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From the Provincial Minister
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NEW YORK - Today, I would simply like to invite all of us into a common act of prayer for peace in our country and in our world.
It seems like barely a week goes by without yet another act of violence taking place somewhere in our midst. These horrific actions have been terribly close to home of late - Charleston, Chattanooga and now just last night Lafayette - just to name the most recent ones. But, we also know that people are enduring even much worse on a daily basis in places like Syria and Yemen, Iraq and too many other places in our world.
If you're like me, you are paralyzed with the question - what can we do? Perhaps on the grander scale, it is a question whose answer often eludes us as individuals. But, certainly as religious, as followers of Jesus and believers; as those who are committed to the life set forth by St. Francis, there is something we can do - we can pray. So, let's pledge to give more than lip service. Let's pledge to make our prayers for peace deep, meaningful, sustained and the kind of prayer that effects the world around us.
Let us pray for peace. Let us be men of peace. May God give us the courage to choose peace in our world. And may all those who have been the innocent victims of this constant violence know the peace that is eternity with God, and may God be with their loved ones in their grief.
"Lord, make us instruments of your peace."
Fraternally, |
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Year of Consecrated Life
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"We evangelize not with grand words, or complicated concepts, but with the joy of the Gospel, which fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus."
- Pope Francis
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Br. James Curran, founder of Little Brothers of St. Francis, dies
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BOSTON - On June 28, 2015, Br. James Curran, LBSF, founder of the Little Brothers of St. Francis, went home to the Lord. He was 83 years old.
Br. James died as he lived, a humble Franciscan, without pomp or ceremony. Best remembered as a friend to the poor, Br. James and his companions were a regular and constant site wherever there were people who were poor through the Greater Boston area. They could also frequently be found at functions and celebrations at St. Leonard Church in the North End as they always had a deep and close relationship with our Province of the Immaculate Conception.
"The passing of Br. James signals the end of an era," said Provincial Minister Primo Piscitello, OFM. "He was always resolute in the purity of his Franciscan conviction and his love for the poor. The message of his community was always crystal clear in its action and connection to those beloved by Jesus. It was an honor for these many years for friars of our Province to serve as spiritual assistants to the Little Brothers and to enjoy to close fraternal relationship that we did for so long. Br. James was an inspiration."
Brother's journey to religious life is an amazing story. Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, his father was killed during World War II. Inspired by his mother, Brother James became a Franciscan tertiary as a teenager but it was not until 1967 that he received the special grace that would define the rest of his life. While performing with the Boston Opera Company at the White House before President Lyndon Johnson and other distinguished guests, Brother James said that he "was confronted with a compelling desire to change my life around immediately. As if in a mirror, I saw the emptiness of my life and the lifestyle."
He detached himself from possessions and perks and began to spend more time in prayer and adoration. The Lord opened his eyes to see the poor and destitute who populated the streets of Boston. "What a miracle of grace God worked when they became for me what the leper was for St. Francis - instruments of peace and love to turn my selfish heart away from egotistical pursuits and once again towards God!"
In 1970, Brother James founded the Little Brothers of St. Francis, patterned after Francis' Rule for Hermitages. The brothers lived deeply contemplative lives in urban Boston, preaching the Gospel by their Christian hospitality and healing presence. The brothers disbanded in December of 2012 and in the last few years, Brother James lived in nursing homes.
In his final newsletter, he wrote that he was "still convinced that God gave us our charism as a simple response to the Gospel and will continue to call others to that forma vita (way of life) so dear to St. Francis: contemplative presence among the poorest of the poor."
Son of the late James P. and Anna V. (Diffley) Curran, Brother James is lovingly survived by the members of his former community, several cousins and many dear friends. A Mass of Christian Burial was held in The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help "Mission Church" in Boston on July 1. Interment took place at Mt. Benedict Cemetery, West Roxbury.
May he rest in peace.
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FEATURE: St. Peter's mission to Dominican Republic 12 years' strong
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WOODBRIDGE, ONTARIO - It is a project that was begun by the friars at St. Peter's Church in Woodbridge more than a decade ago, but today Fr. Michael Corcione, OFM, continues to bring groups of volunteers from the parish for a mission experience to the Dominican Republic each summer, but it is a mission that takes place all year long.
"Claudio and I started this project down to the Dominican Republic over 12 years ago," Fr. Michael, pastor of St. Peter's explained. "We were invited to 'come and see' what is happening down there."
