ST. LOUIS — As Holy Name friars were professing solemn vows in New York City on Aug. 22, Sacred Heart Province in the St. Louis/Chicago area also celebrated the profession of Ed McKenzie, OFM.
Provincial Minister Bill Spencer, OFM, presided at Mass, which took place at St. Francis Solanus Church in Quincy, Ill.
Sacred Heart’s newsletter, Around the Province, reported that during Mass, Br. Ed was asked to remove his knotted cord. Holding one end of the cord, homilist Charles Hart, OFM, explained that the knots represent the vows friars make.
Poverty, he said, was more than not owning things, but the freedom to do God’s will unencumbered by worldly good. Chastity, he said, was more than foregoing marriage. It was, he said, reverent love for all life. Obedience, he added, was attentively listening and discerning God’s voice.
As each knot was explained, Fr. Charles asked those assembled, “Is that knot good for Br. Ed?” They answered, “Br. Ed, that knot’s good for you.”
Three Postulants Received
Earlier in the month, Sacred Heart Province also received three postulants, the same number as Holy Name. Guillermo Morales, 37, Joel Schroder, 40, and Marc Sheckells, 29, joined the Order on Aug. 16.
Morales grew up in Chile, and met the friars while studying English in Texas. Schroeder, who is from Kansas, was with the Franciscan volunteer program. He worked at Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago. Sheckells, a native of Chicago, attended St. Lawrence Seminary High School in Wisconsin. He worked in retail.
Development Director Hired
Last week, the province announced that it had hired a new director of development.
Director of Development Martin Alves sent out a recent e-mail, saying that his staff will “create a new funding vision, along with marketing and communications efforts that will help secure the funding of the Sacred Heart Province.”
He added that the office is scheduling meetings with “top investors” in the province, every other week. At the end of this month, Alves plans to be in the Baltimore/Washington area, talking with donors.