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From the Provincial Minister
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NEW YORK - I hope that as you receive the newsletter today that it finds each of you, my brothers, well and gearing up as we transition from summer to fall - often a busier time in many of our ministries.
Today, I basically wanted to highlight three important things in my message to you.
The first is a welcome to Br. Niall O'Connell, our Visitator. Niall has officially arrived in the Province, just yesterday in fact, to begin his period of visitation with us. He will meet with the Provincial Definitorium and the Prechapter Steering Committee next week. I'm sure we will have a schedule of visitation very shortly, but I will leave that communication to Niall in the near future to you. But, we are very glad to have him with us and we welcome him as our brother among us for the months ahead.
The second thing I would like to remind everyone about is the Province celebration for our Newly Professed. We will gather on Saturday, September 26th in Wappingers Falls for a special celebration with our brothers Dale, Josh and Jay who recently professed their First Vows. I know that we are all busy in our ministry and it is hard to get away, but I am asking each of you, each friary, as your Provincial, to make an effort to send at least one friar to this important gathering. As our brothers spend most of their formation in Rome, it is so good for them to have a chance to get to know the brothers of the Province - their brothers. So, please take a moment to find some room in your schedule to be present to them and for us all to celebrate together. These are the things that matter. All of the details are below. Please RSVP to Tom Washburn so that we have a count for the dinner.
And, finally, the importance of this day should not pass without mention and without prayer. It is hard to believe that 14 years have passed since our nation, and this city of New York among others, was shaken by attacks. Here in New York, this is a city that is still marked both physically and emotionally by that day, and we know this is true of our nation and even our world. For our part, as religious, and especially as Franciscans, this leads us to renew our call to be instruments of peace in our fraternities, in our places of ministry, in our communities and in our world. So, let us all find some time today to be prayerfully focused on becoming both more peaceful in ourselves and becoming more clearly men of peace in action. It is a peace that the world needs so desperately. It is a peace that we all need.
Fraternally,
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Remembering September 11th | Praying for Peace
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Province celebration of First Vows - September 26
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WAPPINGERS FALLS, NEW YORK - All friars of the Province are invited to join together to celebrate the First Profession of Vows of our bothers Dale Brewer, Josh Critchley and Jay Woods.
Brs. Dale, Josh and Jay professed their first vows August 2nd at the Interprovincial Novitiate in Burlington, Wisconsin. This will be a fraternal celebration of our Province to celebrate this important moment in the lives of our brothers.
The celebration will begin with a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls. The Mass will be followed by a festive dinner in the refectory.
Friar-priests who wish to concelebrate are invited to bring an alb and a white stole. Please RSVP to Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM if you are able to join us for this wonderful celebration. Tom can be reached by email: frtom@icprovince.org or in the Provincial Curia Office at 212-674-4388.
- What? Province Celebration of the First Profession of Dale, Josh & Jay
- When? Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
- Where? Mount Alvernia Retreat Center, Wappingers Falls, New York
- RSVP? Tom Washburn: frtom@icprovince.org or 212-674-4388
Please make every effort to attend.
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| | Brs. Dale Brewer, OFM and Josh Critchley, OFM before their profession. |
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First-ever Convocation of over 70 Lay Brothers held in California
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Four Friars from Our Province in Attendance
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CALIFORNIA - A Convocation of more than 70 Lay Brothers from Provinces of the English Speaking Conference of the Order met from August 10-14, 2015, at St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista, California. In addition to ESC Provins, there were also participants from Australia, Singapore and South Korea. The convocation, years in the planning, included presentations by William Short, OFM (St. Barbara Province),on the history of Lay Brothers in the Order, by Marist Sean Sammon, FMS, on 'Brothers for the Church and World.' Also present was Richard McManus, OFM, a member of the Franciscan Interprovincial Team who led a discussion about the concerns of the Lay Brothers in the U.S. provinces related to the current process of reconfiguration.
Attending the Convocation from our Province were Courtland Campbell, OFM, Philip Hira, OFM, Chuck Trebino, OFM, and James Welch II, OFM.
