NEW YORK - Last week during the meeting of the Provincial Council, Friar Gabriel Aceto was named to serve as Interim Secretary of Formation and Studies to fill the vacancy created when former Secretary Friar Francis Walter was elected General Definitor of the Order at the General Chapter that recently concluded in Assisi.

 

Gabriel has served in various formation capacities including most recently Novice Master, Director of Postulants, and as Assistant Director on all levels of formation.  He will report to the Convento San Francesco in Rome in September in advance of the return of the Temporary Professed from their summer assignments.  Gabriel currently resides at St. Leonard Friary in Boston.

 

SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS: The Temporary Professed friars also received their summer assignments:

NEW YORK - The Provincial Council has approved three friars to be ordained into the Order of Deacons.

 

Friars Christopher Gaffrey, Giacomo La Selva, and Alvin Te will make their Solemn Profession of Vows on Sunday, September 13.  They will be ordained as Temporary Deacons the following day, September 14, by Bishop Robert Camilleri.  Both celebrations will take place at St. Francis Centre in Caledon, Ontario, Canada.

 

 

All three were previously approved for Solemn Vows and are currently making their 30-day Solemn Profession retreat at The Martyrs Shrine in Midland, Ontario, Canada.

 

On June 24, Friar Alvin successfully defended his thesis for his Baccalaureate degree at the Antonianum; and Friar Chris successfully defended his degree on June 25.  

NEW YORK - The Provincial Council, in its June 30 meeting, appointed four friars to serve as Associate Vocation Directors to work in collaboration with Provincial Director of Vocations Thomas Washburn.

 

At the recommendation of the Vocation Director, the following were appointed to serve as regional vocation contacts:

WALTHAM, MA - Friar Dennis Wheatley celebrated his 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood with a special Mass at Sacred Heart Church on June 6th at 4 p.m.

 

Vicar Provincial Patrick Boyle preached the homily to a packed Church gathered to celebrate.  Following the Mass, there was an outdoor reception on the grounds of the Church for all those in attendance, followed by a formal reception at the local American Legion Hall for 210 invited guests - among them the Mayor of Waltham who presented Friar Dennis with an honorary citation.

 

There were also two city council members present who spoke of Dennis's involvement with the community. 

 

 FRIARS GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION FOR FRIAR DENNIS WHEATLEY

BROOKLYN, NY - Our Lady of Peace Church celebrated the Feast of St. Anthony with a special novena and procession recently. This is the second year for the Procession re-introduced by Pastor John Scarangello.

 

Vicar Provincial Patrick Boyle preached the 13 Tuesdays in honor of the Saint at Our Lady of Peace and was also invited to celebrate the Feast Day liturgy.

 

The Procession followed the noontime liturgy and made its way through the streets of hte parish complete with the Italian Marching Band. 

 VICAR PROVINCIAL PATRICK BOYLE PICTURED WITH PARISHIONERS PRESENT FOR THE ST. ANTHONY PROCESSION

ASSISI - During the Spring meeting of the English Speaking Conference in Assisi, Friar Thomas Washburn was named the new Chairman of the American Franciscan Liturgical Commission.

 

The AFLC works under the auspices of the English Speaking Conference to create Franciscan liturgical books in English.  As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops completes its work on the new translation of the Roman Missal, the AFLC will work to publish a new Roman-Seraphic Missal.

 

Friar Thomas will chair a group that is made up of friars from our Order, as well as the Capuchins, Conventuals and Third Order Regular.

 

Friar Thomas replaces Friar Steve Malkiewicz who has served as chair of the Commission for many years.  Friar Steve will remain as a member of the group.

 

In addition to his Master of Divinity from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Friar Thomas also holds a Master of Sacred Liturgy from the same institute.  He has served on the Liturgy Committee of our Province, and the Liturgical Commission of the Diocese of Manchester.

ROME - At the first meeting of the newly elected administration of the Order, the General Definitorium appointed Friar Aidan McGrath, of the Province of Ireland, as the new General Secretary of the Order.

 

In addition to functioning as General Secretary, Aidan, a canonist, will also be the canon law advisor to the General Minister and Definitorium.  Congratulations to Aidan!

ST. LOUIS, MO - The last few weeks have seen the election of new Provincial Ministers in two U.S. Provinces.  Both Sacred Heart Province and Our Lady of Guadalupe Province have elected new leaders.

 

Sacred Heart Province, based in St. Louis, found itself in sudden need of a new Provincial Minister when Friar Michael Perry was elected as Vicar General of the Order on June 5 during the General Chapter.

 

According to the General Statutes of the Order, when faced with a vacancy, the Vicar Provincial must convene the Provincial Council within 30 days to carry out the election of a Provincial. Should the Vicar Provincial be elected as Provincial, there needs to be another election to select a Vicar. Then, should one of the Councilors be elected as Vicar Provincial, the Councilors must choose a new member to fill that place. The results of these elections are in force until the time of the next Provincial Chapter (in 2011). That chapter would have been the occasion to elect only a new Provincial Council for the next three years, but now it will also include voting for both a Provincial and a Vicar for a six-year term. 

 

On June 30, the Provincial Council of Sacred Heart Province met and elected Friar William Spencer as Provincial Minister.  Friar Bill was serving as Pastor of St. Peter's Church-in-the-Loop in Chicago, as well as a member of the Provincial Council at the time of his election.  Friar Michael Jennrich continues in his ministry as Vicar Provincial. Friar Joseph Zimmerman was elected to the Provincial Council to take the place vacated by the new Provincial.

 

On the same day, in the midst of their Provincial Chapter, Our Lady of Guadalupe Province also elected a new Provincial Minister.  Friar Gino Correa was been elected as Provincial Minister to replace Friar Larry Dunham, who served in that capacity for the past nine years. 

 

Additionally, Friar Ron Walters was elected as Vicar Provincial. Frias Duane Torisky, Sean Murnan, Gonzalo Moreno and José Rodriguez were elected to the Provincial Council.

 O Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the Americas

and Queen of the Order of Friars Minor,

we ask you to inspire humble and chosen souls

for a  life in Christ and in the spirit of St. Francis.

 

With

Motherly care,

foster vocations to our Order and to our Province,

so that seraphic love, labor and sacrifice

will ever flourish in this land dedicated to your protection.

 

Amen.