Catalog of Ministries

The Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular (TOR) of the Immaculate Conception Province, follow Christ in the footsteps of Saint Francis. We are a fraternity of men who freely vow ourselves to living in communion as brothers. We strive to live the gospel through gentleness, hospitality, and service. We seek to address the changing needs of the Church and the world by calling ourselves and others to prayer and conversion. More about us: Since the 1920s friars from the Province of the Immaculate Conception have served in a wide range of ministries. Our friars continue to serve in parishes with immigrant communities, in schools as educators and counselors, staff retreat centers as spiritual directors, and are advocates for the poor through Peace and Justice Ministry. In the beginning we built a Monastery to minister to Italian immigrants in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, and were blessed by generous donations that allowed us to reach out and build churches, schools, and communities of faith in Paraguay, and around the world through the international mission work of the TORs in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Our international body consists of friars in twelve countries. We rely on charitable donations to meet the needs of many of the Province’s earliest friars who are retired and to educate new priests to carry on our ministry. Our ministry continues to evolve and emphasize the spiritual path of continual conversion, constantly turning our lives over to God by dedicating ourselves to gospel poverty in the vision of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi, and by sharing this gift with the Church, and the world.