 He joined the Franciscan order in 1959, studying at St. Francis Novitiate in Teutopolis, Illinois, later obtaining his B.A.degree in philosophy at Our Lady of Angels House of Philosophy through Quincy College in Illinois.He held a master's of divinity from St. Joseph Theological Seminary in Teutopolis and received a Ph.D. in theology in 1981 from the Union Graduate School in Cincinnati, Ohio.