Fr. Paul Gabriel, OFM Conv. was born in
Wilkes-Barre
,
PA
in 1958 and lived in various places in the northeast until moving to
California
in 1986. He felt called to religious life at a very young age, but embracing his vocation was a journey that would take many years to realize. He entered the
California
province of the Conventual Franciscans in 1996 and completed his graduate studies in philosophy and theology in 2004 at the Graduate Theological Union in
Berkeley
,
California
, and in 2006 returned to the east coast to be closer to his family. Prior to becoming a Franciscan, Fr. Paul had a career in nursing working in critical care, trauma, hospital management, organizational development, and healthcare management consulting. He was also married for a brief time and has been blessed with the joy of having a son, Jonathan, and a granddaughter, Kendal Grace.
As a friar, Fr. Paul worked in Catholic secondary education teaching biology in
California
, in retreat ministry as the Executive Director of the Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality in southern Indiana, and parish ministry. Fr. Paul has given numerous retreats, presentations, and seminars to both faith-based and healthcare organizations and has served on various community and institutional boards. His most recent assignment was Pastor at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in
Burlington
,
NC
. Fr. Paul is also an avid cyclist, runner, and an “aging” triathlete.