You and I have prayed for vocations for a generation. 

Our loving God’s response seems to ring in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth! Do you not perceive it?”

Your prayers are being answered generously! I pray that you perceive it with joy and hope. The Franciscan Order has been blessed to have holy men ready to respond to God’s extraordinary call to serve as missionary priests. God called them from their youth. These young men witnessed many friars in ministry and in prayer. They heard the Lord’s call to walk with and join the Franciscans to serve the poor.

I am writing you today on their behalf. Many come from poor, developing areas of our world where their Franciscan presence is needed. Some must be turned away because the Order does not have enough funds for their education and training. It costs $3,500 per year to educate and form a young Franciscan seminarian to serve as a missionary priest. This is a great value. In the United States, it can cost as much as $50,000 for a year of seminary education!

Friar Matthew, OFM

You have the opportunity to create a legacy

The formation of a missionary priest is a gift that keeps on giving! Consider Friar Ushar Kacchua, OFM from the Diocese of Rourkela in the Indian state of Orissa. He believes that God has called him to serve as a missionary priest to be with the poor as they suffer and to help them. He wants to bring Christ to them, so they find hope, healing and faith.

And then there is Friar Matthew, OFM from the Diocese of Hyderabad in the state of Telangana, India. He was called to be a missionary priest to spread the Gospel and bring the Risen Christ to the faithful. He also wants to share God’s love with the poor.

These are just two examples from India of thousands of men who are answering Christ’s call to serve the poor as Franciscan missionaries. They also come from Zambia, Vietnam, Peru, Brazil, Haiti, Kenya, Indonesia, Croatia, the Philippines, Madagascar and many other countries! 

Friar Ushar Kacchua, OFM

You have the opportunity to help prepare a young man to dedicate his life to serving God and the poor! These men are a gift of hope and new life for the Church. The healing touch of Jesus will live through their work with the poor for many years.

You have been so generous in the past.

Please help again. A gift of $3,500 to pay for one year of seminary training would be a miracle! And every such miracle would be rewarded with a sponsorship of an individual seminarian. You would receive a picture and the name of the seminarian you are sponsoring and updates on his progress. You will have the option of supporting the same seminarian until his ordination. You will help a grateful servant of God who will give his entire life to serving the poor. 

Would you be able to make a special gift of a $1,000? We have a Legacy Book that contains the names of benefactors who make that gift to help prepare Franciscan missionary priests. It is in our Franciscan Missions Chapel to remind our friars and seminarians to pray for those whose generosity supports them.

Any gift you make today will be greatly appreciated! 

Long have we prayed for this day! Now the Lord calls us to be faithful to these young vocations called forth by the Holy Spirit to lives of service as Franciscan missionary friars. 

I thank God for you, and I thank you with all my heart.

Your brother in Christ and St. Francis,

Brother Andrew Brophy, OFM Executive Director