St. Conrad Friary, Berkeley, CA

This friary was founded in the 1980s as a formation house, near the Graduate Theological Union and other universities. Besides a life on intense prayer and study, the friars here are also involved in various local ministries, including the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen in Oakland and San Quentin Prison.

FORMATION
Those who decide to enter the Order go through various stages of formation. These begin with postulancy, located at St. Conrad Friary in Berkeley. Friars then move to the novitiate, at San Lorenzo Seminary in Santa Ynez. Afterwards, there are years of preparation and study, once again at St. Conrad Friary.