Friars guide Texas teens on their confirmation journey

When young Franciscans minister to youth, they walk alongside them at pivotal moments in their faith journeys. 

That spirit was on display when 135 teens who were preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation assembled at Holy Family Parish in Edinburg, Texas, for a retreat led by Franciscan friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Titled “Perfect Joy,” the retreat welcomed youth to grow in faith through prayer, Scripture, silence and Eucharistic Adoration, inspired by the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi. 

The retreat was led by a team of friars in initial formation (or training) and solemnly professed friars from the House of Studies. For the friars in initial formation, the event enhanced their own vocational experiences through hands-on ministry.  

A Franciscan response, born in fraternity

The concept of the retreat emerged from prayer and shared discernment. As friars in initial formation prayed together on the fruits of last year’s Provincial Synod, they began asking what a relevant response might look like – one that would allow them to minister together instead of individually. 

Br. Tyler Harris, OFM, one of the simply professed friars involved in creating the retreat, said the initiative bloomed out of those shared reflections and conversations. 

“This initiative was a concrete way for us as a fraternity to work together in a common ministry in direct response to the synod,” Br. Tyler said. “Working together in a common ministry is a very special experience – and a very Franciscan way of going about ministry.” 

Br. Tyler noted that chances to create new ministries can be limited during initial formation, making the experience of organizing the retreat quite meaningful. 

“It was a great opportunity for us to work together and bring together our passion for Franciscan life with a desire for creativity in ministry,” he said. “Being able to dedicate time and resources in service of young people was really encouraging.” 

The solemnly professed friars were excited to support their younger brothers. Br. Jeffery Jordan, OFM, who is solemnly professed and served as a co‑leader of the retreat, said field experience is an indispensable complement to academic formation. 

Such encounter “involves integrating doctrine, Scripture and pastoral awareness to address the spiritual, psychological and social realities of young people,” Br. Jeffery said. 

Br. Martin Sanabria, OFM, who also has taken solemn vows, echoed that conviction, pointing to ministry as a lived expression of the Gospel. 

The Perfect Joy retreat experience

The retreat included Lectio Divina, Eucharistic Adoration, worship music, journaling, shared meals, and personal reflection, and the celebration of Mass. Br. Tyler said the retreat’s theme drew from one of his favorite stories of St. Francis, in which Francis describes true and perfect joy to Br. Leo. Perfect joy, Francis says, is not comfort or success, but finding Christ’s presence even amid rejection and hardship. 

“The call to discover and savor Christ’s presence in our midst – even in sadness, rejection and setbacks – is a perennial challenge,” Br. Tyler said. “It also speaks very prophetically to a culture that seems obsessed with passing and self‑centered ideas of fulfillment.” 

Sharing that message with young people, he added, felt especially meaningful as they start shaping their lives of faith. 

Impact on both teens and friars

Parish leaders also saw the teens’ openness firsthand. Susie De La Garza, director of religious education at Holy Family Parish, said she was touched by how engaged the young people were throughout the day. 

“What surprised me most was how much the teens shared,” she said. “They were answering questions, offering their own reflections, and really engaging with what the friars were asking.” 

She said that the friars’ closeness in age helped foster trust and conversation. 

“Because the friars are young, the teens were really able to relate to them,” she said. “Even during breaks, I saw students talking with different brothers and asking questions they might not have felt comfortable asking in a large group.”  

For Br. Jeffery, a compelling moment of the retreat came during Eucharistic Adoration. 

“It was beautiful to see how there was a notable growth in understanding and overall engagement throughout the day,” he said. “You could see the young people opening themselves to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” 

By accompanying teenagers preparing for Confirmation, the friars were reminded that Franciscan formation is not just about what they bring to ministry, but about recognizing that Christ is already at work in the lives of others. In walking with young people at such a significant moment, the friars found themselves formed as much as they were forming – through presence, fraternity and shared faith. 

“It is important for friars in formation to have hands‑on ministry experience,” Br. Martin said. “This is the simplest way to practice our way of life as Jesus taught us to serve and not to be served.”