Franciscan friars first came to the west coast in 1769, with the arrival of Franciscan Friar Blessed Junipero Serra in California. Franciscans from Mexico and Spain continued Serra's work, establishing a total of twenty-one missions from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay region. In 1872, friars from Germany arrived in California and founded a number rural and urban parishes. By 1915, the Province of St. Barbara had been formally established by the Franciscan Order.

Today, 275 Franciscans friars are members of our province. We typically have about 40 men in formation as simply professed friars, novices, and candidates. In addition, a number of solemnly professed from other provinces live and work with us. Approximately 200 men contact us each year, wanting to join us in this vocation.

Together with the whole Franciscan family, we are challenged to adapt ourselves to a rapidly changing church and world while remaining true to the spirit of our founder, St. Francis. Like his original followers, Franciscans today are called to be persons of prayer involved in a variety of ministries. Our charism is not to any specific task in the Church. Rather, it is to be brothers among ourselves, to all people, and to all of God s creation.

To learn more about the Franciscan Friars, visit their website at www.sbfranciscans.org.