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, email the friars, contact 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
Close to 40 friars gathered last week in St. Petersburg, Fla., for the guardians’ and pastors’ meeting. Among the topics discussed from Nov. 13 to 16 was the book “Everyone Leads – How to Revitalize the Catholic Church” by Chis Lowney, the Revitalization and Restructuring Process of the OFM Franciscans in the United States, assessment of HNP fraternities-in-mission, and care of elder friars.
HNP Directory
The production of the 2017-18 edition of the Provincial directory is nearing completion.  Friars have been asked to review a draft that was emailed to them on Nov. 21 and provide any corrections  to content by Nov. 27. The printed booklet will be distributed to friars before the end of the year.
Schedule
The Provincial Office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 23 and 24, for Thanksgiving.

► Five friars living in Chicago – Nicholas Carbuto, OFM, Stephen Kuehn, OFM, and Roberto Serrano, OFM along with Brothers Joshua Critchley, OFM, of Immaculate Conception Province, and Eric Seguin, OFM, of St. John the Baptist Province – attended the Nov. 18 Beatification Mass in Detroit for Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap. “Nearly every seat in the 65,000 capacity stadium was filled for the momentous occasion,” said Steve. “Cardinal Angelo Amato presided and spoke about Blessed Casey being just the second priest born in America to be beatified, with the first being missionary Stanley Francis Rother, who was beatified just last Sept. 23 in Oklahoma City. Cardinal Amato also spoke of Blessed Casey’s everyday love for his neighbors in need and his message to thank God before making every request. The event was a joyous occasion marked by many religious and lay coming together to celebrate the inspiring life of Blessed Solanus Casey, OFM Cap.”

► On Oct. 29, the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla., celebrated at St. Jude the Apostle Cathedral the religious jubilees of 14 men and women who have reached milestones in their commitment to the Church and to their congregations. Among those honored were Eric Carpine, OFM, and Valerian Vaverchak, OFM, of St. Anthony Friary in St. Petersburg. Eric marked 50 years as a friar this year and Valerian marked 60. A list of the sisters marking anniversaries of religious life was included in the Nov. 13 newsletter of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, N.Y.

► Javier Del Angel De Los Santos, OFM, recently finished teaching a course on Biblical Wisdom Literature at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, Ill. His students are working toward earning the certificate in Biblical Studies from the Chicago Catholic Scripture School of Loyola University. “The students are active ministers in their parishes – catechists, religious education directors, group leaders, permanent deacons, and the like,” Javier said. “I’m so proud of them. They did a great job.” Javier, who lives in Chicago, will be teaching another module, “the Greek Books of the Old Testament,” in January.

► The fall issue of The Pilgrim, the newsletter of St. Francis Inn ministries, includes introductions to two friars who recently began working at the Philadelphia site – Stephen DeWitt, OFM, and Ramon Razon, OFM. The publication also includes an article by Michael Duffy, OFM, about the entrance to the Inn which has been feeding the hungry of Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood since Dec. 16, 1979.

► A report on the Oct. 30 visit that Roberto González, OFM, archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico, had from Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was published in Catholic New York. The article, titled “Cardinal Dolan and Bishop DiMarzio Bring Support and Prayers from New York to Puerto Rico’s Catholic Community,” describes the situation on the Caribbean island as well as Roberto’s background. “Forty days after Hurricane Maria battered the island of Puerto Rico, Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn brought financial support, prayerful solidarity and the family love of New York’s Puerto Rican Catholic community on their pastoral visit to Archbishop Roberto González of San Juan and the people of Puerto Rico this week. The cardinal, speaking at a noon Mass he offered Oct. 30 at the historic Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Old San Juan, told the small congregation about the affection that Archbishop Gonzaález inspired in the members of the New York delegation, which also included three priests and two lay leaders. ‘We know he belongs to you. He’s part of our family, too,’” Cardinal Dolan said. Roberto has served as the spiritual leader of the Archdiocese of San Juan since 1999.

► Photos of Michael Harlan, OFM, and Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM, who celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for the 40th anniversary of The Dwelling Place of New York on Nov. 12 can be found on the Facebook page of the ministry, which is located on West 40th Street in Manhattan. The liturgy was held at St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street.

► Brian Jordan, OFM, was one of six speakers who participated in a Nov. 16 panel discussion in New York City titled “Jihadism as Global Warfare: the Egyptian Front.” The participants talked about aspects of this globalized warfare, including a salute to all martyrs, taking the Egyptian front as a case study. The event was hosted by The Honorable District Court Judge Paul G. Gardephe at the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, 40 Foley Square. Brian is director of the campus ministry at St. Francis College, Brooklyn, N.Y.

► Jerome Massimino, OFM, of St. Petersburg, Fla., is featured in the current issue of Healthy Insights, the publication of St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundation in Tampa, Fla. “The Role of Spirituality in Health Care,” describes Jerome’s position as chaplain at St. Anthony’s Hospital – which was founded by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, N.Y. – where he has worked since 2011. “With over 40 years’ experience in pastoral ministry, Father Jerome assesses the spiritual state of patients and detects signs of distress that can interfere with healing,” according to the article. “Every day, I experience God’s boundless love for us,” said Jerome. “I walk side by side with caring professionals that proclaim to our patients and indeed, each other, ‘peace be with you,’ and ‘be not afraid.’” A photo of Jerome appears on the cover of the magazine.

► In an article about Temporary Protected Status published last month in Crux, Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, as well as members of St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, Md., discuss views on immigration and on the need to protect families. In the piece, titled “Catholics Back TPS to Avoid Family Break-ups, Putting People at Risk,” Jacek, who works with Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington, told Crux “it’s important for Catholic clergy to speak on this issue because it expresses the Church’s mission and gospel values, particularly supporting the vulnerable communities that so far have not been protected and shielded from deportation. We as a Catholic Church are called to protect the integrity of the family. I see this campaign as an extension of the respect for life and protecting the most vulnerable among us.”

► “An evening of blessings” is how Robert Sandoz, OFM, described the President’s Gala of Christ the King Prep School, Newark N.J., that was held on Oct. 11 at Nanina’s in the Park restaurant in Belleville, N.J. “Every one of our galas has been special. However, this year was a milestone as we celebrated the successful completion of a decade of urban education here in Newark,” he said in an e-newsletter distributed on Nov. 13. “We were blessed with our largest crowd to date with nearly 300 guests. All were treated to two musical selections by our school chorus to kick off the evening’s festivities.” Last week, 45 students from CKS, where Robert is president, went to Washington, D.C., and visited the offices of two senators and watched meetings with representatives from the House, and took a tour of the Capitol building. A group photo taken on Nov. 14 on the capitol steps with Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. was posted on the Facebook page of Christ the King Prep.

Topics that will be included in future issues of this newsletter include:

  • HNP Ministry of the Word
  • Formation update about 2017-18 postulants
  • Christ the King Seminary’s recognition of Gabriel Scarfia, OFM

— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas  

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