NEW YORK — Below are updates about some of the many activities of Holy Name friars, including their presentations, outreach and celebrations. More information can be obtained by visiting links to the parishes and organizations mentioned, by contacting the friars by phone or e-mail and by connecting with the Communications Office.
To provide news briefs for future issues of HNP Today, e-mail communications director Jocelyn Thomas at communications@hnp.org.
The HNP Chapter Planing Committee, which is chaired by William Beaudin, OFM, met on June 22 in the Provincial Office.
A letter from David Bossman, OFM, executive director of the Sister Rose Thering Endowment for Jewish/Christin Studies, in the Spring/Summer/Fall 2010 Update newsletter describes Sr. Rose’s educational legacy, the 17th Annual Evening of Roses held in April, and a recent bronze plaque erected in Seton Hall University’s rose garden.
David Convertino, OFM, reported that St. Anthony Shrine was recently awarded four Bonze Telly Awards for its 2010 Annual Campaign video, “Be a Part of Us.” “We are very pleased to win this award a second time.” said David, director of the shrine, “and to win it in so many categories is especially phenomenal.” In 2008, the shrine received two Bronze Telly Award for its campaign video, “In this Place.”
George Corrigan, OFM, Sean O’Brien, OFM, and Andrew Reitz, OFM, of Sacred Heart Church in Tampa, Fla., were among 15 religious order priests invited to serve as confessors to the U.S. bishops during the spiritual retreat portion of the spring meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from June 14 to 18 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Andrew said it was a “pleasant experience,” and that the friars had an opportunity to “meet some very nice men who have a very demanding job at this point in the life of the American Church.”
Bernard Creighton, OFM, vicar of St. Anthony Friar in Butler, N.J., concelebrated a June 8 Mass with Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., to recognize the jubilee anniversaries of priests in the Paterson Diocese. The Mass was held at Resurrection Church in Randolph, N.J.
Brian Cullinane, OFM, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Wood-Ridge, N.J., celebrated a Mass for the last graduating class of Assumption School on June 7 with Paul Sinnema, OFM, and Thomas Kelly, OFM. Brian, who recently returned from Italy, presented each member of the class of with a San Damiano Cross. At student body meetings on June 10 and 11, he answered questions about the school’s closing and gave each student a tau cross from his Italian pilgrimage “as a remembrance of their Franciscan school of Assumption.” Also on June 10, Brian led the opening prayer at the N.J. State Senate.
An article about St. Camillus Parish’s June 9 prayer service for the Gulf oil disaster appeared in the June 17 issue of the Catholic Standard, a publication of the Diocese of Washington, D.C. The article mentioned the use of an image of a pelican — an ancient symbol of Christ — drenched in oil by Jacek Orzechowski, OFM. Jacek, a member of the JPIC Directorate, has gathered a variety of information and resources about the Gulf oil spill for the Justice and Peace page of HNP.org.
More than a dozen friars gathered at Holy Name College last week for a Hispanic Ministry and Latino Friar Gathering. It was sponsored by the Province’s Hispanic Ministry Committee, chaired by Christopher Posch, OFM, of Wilmington, Del. The June 15 and 16 event included prayer, presentations and discussions of how the Province can best serve he needs of its Hispanic communities. Among the participants were Thomas Conway, OFM, and Lawrence Hayes, OFM.
The Facebook group formerly called “Follow Fr. Dan Riley on his sabbatical” has been renamed “Fr. Dan Riley’s reflections from the Mountain.” Daniel Riley, OFM, director of Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Retreat in Western New York, began writing reflections for the group during his sabbatical. The most recent reflection, posted June 18, focuses on Psalm 27.
A reflection by Timothy Shreenan, OFM, about Father’s Day appeared in the June 20 bulletin of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Midtown Manhattan. In commemoration of the June 20 holiday, a photo of the statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child appears on the bulletin cover.
Vocation director Brian Smail, OFM, welcomed the Province’s four new postulants this week through the Vocation Ministry’s “Be A Franciscan” Facebook page. “Today we welcome our four new postulants as they begin their Franciscan journey with us!” Brian wrote. “Our prayers and best wishes are with them!” The Vocation Ministry’s blog describes what the four men will be doing during their first few months with the Province.
Patrick Tuttle, OFM, traveled to Philadelphia for the annual St. Francis Inn block party. Photos of the June 13 event can be found on the Facebook page of the Franciscan Volunteer Ministry. An article about St. Anthony of Padua Church in Greenville, S.C., where Pat is pastor, is included in the current issue of The Anthonian.
St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J., had a procession led by Christopher VanHaight, OFM, following the 5:30 p.m. Spanish Mass on June 6 for the feast of Corpus Christi. “Four altars were set up on the grounds of the parish for an incensation, reading from the Gospels, prayer and a blessing,” Chris said. The procession, which was captured in photograph and video, was followed by a reception in the church hall.
— Compiled by Rebecca Doel and Jocelyn Thomas. News for future issues of HNP Today is requsted by the Wednesday before the publicaiton date.