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 HNP Communications Office.
To provide news briefs for future issues of HNP Today, email information to communications director Jocelyn Thomas.
Lawrence Anderson, OFM, has planned two June hiking trips and outdoor Masses with the young adults group of St. Mary’s Parish, Pompton Lakes, N.J. The first will be at Ramapo Mountain State Forest in Bergen and Passaic Counties, N.J., and the second will be at Minnewaska State Park Preserve in New Paltz, N.Y.
John Anglin, OFM, returned on June 16 from a mission trip in Honduras with Christ the King Parish, Little Rock, Ark. While abroad, he visited a hospital in Trujillo, where he gave the anointing of the sick to patients awaiting surgery, as well as local towns, where he visited with clinic patients and homebound people. He also joined a local priest, Fr. Felipe Lopez, in conducting encuentros for the lay leaders of the local communities, and visited an orphanage run by Franciscan sisters. John posted frequent updates about the trip on his blog, The Wandering Friar.
On June 6, Raphael Bonanno, OFM, welcomed the Youth Choir from First United Methodist Church, Marietta, Ga., to St. Anthony Shrine in Boston. The choir, Living Waters, spent the day at the shrine. The students provided a concert for the clients of the Franciscan Food Center and volunteered in the center, as well as with the children’s program.
Earlier this month, Scott Brookbank, OFM, and the other friars at the Interprovincial Novitiate in Burlington, Wis., welcomed the justice, peace and integrity of creation animators of the United States OFM provinces. Russ Testa, director of HNP’s JPIC Office, and his colleagues met from June 3 to 5 during the annual workshop with the novices, according to an update included in NEWSbriefs, the newsletter of the Assumption BVM Province. “After offering some theological reflections on JPIC and the place of JPIC in the General Constitutions of the Order, we focused our input on the five priorities for JPIC outlined by the 2009 General Chapter,” according to Fr. Jason Welle, OFM. “The novices were very engaged throughout the workshop. I had not met many of them before these days — I found them a great group of men, and they gave me pride and confidence in our formation program. They were eager to consider how these priorities from the most recent General Chapter can become more visible in the lives of our fraternities.”
Six friars are attending the Province’s JPIC local contacts retreat this weekend in Maryland. They are George Camacho, OFM, Louis Canino, OFM, Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, Gene Pistacchio, OFM, Joseph Rozansky, OFM,and Gonzalo de Jesus Torres-Acosta, OFM.
Bishop William Malooly of Wilmington, Del., has invited Todd Carpenter, OFM, pastor of St. Paul Church, to serve on the Presbyterial Council of the Diocese of Wilmington for a three-year term starting this September. Todd is pleased to announce that the ramp leading to the front door of St. Paul’s has finally been completed after several delays in construction. It was paid for by a grant to St. Paul’s Counseling Center, which occupies some office space in the rectory.
Peter Chepaitis, OFM, is “very busy in late June and in July,” according to the Facebook page of the Franciscan Ministry of the Word at Bethany Ministry. On June 17, he and Sr. Anna Tantsits, IFHM, led an ecumenical sharing about Roman Catholic Liturgy at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Middleburgh, N.Y. On June 20, they will participate in the baccalaureate Mass at Schoharie, N.Y., Presbyterian Church. From June 22 to 29, they will be at the Prayer House Community Gathering in Dingmans Ferry, Pa. Details about future events can be found on the website of Bethany Ministries.
David Convertino, OFM, the Province’s executive director of development, returned June 3 from a pilgrimage to Franciscan areas of Italy. He traveled with Octavio Duran, OFM, and Thomas Hartle, OFM, to gather photos and video footage “that will be used for a variety of projects throughout this year and all of next year, as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of St. Anthony’s Guild,” he said. They visited Assisi (where they were joined byMichael Carnevale, OFM, and Brian Smail, OFM) Florence, Greccio, Rome, Venice and other cities.
Ministry of the Word friar Kevin Cronin, OFM, of Butler, N.J., preached at the first feast of St. Kevin Mass at St. Kevin’s Church in Flushing, N.Y., on June 3 after his friend Bp. Ray Chappetto asked him to join in the parish’s celebration. “By the way, St. Kevin was baptized by St. Cronan,” Kevin said. On Saturday, he led a day of recollection for 55 secular Franciscans from two fraternities at Tabor Retreat House in Oceanside, Long Island, N.Y. It was a “grand turnout,” he said. The theme was “The Secret and Challenge of St. Francis, and What is the Franciscan Style.”
