ofm (SBU librarian 1934–1970, died 1981)
- Nov. 14, 1984: Board purchases 207 acres in West Clarksville, N.Y.
- 1985: Frs. Dan Riley and Dan Hurley move onto the land with two summer interns; 'Students for the Mountain' begins
- 1990: Holy Peace Friary established (Dan Riley, Dan Hurley, Joe Kotula)
- 1991: Fr. Louis McCormick, ofm, joins the resident community
- Sept. 23, 1995: House of Peace dedicated
- Late 1990s: Holy Peace Chapel dedicated by Bishop Edward Head of Buffalo; Minister General Giacomo Bini, ofm, visits
- Oct. 20, 2001: First endowment campaign launched; inaugural Mountain Auction raises $25,902
- 2005: Bob Struzynski, ofm, joins; 2008: Kevin Kriso, ofm, joins; 2011: John Coughlin, ofm, joins
- March 2010: Fr. Dan Hurley, ofm, dies at age 90
- 2014: Fr. John Coughlin reassigned; Br. Kevin Kriso becomes Guardian of Holy Peace Friary
- 2016: Council for Spirit and Life formed; Mike Fenn becomes first Executive Director
- July 24, 2024: Founder Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, dies at age 81; Br. Kevin Kriso takes on the role of Animator
Mission and the Three Peaks Vision
The Mountain describes its purpose with the phrase 'Making all things new!' — joining with Jesus Christ to create a community that transcends a particular place and is open to all peoples, ages and cultures. After Fr. Dan Riley's 2024 passing, the community articulated its future as the 'Three Peaks of Mt. Irenaeus,' focusing resources, passions and gifts on three interlocking ministries.
- Service to Students — primary co-ministry with St. Bonaventure University for 40+ years
- Service to Adults — Mountain on the Road, Mountain in Your Home, faith formation pods, digital ministry
- Service to the Franciscan World — a unique contemplative formation ministry for the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the wider Franciscan family
- Affiliation: Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Partnership: McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry on the SBU campus
Resident Community and Friars
A small resident community of professed friars and a long-term lay companion live amid the daily life at Mt. Irenaeus, offering ministry and hospitality to guests and fulfilling the community's Gospel Manner of Life and Ministry. The Mountain is also home to Karen Pulaski, a long-term Companion who lives among the friars for most of the year.
- Br. Kevin Kriso, ofm — Guardian of Holy Peace Friary and Animator of Mt. Irenaeus (since 2024)
- Fr. Lou McCormick, ofm — resident friar and primary phone contact for overnight stays (585-973-2470)
- Karen Pulaski — long-term lay Companion
- Memory of founder Fr. Dan Riley, ofm (1939–2024)
- Memory of co-founder Fr. Dan Hurley, ofm (died March 2010)
Office and Ministry Staff
The Mountain's professional staff works from the McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry on the St. Bonaventure University campus, generally available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Mike Fenn — Executive Director (first to hold the role, in place since 2016)
- Natalie Pronio — Ministry Coordinator (focused on student engagement and relationship building)
- Mary Giardini — Senior Advancement and Communications Coordinator; also coordinator for the NY State GED program in Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties
- Rob Buckla — Campaign Manager (sustainability campaign leadership)
- Michelle Marcellin — Office Coordinator
Worship, Mass and the Liturgical Life
Sunday Mass is the public heart of the Mountain's worship life. Celebrated in Holy Peace Chapel at 11 a.m., it is open to people of all faiths and is followed by a shared Sunday brunch. During the academic year (September through May), much of the Mountain's programming is set in collaboration with St. Bonaventure University students.
- Sunday Mass: 11 a.m. in Holy Peace Chapel
- Sunday brunch after Mass (dish-to-pass; no leftover buffet food kept)
- Wednesday Evenings of Re-Creation in July: Evening Prayer, time on the land, supper, then Mass with open 'conversatio'
- Evening Prayer in the Chapel during summer evenings on the land
Retreats, Programs and Events
From summer retreats to intergenerational pilgrimages, the Mountain hosts a steady rhythm of programs that invite guests to slow down, share a meal, walk the trails and pray together. Many weekends are dedicated to SBU student work; adults and alumni join through the Council for Spirit and Life and the Young Alumni branch.
