The Franciscans of Halifax.
The Franciscans of Halifax are a family of men and women free of the vows of marriage, who want to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in imitation of the Seraphic Saint Francis.
They want to serve the Lord in this diocese and are subject to the authority of the local bishop.
Their charisma is to serve in parishes, serve to sick people, to the poor, to those who have no voice, under the guidance of the Pastor. At the same time, the brothers and sisters are instruments of evangelization in the parish(es) where they are living.
They want to live their religious life rooted in the diocesan environment. They believe that their obedience to the local Bishop is itself a sign that their election is from God.
In 2002, as they were ministering in the Parish of St. John Viand in Lower Sackville, Fr. Dariusz Misiolek and Fr. Roberto Donato were asked by parishioners to start a prayer group that would give them the sound teachings of the Church and also guide them into a deeper prayer life. They answered this request by organizing weekly meetings, forming a prayer community, focused on theological and biblical teachings as well as on spirituality and prayer. Within two years four different prayer communities were established, all of which are continuing to be led by Fr. Roberto and Fr. Dariusz.
With the encouragement Of Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Fr. Roberto opened a discernment house in Lower Sackville, which the Archbishop named after Brother Andre’, Brother Andre’ House.. Three men moved in and began their life in community under the guidance and direction of Fr. Roberto. It was the beginning of formation for these young men who intended to become priests.
The Brother Andre’ House of discernment began to draw others who felt a call for the religious life. Their numbers grew; they would meet every Sunday afternoon, and they approached Fr.Roberto to start a formation program , which included community life, teachings and prayer. The emphasis was on teachings related to the religious life and the priesthood. This was the beginning of their discernment.
Prayers to find accommodations for these men and women were soon answered when the Archbishop made available two houses: St. Catherine’s Glebe on Bayer’s Road and St.Peter’s Glebe in Ketch Harbor. Five men and five women moved into these two houses in the fall of 2005. St. Peter’s Glebe became the discernment house for women, a convent; All five women felt they were called to the religious life. They became novices of a new community, the Franciscans of Halifax. These women desired to revive the symbolic meaning that a religious habit carries, they obtained the consent of the Archbishop, and moved ahead in their vocation.
Two men also came to the conclusion that they were being called to the religious life. The Franciscans of Halifax thus became a community of Brothers and Sisters. It was one month after, on October 4th 2005, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, that the Franciscans of Halifax were officially instituted as a community.
Since then, the community has grown in numbers. The brothers were given use of a convent in Eastern Passage. The sisters are still living in Ketch Harbor.
sr Bernardette
Sr Phil
sr Terese
sr. Patricia