NEW YORK — Below are news items about some of the many activities of Holy Name friars, including their presentations, publications, and ministry work. More information can be obtained by visiting links to the parishes and organizations mentioned, by contacting the friars by phone or e-mail, and by contacting the communications office.
To provide news briefs for future issues of HNP Today, e-mail Jocelyn Thomas at communications@hnp.org
► F. Edward Coughlin, OFM, departs this week for Ireland, where he will serve as a tour guide for participants of St. Bonaventure University’s 150th anniversary pilgrimage. The trip takes pilgrims to Dublin, Rome and Assisi — places with historic signifance to SBU, where Ed is vice president for the Franciscan mission.
► Artwork by David Haack, OFM, will be among the displays at Holy Name Province’s Chapter next month. The friars will gather at St. Bonaventure University, June 1 to 6.
► A video about the life and ministry of Mario Di Lella, OFM, who retired last month as Georgia Tech campus minister after nearly four decades, appears on YouTube. In addition, his ministry is recalled in the Georgia Bulletin, the publication of the Archdiocesan Catholic paper. It can be found here. www.georgiabulletin.org.
► Thomas Hartle, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony Church in Butler, N.J., led a group of 52 parishioners and friends on an eight-day trip to Switzerland and Austria, with a brief excursion to Bavaria. The group departed from Newark, N.J., on April 23 and returned May 2. Inspiration for the trip sprung out of a desire to see scenic views of the Alps, and at the same time experience the cuisine and culture of that part of Europe.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to Wies Church (Wieskirche) in Bavaria. This church is a World Heritage Site and well known for a statue of a scourged Jesus, which is thought by some to weep, Thomas said. Also included, was a stop in the village of Oberammergau to see the theater in which the world-famous Passion Play is performed every 10 years.
► The New York Times featured Brian Jordan, OFM, in its May 17 issue. The story, “Tending to a Flock in Hard Hats”, described Brian’s ministry to immigrants and to the building trades. It also mentioned his love of jogging. In the story, Brian, who directs the Franciscan Immigration Center on West 32nd Street in Manhattan, said the concept of solidarity was important to him from a young age. “My father used the term solidarity when I was a kid,” he said. The piece speaks of Brian being influenced by Mychal Judge, OFM, when Brian was a student at Siena College. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg called Brian personally to congratulate him on the article.
► Siena College President Kevin Mullen, OFM, and other college officials gathered May 6 in Saratoga, N.Y., to evaluate a 7,000-square-foot former high school building that the college is considering buying and turning into a center on the Revolutionary War. According to a recent article in the Albany Times-Union, Siena wants the Saratoga battlefield to become as well known in the Capital Region as Gettysburg is in Pennsylvania. The Loudonville, N.Y., college wants to increase interest in Saratoga National Historical Park, site of the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, and create an academic concentration in the Revolutionary War.
► Kenneth Paulli, OFM, presented a talk at Siena College‘s May 15 luncheon for retirees titled “Advancing Siena’s Mission.”
► Ronald Pecci, OFM, received a master’s degree in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University (SBU). The keynote speaker at the May 11 commencement ceremony, Edward Bastian, president and CFO of Delta Airlines, SBU 1979, told the audience, “The values that I learned here are what it took to save Delta.”