Announcements & Upcoming Events

The Viva Francis Foundation is devoted to the growth and development of the Franciscan mission by assisting the Conventual Franciscan friars in their ministries. Through the years, generous gifts from those who have witnessed and worked with the friars have made it possible to support the students in formation and the older friars that now need more living assistance. Two of the student friars that have benefitted from the Foundation are seen below. Older friars, such as Fr. Alan Ramirez, Fr. Stephen Gross, Fr. Alphonse van Guilder, Fr. Thomas Hamilton and others are now in need of additional care and support in their retirement and the Foundation is here to assist financially. This is all accomplished through your generosity.

Friar Wayne Mulei (in final year of theological studies, Silver Springs, MD)

Your generous donations have allowed the Foundation to contribute greatly to our Province this year! We have paid for the tuition of Friar Wayne Mulei for his 2026 spring semester and look forward to assisting the Province again to cover his final year of theological studies. We also paid for Friar Vu’s tuition in San Francisco for further English language instruction and plan to pay in full for his B.S. in Health Science (approximately $30K per year). We anticipate that Friar Israel will need $15K per year in graduate school tuition for his doctoral studies in Rome which we are pleased to provide.

The Foundation joyfully welcomes Friar James Reiter as the new Provincial of our Saint Joseph of Cupertino Province and as the new senior Friar on our Board of Directors. We are also happy to welcome Father John Heinz, Treasurer of the Province, as our newest Board member. Our sincerest thanks to Father Victor Abegg who had served as Provincial since 2018; Father Victor joined the Foundation many years previously while Pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Pismo Beach and has guided our efforts with wisdom and grace! We wish for him a happy and healthy retirement from administrative duties knowing he will still be a wonderful resource to the Church and to the Province and Foundation from his new residence at the Novitiate in Arroyo Grande.

How you can support the work of the Viva Francis Foundation:

  • Today:
    • You can donate securely online at VivaFrancis.org or by mailing a check to:

Viva Francis Foundation

P.O. Box 518

Arroyo Grande, CA 93421-0518.

  • Tomorrow:
    • Consider making one-time gifts from an IRA via Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).
    • Consider including the Viva Francis Foundation in your estate plan through bequests or beneficiary designations.

On behalf of the Friars and the Viva Francis Foundation, we are eternally grateful for any financial or prayerful support you can provide to help support the Community and their efforts.

Should you have additional questions, please email: vivafrancismail@gmail.com