The Capuchin Franciscans are a Roman Catholic religious Order of friars (brothers) who are consecrated to God in a special manner according to the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. Some of the brothers are priests and some are lay men. Both serve God according to the particular manner in which each was called.

The Capuchins, whose origins date from 1525, began as a reform Order of the Observants. The Capuchins desired to follow more closely the Rule and Testament handed down by St. Francis. In particular they sought a more contemplative life-style coupled with a stricter observance of poverty in accordance with the earliest traditions of the Order. Though originally persecuted for their split with the Observants, the Capuchins were officially recognized as an independent Order on July 3, 1528. In his Bull Religionis Zellus, Pope Clement VII constituted the friars as a  separate family and distinct members of the sons of St. Francis.

Capuchins are perhaps most easily recognized by the brown habit and long capuche (hood) for which our Order is named. Renowned as peacemakers and simple, approachable religious, the Capuchin friars have been serving the Church in the United States since the 17th century. Capuchins were among the first missionaries in Maine, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, and all along the Mississippi River. The first pastors of both New York City and St. Louis were Capuchins. Today there are seven regional jurisdictions of Capuchins in the continental United States and others in Puerto Rico and the Marianna and Hawaiian Islands.

Usually found in the poorer sections of towns and cities, the Capuchins have a special charism for working among those who are most looked down upon and willingly taking the assignments which others refuse. Capuchins serve the people of God in a variety of different ways. You will find Capuchins working in soup kitchens and homeless shelters, working as hospital chaplains or in prison ministry. You will find Capuchins serving as parish priests or university professors, as preachers and nurses and as missionaries to far distant lands. You may even find Capuchins serving in your local shopping mall. In whatever apostolic work we may do, we strive always to follow the exhortation of our father Francis: to be "friars minor" (lesser brothers).

 A Capuchin is many things to many people. He is above all else, however, a brother among brothers and a man committed to prayer. Capuchin friars build their life and ministry on these two essential foundations: prayer and fraternity.

Centered upon our Eucharistic Lord and supported by a loving devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our personal and community prayer nourishes our relationship with God and one another and enables us to give fully of ourselves to those whom we serve in ministry. Along with prayer, fraternity is of great importance to a Capuchin friar. This fraternal life provides us with companionship while witnessing our brotherhood to an isolated and alienated world. Our brotherhood, when lived authentically, is a witness to the gospel life in which, after washing the disciples' feet, our Lord reminds us that as he has served us, so we must serve one another.

A Capuchin is indeed many things to all kinds of different people in all walks of life. Can it be stated in just a few sentences what being a Capuchin friar is all about? Can the essence of our life be summed up in a few words? St. Francis of Assisi believed so. He wrote:


The Province of Mid-America was established in 1977, serving Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and most of Illinois, and missions in Puerto Rico and Papua, New Guinea, and more recently, Mexico. Its nine stateside friaries are located in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Hays, Victoria, and Lawrence, Kansas; and St. Louis, Missouri.

The Capuchin friars of Mid-America are primarily located in the central United States. We currently have eight friaries in three states: Missouri, Kansas, and Denver. There are also friars from our Province however, working as missionaries in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the United States. One of our friars, Br. Mark Schenk, is currently serving as a General Definitor in Rome. If you would like to contact us and need an address or phone number, visit our  Online Directory.