NEW YORK — A number of guardians, ministry directors and pastors named at the Province’s Post-Capitular Congressus last month have been announced.
The friars appointed as guardians or directors are:
| • | William Beaudin, OFM guardian of St. Bernardine of Siena Friary, Loudonville, N.Y. |
| • | Thomas Cole, OFM guardian of St. Stephen of Hungary Friary, New York |
| • | David Convertino, OFM director of St. Anthony’s Guild, East Rutherford, N.J. |
| • | Thomas Conway, OFM guardian of Holy Name College, Silver Spring, Md. |
| • | Francis Di Spigno, OFM guardian of St. Bonaventure University Friary, Allegany, N.Y., and campus minister |
| • | J. Patrick Kelly, OFM guardian and director of St. Anthony Shine, Boston |
| • | Richard McFeely, OFM guardian of St. Anthony Friary, Butler, N.J. |
| • | Francis McHugh, OFM guardian of St. Anthony Residence, Boston |
| • | Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, reappointed guardian of St. Camillus Friary, Silver Spring |
| • | Ronald Pecci, OFM, reappointed guardian of St. Paul Friary, Wilmington, Del. |
| • | A. Francis Soucy, OFM, reappointed guardian of Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J. |
| • | James Toal, OFM, reappointed guardian of St. Anthony Friary, St. Petersburg, Fla. |
In addition, the following friars were reappointed pastor at their current parishes: Aubrey McNeil, OFM, St. Mary of the Angels (Anderson, S.C.); Stephen Kluge, OFM, St. Francis of Assisi (Long Beach Island, N.J.); Michael Jones, OFM, St. Anthony (Butler, N.J.); Ignatius Smith, OFM, Holy Cross (Callicoon, N.Y.); Jud Weiksnar, OFM,St. Anthony of Padua (Camden, N.J.); Daniel McLellan, OFM, Immaculate Conception (Durham, N.C.); Patrick Tuttle, OFM, St. Anthony of Padua (Greenville, S.C.); Thomas Gallagher, OFM, St. Patrick-St. Anthony (Hartford, Conn.); William Scully, OFM, St. Francis Xavier (Narrowsburg, N.Y.); Daniel Kenna, OFM, Holy Name of Jesus(New York); Angelus Gambatese, OFM, St. Stephen of Hungary (New York); Joseph Juracek, OFM, St. Mary(Obernburg, N.Y.); Daniel Grigassy, OFM, St. Bonaventure (Paterson, N.J.); Mark Reamer, OFM, St. Francis of Assisi (Raleigh, N.C.); Michael Johnson, OFM, St. Camillus (Silver Spring); Todd Carpenter, OFM, St. Paul(Wilmington); John Frambes, OFM, St. Joseph (Wilmington); and Thomas Jones, OFM, St. Anthony of Padua(Yulan, N.Y.).
Seven other friars were proposed as pastors at the February Council meeting; their names will be made public after the Provincial Administration receives approval from the respective bishops and archbishops, said Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM.
The terms of the guardians and directors as well as pastors begin July 1, except for several cases where the friars will begin serving their roles sooner.
The council members began their Feb. 20 to 24 meeting with a day of reflection, facilitated by councilor Joseph Nangle, OFM. Their exchange of ideas was stimulated by three documents about Franciscan life and ministry, two written by Vincent Cushing, OFM, and one by Fr. Joseph Chinnici, OFM, of the California-based St. Barbara Province. The Council considered the mission statement of the Province in light of these texts and asked: “Is the statement an adequate expression of the Province’s current commitments and vision for the future?”
A report, distributed to the friars last week, on the Council’s day of reflection said, “While there was little support for a completely new iteration of the Province’s mission, there was consensus that the Province’s current mission statement needs to be read and understood in the light of three overlapping realities (1) the reality of the culture, or better yet, the cultures in which we live, (2) the reality of the Reign of God, and (3) The reality of our Franciscan vocation.”
The Council members will meet March 16 to determine additional friar assignments.
The photo above shows (front) Dominic Monti, OFM, John O’Connor, Joseph Nangle, (rear) Lawrence Hayes, OFM, F. Edward Coughlin, OFM, William Beaudin, Brian Belanger, OFM, Michael Harlan, OFM, and Thomas Conway.