Friar Aldin Francis Canobas, OFM (Order of Friars Minor, Holy Spirit Province of Canada), is a member of the Archdiocesan Vocations Awareness Committee. He is 36. Here he shares his personal vocation story.
What is your vocation story?
I am Friar Aldin Francis Canobas, OFM, from the Holy Spirit Province of the Franciscans of Canada. I professed my first vows on October 19, 2022, and am currently enrolled in an open studies program, working towards a Master of Divinity degree at Newman Theological College.
I was born in Batangas, Philippines, in 1988. I attended primary and secondary school at Our Lady of Caysasay Academy, a diocesan school, where I developed an appreciation for service and ministry. Music has been my passion, and I have been part of the school and parish choir since high school. I also volunteered as a student catechist, ministering to grade school students in the public school beside mine.
My grandmother, Sofia, was instrumental in my faith journey. She lovingly cared for us and encouraged us to attend Mass every Sunday. Her faithful witness through daily prayers, scripture reading, and Mass attendance planted a seed of faith in my heart.
My parents, Felix and Florida, also inspired my vocational journey. My father works as a cleaner in a daycare centre, and my mother, who previously worked as a registered nurse in Saudi Arabia, came to Calgary as a caregiver and now works as a health care aide in a nursing home. They gave me a humble yet profound example of sacrificial and unconditional love. I have two younger sisters, Angeli and Ara, who both have their own families. I am also an uncle to two lovable nephews, Gavin and Sebastian.
I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. On February 20, 2010, I immigrated to Calgary with the rest of my family, where I completed the Bridge to Canadian Nursing program at Mount Royal University. I worked in various health care settings in Calgary: as a community support worker in a group home, as an adult care worker at the Drop-in and Rehabilitation Centre, as a health care aide in a hospital, and eventually as a registered nurse in hemodialysis, and then in mental health, both in hospital and community settings.
I am currently working casually as an RN in in-patient psychiatry at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Emergency Department at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton. Working in health care has provided me with a rich experience and an environment where my eyes and ears have been opened to God’s call to love others, especially our marginalized brothers and sisters. Mental health has become an advocacy for me.
My love for music led me to meet CFC Singles for Christ Calgary members, who were serving as music ministers at St. Francis Parish in downtown Calgary when I was looking for a choir to join in 2010. I journeyed with Couples for Christ in 2010 as a member and became a leader in the young adult group, serving as a chapter head, music ministry head, and mission volunteer.
In 2019, I worked for the organization as a lay missionary and pastoral worker stationed in British Columbia. The community’s faithfulness in living out its mission and vision of families in the Holy Spirit building the Church of the Home and the Church of the Poor has been instrumental in my faith and vocational journey. I served with various choirs in several parishes in the Diocese of Calgary, including St. Francis, Corpus Christi, Canadian Martyrs, and St. Peter, where I am a registered parishioner. Currently, I serve in the choir for Annunciation and St. John the Evangelist parishes in the Archdiocese of Edmonton.
Music also led me to the Franciscans. I performed as a band member at two consecutive One Rock events of the Diocese of Calgary. One Rock 2013 was held at Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre, and the next one at the T’suu T’ina Rodeo Grounds, where I met Friars Carlos Ona and Benjamin Ripley, O.F.M.
Friar Carlos has since communicated with me and encouraged me to explore the Franciscan way of life. Music, community, missionary zeal, healing and compassion ministry, and the joyful witness to faith have drawn me close to the Franciscan vocation. Additionally, my love for nature has played a role, particularly hiking and camping, where I find solace and a deeper communion with God, others, and the rest of creation.
In 2020, I finally responded to God’s invitation to follow Him more closely in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. I completed my postulancy year in Trois-Rivières, Que., and in 2021, entered the international novitiate in Ireland. I returned to Canada in 2022 for my first vows and have since been part of the Edmonton fraternity as a simply professed friar in initial formation.
What is the biggest challenge/hope for the vocations awareness committee?
For me, the biggest challenge is ensuring that all religious and consecrated vocations are represented in the committee. Whether it belongs to a religious order, a consecrated secular institute, or another form of consecrated life, every charism brings a unique gift to the Church Additionally, working closely and together with the Archdiocese poses its own set of challenges.
Effective collaboration requires clear communication, mutual trust, and a shared vision, which can sometimes be difficult to maintain when balancing differing priorities or limited resources. Yet, this collaboration is vital to ensuring the success of our mission.
My greatest hope is to see the vocations awareness committee flourish as a cohesive and well-supported body. I envision a committee that works harmoniously with the Archdiocese, where the diversity of vocations — religious and consecrated — is not just acknowledged but actively celebrated and promoted.
I hope for a Church where the richness of its many charisms shines brightly, radiating the glory of Christ. When people see this diversity, I want them to feel inspired to share in the faith, hope, and love that come from following Christ. Ultimately, my hope is that our work will help foster a culture of joy and openness to God’s call, encouraging others to discern their vocations and embrace the unique way they are called to serve God and His people.
For information on the Vocations Awareness Committee, contact Sr. Mary Clare Stack: mctstack@outlook.com.
Read Sr. Rezebeth Noceja’s vocations story
Read more about vocations in the Archdiocese
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