Allen White
Director, Saint Francis of Assisi Research Library
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
As a native Houstonian and founding director of the Saint Francis of Assisi Research Library & Spirituality Center, Brother Allen White, OSF, is a life-professed friar with the Order of Saint Francis, an Anglican/Episcopal religious Order celebrating more than 20 years of world-wide ministry and service. In addition to serving the OSF as its official historian and archivist, he is also an active member of ATLA (American Theological Library Association.)
Although born, raised, and educated as a Roman Catholic, Allen’s ecumenical ministry as both an ordained minister and Franciscan friar have included serving numerous denominations and congregations as an associate pastor, worship leader, chaplain, and teacher of Christian contemplative meditation. As such, his diverse, professional career has spanned more than twenty-five years in the church, non-profit, and private sectors. Today, as a life-professed Franciscan friar and contemplative activist, Brother Allen strives to contribute to the healing and transformation of the world by following Jesus in the footsteps of Francis.
In his role as the Library Director, Brother Allen not only provides complete oversight of the library’s catalog, collections, and archives as its curator, but also writes, teaches, and conducts research on Christian mystical wisdom, scripture-based contemplative practices, and the Franciscan Alternative Orthodoxy.
His current active ministries include Hope Center Houston where he is embedded as the Executive Director, lead advocate, and mendicant for those experiencing homelessness, and St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church where he serves as the Lay Worship and Pastoral Care Assistant. He and his wife of twenty-five years, LeslieAnn, reside in Spring, Texas.