"We spoke in length about the lack of vocations to the Lay Brother and how we can foster, encourage and support new vocations. I had a great time and plan to attend the next one," said Courtland Campbell.
Participants met in small groups and plenary sessions to process throughout the week a theme of 'What is ours to do?' Most important were meal times and informal opportunities for brothers to get to know one another. The attitude of the gathering was upbeat and positive. Bruce Michalek, OFM (Our Lady of Guadalupe Province) commented, "Participation in the Brothers Convocation affirmed my vocation as a Brother. My Franciscan soul was nourished by the presence of so many talented and generous Brothers from throughout the USA and beyond. The message was clear: We live in Hope!" Minister General Michael A. Perry OFM and ESC General Definitor Caoimhín Ó Laoide, OFM, were also present for the gathering. Both expressed to the group that they were present to listen and to learn. The General Minister gave a rousing reflection after an evening prayer. The purpose of the gathering was to begin a process of helping the ESC clarify the formation of Lay Brothers within our provinces. The outcome of this first-ever conference gathering of Lay Brothers became a commitment to gather again, and to begin working with the Lay Brothers in other conferences to assist the Order on the international level to deepen the formation and role of Lay Brothers.
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"Come and See" weekends announced by Vocation Team
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NEW YORK - The Vocation Team has announced the "Come and See" discernment retreats for the year ahead and are asking each parish or ministry site to promote them in their bulletins and other materials.
"Come and See" Vocation Retreat Schedule
- November 13-15, 2015
- February 5-7, 2016
- March 18-20, 2016
- April 15-17, 2016
Each retreat will take place at Immaculate Conception Friary in Boston.
Vocation Preaching around the Province
A member of the Vocation Team would also like to come to your parish or place of ministry to preach about vocations. Please email vocations@icprovince.org to schedule their visit.
We are all Animators of Vocations
Finally, the Vocation Team recognizes that we are all called to be vocation animators. Please share with us the name and contact information of any young man in your parish or ministry or that you know who you think may have a vocation to our way of life. Again, p lease let us know at vocations@icprovince.org.
BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENT
Please run the following announcement in your bulletin for the next several weeks:
"Come and See" Vocation Reatreat (Nov. 13-15, 2015) The Franciscan Vocation Office is holding a "Come and See" vocation discernment retreat for young men (ages 18-38) who are considering a calling to our Franciscan way of life. The retreat will take place Nov. 13-15 at Immaculate Conception Friary in Boston. To register for the retreat contact the Vocation Office at vocations@icprovince.org or (800) 521-5442. |
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Dedication & Blessing of IC Province Franciscan Library November 7
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NEW YORK - Provincial Minister Primo Piscitello, OFM, extends a cordial invitation to all friars of the Province to attend the dedication and blessing of the Immaculate Conception Province Franciscan Library on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.
The library is the result of Province attempts to safeguard and preserve various collections of Francescana around the Province and make them more widely accessible for research and education. To date, all of the Francescana of the Province has been brought to the new library space in the Provincial Curia.
Siobhan O'Dwyer, OFS, who has a master's degree from the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University, works with Fr. Paul Rotondi, OFM, for the organization and classification of our collection. And to sustain and support the work that has been accomplished thus far, the Provincial has set up a committee, appointing André Cirino, OFM coordinator of this project. The members of the committee are: Paul Rotondi, OFM, Richard Martignetti, OFM, Michael Della Penna, OFM, and Siobhan.
This collection will serve as a resource for research and education:
- for the friars of our Province, especially our students and friars working in formation;
- for Franciscan men and women of the greater New York City area;
- for anyone [cleric, religious, lay person] involved in an academic Franciscan project;
- for commissions of the Order to facilitate their work and service;
- for the 22 schools of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities [AFCU] in the USA.
The ICP Franciscan Library will also sponsor special events, the first of which will be a poetry reading presented by Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM, on June 14, 2015. More information on this and other planned events will be made available.
The November 7th dedication and blessing will also include a featured speaker. Fr. Michael Della Penna, OFM, will offer a presentation on "The Crucified Knight: The Spiritual Odyssey of St. Francis of Assisi according to Henry of Avranches." In June, the library hosted a very well attended presentation by Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM.
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