Abraham Joseph to Profess Final Vows August 25

Jocelyn Thomas Friar News

NEW YORK – The Provincial Council has approved Abraham Joseph, OFM, for solemn profession. He will profess his final vows as a Franciscan on Aug. 25 at a Mass celebrated by Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, at St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street. All are welcome to the 11 a.m. liturgy.

Abraham, a native of Haiti, professed his first vows in August 2014 in Burlington, Wis., where he had spent a year as part of the Franciscan Interprovincial Novitiate. Since then, he has been involved in studies and ministry work.

During his time in formation, Abraham said, “The great change that happened for me is that it became clearer that our spiritual life should never be separated from our day-to-day life. The Gospel values must penetrate all aspects of our life. It is crucial to bring the Christian viewpoint into our societies.”

He said, “As an adult, I looked more profoundly into the teaching of the Church and the Word of Christ. Consequently, I committed myself to live my Christian faith seriously. Making profession is one more step toward reaching the strongest desire of my heart, to imitate Jesus Christ the way St. Francis did.”

He moved to the United States in 2000 and completed a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Monroe College in the Bronx, N.Y. Prior to entering formation, Abraham worked as an accountant at the September 11th Families Association in Manhattan. He got to know the friars at St. Francis of St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street, where he was a Eucharistic minister, server and RCIA sponsor, and said he was impressed by the way the friars ministered to those in need.

Since last summer, Abraham has been serving an internship at Holy Name of Jesus-St. Gregory the Great Parish on West 96th Street in New York City. He has been involved in various ministries, including liturgy preparation, adult education, administrative tasks, and justice, peace and integrity of creation work. “It has been a great learning and discerning period,” he said.

The milestone of solemn profession is meaningful to Abraham.

“I always desire to offer my whole person to the service of God,” he said. “Being committed to the Order of Friars Minor, sharing its wonderful mission toward the materially and spiritually poor, gives me the opportunity to help build the Kingdom of God.”

In June, Abraham will move to Chicago, where he will continue studies toward the priesthood. Soon after, he will participate in a two-part 30-day retreat. “I will do the first three weeks at the novitiate in Santa Barbara, Calif., and will follow that with a week of directed retreat at a Franciscan center,” he said.

Last year, two friars – Casey Cole, OFM, and Ramon Razon, OFM – professed their final vows. 

— Jocelyn Thomas is director of communication for Holy Name Province.

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