Three men are currently living in our fraternity in Trois Rivières to discern whether the life as a Franciscan brother is for them. Their names are Cole Breda, Sâtya Lussier and Liam McConnell. Here you can read more about them and how they came to us.
Born 25 years ago in St. Albert, Alberta, I worked in a variety of different fields after finishing High School. I went to college for a Diploma in Architectural Technology. Then I worked in construction for a year, and as an arborist for four years in my brother’s company, and I also had an Alberta financial license.
I grew up with two brothers and two sisters. We went to Sunday mass regularly and prayed together daily. My parents’ Catholic faith along with their love for each other created a strong foundation for us children, which was a blessing.
I went to Catholic grade schools growing up, but not everyone was Catholic. The Catholic religious education courses didn’t motivate anyone to become or even stay Catholic. The teachers might not even be Catholic. In Junior High, everyone was questioning their faith, but there weren’t any faith-filled answers to be shared. During those years, I came across a radio show (which was also on YouTube) called Catholic Answers. Hundreds of hours of my time were spent listings to these Catholic answers, even answers to questions I’ve never thought of. These answers became one of many factors motivating me to stay with my Catholic faith.
With spiritual guidance and prayers, I learned that I was most attracted to the Franciscan spiritually. The vocation director and I met for coffee several times before meeting at the friary. At the friary, we talked and played board games. Within a couple of months, they invited me to the retreat house in Cochrane where I stayed for three days. Brandon, who is now in his novitiate in Ireland, was there too! This was the rare occasion for me to meet someone who was postulant as I was discerning to become a postulant.
Within the first month in postulancy, my prayer life had changed, and I felt a closer relationship with God. There were times of joy I hadn’t experienced before and an order to my prayer life that I never had before. I don’t know what God has planned for me in the future. I just pray that He will let me know when I need too.
I’m so thankful for this postulancy opportunity. Merry Christmas! Glad to be a part if this journey with all my Franciscan brothers. I will pray for you, and please pray for me.
Here I am, a postulant at last, after years of waiting to better follow an evangelical ideal following Francis of Assisi, “il poverello di Assisi”.
Francis entered my life very early, as an apparition that helped me. If this was not Francis, this being of light, he was at least a Franciscan who by now has certainly passed into the Kingdom. “Feed the birds of the air,” he said to me as an invitation when I was 19 years old.
He must have appeared to me because I did not have enough faith. Indeed, I would not have sought God without this moment. If you don’t believe in the apparition and it didn’t happen to you, then don’t worry. God has blessed you, I am sure, in many other beautiful and important ways for your faith journey by following Jesus Christ. Seek first the Kingdom. Go and listen to the story of someone who is never listened to or in whom no one is interested. Perhaps they will become interested in God through what you do.
I was conceived in Odanak and I lived most of my childhood in Ste-Cécile de Milton, located halfway between Granby and St-Hyacinthe. I worked in a factory for over 10 years in Granby. I studied nursing, massage therapy and aromatherapy. My goal is, of course, to relieve the human stress that today holds many people back. I work with my hands and need to touch. I read hundreds of books during my teenage years because of the lack of television. I am the father of two extraordinary daughters who are now both in college. I am very interested in ecumenism and building bridges between different faiths. I have studied Hinduism and the various Eastern meditation techniques with great interest. Christian meditations are mostly based on these.
Today, I find myself to have grown through all these different experiences. The other one who is different and who comes to me does not frighten me; on the contrary, I welcome them with what they carry. Jesus welcomes the Samaritan woman, the Roman centurion, and many more. He even finds the faith of the centurion Cornelius greater than that of any soul in Israel. The Samaritan woman will see Him as Lord and Master, for He knows everything about her life. So let God speak to you and know you, accepting Him under your roof.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58).
My name is Liam McConnell from Midland, Ontario, home to the shrine of the Canadian martyrs. My vocation began in Grade 9. Asking a lot of religious questions, I was introduced to a deacon who would help a great deal and guide me on my path. He nudged me towards becoming an altar server. At that point, I hadn’t been to church in a while and had forgotten most of the mass, and I’m glad he did.
This started my vocation. Watching the priest and seeing how much love he had for others and for God, giving up everything for God, amazed me. Life went on and my love of the Lord continued to grow. I was going to Come and See weekends and finding others my age like me who also wanted to serve. When I finished High School still struggling with God’s call for me, I worked with the Jesuits at the Shrine. But I didn’t find what I wanted with the Jesuits and therefore moved on to work in a shelter for five years, still looking for God.
In these five years, I found myself wanting to serve the poor. Not really knowing about the Franciscans, but knowing that this inspired them as well, I found a YouTube channel by Brother Casey Cole. He is just a few years older than me and a Franciscan. Watching his videos inspired me to learn more about Franciscans, and I found myself wanting to live this life and felt this is what God wanted from me. So, I wrote a letter had a few meetings, and then somehow, I ended up where I am today. Looking back, I would never have thought I would spend time in Quebec, learn French, and give who I am to serve God.
I didn’t realize how much my life would change from working a normal job, having my own apartment, and hanging out with friends over a few drinks. To living in a house with no one I had known before, without any of my old friends and family. Most people would say that’s crazy to do this, and I would agree with them, but trust in God’s plan brought me here. I am beginning to feel my new life is becoming peaceful. Sure, the days are longer, and I still struggle with some things, but I feel happy knowing God is with me always.
Is this the life God wants for me or is this just a stop in the road? Does he want me to stay here to be guided for the next chapter in my life? Whatever this path leads me, I always know God is with me. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!