The primary ministry of the Capuchin Franciscans, according to the Rule and Constitutions, is to live the fraternal Gospel life of St. Francis. This means that the life of the brothers and prayer have priority over active, outside ministry. As our Capuchin Constitutions state:
“To live together as lesser brothers is a principle part of our Franciscan vocation.”
Wherever the Capuchins find themselves, their primary ministries are living the Gospel life as brothers and spending significant time in prayer. Some of the friars in the province are wholly dedicated to fraternal services within the community and to lives of deep, contemplative prayer. Friars serve within the community in a variety of house-hold tasks: cooking, cleaning, repairs, etc. All of these are done in service to the community and build up the Gospel life of the friars. Elderly friars, who no longer serve in roles of active ministry outside the friary, give themselves completely to the life of prayer and contemplation.
The Gospel life of the friars and their deep commitment to prayer provide the necessary context for all of the outside, active ministries. What the friars do flows from who they are.
Formation and Vocation
A sign of the life and vitality of a religious order is seen in its attraction to young people and their willingness to embrace such a life. The Capuchin Constitutions state:
Concern for vocations arises above all from the brothers’ awareness that they themselves are living and offering to others a program of life that is extremely rich in human and gospel values.
Vocation recruitment is one of major initiatives of the Capuchins. Each fraternities has a local vocation animator, work to promote the Capuchin vocation to young men throughout the country. They journey with potential vocation candidates in the initial stages of inquiry, answer questions and concerns regarding the life, assist them in matters of discernment and provide a first-hand experience of Capuchin life.
