Friar News Briefs

HNP Communications Friar News

The updates below describe activities of Holy Name friars and feature celebrations, presentations, and ministry events. For more information, contact the friars by phone or email, connect with the HNP Communications Office, or visit links to the parishes and organizations mentioned.

To provide news briefs for future articles, email information to communications director Jocelyn Thomas at communications@hnp.org.

From the Administration
The many details involved in arranging the June 4 to 9 Provincial Chapter are being finalized. On May 1, Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, officially convoked the Chapter, whose theme is “Pilgrims, Not Strangers: Reclaiming a Pilgrimage Spirituality as Friars Minor of the 21st Century United States.” In a letter to friars, Kevin said “please begin to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the brothers of Holy Name Province as we gather for Chapter 2017,” providing a prayer for use by local fraternities. The following day, Provincial Secretary Michael Harlan, OFM, emailed a registration form to all members, requesting that friars submit their completed forms to the Provincial Office by May 17.

The eighth in the “Custodians of the Tradition” series offering four-page summaries of aspects of Franciscan heritage is available in the Friars Only section. The “Ongoing Formation” page contains the May resource titled “John Duns Scotus: Retrieving a Medieval Thinker for Contemporary Theology” by Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ, as well as the other installments in the series.

► John Anglin, OFM, preached for Unbound – an organization that partners with families living in poverty, empowering them to become self-sufficient – in South Haven, Mich., on April 22 and at St. Mark in West Hartford, Conn., on April 29. Photos are available on The Wandering Friar Facebook page.

► Thomas Conway, OFM, participated in a weeklong pilgrimage to Franciscan sites in Italy with members of St. Bonaventure University’s administration – including the incoming president, Dr. Dennis DePerro, and his wife, Sherry – and Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM, treasurer of the Order of Friars Minor. While in Vatican City, the DePerros had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis, who spoke with them briefly and blessed them during his audience in St. Peter’s Square. In addition to Rome, during their April 25 to May 2 trip, the pilgrims visited other historic towns including Assisi, Bagnoregio, and Greccio.

► Last weekend, Xavier De la Huerta, OFM, visited Philadelphia and participated in St. Francis Inn Ministries’ spring fling-volunteer appreciation day. The May 7 event, which honored the people who help the ministry meet guests’ needs throughout the year, began with a Mass at which he gave “who gave a very inspirational talk to the volunteers about the role of the Holy Spirit in all our lives,” according to the Inn’s Facebook page. Before moving in 2016 to the Province’s skilled nursing home in Ringwood, N.J., Xavier had been part of the St. Francis Inn team.

► On April 30 at St. Joseph’s Friary in Chicago, six simply professed friars were installed into the ministry of acolyte by Fr. William Spencer, OFM, provincial minister of Sacred Heart Province. They were Javier Del Angel De los Santos, OFM, Abraham Joseph, OFM, Aaron Richardson, OFM, Roberto Serrano, OFM, and Jay Woods, OFM, as well as Br. John Boissy, OFM, of St. John the Baptist Province. The ceremony took place as part of a celebration of St. Joseph the Worker, the friary’s patron, whose feast day is May 1. Photos are available on the Franciscan Interprovincial Post-Novitiate US Facebook page.

► On April 27, Daniel Horan, OFM, of Chicago, held a talk via Skype about his latest book “God is Not Fair and Other Reasons for Gratitude,” with the young adult book group at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston. Information about Dan’s work and presentations can be found on the Daniel P. Horan Facebook page.

► The NY Daily News published a story on April 27 about New York City’s annual Mass in honor of fallen construction workers, held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Brian Jordan, OFM, presided. Brian is chaplain for the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, as well as chaplain at St. Francis College, Brooklyn, N.Y. Last year, 11 trades workers were killed on construction jobs. Two died on union jobs and nine of the workers died at non-union construction sites. “We are all equal in death. This is about solidarity,” he said.

► Last week, John O’Connor, OFM, participated in a meeting at the OFM curia in Rome that, he said, “marked a new era in the Order’s fundraising and financial development efforts. The Order has tried universal coordinated fundraising before and has failed. It’s for real now. It is a privilege for me to be a part of this exciting new endeavor,” John said. “The meeting brought friar fundraisers and their layperson partners from several countries together with the General Minister and the leaders of the Franciscan Order.” According to an article posted on the US Franciscans website, the following groups were represented at the gathering: Missionszentrale der Franziskaner, Bonn, Germany; General Curia OFM, Rome, Italy; and the General Secretariat for the Franciscan Missions, Waterford, USA. Since 2014, John has served as executive assistant to the General Minister for development and fundraising for the Order.

News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by May 17 – always the Wednesday before publication. Updates about the friars and their ministries can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Topics planned for future coverage in HNP Today include:

  • Two friars serving as general visitors
  • An update from Philip O’Shea, OFM, about the Ringwood, N.J., friary
  • Profiles of jubilarians Russell Becker, OFM, and Jacques LaPointe, OFM
  • New ministry center at St. Bonaventure University

— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas

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