Meet the Brothers

San Damiano Friary, San Francisco, CA

Br. Jude
Brother Jude is currently the Minister Provincial of the Province and lives at San Damiano Friary in San Franciso, where he has been for the past ten years since he transferred from the European Province. He trained in Zurich and London as a Jungian Analyst and has a small private practice working with people who do not have resources to afford this work. He is a spiritual director, facilitates groups and training for people in the ordination process. He also works for the San Francisco Night Ministry as a Night Minister on the streets from 10pm - 4am; he trains and supervises all the crisis line counselors who answer the phones during the night. He is associate priest at the Church of the Advent of Christ the King in San Francisco and in his spare times repairs and restores old clocks.

Brother Robert Hughm, SSF was born in England and ordained in the Church of England, where he served for ten years as a parish priest in the industrial northeast before becoming a friar of SSF in 1964. In 1967 he came to the US on a 'short-term exchange visit of a year or so', and is still here, based at San Damiano Friary. Having served over the years as Novice Guardian, Guardian, and Provincial Minister, his ministry has since then been primarily one of proclamation of the Gospel through preaching, retreats, workshops etc. He has offered ministry in all 50 States, in most of the Provinces of Canada, in seven Caribbean countries, and across Australia and New Zealand. He has led diocesan clergy retreats in thirty Anglican dioceses, and has been Lenten Missioner in a dozen Episcopal dioceses, as well as for a Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. His workshops have included "Spirituality as the Key to Evangelism'; "Expand ing our Spiritual Boundaries : New Paradigms for Faith"; Liberation through a Spiritual Discipline"; "Stewardship as Covenant ; "The Seven Joys of Francis"; and "Making Room: for God; for our true self; for others as they really are; for the Church." Brother Robert is available to offer such programs for dioceses, parishes, campus ministries etc. His e-mail address is robertssf@aol.com.

St. Clare House, Berkeley, CA

Brother Derek, SSF answered the call of the Religious Life after some years in Parish ministry in Wales. As a Franciscan brother in England, he led several Parish Missions and was Novice Tutor and Assistant Guardian at Alnmouth, having been Secretary to the Minister Provincial. In 1980 he came to the States and after a year was asked to stay and be Novice Guardian at San Damiano Friary. He also became the Chaplain of the County Jail. In 1991 he moved to St Elizabeth's Friary, Brooklyn, where he soon got the job of Chaplain at Goldwater Hospital in Manhattan where he worked for ten years. After fifteen years in Brooklyn, the last three as Minister Provincial, he went to Trinidad and was Rector of Siparia, a Parish with five churches. He likes to keep active. At the moment he is at the house in Berkeley, recovering from a year of operations, but he hopes to be fit for duty soon and maybe even go back to Trinidad.

Brother Leo Anthony is the sacristan, novice tutor and assistant guardian at Little Portion Friary. He is also responsible for the Franciscan Bookshop.

Brother Jonathan Guthlac has been on the West Coast since August 2007. He is involved in ministry with the homeless, working at "The Sanctuary" a 24hr emergency shelter for the homeless run by the Episcopal Community Services , "St. Anthony's Living Room" a feeding program supported by the Secular Franciscans & is presently worshipping primarily at Grace Cathedral. He is hoping once again to take part in the Aids/Lifecycle this year. Prior to coming to the U.S. he lived in various houses of the European Province where he was a member for 20 years having joined SSF in 1985; He currently holds The office of Provincial Secretary for the Order

Little Portion Friary, Mt. Sinai. New York

Brother Eric Michael is the Guardian of Little Portion Friary. He is a member of the board of the Biko Center in Brooklyn, NY, and the outreach contact to Franciscans International at the United Nations.

Brother Antonio Sato engages in the ministry of hospitality as a guest master at the Little Portion Friary. As a priest he sees people for spiritual direction and confession.
He also practices and teaches Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, Reiki,and East- West Meditation Once a year he visit Tokyo, Japan for giving retreat, spiritual direction and hearing confession at the Community of Nazareth - the Anglican religious community for women, and for pastoral visit and preaching at St. Francis' & St. Elizabeth's Church of the leprosarium. At least every other year he also visit Sao Paulo, Brazil for preaching at St John's Church and for meeting the Franciscan Brothers.

