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 community of St. Paul Parish, Wilmington, Del., where Todd Carpenter, OFM, is pastor, held its last farewell to its school this month “but the headache of closing a school continues,” Todd said. “We’re in the process of cleaning out the building and donating as much as we can to other schools. I’m also in the process of doing some major appeals and fundraising. Most of the faculty members are contracted to get paid through August 31 even though their last day on the job was Thursday June 16, Todd said. A farewell Mass was held in June. A photo of Todd with all the students was taken on the school steps.
Provincial Secretary Michael Harlan, OFM, asks friars to submit their updated contact information — phone numbers, addresses and email addresses — to the Provincial Office by July 8 for use in the 2011-2012 edition of the printed HNP Directory. This is one of three Provincial resources being updated by the HNP Communications Office this summer; the others are the Catalog and the Necrology.
Lawrence Hayes, OFM, and Russ Testa, director of the Province’s JPIC Office, attended a two-day training workshop last week at Our Lady of the Snows near St. Louis, Mo. The session was led by Joseph Rozansky, OFM, director of the Order’s Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. Its purpose was to study the foundation of the Order’s JPIC values and “to consider how JPIC should be part of the face that we present to vocation candidates and to those with whom we work,” according to a workshop publicity document. The training was intended for JPIC animators, JPIC commissions, members of provincial councils and other interested friars of the OFM English-speaking Conference.
David Hyman, OFM, and the other members of the HNP African-American Ministry Committee held their first meeting of the 2011-2014 term on June 27 at the Provincial Office. Other members of the committee includeGerald Hopeck, OFM, Neil O’Connell, OFM, Benedict Taylor, OFM, Paul Williams, OFM, and Teresa Hairston.
Daniel Lanahan, OFM, reports that the June 1 tornado struck Springfield, Mass., just hours after he arrived to cover for the vacationing pastor of Holy Cross Church. “Unimaginable damage was done on a significant part of the parish,” Daniel said. “Homes ripped off their foundations, houses crushed by fallen oak trees, cars tossed hither and yon made for an unbelievable scene. Miraculously, no one in the parish was killed. One person after the other told stories of how they or their loved ones narrowly escaped harm. Sr. Cindy, an Allegany Franciscan and pastoral minister of Holy Cross Parish, as soon as possible entered the devastated areas to contact parishioners. She immediately began recruiting, organizing volunteers to check on the immediate needs of the survivors. BonaResponds, led by professor Jim Mahar, arrived with six others and six chain saws to go house to house to remove fallen trees. The survivors greatly appreciated their efforts; it enabled them to walk about their property and not feel so hemmed in.” Representatives from BonaResponds were set to return the weekend of June 17.
Dominic Monti, OFM, returned to New York on June 24 after participating in the weeklong congressus of Assumption BVM Province.
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, participated in the annual jubilee celebration at Holy Name Friary, the Province’s long-term care facility in Ringwood, N.J., on June 25. Honored at the celebration were Lawrence Burke, OFM, Leo Clifford, OFM, Matthew Conlin, OFM, Brennan Connelly, OFM, Joel Munzing, OFM, Cyril Seaman, OFM, and A. Francis Soucy, OFM. On June 30, John will be principal celebrant at the Province’s annual jubilee Mass for friars marking 25 and 50 years as Franciscans. It is at 5:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Midtown Manhattan.
Christopher Posch, OFM, of the HNP Hispanic Ministry Committee, encourages friars and partners-in-ministry to review the information about immigration reform posted recently on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website. From Justice for Immigrants, the link provides ways people can help to block the expansion of e-verify in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. An action alert is available. Both the Hispanic Ministry Committee and the Province’s Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation recommend this immigration reform be distributed, as follow-up to the resolution passed early this year at the HNP Chapter.
Paul Santoro, OFM, reports that students of Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Fla., where he is campus minister, participated in a Catholic Heart Work Camp mission trip to Jackson, Miss., from June 4 to 11. More than 35 students and six adults, led by Paul, traveled by SFC’s mini buses to work among the city’s poor. “We joined some 310 others — teens and adults from throughout the Midwest,” Paul said. “Working in teams of seven, we were involved in several projects including: landscaping, interior and exterior house painting, planting, ministering to patients in a hospice program and visiting the elderly. Additionally, participants attended daily Mass, prayer services, Eucharistic Adoration and many fun-filled activities such as dances, skits and sing-a-longs. Our week ended with a trip to McComb, Miss., to go tubing along the Bogue Chitto River followed by a traditionally Southern barbecue in downtown Jackson.” Paul also reported that Santa Fe Catholic High School is in need of a tabernacle, vestments, a processional cross and processional candles. He asks friars at ministries that may have recently replaced these items to email him at psantoro@santafecatholic.org about donating the older items to the school.
The community of the Church of St. Mary on Broadway, Providence, R.I., held a reception on June 5 to bid farewell to Frank Sevola, OFM, who had served the community for nine years. At the gathering, the parish also welcomed their new pastor, Steven Patti, OFM.
Kevin Tortorelli, OFM, noticed “an appreciative piece” about Adrian Riester, OFM, and his twin, Julian Riester, OFM, appeared in June 11 issue of The Tablet, a London publication, in a column called “In Brief.”
Six parishioners will be awarded the Province’s Francis Medal on July 10, at the annual Bonafest at St. Bonaventure Church in Allegany, N.Y. James Vacco, OFM, is the new pastor of Little Bona’s.
Paul Williams, OFM, will be honored June 30 at St. Joseph Church, Anderson, S.C., where he is pastor, in honor of his 25th anniversary of ordination. Other Holy Name Province friars marking 25 years as priests this year areGregory Gebbia, OFM, and Robert Sandoz, OFM, of New Jersey, Emmet Murphy, OFM, of Raleigh, N.C., andAnthony Wilson, OFM, of Lima, Peru.
Topics plannef for future issue of this newsletter include:
· Ways that parishes are helping storm victims
· Pilgrimages to Franciscan regions
· The 2011-2012 class of Franciscan Volunteer Ministers
· Ordination anniversary celebration of Paul Williams, OFM
· Meetings and plans of the Province’s new directorates and committees
· Franciscan Summer Experience at Siena College, directed by Brian Belanger, OFM
— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas