Did you know that not all Capuchin friars are priests? It's true! The Capuchin Franciscan friars are a mixed community of priests and lay brothers. In the United States, about 20 percent of all the friars are lay brothers. The Province of St. Mary has 23 lay brothers, men of deep prayer who have served in a variety of ministries over their lives. Our lay brothers can do it all: they are teachers, social workers, and counselors; parish ministers, retreat leaders, and spiritual directors; and chaplains at colleges, hospitals, and prisons. They are leaders in our fraternities, serving as guardians; they are directors of initial formation; and they are also leaders of our provincial administration, with brothers serving as treasurer, executive secretary, and on the provincial council.

The Capuchin Order held an international gathering of its lay brothers on Nov. 3-10 in Rome. Br. Anthony Zuba represented our Province at this gathering. With his brother peers from the North American and Pacific Capuchin Conference, they made a presentation to the Order about the status of the lay brother vocation in our region of the Order, encompassing the United States, Canada, and Australia. Delegations from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe did the same.

To prepare for this international gathering, Brother Anthony and the lay brothers of NAPCC conducted a survey of the lay brothers. From the information gathered in the survey, they drafted a presentation of their findings that provided a sketch of a portrait of the lay brother’s vocation in North America.

Over their first three days together in Rome, the friars examined their vocation as lived out over our 500- year history and in the present day; met in small groups to imagine the future of the lay brother vocation; and celebrated the lay brothers’ distinctive expression of our common Franciscan charisms.

Two other friars from our Province participated in the proceedings. Br. Regis Armstrong, a Franciscan scholar, gave a report on the lay brother vocation in light of Church documents; and Br. Will Tarraza, a formator at the NAPCC novitiate in Santa Ynez, Calif., and a member of the general formation council of the Order, facilitated small group discussions.

From the small group and plenary discussions, a consensus emerged. Friars wish to lift up the Capuchin charisms common to lay and clerical friars in such a way as to transcend the cultural and ecclesial forces that sometimes introduce false distinctions between priests and lay brothers. These forces have caused a two-tiered hierarchy to emerge in some circumscriptions of the Order. A sense that lay friars are not as fully Capuchin as the clerical friars has even inhibited the promotion of lay brother vocations. But the friars assembled in Rome agreed that there is only one Capuchin vocation, regardless of how that vocation finds expression in lay or ordained ministry, and all the friars are brothers with equal dignity. It is anticipated that the NAPCC will organize virtual gatherings in 2026 and 2027 to offer all friars continuing education on the history and development of the lay vocation.

After the work of the conference sessions was done, there were three days of pilgrimage. On the morning of Nov. 7, the friars passed through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica to observe the Jubilee Year of Hope. From the Vatican they walked to the Capuchin generalate and enjoyed a spectacular buffet luncheon. Then they continued on to the Capuchins’ Church of the Immaculate Conception, visiting the heritage museum and the renowned crypt-ossuary before celebrating Eucharist. On Nov. 8, the group boarded chartered buses for Assisi. They saw the original Portiuncula, the chapel St. Francis of Assisi rebuilt with his own hands, housed in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. They gazed on Francis’ habit and Giotto’s famed frescoes at the Basilica of St. Francis before celebrating Mass there. They said evening prayer at the Basilica of St. Clare. The view of the Umbrian valley was stunning; history and holiness were palpable on Assisi’s fabled streets. (And not only ancient holiness: St. Carlo Acutis is entombed at the Church of St. Mary Major in Assisi. Many a friar went to pay respects.) The friars stayed overnight at the Capuchins’ hostel, Domus Laetitiae. The next day, Nov. 9, the group continued on to Camerino, cradle of the Capuchin reform, to tour Renacavata and the ancient friary preserved on site. The friars celebrated Eucharist in the chapel and had a late lunch before making the long journey back to Rome and the conclusion of the conference.

The conference took place at the Capuchin International College, St. Lawrence of Brindisi, in Rome. With more than 100 student friars in residence at the collegio, and over 80 friars visiting for the conference, it was for Brother Anthony the largest gathering of Capuchins he had ever seen. In the cosmopolitan environment of the collegio, every day felt like a little Pentecost, with worship in multiple languages among friars from many nations. Everyone enjoyed the hospitality of the collegio, the fine food, the pleasant weather, and the remarkable orderliness that kept the conference running smoothly. The friars who work in the Capuchin General Curia have a special gift for making their Capuchin brothers who visit Rome feel like they are part of a global fraternity. For truly we are one family in Christ, drawn together by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. And whatever offices or titles we hold in the Church and in the world, we are all simply brothers and sisters. 

There is so much to share from the conference. Feel free to explore any of the links below for photos, short videos, and official reports.

Photos

Videos

Reports