Serra Club Happenings

Fr. Francis Hund Shares His Vocation Story

At a September 2025 monthly membership meeting, Fr. Francis Hund shared his vocation story. Read on for an inspiring account of what drew Fr. Francis to a priestly vocation.

FR. FRANCIS HUND SPEAKS OF HIS PRIESTLY VOCATION AS A TIME OF ACCOMPANIMENT

Our guest speaker for the September General Membership Meeting, Fr. Francis Hund, spoke fondly of his years as a priest - his priestly vocation - as a time of accompaniment. Pictured here with Larry Ryan, JOCO Serra Club VP Programs, Fr. Francis addressed the club's membership on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

He acknowledged the years of accompaniment by his parents during his youth in the family home in Paola, KS. He specifically called out the examples of his father's patience and his mother's gift of hospitality, as great gifts to him in his priestly vocation.

A music major at Benedictine College (he majored in organ), he recalled a gentle, but firm nudge from his organ professor, Sr. Joachim Holthaus, as she assisted him in his ability to focus on what his heart desired in terms of a vocation. 

He spoke with deep gratitude about the sense of accompaniment he has felt from area Serrans, acknowledging the prayer and sacrifice, and the friendships that he has formed. He recounted the story of meeting and getting to know Mr. Florent Wagner, a parishioner at Curé of Ars. This occurred during the years that Fr. Francis was at Curé, when he learned of Mr. Wagner's collection of miniature bells, fashioned in the likeness of the bells of the missions founded by St. Junipero Serra along the California coast. 

Fr. Francis related his experience of receiving a call from then-Archbishop Naumann in 2018, when Hund was asked by the archbishop to accompany his brother priests of the diocese. For Fr. Francis, this was an unexpected "accompaniment" role. He was given a role of "Minister to Priests," with a mission to listen to and encourage priests of the diocese. The COVID pandemic was especially challenging for him, as related in a 2021 article in The Leaven:  Lending an ear is Father Francis Hund’s full-time ministry - The Leaven Catholic Newspaper. 

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is better because of Fr. Francis, and the Serra Club members who received his presentation on Thursday are better, as well.

Thank you, Fr. Francis, for the gift of your vocation!

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