Below are updates about some of the many activities of Holy Name friars, including their celebrations, presentations and ministry events. More information can be obtained by visiting links to the parishes and organizations mentioned, by contacting the friars by phone or email and by connecting with the Communications Office.
To provide news briefs for future issues of HNP Today, email information to communications director Jocelyn Thomas.
The Franciscan Chapel Center in Tokyo, Japan, where Russell Becker, OFM, is director, is forming a strategic planning team to “create a vision for what the FCC could be like in two years time,” according to its website. A prayer and brainstorming session was scheduled for last week.
Xavier De La Huerta, OFM, and Fred Dilger, OFM, were mentioned in the February 2011 issue of The Pilgrim, the publication of the St. Francis Inn ministries in Philadelphia. The article titled, “A Day in the Life of the Staff of St. Francis Inn,” describes the activities and responsibilities of friars and other team members who serve the soup kitchen in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. The issue also mentions Steven Patti, OFM, who served as a Franciscan Volunteer Minister from 1993 to 1994.
Nominations for St. Bonaventure University’s Fr. Joe Doino, OFM, awards are being accepted by the Western New York college through April 1. The award’s namesake honors the late Joseph Doino, OFM, “a friar known for his practical jokes, love of tennis and dedication as the Student Government Association adviser,” according to the March 10 issue of Inside Bona’s. “A professor, scholar, musician, preacher and priest, Fr. Joe, who died in 1994 at the age of 70, became the first faculty member to receive the Faculty Appreciation Award posthumously. He served as the Province’s director of novices before starting his teaching career at SBU,” according to the publication.
Memories of Daniel Hurley, OFM, were gathered and shared on a blog on the Mt. Irenaeus website before the March 20 memorial Mass held for Daniel at the Western New York Franciscan Mountain Retreat.
St. Mary Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J, where Kevin Downey, OFM, is pastor, offered shelter to area residents whose homes were affected by the recent North Jersey floods. The visitors stayed in the Carnevale Center, which offered space and privacy to families, Kevin said.
An article about the late John Mahon, OFM, is included in the March 20 bulletin of St. Mary Parish, Pompton Lakes, where he often helped decorate for parish celebrations. John was described as being an active member “of our parish liturgy committee. In our friar community, John was a great source of love, encouragement support and humor. He is, and will be, greatly missed.”
Earlier this month, Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, visited the Poor Clares in Delray Beach, Fla., which he called “enjoyable.” He said, “We talked about a wide variety of topics. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my visit to the Sisters in Ft. Myers Beach because of John Mahon’s untimely death. I do plan to reschedule that visit.” On March 21, he visited the Poor Clares in Chesterfield, N.J., where a photo was taken.
Five issues of the new “HNP News for Friars” e-announcements have been distributed since its launch in late February by the HNP Communications Office. The most recent, emailed on March 18, contained a Lenten resource titled “The Stations of the Cross with John Paul II: On the Path of Ecological Conversion,” with a cover note byJacek Orzechowski, OFM, co-chair of the Province’s JPIC Directorate. Any friar who is not receiving the e-announcements is asked to contact Jocelyn Thomas or Rebecca Doel in the HNP Communications Office, at 646-473-0265.
The Franciscan Mystery Plays, written by Francis Pompei, OFM, of Buffalo, were featured in a March 11 article in the Catholic Star Herald, the newspaper of the Camden, N.J., diocese, which announced the Lenten season of meditations by two southern New Jersey parishes.
Ronald Pecci, OFM, and the Province’s three postulants traveled from Delaware to Graymoor, N.Y., for the Inter-Franciscan Formation Program’s March Workshop that was led by Fr. Michael Cusato, OFM, former director of the Franciscan Institute and current faculty member at St. Bonaventure University in Western New York. While there, Fr. Michael MacInnis, OFM, of the Immaculate Conception Province, informed Ron that March 1, 2011, was the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Custody of the Immaculate Conception in which both Holy Name and Immaculate Conception provinces have roots. “We decided to mark the occasion by having a photograph of the directors and their postulants. The postulants are those who will lead the next 150 years,” Ron said.
Vocation director Brian Smail, OFM, visited St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Raleigh, N.C., the weekend of March 19 to speak at Masses. While there, he interviewed a man interested in applying to the Province to be a friar. On Friday, Brian is hosting the HNP Vocation Committee at the Provincial Office. The members will focus their March 25 meeting on social media.
Dennis Tamburello, OFM, spent his spring break in Greensboro, N.C., with 19 Siena College students, working on a Habitat for Humanity house. It was one of five spring break trips this year for the college’s Habitat group. Dennis wrote on his Facebook page, where he posted photos of the trip, “I can honestly say that this week was one of the best experiences of my life.”
Jud Weiksnar, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camden, N.J., is mentioned in an article in the March 18 issue of the Catholic Star Herald in the article “Young people Come to Camden for post-graduate degree in harsh realities and opportunities for spiritual growth.” At the end of the detailed feature, the newspaper provides contact information for the Province’s Franciscan Volunteer Ministry in a box titled Volunteer Ministries in Camden City.
Provincial treasurer Dennis Wilson, OFM, reminds friars that April 1 is the deadline for submitting Benevolence Fund grant applications for fiscal year 2012. Information and forms are available on the HNP website in the Service to the Poor section of the “Our Work” page.
News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by March 30 (always the Wednesday before the newsletter’s publication date). Updates about Province ministries and friars can be found on the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province Facebook page.
Topics planned for future issues of this newsletter include:
· Jubilarian profiles of Michael Joyce, OFM, and Gerald Mudd, OFM
· Franciscan Volunteer Ministry’s current activities and outlook for 2011-2012 year
· Service trips of Siena College friars
— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas