Brother Kenneth Lucas, OFM Conv.
Spiritual Testimony

My name is Ken Lucas. I am 74-years-old and I am a Conventual Franciscan Religious Brother in the Our Lady of Angels Province (USA). I am currently in living at Fr. Justin Residence in Hamburg, NY one of our Franciscan Senior Friar residences. I am from Watertown, NY. My dad, Henry Lucas, was in the Army at Camp Drum, NY and my mother, Monica was a lawyer from Philadelphia, PA. My family experienced some difficulties very early on and we all broke up. I was put in foster home for 12 years along with my brother and my sister. I am very honored to say that I am a former Marine and I still stay involved in veterans affairs. I was also involved in prison ministry for approximately 30 years and considerate one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I came to know the Conventual Friars by one of our Friar-priests, the now deceased +Fr. Jeffrey Keefe, OFM Conv. I entered the Religious Brothers postulancy program in 1976 at Padua House, Rensselaer, NY. I made my novitiate in Staten Island and I professed my first vows on August 5, 1978 in Staten Island, and my solemn vows on August 14, 1981 in Rensselaer, NY. And one of my classmates is Jim Doyle. Fr Julian Zambanini, OFM Conv. was the Director of Brothers at that time also and was instrumental encouraging me in my receiving my GED diploma.
My first assignment as friar was at St. Joseph Parish in Hoboken, NJ and I think that was my favorite assignment too because the people there were really nice and fun to be with.
My Franciscan prayer is the rosary!
Some advice I would give to someone considering a vocation would be to simply take one day at a time! And to our student friars I would say ‘believe in yourselves and never give up…God loves you!’