How do I become a Franciscan friar?

• Contact the HNP Franciscan Vocation Ministry.

  After you fill out our contact form, we'll connect you with friars who can help you further explore your call to religious life. (No further commitments or obligations required.)

• Experience Franciscan life.

  Visit one of our ministries or join an organic discernment community as you continue to explore your vocation. (Again, no further commitments required.)

• Attend a "Come and See"/Discernment Weekend.

  After you have spent some time with our friars in a discernment community, you may be invited to attend a discernment weekend, where you will be able to discuss your calling in more depth with our vocation team.

• Submit a formal application.

  Apply to join Holy Name Province's formation program. The application invites you to continue your discernment with us, but does not require you to take vows.

• Join the postulancy program.

  After your application has been accepted, you can join our postulancy program. Postulancy gives men time to ease into the rhythm of Franciscan life without requiring them to take vows.

• Become a novice.

  After postulancy, men spend their next year as novices. They receive the Franciscan habit and deepen their relationship with God, enrich their prayer life, and learn about Franciscan spirituality. At the end of the novitiate year, novices profess simple (temporary) vows for the first time.

• Enter the post-novitiate stage.

  During the next several years, you will engage in academic study along with regular ministerial work. Toward the end of this stage, you will spend an internship year working at a ministry, allowing you to apply your years of study in a real-life setting.

• Profess solemn (final) vows.

  The post-novitiate stage concludes with the profession of the three solemn vows that are central to Franciscan life – poverty, chastity and obedience. If you feel called to the priesthood, you will continue your theological studies after your solemn profession.

• Continue ongoing formation.

  Even after initial formation has been completed, all Franciscan friars continue in ongoing formation throughout their lives. There are opportunities to attend workshops and retreats, learn new skills and transition to new ministries. Inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, we are continually renewed as we re-discover Christ in the world around us.