Br. Brian Menezes learns ministry through presence

As Br. Brian Menezes, OFM, completes his internship at St. Francis Seraph Ministries in Cincinnati, he reflects on a year of formation shaped by presence and accompaniment rather than tasks and schedules. The experience, he says, has transformed his understanding of ministry – not simply as something he offers, but as something that continues to shape him.  

Br. Brian is a simply professed friar, and this internship marks one of the final stages of his initial formation before he professes solemn vows. Throughout his time at the nonprofit, Br. Brian learned to listen with greater attentiveness, to accept help as readily as he offers it and to see Christ’s presence in moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. More than anything, the experience has shown him that authentic ministry unfolds through accompaniment, by walking with others and allowing those encounters to transform his own heart.  

A call to live and serve from the heart has been with Br. Brian for most of his life. Growing up with conflict and witnessing inequality – first in his native India and later as an immigrant in the Middle East – stirred in him a desire for a life rooted in peace. “Through it all,” Br. Brian said, “God has been calling me to operate from my heart.”  

That call soon found daily expression in Cincinnati.  

St. Francis Seraph Ministries is a Catholic nonprofit in Greater Cincinnati established in 2011. As a chaplain there, Br. Brian’s days were shaped by an attentive presence. He listened to guests and colleagues, checked in with staff, helped connect individuals to resources such as foot care or housing, offered prayer and, at times, assisted in the kitchen as meals were prepared. No two days followed the same pattern. Over time, he came to see that his ministry was not defined by routine, but by responsiveness – by remaining open to the moments when compassion was needed most.  

One encounter stayed with him. While unloading donations on a chilly morning, he overheard a guest imploring a staff member to dress warmly. The moment surprised him. It unveiled a quiet truth: care and concern flow both ways. Even amid hardship, compassion is shared. 

“What we as a team do is to be the face of Jesus,” Br. Brian said, “not just by feeding the multitude, but by welcoming God’s beautiful creation and offering a light of hope.”  

Such experiences reshaped his understanding of ministry. The pattern of listening and being present became ingrained. At the same time, they welcomed deeper self-awareness, calling him to recognize his limits and remain open to growth. 

Growth through acceptance  

In time, Br. Brian noticed a quieter form of growth taking shape within him. For much of his life, acceptance felt conditional, something earned through success or achievement. That thought often led him to overextend himself, giving himself fully in ministry while forgetting his own need for rest and reflection.  

Through support he experienced during his internship, Brian came to understand acceptance differently – as something earned, rather than received. Learning to keep ministry and self-care in balance, he discovered a new freedom: the ability to serve with greater humility and trust in his ability to serve with clarity and pace. 

“Through acceptance,” he said, “I have learned that I need to maintain a balance.”  

As Br. Brian reflects on his internship, he does so with gratitude for the people and moments that shaped him. It has affirmed for him that Franciscan life is fostered not by accomplishment, but by presence – by listening and responding compassionately.  

He hopes to continue living from the heart, trusting that God will keep forming him through the people he is called to accompany.  

“When we place all our richness, love and devotion in God,” Br. Brian said, “we help build a world of unity, peace and love.”