“Bonner was never really a question for me,” says Father Rich Jasper ’92.
Raised in St. Charles Parish in Drexel Hill, Father Rich grew up in a community where Catholic education was an expected and important part of life. Bonner’s strong reputation made it the natural next step. While some families had a long tradition of attending, Father Rich was the first in his family to go to Bonner. As the oldest child, he helped set the path, and his younger brother graduated six years later.
Finding Community at Bonner
The transition to Bonner was challenging at first. Coming from St. Charles, a small parish school, Bonner felt large, and the all-boys environment took time to adjust to. Over time, Father Rich found his place.
“Once you met your friend group and got connected with all the different things there, it became a second home,” he says.
He became involved quickly, joining the debate and forensics clubs and later participating in the newspaper and yearbook. These activities shaped his friendships and supported his early interests.
As a student, Father Rich imagined a future in journalism. “I thought I’d take Jim Gardner’s job at Channel 6,” he says. Writing was something he enjoyed, and Bonner gave him opportunities to develop that skill.
Faculty members also left a lasting impression. Father Rich recalls many dedicated lay teachers, especially Ms. Jean Turnbull, who taught theology and ran the debate team.
“So many teachers were just there for you,” he says. “They truly cared. It wasn’t just a job. It was a mission and a ministry.”
Faith That Took Root
Faith was a central part of Father Rich’s Bonner experience, particularly through the Augustinian friars.
“The Augustinian Friars were very good about making the Catholic faith part of your life,” he recalls.
Bonner’s senior retreat was especially meaningful. Through the guidance of the Augustinians, including Father Denny and Father Devlin, students were encouraged to make their faith personal and lived. That message stayed with Father Rich after graduation.
A Growing Call
After Bonner, Father Rich attended Cabrini College and majored in Communications, continuing to focus on writing and journalism. Here, he continued to deepen his faith and participated in Project Appalachia. It was through a combination of his experiences at Bonner and Cabrini that he began to consider a vocation to the priesthood. Father Rich points to the witness of the friars and to a priest he met through Project Appalachia.
“He lived with the poor, cared for everyone who came to him, and he just loved them,” Father Rich says. “That’s where the seeds took root.”
Father Rich describes Cabrini as the time when his Catholic faith truly became his own.
A Path to Priesthood
A little over a year after graduating from Cabrini, Father Rich applied to seminary formation. Shortly after, his younger brother was paralyzed in a car accident at the age of 18. Father Rich left the seminary soon after and spent nearly 12 years teaching in the Catholic school system.
During that time, priests continued to reach out and encourage him to reconsider the priesthood. He also spent time with the Augustinians while teaching, discerning whether he was called to teach at Bonner and become an Augustinian.
“It wasn’t where God needed me,” he says. He continued teaching while discerning his path. Eventually, a priest friend from Wilmington encouraged him to return to the seminary and try again.
“This time, it worked,” Father Rich says. He was ordained in 2017.
Giving Back to Catholic Education
Father Rich began giving back to Bonner & Prendie while teaching eighth grade. As he watched his students move on to B&P, he reflected on the impact his own high school experience had on his life.
“I realized how important my high school experience was,” he says. “I was sending my students there, and I wanted to give back to the school that had such an impact on my life.”
His reasons for giving are direct and personal. Bonner provided faith formation, community, and a strong educational foundation.
“I want to help provide a solid Catholic education for the young people who come to B&P,” Father Rich says. “I want them to have the same experience of faith and community that Bonner gave to me. I made my best friends there. I grew in my faith there. I got an excellent education there.”
He also connects his support to the broader mission of Catholic education. Father Rich often recalls a line from journalist Charles Osgood.
“Catholic education keeps the light burning,” he says, quoting Osgood. “In a world that can sometimes feel dark, it keeps the light burning. That’s why Catholic schools like Bonner & Prendie are needed.”