Brotherhood of Hope priest serves University of Central Florida students
Father Paul Helfrich, one of three priests in the Brotherhood of Hope, serves young adults at the University of Central Florida (UCF) through campus ministry. Father Helfrich said his decision to join religious life was shaped by a personal encounter with faith. “Having experienced the Lord’s personal love for me, I felt like I wanted to make some response to Him,” he said. “I felt I wanted to imitate Him as closely as possible and I wanted a life that would free me for prayer and service; and I saw that in the Brotherhood.”
The Brotherhood of Hope was founded 46 years ago by Father Philip Merdinger and five laymen, including Father Helfrich. His deeper involvement with faith began after observing changes in his family during their participation in the Charismatic Renewal. “I saw the change in that. That kind of undercut my argument that, well, this is for older people,” he explained. “When I was seeing what happened to them, I got involved with the renewal, and through that experience, the Lord in a much more personal way.”
Father Helfrich moved into a Christian men’s house in Newark where he met Father Merdinger. He recalled: “One night he gave a talk about starting the Brotherhood to the men in the household and he said, ‘Anybody who’s interested can come and look through this with me.’”
After his conversion, Father Helfrich decided to pursue a life dedicated to prayer and service within the Brotherhood. Early on, members held secular jobs; Father Helfrich worked as an attorney before pursuing ordination alongside Bob Oliver, now a monsignor. “I feel like (serving Him) continues to this day because I feel like pursuing the priesthood was a further expression of that” Father Helfrich recalled. “Here’s another step in which I can make a response to the Lord, in which I can imitate Him more closely through prayer and service.”
Since August 2025, Father Helfrich has been part of UCF’s Catholic Campus Ministry staff where he celebrates Masses, hears confessions, and works on liturgical logistics while supporting local diocesan priests.
He noted that working with college students helps him stay engaged spiritually: “My title is campus minister, so I have some responsibilities in that way, and a number liturgically,” Father Helfrich explained. “I’m edified so often by talking with the students and seeing how much they love the Lord and want to serve Him. That is great encouragement to me in my own faith, to see their zeal for Him and the Church.”
The Diocese of Orlando was established in 1968 and currently includes 79 parishes across nine counties such as Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia. The diocese also has 11 missions, two basilicas, 43 Catholic schools and is led by Bishop James Noonan.
