What is a Friar? – Sacred Heart Catholic Church

A Franciscan friar is a member of the Order of Friars Minor, a religious order founded by St. Francis of Assisi more than 800 years ago. Friars profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as they seek to follow the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis.

The Order of Friars Minor is a mendicant religious order of men. In the Franciscan tradition, the friars live simply, own nothing individually, and rely on God’s providence, their fraternity, and the generosity of others to support their life and ministry.

Today, the Order of Friars Minor includes more than 12,000 friars serving in countries around the world.

*The initials OFM, often seen after a friar’s name, stand for Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans.

Our Friars and the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Franciscan province is a regional community of friars within the Order of Friars Minor, the religious order founded by St. Francis of Assisi. Sacred Heart is staffed and served by Franciscan friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a coast-to-coast Catholic brotherhood established in 2023 through the unification of several Franciscan provinces in the United States.

The friars serve in urban and rural communities across the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. Their ministries include parishes, schools and universities, hospitals, prisons, retreat centers, soup kitchens, social service ministries, and other places where they can bring the Gospel to life in the spirit of St. Francis.

Today, the friars continue the Franciscan mission of living the Gospel through prayer, fraternity, and care for the poor and marginalized. Their backgrounds and ministries are diverse, but their shared purpose is to serve God’s people with humility, compassion, and peace.

What Is the Difference Between a Friar, a Brother and a Priest?

“Friar” is the English language version of “frater,” Latin for brother. All Franciscan men are Brothers by reason of the vows we take to live our life in community as a fraternity of men dedicated to following Christ in the manner of St. Francis. Within our own fraternal life, “Brother” is the moniker used. Recently, we elected a new Minister General, the leader of the fraternity worldwide. By regulation, the Minister General must be an ordained priest, yet the announcement of his election was “Br. Michael Perry, OFM Elected Minister General.” Our first vocation is to life as brothers.

All the brothers are also called to their own vocation. Holy Name Province has brothers who are doctors, lawyers, cobblers, tailors, maintenance specialists, university professors, musicians, and more. And many of these same men are also priests. The men of Holy Name Province who were called to the vocation of ordained priesthood and serve in pastoral settings, such as parishes and retreat centers, can also be called “Father.”

So… is it always proper to address a Franciscan as “Brother?” Yes. As “Father,” yes, if they are ordained.

What Makes Us Different?

Certainly that St. Francis of Assisi was our founder makes a big difference, but there are other differences too.

Many religious orders have a very specific charism, e.g., the Jesuits are especially known for their work in education. The Camillians specialize in hospital work. The Sulpicians are dedicated to the seminary education of priests. Franciscans are different. We specialize in nothing in particular. Rather we are committed to living the Gospel in whatever form that takes.

As a result, the Franciscan Friars have always been thought of as “of the people and with the people.” Living in community is a core value and often helps the Friars to put things in a more “down to earth” perspective. The Friars never see themselves as better than anyone, or as Francis wrote: “make yourself subject to all.” Consequently, friars are not usually judgmental and are very accepting of everyone, those who are in the faith community and those who are not. “All Are Welcome” is the usual core of Franciscan hospitality.

And certainly the brown habit and cord help to differentiate us in many different ways.

What Is Our Mission?

The core of Franciscanism is in the living out of the Gospel of Jesus Christ within the Church according to the rule of life proposed and observed by St. Francis of Assisi to preach this message to every creature. This is our purpose and mission.

Our message is very simple: God loves each of us totally and unconditionally.