Community Profile

Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Fr. Gabriel Mary Bakkar, C.F.R. Vocation Director 523 W 142nd St New York, NY 10031-6702 212-281-4355 www.franciscanfriars.com

Community Information

International? England, Honduras, Ireland, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland No. in community (professed members) 105 Year founded 1987 Generalate/ motherhouse Bronx, NY Province/federation Represented in US (Arch)dioceses New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Paterson, NJ; Santa Fe, NM, Fort Worth, TX

About Us

Mission statement/description These Franciscans perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy toward the poor and homeless, and evangelize with many apostolates. They run the Padre Pio Shelter and the St. Anthony Residence in the Bronx for men, and they run other centers. They also run retreats, days and evenings of recollection, parish missions, conferences, and organize street evangelization and youth prayer festivals. Those called to their way of life have found the peace and joy which comes from discovering and doing the will of God. These are the essential elements which characterize their way of life and constitute the "soil" which supports and nourishes their call to holiness: Catholic, Franciscan, Capuchin, contemplative, prophetic, apostolic, fraternal, and pro-life. Qualifications for entry The primary goal of religious communities open to vocations such as that of these Franciscans is discovering the will of God. It is their desire to assist serious and mature men in discovering that particular state in life where they can sacrifice themselves for the kingdom of God and grow holy. Formation program Postulancy is followed by novitiate, then temporary profession, and then permenent profession. Age range/limit Consider belated vocations? No Belated/late vocations explanation