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 atcommunications@hnp.org
► Siena College friary guardian Brian Bellanger, OFM, reports that an amusing sign (pictured above) outside the friary has attracted much attention. “Everyone around here seems to love it,” he said.
► Kevin Cronin, OFM, gave two retreats recently, as part of the Ministry of the Word Lenten season. Kevin, a Long Island native, said he has given more than 60 missions on Long Island over the past 15 years and was “thrilled” to be invited to give a Lenten mission at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, N.Y., in February.
In addition, he led two workshops at the Feb. 29 Los Angeles Catechetical Congress. This is the fifth time he has been invited to speak to this group. More than 750 attendees attended each event. Topics were the Challenge of St. Francis of Assisi 1209-2009 and Conversations with Jesus from the Gospels, he said, adding “Over 22,000 people attended the largest of all the catechetical congresses in our country, and probably the world,” Kevin said.
► Patrick Fitzgerald, OFM, will celebrate a Lenten Mass on March 9 at noon at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan. Sponsored by the Spirit in Action group at the church, it will be followed by a continental breakfast at St. Francis House at 135 West 31st Street.
► An article by Raymond Mann, OFM, of Boston, titled “The Empty Box: Why Catholics Skip Confession“ appears in the Feb. 29 issue of Commonweal magazine.
► Jerome Massimino, OFM, reports that several friars on West 31st Street in Manhattan enjoyed building asnowman after New York City’s first significant snowstorm of the season on Feb. 22. Pio Kim, OFM, Kevin Tortorelli, OFM, and Vincent Laviano, OFM, created the snowman. The scarf was donated by Miguel Loredo OFM, Jerome said.
► Siena College President Kevin Mullen, OFM, gathered on Feb. 29 with alumni, parents and friends at a reception in Stuart, Fla.
► Russel Murray, OFM, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, “The Call of Dialogue: Reading the Papacy through the Lens of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission,” on Feb. 22. The defense was held before an ecumenical board of examiners representing the theology faculty of the Toronto School of Theology.
Russel, a resident of Gemelli House in Silver Spring, Md., is an instructor in the Department of Systematic Theology at the Washington Theological Union. This semester, he teaches “Theology of the Church” and “The Religious Presbyter.”
► Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, represented Holy Name Province at a special Mass on March 2 at St. Leo’s Church in Elmwood Park, N.J., a parish formerly ministered by the friars. The Mass was in memory of Fr. Leo Heinrichs, OFM, for whom the church was named; he was assasinated in 1908. Details about this 100th anniversary commemoration will appear in the next issue of this newsletter.
► The winter 2008 issue of The Franciscan Spiritual Center’s newsletter shows a photo of Richard Trezza, OFM. He is pictured on Page 3 with other participants at the annual meeting in Aston, Pa., of the Secular Franciscan National Board last year.
The deadline for submission of news for the next issue of HNP Today is March 13.