James Miller was born on November 30, 1923 in Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from high school, he entered the Discalced Carmelite novitiate at Holy Hill, WI in the Fall of 1942. Fr. Francis would later humorously recall that when his father dropped him off at the monastery, he told the friars, “He’s a good boy, but a little slow.” He fondly remembered the rowdy games of football that the novices would play on the shrine grounds.

During this first year, the novitiate was moved to the monastery in Brookline, MA where Br. Francis would make his profession on August 30, 1943. He then moved to the monastery in Washington, DC for his philosophy and theology studies. He was ordained a priest on December 14, 1949 with four of his classmates in the monastery chapel by Bishop McNamara.

After ordination, Fr. Francis moved back to the monastery in Brookline where he took some classes at Boston College and taught Gregorian Chant to the novices. He was there until 1955 when he was asked by the Irish-American Province to minister at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Tuscon, AZ. Fr. Francis would serve there for eight years, which he would later remember as being among the best years of his life. He particularly loved driving the old parish bus to take the youth group on trips.

The parishioners were sorry to see him leave in 1963 when he returned to the monastery in Brooklin for several years. He was later transferred to Washington, D.C. where, nearly every weekend, Fr. Francis would travel to parishes in the diocese to say Mass and to hear confessions. He had a particular love for this type of ministry with the people of God.

He also had an incredible passion for the outdoors. He planted beautiful roses all around the center drive to the monastery and would spend hours in his vegetable garden which provided food for the friars. Even when he was forced to use a walker, stubborn as he was, he would make the trek down to the garden and lower himself down on to his knees to pull weeds. Fr. Francis also had a great love for fishing. He would often make the drive up to the Carmelite camp at Deep Creek Lake to mow the lawn and spend the afternoon with his fishing pole in hand. He would also occasionally drive out of the city to Hancock, MD to spend a peaceful evening fishing, often not returning to the monastery until well after dark.

Fr. Francis’ sister, Sr. Teresa, was a Carmelite nun in Wheeling, WV. This community later joined the Carmel in Elysburg, PA, where Sr. Teresa is now buried.

After some health problems, Fr. Francis was forced to move to Sacred Heart Nursing Home in 2015, where he would spend the last five years of his life. It was a real suffering for him to have to live outside of the monastery, but during these years he did perhaps the most meaningful ministry of his life. Everyone in the facility (residents, nurses, janitors, other staff members) knew and loved Fr. Francis for his kind demeanor, sharp wit, and contagious smile. He could often be found in his room reading scripture, praying the rosary, or listening to sacred music.

When he was 94 years old, some of the Carmelite students took Fr. Francis to hear the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra play Mozart’s Requiem. When the music stopped, Fr. Francis remained completely still and quiet for several minutes. When asked what he thought of the performance he murmured, “I think I died and went to heaven.”

Having contracted Covid-19, Fr. Francis passed away at age 96 on June 7, 2020 and was buried in the Discalced Carmelite cemetery at Holy Hill on June 16. Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.