About Brother Al OFM

Brother Al loves being a Franciscan Friar. He also loves writing songs and sharing his music, giving concerts in various venues no matter the size, and almost anywhere!

In his younger years and until now he has been committed to serving the poor, homeless, and marginalized. He co-founded the first HIV/AIDS housing ministry in Chicago back in the 1980’s. He helped establish two Canticle Cafes (think Starbucks for the homeless) in Cincinnati and Detroit. He then took his Franciscan outreach to the streets of Detroit serving the homeless out of a bicycle cart, attracting international attention!

Committed to ecumenical and interfaith relations he co-founded the Song and Spirit Institute for Peace in 2011; a charity dedicated to promoting peaceable and reconciling relations among people of different faiths through music, the arts and community service.

Drawing from his rich Franciscan heritage, he spends most of his time these days emulating the example of St. Francis as a minstrel of God!