The Gray Friars of Canning Town

The “Gray Friars” are Franciscan monks – members of a breakaway group of Capuchin Franciscans who wanted to return to the radical lifestyles of their predecessors and recapture the original spirit of St Francis by seeking out areas of poverty, by living in simplicity with the poor and attempting to renew and revitalise communities. On June 1st 2000, six of these young American monks arrived in Canning Town, East London, from their home in the Bronx, USA. Father Richard (34), and Brothers John Paul (37), Nicholas (39), Peter (28), Sean Christopher (26) and Sylvester (32) chose to live in Canning Town in order to fulfil their calling. Their intention: to minister to the community of one of England’s poorest borough and an area widely regarded as the epitome of contemporary British poverty. Living in a former boxing club the Frairs have no money, relying solely on donations. Even their daily food is supplied gratis. It’s been hard. The monks have been met by cynicism, aggression and even violence. They’ve have been shocked by the depression and latent anger in the area, but they’re slowly making a difference: former gangsters turning to them for help; thirty kids in their basketball club; and countless homeless at their daily drop-in centre. This photo-story followed the experience of the Friars as they attempted to assimilate themselves into Canning Town between 2000-2001 as they attempted to help some of the broken lives in this sensitive community, often with some quite unorthodox.