Brother Dunstan is on the Diocesan Commision on Ministry. At 87 years old and over 50 years in profession, he is the keeper of our collective memory. During the spring and summer, he works constantly in the garden and in the winter, he curates one of the largest model train installations on Long Island. He also does spiritual direction and retreat work. This summer, he's off to Barbados for the first Anglican Cursillo on that island.

Brother Maximilian Kolbe is a Louisville, Kentucky native and a professed member of the Society of Saint Francis. Max has been with the community since June of 2007, and currently splits his time between Little Portion Friary and General Theological Seminary in New York City, where he is preparing for ordination. Aside from his studies, Max also plays music and flag football for the GTS Penguins, paints, and makes home and hospital visits. Max has lead retreats, reflections and preached at parishes in Texas, California, Georgia, New York, and Kentucky.

Brother Richard Jonathan is both the Vocation Director and Novice Guardian. After seven years spent in San Francisco, he and the novitiate program was transferred to Little Portion Friary. He offers his extensive experience in teaching, preaching and retreat work to the local diocese and to our many wonderful guests who experience hospitality here at the friary. He remains committed to ministry to the LGBT community, working with the local Dignity Chapter and advocating for marriage equality.

Brother Clark Berge, is the Minister General of the Society of St. Francis. He
was professed in 1993. While he travels nearly 11 months of the year, he
still counts Little Portion Friary as his home. To find out where he
might be at any given moment or to get an idea about his adventures with
the brothers, visit his blog: www.brclarkberge.blogspot.com

Brother Matthias is from south central Illinois. He attended college at Indiana State University with the study in Spanish. Steven enjoys playing the piano and organ. His interests include music, history, gardening, knitting, and various other activities and hobbies. He was raised Protestant for the majority of his life and in 2004, h was confirmed into the Episcopal Church.

Brazil

Brother Elton Philip was recently clothed with the habit in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is active in the parish of Sao Joao and also does Night Minstry with Brother James, bringing food and other kinds of help to the homeless people of Sao Paulo.

Brother James is a former Roman Catholic religious who has taught for many
years and is now a principal assistant in the Public School System of Sao
Paulo, Brazil. He and Brother Elton Philip ministry at the Night Ministry
in which they give food and other kinds of support to those living on the
streets of Sao Paulo.