From that moment 12 years ago and the first-hand witness of the extreme poverty and deprivation that is the day-to-day experience of the people, the friars decided to do something.
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| | Group photo of parish volunteers in the Dominican Republic |
"We deal mostly with Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic," Fr. Michael said. "Most of them live in small villages called 'bateys.' They are nothing more than shanty towns."
There are more than two million Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic today and they are not afforded the benefits of citizenship even though most have been living there for most, if not all, of their lives. Haiti and the Dominican Republic occupy the same island of Hispaniola, located in the Caribbean.
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| | Fr. Michael Corcione, OFM, with one of the young people he has met each year for the last decade. |
"We established an education program which allows approximately 12-15 students to attend university every year. We bus 35-40 students to high school every day because they live a long distance from school and would not be able to attend if there were no transportation," Fr. Michael said.
They also work with the Grey Sisters of Pembroke, Ontario to run a medical/nutritional program which sends doctors every month into the bateys to identify sick people. "We provide the medicine and food they will need to help people recover to good health. We were recently told that because of the medical/nutritional program, we have eliminated infant mortality. We were told, 'Our babies don't die anymore Father because of you!."
With the cooperation of Health Partners Canada, the parish is also able to purchase 30 medical boxes every year specifically designed to help people with the most basic health care. The boxes are purchased for $575 but they are valued at $6,000 each; $180,000 in total.
Although the programs run year round, the friars personally take a group of parishioners every year to see the work the parish is doing and to see firsthand the effect they are having on others' lives.
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| | Volunteers packing bags of beans and rice - a staple and favorite in the local diet. |
"This year, as in years past, we took 40 people of our parish," Fr. Michael said. Most of those traveling were under the age of 25 (one was 9 years old who came with mother). Everyone pays for their own flight and we stay with a group of nuns from Spain who run a teachers college. The group just completed an experience from July 16-23.
"Every day while we are down there, we visit the bateys, give out rice and beans to over 1,500 people, we take them to the beach - most of whom have never even seen the beach - and learn more about what we can do to help these people," Fr. Michael said. "Although the task is enormous, we start with one person at a time and do our best to help them."
This initiative begun by Fr. Claudio Moser, OFM and Fr. Michael is a local effort on the parish level to do what they can to help the poor. The parish works all year to raise funds to keep the programs running.
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| | Getting ready to deliver the m uch-needed medical boxes. |
"So far, with the help of God, we have made a difference in the lives of these forgotten people...and we hope to do so for many years o come," Fr. Michael said. "The greatest gift we can give these people is the gift of our presence; to let them know that someone cares for them and that they are not forgotten!"
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| | Fr. Michael with one of their on-site organizers. |
He explained that they try to bring to the people they minister to in the Dominican Republic the chance to have hope for tomorrow in a land where tomorrow often has no hope.
"We try to give them this hope and want them to do the same for others," Fr. Michael said.
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St. Thomas Aquinas holds annual Beach Mass
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HAMPTON BEACH, NEW HAMPSHIRE - About 100 people gathered on the shore of the Atlantic for the annual celebration of Mass on Hampton Beach with the friars from St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Derry, NH.
Recently ordained Fr. Joseph Powell, OFM, was the presider and homilist for the July 13 Mass. Derry pastor Fr. Phil Pacheco, OFM, concelebrated.
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| | Fr. Joseph Powell, OFM, preaching on the shores |
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| | Praised be You, my Lord... |
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| | About 100 parishioners gathered near the end of the day for this special Mass, a St. Thomas Aquinas tradition for more than 10 years. |
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Senior friars visit Catskill friary
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CATSKILL, NEW YORK - Senior friars from St. Christopher Friary in Boston traveled west for a fraternal gathering held at St. Anthony Friary in Catskill.
The June 28-30 gathering was sponsored by the Province Health Care Committee.
The friars greeted each other warmly, as some had not seen each other for several years. In addition to concelebrated Masses, prayers, time together to chat and festive meals, a sing-along organ recital took place on Monday evening.
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| | Friars gathered in the refectory at St. Anthony Friary |
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| | Friars gathered in the recreation room where they can enjoy one another as well as the spectacular view of the Hudson River. |
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| | Friars enjoyed the company of one another. |
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| | Fraternal time in the 2nd floor rec room. |
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FMS Missioners thriving at Valley of the Angels
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VALLEY OF THE ANGELS, GUATEMALA - Maeve Catherine Gallagher and Amanda June Ceraldi's presence immediately had a positive and refreshing impact upon the entire Valle de los Angeles community, which comprises almost 200 children and 50 employees.
