Brother Nate Santos, who comes from Santa Rita, Guam, is in his second year of college and studying at Holy Names University in Oakland, California. Besides a full-time academic schedule, Brother Nate brings Holy Communion to the sick as his weekly ministry.
The Berkeley Capuchin Friary (Saint Conrad Friary)
where Brother Nate lives
The campanile (bell tower) of the UC Berkeley campus can be seen from the roof top of the friary.
And on a less foggy day, one can see the Golden Gate Bridge from the same friary roof top.
The commemoration of the passing of Saint Francis to Eternal Life
The Guam friars celebrated the Transitus on Thursday, September 29. Every deceased friar of the Vice Province was remembered with a candle lit in their memory. Father Andre and the postulants organized the service.
The friars, including Archbishop Apuron (left), sing the opening song.
Father Patrick Castro arranged the candle lighting space.
Over 300 people gathered at Saint Fidelis Friary on Friday, September 23, for the final night of the novena to Padre Pio, followed by Mass, procession and dinner.
The rain started before dawn and kept pouring and pouring, but the people ketp coming and coming. The rain stopped just before 6pm, and the prayers began around 620pm. The rain never returned and a great, and dry, time was had by all.
The sanctuary was decked out beautifully with autumn colors.
Padre Pio and Our Lady (unseen here) were both decorated with flower leis.
The men begin carrying the andas, or pallet, of Padre Pio for the procession.
A rear view of the candle light procession.
Archbishop Anthony Apuron graced us with his presence. Fr. Andre stands on the left.
A relic of Padre Pio (one of his blood stained handkerchiefs) is venerated.
The fiesta meal had more than enough food, provided by the people themselves.
Established so far back we can't be sure when (probably the 1910s), the San Francisco Fraternity of the SFO is the pioneer of the two SFO fraternities on Guam, and meets every first Sunday of the month at the Friary. They keep alive the Franciscan tradition in the Chamorro language.
The Capuchin Friars of Guam assisted a group of pilgrims from Guam to World Youth Day in Madrid traveling under the spiritual banner of the Capuchin Franciscans. Father Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap, went along as their spiritual director.
Fr. Andre (middle) leads a small group of Guam pilgrims in prayer
Proudly displaying the Guam flag
Fr. Andre
The Guam Franciscan pilgrims in the streets of Madrid