Staff members of St. Bonaventure University Ministries, where Francis Di Spigno, OFM, is executive director, recently accepted a grant for the Warming House from the Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation, affiliated with the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, N.Y. The $5,500 grant will be used for perishable foods and life-skills training materials for the Warming House, the nation’s oldest student-run soup kitchen.
Lawrence Hayes, OFM, of Immaculate Conception Parish, Durham, N.C., and David McBriar, OFM, and Mark Reamer, OFM, of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Raleigh, N.C., participated in a “Moral Monday” protest last week at the North Carolina General Assembly. Several hundred clergy and other demonstrators gathered there to speak out against government policies that hurt the poor. Photos from the event can be found on Immaculate Conception Parish’s Facebook page.
Last week, the Salt and Light television networks aired a documentary about St. Anthony of Padua that featured an interview with Daniel Horan, OFM, of Boston. The trailer is available on YouTube.
The email accounts of two friars — Jeffery Jordan, OFM, and Neil O’Connell, OFM — were compromised recently. Recipients of emails from these friars are encouraged to use caution when opening email messages.
Postulant Junior Joseph has legally changed his name to Abraham Joseph. He hopes to enter the novitiate in August.
Hugh Macsherry, OFM, and Jud Weiksnar, OFM, each led a prayer during a memorial service marking the 17th anniversary of Francis House in Camden, N.J. William DeBiase, OFM, of Philadelphia and Karl Koenig, OFM, andJuan Turcios, OFM, of Camden, were also present to remember the deceased residents of Francis House and to celebrate the people the ministry serves today. Photos are available on the Facebook pages of St. Anthony of Padua in Camden, Francis House, and Franciscan Volunteer Ministry.
Robert Menard, OFM, of Clemson, S.C., University, will facilitate a talk titled “Immigration: Why Does It Matter to the American Catholic Church?” on July 11 at Brimley Hall, St. Andrew Parish, Clemson, where Daniel McLellan, OFM, is pastor.
Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, is participating in the July 19 discussion of “Human Rights and Religious Freedom” sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Parish in celebration of the Cyrus Cylindar artifacts visit to New York City. The historian is one of several speakers at the event in the Province’s San Damiano Hall on West 31st Street.
A reflection about the life of the late Kenan Morris, OFM, was published in Lift, the alumni magazine of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., where Kenan ministred and was named chaplain emeritus in 2005. The article described Kenan’s contributions to the university — including his involvement in the creation of the Interfaith Chapel on campus — as well as his service in the military. “He led a life that would have made St. Francis proud,” wrote Robert Lecky, ’88. “It is a life that continues to inspire my family.”
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, and members of the Provincial Council facilitated the second meeting of the HNP Lay Advisory Board on June 18. After Thursday’s jubilee celebration in New York City, he will be traveling to Maryland to participate in the Province’s annual JPIC local contacts retreat.
On June 9, Andrew Reitz, OFM, guardian, and the friars of St. Francis Friary in New York City welcomed Fr. Michael Perry, OFM, the Order’s new General Minister, for dinner. Fr. Michael stopped over on his return trip to Rome from South America. Friars from other communities in New York were also invited.
Vocation director Brian Smail, OFM, is distributing to HNP ministries a new pamphlet titled “Be a Franciscan.” The 12-page booklet describes the four main aspects of Franciscan life — joy, community, adventure and spiritual fulfillment — as well as the six types of ministries served by HNP friars. On June 20, Brian is attending a two-day vocation conference in Boston. Next month, he will attend World Youth Day in Brazil.
Patrick Tuttle, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Greenville, S.C., and Sr. Catherine Noecker, OSF, principal of St. Anthony of Padua School, gave a tour of the new school building to former South Carolina governor and President Bill Clinton’s secretary of education Dick Riley on June 12.
News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by June 26 — always the Wednesday before the newsletter’s publication date. Updates about the friars and their ministries can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Topics planned for future issues of this newsletter include:
• Jubilee celebration on June 20
• Franciscans International
• Meeting of the HNP Lay Advisory Board
• Reception of novices
• Wellness Committee update
— Compiled by Maria Hayes and Jocelyn Thomas