- Summer Adult Retreat Weekends (Council for Spirit and Life)
- Young Adult Family Weekend (early August; young alumni 2005–2026 cohort)
- SBU Orientation Overnight (introducing new students to the Mountain)
- Men's Overnight Retreats (began in the 1990s)
- Assisi Pilgrimages (intergenerational; first of four annual trips began in the 1990s)
- Evenings of Re-Creation (Wednesdays in July)
Mountain Companion Ministry
Since its founding, the friars have welcomed lay men and women into the life of Mt. Irenaeus for a year or more. Mountain Companions help lead retreats, 'walk with' guests on their spiritual journeys, tend the land and provide hospitality while living and working among the friars.
- Volunteer
- Student Summer Companions (the tradition of tent-dwelling summer residents continues today)
- Seasonal Companions (month or more of living and supporting the community)
- Long-Term Companions (a year or more; Karen Pulaski currently serves in this role)
Mountain on the Road and Mountain in Your Home
Beyond the 400 acres, the Mountain extends its hospitality into cities across the country through two traveling ministries. For more than 20 years, the Mountain has partnered with SBU to bring its way of life to alumni communities nationwide.
- Mountain on the Road — adult outreach through faith formation and gatherings
- Mountain in Your Home — evenings of food, prayer and fellowship hosted by friends of the Mountain in local communities
- Active regional gatherings in Buffalo, Rochester, Washington, D.C. and California
Digital Ministry and Franciscan Sojourners
The Mountain's communications identity is shaped by a small volunteer 'digital ministry' circle, animating the community's mission across phones, computers and printed materials. The Mountain family spans the country and the world, so digital tools are central to staying connected.
- Quarterly print newsletter and monthly email newsletter
- Podcasts, video, Facebook posts and prayer intentions
- Franciscan Sojourners
- St. Irenaeus Secular Franciscan Order
- Online meditations and reflections shared on the Mountain website and social media
The Land: Cabins, Trails and Sacred Spaces
Mt. Irenaeus rests on nearly 400 acres of Allegheny hills with seven cabins/hermitages, a labyrinth garden, a reflective pond and about 10 miles of walking trails. Guests can stay overnight in the larger homes with private rooms or in one of the smaller hermitages set away from the main structures for quiet and solitude.
- House of Peace — signature common house, dedicated Sept. 23, 1995
- Holy Peace Chapel
- Seven cabins/hermitages: Sunrise Cabin, St. Joseph Hermitage, St. Clare in the Meadow, La Posada, Juniper Hermitage, and others
- Labyrinth garden and reflective pond
- Approximately 10 miles of walking trails
- Sustainable gardening and food production
Visiting Mt. Irenaeus
Visitors are warmly welcomed, especially for Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. and the brunch that follows. Overnights are arranged only by phone — call the House of Peace at 585-973-2470 and ask for Fr. Lou; a suggested donation of $80 per night per person (not counting children) supports the life of the community. The Mountain does not rent out space or host large retreat groups; its focus is on individual guests and small groups that can share in the daily life of the community.
- Sunday Mass: 11 a.m. in Holy Peace Chapel
- Sunday brunch after Mass (dish-to-pass)
- Overnights by phone only: 585-973-2470 (Fr. Lou)
- Suggested donation: $80/night per adult; $50 refundable deposit for weekend stays
- Health note: please do not visit when feeling unwell (in consideration of the resident community)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Dan Riley, ofm1971–2024
Co-founder with Fr. Gervase White, ofm; led the Mountain from its first SBU student retreat in 1971 until his death on July 24, 2024, at age 81.
- Br. Kevin Kriso, ofm2024–present
Became Animator of Mt. Irenaeus after Fr. Dan Riley's passing, while retaining his role as Guardian of Holy Peace Friary (which he had held since 2014).