Franciscan Brothers of Peace

04/06/2026

Young Adults, check out the LifeLaunch event. You might be interested. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FhgbP5Tvb/

04/05/2026

04/03/2026

Thank you to St. Jerome School for your generosity in provide 59 bags of rice for our missions overseas. May God Bless you all .

02/25/2026

The Franciscan Jubilee Year.

To receive the Jubilee Plenary Indulgence:
1. Make a Pilgrimage. Visit a Franciscan church, chapel, or place of worship connected to
Saint Francis of Assisi.

2. Spend Time in Prayer. Reflect on the example of Saint Francis, his love of God, the poor, and peace among all people.

3. Pray. Our Father, Nicene Creed , Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare of Assisi, and the Franciscan Saints. Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father

4. Be Detached from Sin. Have a sincere intention to turn away from all sin, even venial sin.

5. Go to Confession

6. Receive Holy Communion

These steps may be completed within several days of the pilgrimage visit.

Opportunities to Participate.

To assist the faithful in receiving the Franciscan Jubilee Plenary Indulgence, the Franciscan Brothers of Peace offer the following:

1. Tuesday Public Mass – 7:00 a.m.
Blessed Solanus Casey Friary
1101 DeSoto Street
St. Paul, MN 55103

2. Saturday Public Mass – 7:30 a.m.
Queen of Peace Friary
1289 Lafond Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104

Confessions are available after Mass on these days or by appointment.

01/29/2026

Smile!!

I noticed this boy throughout the day.
He carried himself differently like someone who had to grow up too fast.

There was a seriousness about him, a quiet readiness.
He stayed near me, simply present, watching and serving when he could, attentive to what needed to be done.

He didn’t smile much.
Not because he was cold, but because life had taught him to be careful.
Some children are never given the luxury of softness. They learn responsibility before play.

I remember thinking…
a boy like this could save my life if I were lost in the jungle again.
He wasn’t loud or showy, but faithful and resourceful.

He could climb a tree to gather coconuts.
He could find water and edible plants.
He knew where to hide when the bombs came.

And then, one afternoon, he smiled.

No one asked him to.
No one forced it.
It wasn’t for a camera or for approval.
It was a gift, freely given.

That smile felt sacred to me because it was chosen. It was like trust offered slowly.

It reminded me how God works.
God never demands joy from the wounded.
He waits. He stays close.
He allows joy to come when it is ready.

In Franciscan spirituality, we believe Christ is especially present in the small, the quiet, the hidden.
I saw Christ in this boy not in words, but in presence and service; not in forced happiness, but in a single, honest smile.

And I was reminded again: some of the strongest witnesses to the Gospel will never speak a word.

They simply stay. They serve. And when they smile, the world is changed just a little.

01/28/2026

“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” Mat 11:15

In a single moment, a life can be changed forever.

When the plane comes, they know what it means.
The bomb is coming. So they hide and they pray.

When the sound fades, they run, only to hide again.And we ask the question that rises from the heart:

Where is God in this?

God is there
low to the ground,
holding His breath with them.

He does not abandon His people.
He does not turn His face away.
Sometimes, He allows those He loves
to carry a greater share of His suffering.

He is in the trembling hands.
In the brave smile that hides the tears.
In the prayer whispered when no words remain.
In the instinct to shield a child
with one’s own body.

He is where He has always chosen to be:
with the small, the powerless,the ones the world overlooks.

Jesus knows this hiding place.
He once fled in the night.

God is not far from their terror.
He is inside it, suffering with them,
not watching from a distance.

He shows the cross and the crown,
but He does not take them away.
Not yet.

And when we ask, “Where is God in this?”
the answer is not only “with them,”
but also “with us” breaking our hearts open,
asking if we will allow His compassion
to take flesh in us.

Because God’s presence now
is not power that destroys suffering,
but love that refuses to turn away.

If they must hide in order to live, we can trust that God is not wasting their suffering.
He is doing something greater than we can see.

It is easy to suffer for those we know and love.
But these children do not know you.
And yet, somehow, their suffering is for you.

To awaken your heart.
To call you to stand.
To remind you that God is still present
and still asking His people to believe .

01/26/2026

In a humble place, with simple gifts, heaven comes close.
No grand church. No perfect altar.
Just faith, prayer, and the living presence of Christ among His people.
Christ is present. Hearts are lifted. Jesus is here.

01/26/2026

In a humble place, with simple gifts, heaven comes close.
No grand church. No perfect altar.
Just faith, prayer, and the living presence of Christ among His people.
Christ is present. Hearts are lifted. Jesus is here.

12/26/2025

Merry Christmas.
From the Franciscan Brothers of Peace. We celebrated the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses with the Karen / Myanmar community.

12/22/2025

Brothers getting ready for Christmas.

12/22/2025

Brothers preparing for Christmas in different ways.

11/30/2025

Two spots still available. Discernment weekend. December 12-15. See contact information on flyer.