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.
A description by Lawrence Anderson, OFM, of the week that he and a group of teenagers from St. Mary Church in Pompton Lakes, N.J., recently spent at Nazareth Farm in West Virginia was included in the Aug. 29 parish bulletin.
William Beaudin, OFM, reminds all HNP friars that the deadline to submit proposals for the 2011 Provincial Chapter is Sept. 1.
Todd Carpenter, OFM, reports that St. Paul Church in Wilmington, Del., is erecting a small prayer chapel between the church and the rectory for people who would like a quiet place to pray during the daytime hours. “It will be a very small chapel, holding about 12 people at the most,” said Todd, the pastor. “It will not be used for Mass or Eucharistic adoration but simply as a prayer chapel for individuals or a small group.” Todd said the idea came about because many people ask to pray in the church, which must be locked during the week unless there is an activity going on. The chapel should be completed by mid-September. Photos of the installation can be viewed on Todd’s Facebook page.
John C. Coughlin, OFM, of Camden, N.J., Michael Duffy, OFM, of Philadelphia, and Christopher Posch, OFM, of Wilmington, are pictured on the Facebook page of the Franciscan Volunteer Ministry. They are shown in photos with Katie Sullivan, FVM program director, and Matthew Johnson, FVM promoter, taken at the opening retreat at the Loyola Retreat House in Faulkner, Md.
Stephen DeWitt, OFM, has posted recent updates on his blog “A Franciscan Abroad” about a visit to a Bolivian rainforest, the community center and mosque to be built near Ground Zero, and U.S. misconceptions about the use of the crop coca in Bolivia.
A farewell luncheon for Charles Gilmartin, OFM, was held Aug. 31 at St. Francis Friary in New York in gratitude for his almost five decades of devoted service there. Charles began working at the 31st Street church in 1961. Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, and guardian Jerome Massimino, OFM, spoke of Charlie’s contributions and his style. Shown in the attached photo are Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, Christopher Keenan, OFM, Charlie, Jerome, and Steven Pavignano, OFM.
Information about the fall series of fraternal gatherings was distributed by Provincial Secretary Michael Harlan, OFM, last week to HNP friars. Friars were asked to register for one of the eight gatherings by Sept. 17.
An article by Daniel Horan, OFM, titled “What Does Rome Have to do With Assisi? Benedict XVI’s Recent Addresses on the Franciscan Tradition,” was published in the July/September 2010 issue of The Cord, a publication of the Franciscan Institute.
An article about Boniface Hanley, OFM, of Margate, N.J., appeared in the Aug. 6 issue of the Camden Star-Herald. Titled “Friar Pens book about WW II prison chaplain,” it tells the story of Boniface’s recently-published book, The Last Human Face: Franz Stock a Priest in Hitler’s Army.
Richard Husted, OFM, pastor of St. Bonaventure Church in Allegany, N.Y., wrote in the Aug. 22 parish bulletinthat an addition to The Bridge thrift shop had begun. The funds for the construction came from a grant awarded by the Province.
Jerome Massimino, OFM, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City, speaks of the 80th anniversary of the St. Francis Breadline in his recent letter to donors to the historic church.In it, he announced that Archbishop Timothy Dolan will join the friars on Sept. 30 for the daily distribution of sandwiches and coffee. The mailing includes photos of several friars including breadline director Michael Carnevale, OFM, Felix McGrath, OFM, Timothy Shreenan, OFM, and Alan Thomas, OFM.
Jeremiah McGinley, OFM, of Butler, N.J., gave the invocation at the 32nd Covenant House Golf Outing and dinner on Aug. 30 at the Spring Lake, N.J., golf club. He has been involved in the event for 25 years. “Of course,”Cassian Miles, OFM, said, “he added a couple of songs.” Covenant House raised $100,000 from the occasion.
Members of the HNP Leadership Development Committee, chaired by Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, met through a conference call on Aug. 25. Details of the Province’s leadership devleopment initiative will be provided in an upcoming newsletter issue.
On July 21, Russel Murray, OFM, offered a presentation during one of the Mt. Irenaeus’ Days of Re-Creation titled “Peace in the Church: Towards a Franciscan Response.” The presentation drew upon foundational experiences in St. Francis’ discernment of his vocation in order illustrate how Franciscans may serve as instruments of peace in our often polarized Church, he said.
Daniel Riley, OFM, of Mt. Irenaeus, will celebrate a Mass on Sept. 23 for St. Bonaventure University alumni at 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street in Midtown Manhattan.
Paul Santoro, OFM, presented “St. Francis of Assisi — A Saint for his Time and Ours” as part of the Theology on Tap program for the young adult ministry of Church of the Resurrection in Lakeland, Fla. The event was held at a pub in downtown Lakeland on Aug. 16. Paul said Santa Fe Catholic High School, where he is campus minister, began its school year on Aug. 17. “The high school’s student government association, the newly-formed peer ministers group, and I were on hand to welcome the new students with a variety of fun and informative activities,” he said. On Wednesday, all students returned for the first full day. We opened the year with 255 students, 16 of whom are international students from China and Spain.
As part of the continuing campaign of nonviolent resistance, Patrick Sieber, OFM, and the Brandywine Peace Community organized a Hiroshima Day demonstration on Aug. 6 at Lockheed Martin in Valley Forge/King of Prussia, Pa. “Nearly 50 people stood at the main driveway entrance to Lockheed Martin,” