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Meet the monks and nuns of Monk Mindset
Fr. Tom
Weinandy
St. Francis Friary
(Capuchin College)
Capuchin Friars
Washington, D.C.
Fr. Tom Weinandy is a theologian with around 40 years of teaching experience. He taught for 12 years at the University of Oxford and served as head of the Secretariat for Doctrine at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for 9 years. A prolific author, he has written about 20 books and hundreds of articles.
Fr. Matthias of the Immaculate Heart
Mount St. Joseph Carmelite Monastery
Discalced Carmelites
San Jose, CA
Originally from Washington state, Father Matthias entered the monastery early into his professional career, leaving a rock band to join the Carmelite province of St. Joseph. He wrote his masters thesis on the universal call to contemplation & enjoys sharing the contemplative life with others, especially college students. Father Matthias loves spending time in nature & with his community.
Fr. John
Bayer
Cistercians
Irving TX
Fr. John Bayer is a monk at Our Lady of Dallas Cistercian Abbey in Irving, Texas. In addition to serving as a vocations director, he teaches at Cistercian Preparatory School and the University of Dallas.
On the side, he also enjoys making videos about theology for his YouTube channel. Besides studying, teaching, praying and living in community, he loves backpacking and celebrating mass in the wilderness.
Fr. Malachy
Napier
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs)
Bronx, New York
Fr. Malachy made his final vows in 2014 and was ordained in May 2020. His first three years of priesthood were in the CFRs’ mission in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, where his principal work was with young people and prisoners. He was one of over 50 priests appointed to speak at the National Eucharistic Congress. Even though he is far from his southern roots in Georgia he remains a loyal UGA fan.
Fr. Paul Sheller
Benedictines
Conception, MO
Fr. Paul is serves as his monastery’s Vocation Director, and the Director of the Abbey Guest Center. His days are filled with the usual ora et labora of monastic life, where he meets with individuals for spiritual direction, leads weekend retreats at the Abbey Guest Center, and spends time with his brother monks.
He grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University for two years before joining the seminary for the Diocese of Tulsa. God’s call led him to discern monastic life and he professed vows in 2006 an was ordained in 2013. He earned his M.Div. and M.A. in Systematic Theology from St. Vincent Seminary. He completed his M.A. in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University in 2020. Fr. Paul enjoys photography, woodworking, board games, a competitive game of volleyball, and he is an avid cyclist and competes in triathlon races.
Sr. Katherine Caldwell
Franciscan Sisters
Toronto, OH
In college, Sr. Katherine discovered St. Francis and her heart resonated with his, particularly his compassionate love for Christ Crucified and for those suffering. During this time, she received a call to help found her religious community who with Mary at the foot of the Cross receives and gives God’s merciful love through prayer and works of mercy.
As a lifelong learner, she strives to grow from the joys and challenges of life, seeking to integrate the human and spiritual dimensions. She has been blessed to receive graduate degrees in Franciscan studies, Christian spirituality, and clinical counseling. Over the years, she has served the homeless, provided trauma therapy, and led retreats and faith sharing groups. She has served her community as Reverend Mother and various roles in formation and leadership.
Norbertine Canonesses
Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph
Tehachap, CA
The Norbertine Canonesses are a growing community of cloistered nuns dedicated to the celebration of the liturgy and are known for their beautiful Gregorian chant. Integrated into their intense life of liturgical prayer, they undertake a variety of works, including farming, breeding and training dogs, making cheese and other home-made treats and gifts available in their online store. While belonging to a 900 year old Order, this community is the first house of Norbertine Canonesses to be established in North America.
Sr. María
Gonzalo-García
Trappist-Cistercians
Crozet, VA
Sr. María serves as Novice Director and cheese production manager at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, in Crozet, Virginia. She is an author and medieval scholar.
As a child, she dreamed of being a writer and contributing to making the world a better place. When she was asked what she was going to be when she grew up, annoyed by the question, she would reply, “I’m going to marry a very wealthy man.” Little did she know that God’s Providence for her would surpass her wildest expectations.
Abbot Jeremy Driscoll
Benedictines
St. Benedict, Oregon
Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, is the 12th abbot of Mount Angel Abbey, elected by the community in March of 2016. Abbot Jeremy made his first profession in the community on September 8, 1974, and was ordained a priest in 1981.
During his years in the community, Fr. Jeremy taught theology at Mount Angel Seminary and at Sant’ Anselmo in Rome. As Abbot, he continues to teach at Mount Ange seminary. He also continues to serve on various Vatican commissions, conducts conferences and retreats throughout the United States (and beyond), and continues to write and publish. On January 11, 2025, Pope Francis announced his appointment of Abbot Jeremy as a member of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Br. Joseph Teresa of the Eucharist
The Espousal of Mary and Joseph Monastery
Discalced Carmelites
Brighton, MA
Originally from northern Virginia, Br. Joseph Teresa comes from a family of 8 kids. After receiving a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, he entered the Washington Province of Discalced Carmelite Friars in 2019. He completed his seminary studies in December of 2025.
Brother enjoys spending quality time with community, family, and God in prayer, as well as reading, playing soccer, and swimming.
Br.Thomas A. Piolata
St. Francis Friary (Cap College)
Capuchin Friar
Washington, DC
Br. Thomas Piolata is a Capuchin friar of the Province of St. Augustine. After professing solemn vows in 2018, Br. Thomas was sent to Rome for further studies. In 2024, he completed his doctorate in theology at Durham University (UK) and the Antonianum University (Rome). Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at The Catholic University of America. His research focuses on the Franciscan intellectual tradition; within this tradition, he is especially interested in the writings of St. Francis of Assisi and the theology of St. Bonaventure. He is also close theological friends with Romano Guardini and Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI), who has had a major impact on his life.
Br. Thomas loves a good beer coupled with great conversation, has had a lifelong devotion to St. Joseph, thinks most people don't laugh enough, and—thanks to his father's influence—is committed to praying for souls in purgatory.
Fr. Robert Barcelos
St. Therese Parish and Monastery
Discalced Carmelites
Alhambra, CA
Fr. Robert came to know the life-changing Love of Jesus for the first time at the age of nineteen. Much to his surprise the love of Christ seized his heart while attending Mass for the first time after having had rejected the Catholic faith of his childhood upbringing. This divine encounter won him over and ignited a new fire of desire in his passion for life. The conversion became gradually deeper until it manifest in the discovery of a calling to be a Carmelite priest.
Apart from his ministry, Father Robert is passionate about certain styles of art & music, professional football, long boarding by the beach, sunsets over the ocean, fellowship before a fire, mountain top vistas, favorite food is Hawaiian pizza with a side of sardines, and his favorite color is metallic orange representing the seraphic spirit of the saints of Carmel.
Fr. Peter Teresa McConnell
Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit
Phoenix, AZ
Fr. Peter Teresa made his final profession in 2017 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2019. He has spent the entirety of his priesthood serving the Native American population in the diocese of Phoenix, Arizona. He also serves in formation work with his community.
He grew up in Pennsylvania and played a year of collegiate basketball before hearing a call to the priesthood and Franciscan religious life. He still enjoys basketball, reading, and hiking in the mountains.
Fr. Michael Herlihey
Capuchin Friar
Philadelphia, PA
Fr. Michael Herlihey is a beloved son of God. He enjoys a front row seat to God's creativity and generosity. Wanting to be a teacher, therapist, or case manager at a homeless shelter, God instead challenged him to trust and called him to be a Capuchin priest. Resistant at first, he later discovered God's creativity and generosity as now he teaches daily when preaching at Mass, has therapeutic conversations with God's people, and shows love to people struggling from homelessness in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.
He serves as a vocation director for the Capuchins. His favorite bible verses are Heb 13:2; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 25:40 & Mk 5:25-34. In his free time he plays sports (especially ping pong and soccer); camps; and visits waterfalls.
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