The Christmas holidays can be a stressful time, especially when dealing with personal loss and this time of the pandemic. But there are a number of things we can do to celebrate the holidays at our own pace and in our own ways while dealing with grief.
Reflecting on Lessons Learned During Year of Pandemic and Social Consciousness
Life, not just in the United States, but throughout the world, was disrupted in 2020 by a new and deadly human pathogen. Ten friars share their thoughts on lessons learned personally and as a society in this year of concern for health, political upheaval, and social consciousness.
Franciscan Influences: Connecting with Shepherds Who Guide
Staff member of Raleigh parish – which friars maintained for 33+ years — describes how friars educate, inspire and enlighten and entertain
Franciscan Influences: Deepening Faith and Dealing with Loss
My friends the Franciscans, followers of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, have had a powerful impact on me for 47 years, shaping the person I have become and deepening my faith. They have been there in good times, and even more so in tough times. Reflecting on how the friars and their values affect me has been especially meaningful during this month of remembrance.
Reflecting on Fraternity and Brotherhood for St. Francis Feast
Coinciding with release of pope’s encyclical on Oct. 3, Casey Cole, Abraham Joseph, Kevin Kriso, David McBriar, Robert Menard, James Sabak reflect on importance of brotherhood, community and support
The Message of Mychal Judge’s Last Homily
In an article published by Siena College on Sept. 11, Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, describes the connection to Mychal Judge, OFM, of a current Siena College freshman and the lasting contribution that the late FDNY chaplain has had on people of good will. In August of 2020, Daniel De Franco began his journey at Siena College. Before coming to …
Friars Reflect on Labor Day During a Pandemic
This year, during a time of pandemic, the Labor Day holiday took on a more profound meaning. When the country virtually shut down, minimum-wage and hourly-wage employees became essential to daily life and survival. There has been a deeper appreciation for frontline personnel – such as supermarket cashiers, pharmacists, restaurant workers, fast-food attendants, truck drivers, postal carriers, building superintendents, and sanitation …
The Province’s First Pandemic
With our lives and ministries deeply affected in recent months by the coronavirus, several folks have asked me, as the unofficial historian of the Province, to write about the impact on Holy Name Province of the great influenza pandemic of 1918-20. Luckily, someone has already done this. Daniel Dwyer, OFM, of Siena College, published a well-researched article on that topic …
Reflecting on Racism and Ways to Confront a Crisis
After watching and reflecting on the protests around the United States that followed the May 25 death in Minneapolis, Minnesota, of George Floyd, Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, writes about the situation and on the cause of the killing by the police officer: racism. In the message below he describes three perspectives for responding to a crisis. My lived experience …
Earth Day Reflections on Environment and Pandemic
Hundreds of scheduled festivities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day were canceled throughout the world due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which ironically has cast the spotlight on another global emergency that’s been threatening the environment: the climate crisis. This year’s Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22, was supposed to be special – marking half a century …
Franciscan Influences: Two BU Professors Recall Friars’ Message
This article is part of a series about aspects of the Franciscan message that laypeople find compelling. The previous essay featured two eighth-graders at The Franciscan School in Raleigh, North Carolina, who described the impact that their education and the Franciscan spirit have had on them. Below, two professors at Boston University write about their recollections of their Franciscan colleges. …
Approaching Easter With Hope During Coronavirus Pandemic
As Christians commemorate Lent and Holy Week, managing daily activities amidst a pandemic, a friar reflects on the gardens of friendship and the seasons of life. Would it be an understatement to say that our lives have been turned upside-down? Although the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and many of these early spring days are warmer than normal, …