Photo by Jackie Holcombe

ATLANTA—Our Lady of the Angels Province welcomed a new friar priest—Friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv.—who was ordained to the priesthood by Friar-Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., on Saturday, July 19, at Holy Cross Church in Atlanta.

During his homily, Archbishop Hartmayer, said, “It is obviously a great joy for me to be with you, my Conventual Franciscan family, to ordain our brother, Friar Franck-Lino Sokpolie, to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. God not only calls, he equips. Christ himself places his words in your mouth making you his herald, his preacher, his minister of the sacraments.

“A priest’s credibility is never about age or status. It is about holiness. Not only in your preaching but in your conduct, through humility, Franciscan simplicity and joyful service. Be a witness in love, especially toward the difficult, in faith, proclaiming Christ crucified, even at a cost. In purity, keeping your heart undivided for the Lord.”

Born in Togo, West Africa, Friar Lino is the son of Emilie and Ange Sokpolie. Twenty years ago, he and his family, including his sisters Sonia, Angela and Elodie, moved to Richmond, Virginia. He hails from a family with multiple vocations to the Catholic Church: his aunt is a Benedictine nun in France, and two uncles are priests in Togo, one a Benedictine abbot and the other a rector of a diocesan seminary.

Growing close to his aunt and uncles and witnessing their joy in their vocations inspired Friar Lino to consider his own calling.

Friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv., speaks about his vocation journey to those attending his ordination Mass July 19 at Holy Cross Church, Atlanta. Photo by Jackie Holcombe

“Although their vocation story deeply moved me, I had believed throughout my teens that priesthood was merely a childhood dream,” he said. “However, during my first year of college, I began to discern my vocation once again.”

Of the Sokpolie family’s many vocations to the church, Archbishop Hartmayer said, “For a family rooted in prayer, it is a testimony in faith.”

At the conclusion of the ordination Mass, Our Lady of the Angels Minister Provincial Friar Michael Heine, OFM Conv., expressed his gratitude to the friar’s family for entrusting their son to the order and spoke directly to the newly ordained.

“Lino: here, in the deep south, we are blessed to call you our brother. The church is blessed to call you a friar-priest. You remind us that by the grace of Christ, our Franciscan brotherhood, our Franciscan relationships, they are stronger than any racial or cultural barriers that may arise,” the provincial told the new priest. “Please, be who you were born to be. Celebrate your culture. Honor your point of view. Live from the depths of your heart. By your yes, you make Holy Cross Parish, the church and the Franciscan order richer.”

While exploring religious life, Friar Lino considered various communities. At each Come and See discernment weekend, he felt something was missing and couldn’t quite identify what it was. His mother suggested he also consider the Franciscans or Dominicans, but he was leaning toward the Benedictines. One day, he googled “Franciscans,” and the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City was the first site he clicked on.

“Finally, I emailed the shrine and the Benedictine Abbey of St. Meinrad, leaving it to God to guide me. Whoever responded first, I would consider a sign,” said Friar Lino. “The shrine responded the next morning. I trusted that was God’s way of leading me, and nearly 12 years later, I am being ordained as a friar priest.”

Friar Lino often reflects on St. Benedict Joseph Labre’s words: “The Providence of God is never wanting to him who confides in God as he ought,” which he finds true. During his first Come and See weekend with the friars, he realized what was missing wasn’t food but community seeing the friars be their authentic selves, joking, laughing, supporting one another. That experience cemented his calling, and the rest was history.

“Beginning this new chapter in my Franciscan journey has left me with no words but gratitude,” Friar Lino shared. “I look forward to the experiences that come with being a friar priest. I am at peace, happy, and grateful that God has allowed me to live out my vocation in this way.”

Friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv., lays hands in prayer over Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., at Holy Cross Church July 19. Photo by Jackie Holcombe

Friar Lino earned his Master of Divinity in 2025 from the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. He holds a B.A. in French and francophone studies from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he also minored in philosophy and received an advanced certificate in European studies. His first assignment as a friar-priest will be to serve the people at Holy Cross Church in Atlanta, working closely with the Hispanic community. He spent two summers in Colombia, learning Spanish and ministering alongside friars in Bogotá and Medellín.

Since joining the province, his assignments have included St. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro; St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Kensington, Connecticut; working with retired friars in Rensselaer, New York; and ministering at St. Ann-Pacelli Catholic School in Columbus, Georgia. Friar Lino professed simple vows on July 21, 2016, and solemn vows on July 30, 2021. He was ordained a deacon on April 6, 2024, at The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio.

In his free time, Friar Lino enjoys playing tennis, reading, sleeping and occasionally hiking with friends, with some reluctance, he admits.

At the end of his ordination Mass, Friar Lino shared, “What a profound gift God has given me, not only the gift of my vocation but also the blessing of seeing all of you here today, the many people who have helped shape me into who I am. Today, I see the tapestry of my vocational journey, with every thread representing a moment, a person, a step along the way. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you!”

He added, “At my solemn vows, I said ‘I do’ to living my life in a particular way; at my diaconate, I renewed that commitment to serve God’s people. And now, as a friar priest, I say once again, ‘I do’ with all my heart. I have become what I love, and what I love has shaped who I am, first as a friar, and now as a friar priest. Please pray for me and be assured of my prayers for you all.”