Features

Who are you calling old? Friar and nurse share perspectives on value of older friars’ wisdom for Pope Francis’ inaugural World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Emma Henderschedt reflects on how her four years at Siena College and one year of service as an FVM have led to a lifetime of service woven by Franciscan values and traditions.

Along with the beautiful tree blossoms and the flowers emerging from the ground, there are several occasions rooted in the month of May: Religious Brothers Day, Mother’s Day, and the feasts of the Ascension and St. Bernardine of Siena. Province friars reflect on each of them.

After living through more than 12 months of a pandemic, several HNP friars reflect on the greater meaning of this year’s Easter season – Christ’s death on the cross bringing renewal and salvation, COVID-19 vaccines providing hope, and the barren landscape of winter springing to growth and new life.

After 15 months in California, Erick Lopez reflects on the impact that the pandemic and the events around the world have had on him, describing the pain of witnessing sickness, anger, climate change, and the mistreatment of people as well as the need to mourn and to recognize love. When he thinks of Easter, his heart takes him to the celebrations he experienced for nine years at St. Camillus Church. Recently, after extreme sadness, he found consolation in “little sparkling drops.”

To Sean DeBiase, his great-uncle William DeBiase, OFM, was always just “Uncle Bill.” But the way William lived his life in service to others as a Franciscan friar helped shape Sean’s own life and teaching career. He reflects on his uncle on the one-year anniversary of William’s death.

This installment of Franciscan Influences, a series published by HNP Today since 2010, is written by a former missioner with the Franciscan Mission Service who spent three years living and serving in Africa. The author, who feels grateful to the friars and Franciscan-hearted people who have influenced her faith, family and life and spirit over the past 30 years, reflects on experiences that have inspired her.

In our ministries, we serve people from all different walks of life, and of varied ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds: those who are young and old, rich and poor, liberal and conservative. In my experience as a friar, when you ask those who are Catholic, for example in our parishes, how they understand the season of Lent, a number of them will speak about Lent, as a time to give something up, like a certain food that they really like, or perhaps a certain beverage, like a favorite soda or alcoholic drink.

The start of a new year and the approach of the 55th anniversary of my graduation from college recently got me thinking about my life and my work. It brought to mind my long connection to the Franciscans.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.” We receive this invitation each Ash Wednesday as the minister places ashes on our forehead. Each year, we carry our experiences from the past year as we process up the aisle to receive our ashes. This year, we bring our experiences of the pandemic.