ABOUT

Born in New Orleans, I have always been called by the French pronunciation of my first name, “Al-bear.” I still laugh when I introduce myself and someone thinks my last name is “Bear.”

The Slow Boat To China

Growing up on Apricot Street, I spent a lot of time in the backyard trying to dig a hole to China. I thought I would never get there – until 1990 when the General Minister of the Franciscan Order asked for volunteers to once again bring the Franciscan presence to the Chinese. And so, on August 15, 1992, I made my way to the island of Taiwan to begin two-and-a-half years of Chinese language studies. After that, I finally achieved my childhood dream of making it to mainland China. I taught English in Wuhan for one year. From there, I went north to the Chinese capital of Beijing where I lived for ten years. I taught English for two years and then became the Director of Human Resources for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. (I jokingly tell people that Saint Francis started off in the business world and then dedicated his life to God; I did it backwards by dedicating my life to God and then entering the business world!) My weekends in Beijing were spent ministering to the English-speaking Roman Catholic community; I was the priest and pastor of a community of 500 Catholics from 27 different countries.

Friar, Priest, Egghead

I entered the Franciscan Order in 1976 and was ordained a priest in 1983. It’s impossible for me to imagine myself being anything other than a Franciscan friar; it’s part of my DNA.

I received a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Fordham University in 1990; I wrote my dissertation on Franciscan hagiography, specifically, Bonaventure’s Major Life of Saint Francis of Assisi. Though I enjoy dabbling in academia, I am far from being a scholar.

How I Stay Out Of Trouble

I am an itinerant preacher of parish missions and retreats as well as a teacher of adult education courses for numerous Catholic parishes. I am also an adjunct professor of spirituality at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL, and a spiritual director. I train spiritual directors for the diocese of Peoria, IL, as well as am co-host of the weekly radio show, Spirit and Life, heard on Saturdays at 8:30pm CST and Sundays at 2:30pm CST on the Relevant Radio Network.

Behind Every Man Stands A Woman

The Chinese have an expression, “ai wu ji wu.” Similar to the English, “love me, love my dog,” the Chinese idiom means, “your love for me must extend to the crows on my roof.” In my case, it’s not a crow but an African gray parrot with the splendiferous name, Magnolia Nefertiti, Queen in Exile of Lake Pontchartrain. As any other parrot owner will admit, she’s owns me; I don’t own her.

For Publicity

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Ordained a Franciscan priest in 1983, Albert Haase, OFM, is a popular preacher, teacher, and radio personality. A former missionary to mainland China for over eleven years, he is the author of four books on popular spirituality. He is an adjunct professor of spirituality at Catholic Theological Union. He is also the co-host of Spirit and Life, a radio show heard every weekend on the Relevant Radio Network. Visit his web site at www.AlbertOFM.org