By Eileen Connelly, OSU
It was a busy, meaningful summer of service for the temporary professed friars who engaged in various ministries that strengthened their Franciscan spirituality, deepened their compassion for those in need and provided opportunities to accompany others on the journey of faith. Several of the brothers shared their experiences and how they were enriched by them.
Br. Tyler Harris gained experience in parish ministry with a Spanish-speaking community. He also had the opportunity to serve the poor. He is pictured here with the men’s group at Holy Family Parish in Edinburg, Texas.
Empathy and joy
Br. Tyler Harris, OFM, spent the summer at Holy Family Parish in Edinburg, Texas, at the southern tip of the state just outside McAllen at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I was interested in parish ministry with a Spanish-speaking component that would allow direct service with the poor,” he noted.
In the evenings and on the weekends, he led a weekly Bible study, working with the men’s group and facilitating a bilingual spirituality workshop for lectors. Br. Tyler also presided at a quinceañera service, a cultural rite of passage celebration for 15-year-old girls held in Mexico and many Latin American countries.
In addition, Br. Tyler also spent several days each week ministering at the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, founded in 2014 by Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, with involvement from local Franciscan friars.
He describes his work there as a “ministry of presence to families who have just crossed the border. Families are a big focus during their short time there, usually only a few days before going to their final destination. The emphasis was on the present moment, making people feel welcome and bringing normalcy to a precarious situation,” he explained.
This included serving meals, distributing personal care items, tutoring children in math and playing games with them, and conversing with young adults.
Br. Tyler said his work at the Respite Center “introduced me to a distinctive approach to ministry: restoring human dignity. As I continue on my Franciscan journey, this was very affirming of the type of ministry I’m attracted to: parish ministry with the opportunity to go out on the margins. For me, it was very Franciscan in that sense of welcoming people and making a personal connection with them.”
He is grateful for lessons learned over the summer, including improving his Spanish-speaking skills, with help from the migrants. In turn, he helped them learn English. The migrants’ joy, especially that of the children, was surprising and moving to Br. Tyler. “The kids were so incredibly loving, and even though they had been through traumatic experiences, I experienced the miracle of seeing them smiling and laughing amid their struggles.”
Their challenges increased his empathy and “taught me to be more humble and patient,” said Br. Tyler.
With his summer ministry assignment complete, Br. Tyler is continuing his studies at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio.
After returning from nine months of mission service in Jamaica, Br. Ricky Madere, OFM, sought a ministry opportunity that offered the chance for quiet reflection. He is pictured here at Mt. Irenaeus, where he was grateful to connect with God’s creation.
Contemplation and prayer
After returning from nine months of mission service in Jamaica through Brothers Walking Together, the province’s post-novitiate ministry immersion program, Br. Ricky Madere, OFM, felt he needed a quiet and peaceful place to reflect on what he describes as a “powerful” experience.
He found just what he was searching for at Mt. Irenaeus in West Clarksville, New York. The Mountain, as it is often referred to, is a sanctuary of prayer and hospitality where all are welcome.
Br. Ricky developed a prayer practice in Jamaica that he continued at the Mountain, making it part of his routine. “I realized how much I had been taking for granted and that I wasn’t thanking God enough,” he said. “Now if I wake up throughout the night or early in the morning, I kiss the ground and thank God.”
During the summer, he helped maintain the Mountain’s extensive property, cutting the grass and keeping the trails passable, and cooked and set up for special events. Br. Ricky also shared his vocation story with guests and assisted with leading a retreat for RCIA candidates, during which he shared his struggle with his faith.
“I really wrestled with my faith when I was younger and took it to prayer,” he admitted. “My grandma talked me into going through RCIA myself and it really helped reintroduce me to my Catholic faith and deepen it.”
Br. Ricky’s faith, spirituality and prayer life were deepened during his time at Mt. Irenaeus. “It was very fruitful, and I had many interesting interactions with people from different parts of the country,” he said. “The community at the Mountain cares for God's people and embraces everyone. Regardless of whether you are Christian or not, you are treated as family.”
“The slowness was a welcoming thing for me and gave me a great deal of time to reflect and contemplate,” he added. “Observing God's creation and hearing the birds tell you good morning and seeing Brother Groundhog and Brother Deer is a thing of beauty.”
Br. Ricky is continuing his studies at the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio. He feels called to a ministry of presence to those who work in skilled trades.
Br. Phil McCarter, OFM, is especially drawn to direct service and being present to others. Here he prays with a staff member at the St. Anthony Foundation in San Francisco.
Ministry and fraternity
Br. Phil McCarter, OFM, describes his summer at St. Anthony Foundation in San Francisco as “lifegiving in every way. It was such a good balance of ministry and fraternity, and I felt so much love and support from the friar community at St. Boniface Friary there.”
Located in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood, St. Anthony Foundation offers various services, including a dining room, technology lab, medical clinic, hygiene hub and the Father Alfred Center (FAC), a year-long residential addiction recovery program for men. Having recently completed a certificate in addiction studies at City Colleges of Chicago, Br. Phil was especially drawn to working with the men in recovery.
“I would sit in on their classes, eat lunch with them, mainly just be present to them,” he explained. “We talked a lot about their progress in the program. A lot of them were adjusting to the program. It was their first time living in community and on a structured schedule. It was similar to living in the novitiate, so I was able to give them tips on navigating things and assure them that their frustrations were normal.”
Meeting people where they are with acceptance and love, and restoring their dignity when needed, is meaningful for Br. Phil, who appreciates the opportunity to live out the Franciscan charism through his ministry experiences.
“When I was in postulancy at St. Francis Inn (in Philadelphia), I really discovered the joy and beauty of doing simple tasks and being among the people,” he said. “My spirituality is deepened through doing humble Franciscan work, and I just want to do direct service work wherever I am, being close to the people of God.”
Br. Phil is currently living in San Antonio, continuing his studies at the Mexican American Catholic College.
Is God calling you to become a friar?
The friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe are here to support you as you discern what God is calling you to do. For more information about how to become a friar, visit the Become a Friar page on our website.