There was a great energy and excitement in welcoming two new North American women to live with us who were volunteering as Franciscan missioners and giving of themselves so generously. Everyone felt they were receiving a great gift. It really gave a lift to the project as a whole and specifically injected new life into our school curriculum.
Maeve and Amanda came to Valley through a partnership with Franciscan Mission Service in Washington, DC, an organization that trains lay people who want to engage in extended mission service abroad.
They quickly became part of the children's everyday life. Because English is such an important skill that opens doors once they graduate, we asked Maeve and Amanda to teach classes every day.This increased the level and quality of our English curriculum immensely. The missioners also offer an after school course which aims at focusing in on those students who are struggling, or desire more instruction, in order to help them develop critical linguistic skills in specific areas they need. This is truly an essential and key skill that can help them succeed once they leave Valley.
Because they have been formed in the Franciscan tradition, they have a deeper insight into the spirituality that informs our mission. This has allowed Maeve and Amanda to understand the "big picture" and so jump in and contribute to the overall goals of the project. While all schools aim at educating students' minds, a Franciscan school seeks to form the hearts of the children in certain Gospel values; love of creation, solidarity with the poor, joy, etc.
Each month we focus on a different virtue that is stressed through various medium on successive Tuesdays with a film, a catechesis, a witness and a creative response. Maeve and Amanda are equipped to integrate dimensions of our Franciscan charism, whether it is stories that accentuate the values we want to affirm or even writings from St. Francis and St. Clare.
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| | Maeve Gallagher (left) and Amanda Ceraldi (right) with Fr. Michael Della Penna |
The women have greatly alleviated the workflow of our administrative office by taking over the management of the various missionary groups that visit valley. This year, for example, we will have about 8 groups coming who comprise from about 10-18 students who stay between a week or two. Maeve and Amanda oversee every aspect of their mission experience from the initial contact, scheduling, pickup, reserving vans, meals, etc.
The women not only help out with various activities like events, different projects, unloading containers, checking inventories, and giving tours but have specific tasks. Maeve for example has taken on the Valley's web presence and initiated a new Facebook page where she has begun making contact with our alumnae. She has also been keeping a blog, and posting articles regularly for our newsletter and FMS that help keep the news of Valley current. Amanda has begun researching ways to find additional funding through various grants. She also oversees the "Soy Tu Angel" program which facilitates the relationship between benefactors and the children.
The most important contribution however of each woman is the gift of themselves; their love. The daily one-on-ones that allow our children to feel their own value and the most precious experience of being "loved." This is something we can not program or buy but is the greatest asset they provide, one which is invaluable and immeasurable.
Amanda commented, "Since my very first day here at Valley I have felt like family. I am so thankful for all of the amazing opportunities to spend time with the kids, to play with them, and most importantly to love them. I love them like they are family, because now they are my family!"
The mutual sharing which comes from the daily living together and accompanying our children provides a special opportunity of growth. The personal relationships they have with our children is the greatest blessing which ultimately affirms the human dignity of the child. This is what builds their often low self esteem and allows them to blossom.
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ESC Communication Directors meet in New York City
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - The Communication Directors of the English Speaking Conference held their annual meeting July 12-16 in New York City. The meeting was hosted by Holy Name Province.
Communication personnel from the provinces of Holy Name, Immaculate Conception, St. John the Baptist, Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul (Malta), St. Casimir (Lithuania), and Ireland were present, as well as representatives from the Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, DC, and the newly hired Digital Media Director for the US Franciscans, Br. Jim McIntosh, OFM.
During the meeting communicators addressed the following topics:
- Reviewed the communications from the General Chapter for the Conference by Tom Washburn, OFM and Alvin Te, OFM.
- Visited the offices of America Magazine and met with Fr. James Martin, SJ, who spoke about communications in the midst of reconfiguration; as well as successful ways to communicate through social media.
- Shared communication strategies for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis.
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| | Communicators met at Holy Name Provincial Curia in New York City |
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| | Communicators gathered from as far away as Lithuania, Ireland and Malta. |
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| | Communicators enjoyed a tour of America House, the headquarters of America Magazine. The tour was arranged by Tom Washburn, a Weston Jesuit classmate of Fr. James Martin, SJ. |
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| | America Magazine's Fr. James Martin, SJ, speaks with the ESC Communicators |
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