Glorifying God and Leading Souls to Jesus in the Cream City

Capuchins serve a diverse people of God in Milwaukee

By Tim Hinkle

The universality of the Catholic faith is on full display every weekend at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Milwaukee. An anchor of the north side Halyard Park neighborhood for over a century and a half, parishioners come from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds, but are united in their Catholic faith. On top of that, there is great liturgical richness ranging from Masses in English and in Spanish, and music ministry ranging from Gospel choir to sacred music performed on the 1885 Schuelke pipe organ.

Established in 1869 by the founders of the Province of St. Joseph to serve a predominantly German-speaking community on Milwaukee’s north side, today the parish serves a diverse community of black and white parishioners along with Latinos. The pastor, Rev. Javier Rodriguez, is himself a native of Puerto Rico, and the transitional deacon serving alongside him, Br. Alwin Anthonysamy, is a native of India. Br. Alwin came to the United States from Tamil Nadu, India as part of a collaboration agreement between the Province of St. Joseph and the Amala Annai Capuchin Province. Br. Alwin was invested in 2015, professed his solemn vows in 2021, was ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 1, 2024 and assigned to St. Francis of Assisi Parish shortly thereafter.

Exploring the Diaconate

What is a deacon? Ordained ministers of the Church fall into three categories: bishops, priests and deacons. There are two kinds of deacons: permanent and transitional. Permanent deacons can be married or single and may have a vocation outside of the Church. These men can assist ordained priests at Mass by proclaiming the Gospel, preaching and performing other functions like baptisms and marriages. Transitional deacons do the same things, but their diaconate ministry typically lasts a year. It serves as a preparatory period as they progress toward ordination to the priesthood.

Br. Alwin appreciates the tight bonds of community formed among the parishioners and ministers at St. Francis. “There are different people of various ethnicities, but still they all come together and they live the same brotherhood that we Capuchins live in our communities,” said Br. Alwin. At St. Francis of Assisi Monastery, attached to the Church, about 20 Capuchin friars live in community, ministering to the people of Milwaukee in a variety of ways. Like at the parish next door, the community is a mini–United Nations, with the United States, Poland, Mexico and India represented.

To render more effective service to the people of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, and in particular its Spanish- speaking cohort, Br. Alwin made a sojourn to Puebla, Mexico for an immersive Spanish language learning experience. While in Mexico, he lived and ministered at the local Capuchin-run parish, where he performed his first baptism. He took on preaching duties, in Spanish, and found himself stretched by both learning a new language while at the same time honing his preaching chops. “(The friars in Mexico) did not treat me like a strange deacon from a different country, or an unknown person,” said Br. Alwin. “They knew that I'm a Capuchin and I'm one of their brothers.”

“There are different people of various ethnicities, but still they all come together and they live the same brotherhood that we Capuchins live in our communities.” - Br. Alwin

Back in Milwaukee, Br. Alwin also ministers as deacon at St. Benedict the Moor across town. Liturgies are in English, yet the liturgical style differs from many other parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. So again, it affords an opportunity to see the beautiful diversity of ways that Catholics glorify God through Christian worship.

The universal Church strives always and everywhere to glorify God and to lead all souls to salvation through Jesus Christ. That work hinges on making and forming disciples through the sharing and witness of the Gospel. All Catholics are called through their baptism to undertake this work of evangelization, but ordained ministers are expected to perform this work with perhaps greater intentionality, care and gusto.

The role of ordained ministers of the Church is essential in following the commission of Jesus to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).”