Home Houses Brothers Become a Franciscan Resources Links Sermons • Songs • Videos Gallery Donate Contact Us
	Meet the Brothers St. Francis Friary, Los Angeles, CA Brother Thomas, SSF was born in Santa Monica CA, and grew up in Sherman Oaks, a suburb of L.A. in the San Fernando Valley. His father and grandfathers were western movie actors, and Tom himself studied theater at the Actors' and Directors' Lab and with the Stella Adler Theater Studio. You can catch a glimpse of him in the films Plaza Suite (1970); The Late Liz (1971); The Day of the Locust (1975); and in a couple of televisions episodes. In 1975 Tom moved to Toronto, Canada, and then to New York. For five years or so he fronted for various punk/new wave bands, the most enduring being The Beeks, whose underground hit "The Pills Aren't Working" is a testimony to Tom's state of mind at the time. During this period he also was literary assistant to the Pulitzer Prize winning poet, James Schuyler, and briefly, for John Ashbery as well. After getting sober in 1982, Tom discovered the Episcopal Church and as part of his discernment for ordination to the priesthood, also discovered the Brothers of the Society of St. Francis, then living at St. Elizabeth's Friary in Brooklyn. Tom became a brother early in 1988. Since then he has run a theater program for city kids, The Bushwick Play Project; served at various parishes in New York and beyond. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Spanish and studied theology at Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He was the Society's Novice Guardian from 1994 to 1999. Tom's book of poems "Desire" (1996 Painted Leaf Press) was a Lamda Literary Award Finalist; his poems have appeared in various magazines and journals. He is the author of three as-yet-unpublished novels and many songs. He was ordained a priest in 2003. He currently lives at St. Francis Friary in Los Angeles and is the Vicar of the Church of the Epiphany. Brother Simon has been a professed friar since May 2010 and is the Guardian of St. Francis Friary. He assists Brother Tom as a part-time Parish Administrator at Church of the Epiphany in Lincoln Heights. A Postulant for ordination to the priesthood in the Diocese of Los Angeles, he is currently enrolled at Bloy House, the diocesan seminary based at the Claremont School of Theology. Simon was born in the Philippines and raised in New York City. Before joining the Order he had a number of careers, first as a nonprofit development professional with various agencies including The Alan Guttmacher Institute, The Hetrick-Martin Institute, and the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights and AIDS Projects. He then left the nonprofit world to study culinary arts and worked as a pastry chef at such fine establishments as the Union Square Café and the W Hotel in New York, and at Commissary and 100Congress in Portland, Maine. He also had a brief stint as the Director of Religious Education at St. Luke's Cathedral in Portland. A one-time student of modern dance and now an avid cook and dog lover, he also enjoys learning to play the cello and studying music theory. Brother Ambroseis taking the second unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) at Good Samaritan Hospital. He is also engaged in the ministry of St. Mary's Mariposa, which is Japanese-American origin congregation. Brother Ivanildo comes to the U.S from Sao Paulo, Brazil and lives at Saint Francis Friary where he enjoys the life of prayer and day-to-day activities with the brothers there in Community. He assists at the Church of the Epiphany as an occasional Celebrant and preacher at the Sunday Eucharist. He also coordinates the fledgling parish Choir and teaches a weekly adult Bible study class. He continues to take courses in English as a Second Language. He also enjoys the opportunity to visit other parishes and celebrate and preach at the Eucharist from time to time, and is available to offer Quiet Days and Retreats. San Damiano Friary, San Francisco, CA Brother Jude is currently the Minister Provincial of the Province and lives at San Damiano Friary in San Franciso, where he has been for the past ten years since he transferred from the European Province. He trained in Zurich and London as a Jungian Analyst and has a small private practice working with people who do not have resources to afford this work. He is a spiritual director, facilitates groups and training for people in the ordination process. He also works for the San Francisco Night Ministry as a Night Minister on the streets from 10pm - 4am; he trains and supervises all the crisis line counselors who answer the phones during the night. He is associate priest at the Church of the Advent of Christ the King in San Francisco and in his spare times repairs and restores old clocks. Brother Robert Hughm, SSF was born in England and ordained in the Church of England, where he served for ten years as a parish priest in the industrial northeast before becoming a friar of SSF in 1964. In 1967 he came to the US on a 'short-term exchange visit of a year or so', and is still here, based at San Damiano Friary. Having served over the years as Novice Guardian, Guardian, and Provincial Minister, his ministry has since then been primarily one of proclamation of the Gospel through preaching, retreats, workshops etc. He has offered ministry in all 50 States, in most of the Provinces of Canada, in seven Caribbean countries, and across Australia and New Zealand. He has led diocesan clergy retreats in thirty Anglican dioceses, and has been Lenten Missioner in a dozen Episcopal dioceses, as well as for a Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. His workshops have included "Spirituality as the Key to Evangelism'; "Expand ing our Spiritual Boundaries : New Paradigms for Faith"; Liberation through a Spiritual Discipline"; "Stewardship as Covenant ; "The Seven Joys of Francis"; and "Making Room: for God; for our true self; for others as they really are; for the Church." Brother Robert is available to offer such programs for dioceses, parishes, campus ministries etc. His e-mail address is robertssf@aol.com. St. Clare House, Berkeley, CA Brother Derek, SSF answered the call of the Religious Life after some years in Parish ministry in Wales. As a Franciscan brother in England, he led several Parish Missions and was Novice Tutor and Assistant Guardian at Alnmouth, having been Secretary to the Minister Provincial. In 1980 he came to the States and after a year was asked to stay and be Novice Guardian at San Damiano Friary. He also became the Chaplain of the County Jail. In 1991 he moved to St Elizabeth's Friary, Brooklyn, where he soon got the job of Chaplain at Goldwater Hospital in Manhattan where he worked for ten years. After fifteen years in Brooklyn, the last three as Minister Provincial, he went to Trinidad and was Rector of Siparia, a Parish with five churches. He likes to keep active. At the moment he is at the house in Berkeley, recovering from a year of operations, but he hopes to be fit for duty soon and maybe even go back to Trinidad. Brother Leo Anthony is the sacristan, novice tutor and assistant guardian at Little Portion Friary. He is also responsible for the Franciscan Bookshop. Brother Jonathan Guthlac has been on the West Coast since August 2007. He is involved in ministry with the homeless, working at "The Sanctuary" a 24hr emergency shelter for the homeless run by the Episcopal Community Services , "St. Anthony's Living Room" a feeding program supported by the Secular Franciscans & is presently worshipping primarily at Grace Cathedral. He is hoping once again to take part in the Aids/Lifecycle this year. Prior to coming to the U.S. he lived in various houses of the European Province where he was a member for 20 years having joined SSF in 1985; He currently holds The office of Provincial Secretary for the Order Little Portion Friary, Mt. Sinai. New York Brother Eric Michael is the Guardian of Little Portion Friary. He is a member of the board of the Biko Center in Brooklyn, NY, and the outreach contact to Franciscans International at the United Nations. Brother Antonio Sato engages in the ministry of hospitality as a guest master at the Little Portion Friary. As a priest he sees people for spiritual direction and confession. He also practices and teaches Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, Reiki,and East- West Meditation Once a year he visit Tokyo, Japan for giving retreat, spiritual direction and hearing confession at the Community of Nazareth - the Anglican religious community for women, and for pastoral visit and preaching at St. Francis' & St. Elizabeth's Church of the leprosarium. At least every other year he also visit Sao Paulo, Brazil for preaching at St John's Church and for meeting the Franciscan Brothers. Brother Dunstan is on the Diocesan Commision on Ministry. At 87 years old and over 50 years in profession, he is the keeper of our collective memory. During the spring and summer, he works constantly in the garden and in the winter, he curates one of the largest model train installations on Long Island. He also does spiritual direction and retreat work. This summer, he's off to Barbados for the first Anglican Cursillo on that island. Brother Maximilian Kolbe is a Louisville, Kentucky native and a professed member of the Society of Saint Francis. Max has been with the community since June of 2007, and currently splits his time between Little Portion Friary and General Theological Seminary in New York City, where he is preparing for ordination. Aside from his studies, Max also plays music and flag football for the GTS Penguins, paints, and makes home and hospital visits. Max has lead retreats, reflections and preached at parishes in Texas, California, Georgia, New York, and Kentucky. Brother Richard Jonathan is both the Vocation Director and Novice Guardian. After seven years spent in San Francisco, he and the novitiate program was transferred to Little Portion Friary. He offers his extensive experience in teaching, preaching and retreat work to the local diocese and to our many wonderful guests who experience hospitality here at the friary. He remains committed to ministry to the LGBT community, working with the local Dignity Chapter and advocating for marriage equality. Brother Clark Berge, is the Minister General of the Society of St. Francis. He was professed in 1993. While he travels nearly 11 months of the year, he still counts Little Portion Friary as his home. To find out where he might be at any given moment or to get an idea about his adventures with the brothers, visit his blog: www.brclarkberge.blogspot.com Brother Matthias is from south central Illinois. He attended college at Indiana State University with the study in Spanish. Steven enjoys playing the piano and organ. His interests include music, history, gardening, knitting, and various other activities and hobbies. He was raised Protestant for the majority of his life and in 2004, h was confirmed into the Episcopal Church. Brazil Brother Elton Philip was recently clothed with the habit in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is active in the parish of Sao Joao and also does Night Minstry with Brother James, bringing food and other kinds of help to the homeless people of Sao Paulo. Brother James is a former Roman Catholic religious who has taught for many years and is now a principal assistant in the Public School System of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He and Brother Elton Philip ministry at the Night Ministry in which they give food and other kinds of support to those living on the streets of Sao Paulo.
Copyright 2011 Society of St. Francis