A Profile of a Brotherhood

"To fill the whole earth with the Gospel of Christ"

As Franciscans, we are challenged to adapt ourselves to a rapidly changing Church and world while remaining true to the spirit of our founder, St. Francis. Like his original followers, the friars of the St. Barbara Province are called to be men of prayer in involved in a variety of ministries. Our charism is not to any specific task in the Church. Rather, it is to be brothers among ourselves, to all people, and to all of God's creation. We believe that by living together in love we fill the whole earth with the Gospel of Christ.

Established in 1915 and head quartered in Oakland, California, the Province of St. Barbara currently numbers 220 members with an additional 32 in formation, and 9 in pre-formation programs. We have friars serving throughout California, as well as in the states of Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. We also serve in missions in northern Mexico, the Philippines, Peru and Guatemala, and continue to minister among the Native American peoples in the Southwest.

Friars seek to share their gospel life in a personal way, while taking on the challenge of an animated way of life. Friars from the Province of St. Barbara work in a variety of ministries: in hospitals, community organizing, skilled trades and social work with the poor. We staff a variety of parishes that cross ethnic, cultural, and economic boundaries. And together with sisters, Secular Franciscans, and Franciscan volunteers, staff five major retreat houses. Four of the original 21 missions established by Franciscan Friars are now entrusted to the care of St. Barbara Province. The province continues its work in education with friars teaching in high schools, colleges, universities and in a variety of religious education programs as well. The Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, administered and staffed by friars from our province together with other religious and lay people trains not only our own friars, but other men and women (both religious and lay) for ministry. Friars also work as chaplains in hospitals and prisons with justice and peace issues and with refugees and human rights.

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