It was immediately after this time that the Lord led Brother Michael through a series of events that led to the founding of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace, which are described in the previous section.

Brother Michael had suffered all his adult life with chemical dependency. This was an enormous cross for him. As the Brotherhood was growing and progressing, Brother Michael and the Brothers eventually found it necessary for him to seek help, to honestly do what was necessary to obtain treatment and allow God to work in his life. As 1990 was drawing to a close, Br. Michael was “working his program” in honesty and accountability. And despite his weakened immune system and asthma, things were finally looking up for our dear Brother.

Brother Michael Suffers Brain Injury

On March 20, 1991, Brother Michael, at the age of 32, suffered cardiac and respiratory arrest from a sepsis condition caused by a bacterial pneumonia which he apparently had contracted less than 24 hours earlier. After spending four weeks in cardiac intensive care at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis where the Brothers “camped out” to remain with him 24–hours per day, we moved Brother Michael to Bethesda Care Center in Saint Paul where he would spend nearly seven