Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM
NEW YORK — A new Franciscan venue is holding its first event next month — an afternoon of poetry reading by writer Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM, of St. John the Baptist Province. The Ohio-based friar will present his program at 2 p.m. on June 14 at Immaculate Conception Province’s Franciscan Library in Lower Manhattan.
Fr. Murray’s presentation, open to both friars and laypeople, will comprise reading and commentary on selected poems from his published work. The commentary will include the context in which the poems were written, the author’s understanding of poetry and its function in society, elements of the craft and art of poetry, and poets who have influenced his own writing, according to an article published in the May 6 issue of IC Province’s e-newsletter.
In an article published this spring in its Internos publication, Immaculate Conception Province described the background and the purpose of the library, which opened earlier this year.
The facility, set up on the suggestion of Fr. Primo Piscitello, OFM, provincial minister of IC Province, will serve as a resource for education and research. Fr. Andre Cirino, OFM, chair of the committee that organized the resource center, described in the article the groups that will most utilize the library: “friars of our province, especially our students and friars working in formation; Franciscan men and women of the greater New York City area; anyone (cleric, religious, lay person) involved in an academic Franciscan project; commissions of the Order to facilitate their work and service; and the 22 schools of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities in the United States.”
A dedication ceremony is planned for November.
Fr. Murray, who lives in Cincinnati, holds a Ph.D. in English and has taught English and American literature, composition and creative writing. His latest books are “Francis and Jesus” (2013), and “Enter Assisi: An Invitation to Franciscan Spirituality” (January 2015). His most recent books of poetry are “Something Like Jasmine” (2012), “Of Francis and Clare,” and “Autumn Train.” Information about Fr. Murray, who spends two months of the year in Rome and Assisi, Italy, as a staff member of Franciscan Pilgrimage Programs, can be found on his website.
Those interested in attending the Sunday afternoon program are asked to RSVP by emailing internos@icprovince.org. The ICP Franciscan Library is located at 125 Thompson Street, in the building that houses the IC province’s headquarters.
Additional news about the New York-based province, including information about a recent priestly ordination, can be found on its website and Facebook page.
— Jocelyn Thomas is director of communications for Holy Name Province.