Called to Compassion: A Chaplain’s Daily Mission

No two days are alike for Brother Brian Menezes, OFM, chaplain at St. Francis Seraph Ministries (SFSM).

One moment, he’s checking in with staff members and volunteers; the next, he’s assisting the guests we serve with vital resources related to physical attire, health, and a place to stay. The Franciscan friar goes where he’s needed, even lending a hand in the kitchen, to serve the community and spread the Gospel.

“Opportunities to be an instrument of God’s everlasting love arise quite frequently, both at St. Francis Seraph Ministries and out on Republic Street,” Brother Brian says.

He has served as SFSM’s chaplain since October, but his introduction to the ministry came five years earlier. Brother Brian volunteered at SFSM in the summer of 2020 following his first year of religious formation, known as postulancy. He’s now in his pastoral year and will make his solemn vows in August.

Brother Brian’s journey is as unique as his work. He was born in the Middle East to a family with roots in western India. He was raised in the Catholic faith and attended a school run by Carmelite nuns. His family later moved to Canada. Along the way, he learned multiple languages, including Arabic, Italian, and French.

He held positions in finance, dining, hospitality, and security before embracing his vocation as “a beacon of God’s goodness, peace, hope, and joy.”

Explains Brother Brian: “The more people I connect with, the more I am able to share all that God has to offer to each and everyone, from a smile to a prayer.”

Today, he supports SFSM’s mission to nourish and nurture neighbors in need.

“We work with people, among people, to deliver aid and to uplift them,” he says. “We are a drop of goodness in the ocean of hardships, but nonetheless we give it our all, day in and day out.”

Guided by one of his favorite hymns, “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” Brother Brian approaches each day with humility, reflecting Christ through small, faithful acts of service that help make the world a better place.

“What we do here at SFSM, in the big picture, is to be the face of Jesus — not just by feeding the multitude, but by offering a light of hope for those who are struggling,” he says. “We serve to remind society that good is still happening out there.”