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.
John Anglin, OFM, of St. Petersburg, Fla., returned May 16 from Italy where he had spent 10 days with Roderic Petrie, OFM, and Valerian Vaverchak, OFM, also from St. Anthony of Padua Friary in St. Petersburg, as well as Rod’s sister Pat. “We made a retreat by visiting a different Franciscan site each day,” said John, who posted photos and videos daily on his Facebook page.
Anthony Carrozzo, OFM, served as homilist at the May 14 baccalaureate Mass at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. The following day, Kevin Mackin, OFM, president of the Dominican-founded college located between New York City and Albany, welcomed families and friends of the graduates to the commencement ceremony.
F. Edward Coughlin, OFM, spoke May 2 in Syracuse, N.Y., on “Creating Alternative Cultures on 21st Century Institutions: The Franciscan Difference” at a conference sponsored by the Sisters St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. On May 19, he leaves for Italy, where he is leading a pilgrimage sponsored by Siena College.
A dinner made by Frank Critch, OFM, was raffled by St. Mary’s Parish, Pompton Lakes, N.J. The winner received “an eight-course friar feast,” for eight people to be served on May 20.
The deadline to submit news for the next edition of the Provincial Annals has been extended to June 1, according to its editor Julian Davies, OFM, of Loudonville, N.Y.
Dwayne Fernandes, OFM, performed April 29 as part of the coffeehouse music series at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Raleigh, N.C. The crowd is “intimate, the mood is perky and the entertainment is varied,” according to Dwayne who submitted a photo taken during the show. “My contribution to the series was an evening of blues, jazz, gospel country and a sea shanty. Not being Irish enough, Emmett Murphy, OFM, amiably volunteered and sang ‘The Holy Ground,’ to which the audience stridently responded with ‘Fine Girl You Are,’ after every verse. It was a perfect evening of sing-along, steaming brew and sassy lyrics.”
On May 2, David Haack, OFM, associate professor of art history and studio art in the Visual and Performing Arts Department of St. Bonaventure University, was inducted into the Art Students League of New York. He signed the league’s constitution, written in 1875, held a concourse exhibition of his works at the league’s gallery, the Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery on West 57th Street, that was capped by the League’s traditional ceremony for new members. The Art Students League was founded in 1875 by a group of artists, including many women, who were students at the National Academy of Design. The league’s early instructors included William Merritt Chase, Kenyon Cox, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, Thomas Eakins and Childe Hassam. Information about David and his induction appears on SBU’s website.
Capistran Heim, OFM, retired bishop of Itaituba, Brazil, has returned to the United States. Over the weekend of May 15, he preached at Masses on behalf of the HNP Franciscan Missionary Union. He is also officiating at confirmations at several churches, as has been his practice in recent years.
Daniel Horan, OFM, was mentioned in an article, “Bin Laden’s Killing Poses Questions for Moral Debate,” that was posted on AmericanCatholic.org on May 6. Dan questioned the point raised by some on his Dating God blog that ‘because we believe in the Resurrection, every death should be celebrated. Well, I understand that sentiment, what we really do at something like a funeral Mass is celebrate the life both earthly and the next, of the person who has died — we don’t laud death as a good in itself,” he wrote.
Michael Jones, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J., has notified the Provincial Office that St. Anthony of Padua School is seeking a new principal. He said, “The Diocese of Paterson is currently accepting applications for an elementary school administrator for the 2011/2012 school year. The position would commence as of July 1, 2011.”
Cidouane Joseph, OFM, and Erick Lopez, OFM, will be ordained to the priesthood on May 21 at a Mass at Holy Name of Jesus Church on the corner of West 96th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in New York City. Daniel Kenna, OFM, pastor of Holy Name welcomes friars for coffee in the school cafeteria before the 11 a.m. Mass and a light luncheon afterwards.
Robert Menard, OFM, reports that he was at the Argana Café in Marrakech, Morocco, just a few days before the café was bombed on April 28. He submitted to the HNP Communications Office a description of his thoughts about feeling “that like the famous dejemaa-el-Fnaa Square will never be the same, I will never be the same. Just a few days prior to this awful event, I was at that location, sitting at a table, relishing my mint tea and observing the swirl of events that surround this market square.” Robert returned to the United States for a brief stay during his sabbatical, and said he was “heartened to read our Provincial leaders’ reflection on Osama bin Laden’s death. They reminded us that this is an invitation to more intense prayer for the victims and perpetrators of such violence.”
Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, was quoted by the Associated Press in a story titled “Bin Laden’s Death a Tough Subject for the Pulpit.” Stephen said in the May 8 article: “Justice may have been served, but we Catholics never rejoices in the death of a human being.” He is assigned to St. Francis of Assisi Parish, the church of the lateMychal Judge, OFM, chaplain of the Fire Department of New York.
Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, traveled to Cincinnati April 28 to May 1 to interview several friars of the Assumption Province stationed in that area. This completed his formal canonical visitation of the friars of the province. While there, he was interviewed by Fr. Greg Friedman, OFM, of St. Anthony Messenger Press for a radio program that will air next fall. Dominic was also able to spend some time with fellow St. Bonaventure University graduate Lisa Biedenbach, a staff member of SAMP. Lisa told the Communications Office she enjoyed her visit with Dominic, noting: “He loves to document his travels and will stop and photograph just about anything he thinks is interesting to prove he is where the Provincial Council sent him. And these photos usually wind up on Facebook!” Next week, Dominic will be presiding over the Assumption Province’s chapter.
Last week, Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, participated in a meeting of the Siena College Board of Trustees. This week, he is in New York City for meetings at the Provincial Office.
Postulant director Ronald Pecci, OFM, facilitated a meeting of ESC postulant directors earlier this month in Joliet, Ill. “We had the task of creating a Ratio for postulancy that would be used by all of the provinces (six officially) using the common English-speaking Conference novitiate. Last year, I worked with a similar group of novice directors to create a Ratio for the common ESC novitiate. We completed our task and now the document will be circulated to the interested parties (secretaries of formation and provincials) for comments and approval. Once approved, it will be the working document for the postulancy program of the provinces using the common ESC novitiate.”
Michael Putich, OFM, chaplain for the Buffalo Diocese’s Catholic Committee on Scouting, assisted Bishop Kmiec at the Annual Scouting Awards Ceremony on April 16, held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Buffalo. The committee is the liaison for the Greater Niagara Frontier Council (BSA) and the Diocesan Department for Youth. During the ceremony, religious emblems are awarded to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and special awards to adult Scouters. Michael preached at the ceremony and is pictured in the May 2011 issue of Western New York Catholic with Bishop Kmiec as he awards the emblems. Two weeks earlier, on April 2, St Clare Parish hosted a Board of Review to insure the awardees had completed all the required steps to receive the award.
Joseph Rozansky, OFM, will be facilitating a seminar focusing on justice, peace and integrity of creation June 22 and 23 in Illinois. Joe works at the Order’s JPIC Office in Rome.
An article by Kevin Tortorelli, OFM, of New York City was published recently in the May/June 2011 issue of The Pastoral Review. It is titled “Balthasar on the Priesthood.”
Jud Weiksnar, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camden, N.J., recently blessed the property of a Cramer Hill house labeled as abandoned. According to a May 13 Philadelphia Inquirer article, “Thursday’s ceremonial posting was the first step in what’s expected to be a six-month process to turn the deteriorated, light-blue house over to the Cramer Hill Community Development Corp. for rehabilitation.” The house will then be sold at market value to one of hundreds on a housing waiting list.
News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by May 25 (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:
· Simple profession
· Bishop Capistran Heim
· International flavor of the residents of Holy Name College
· St. Francis International School
— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas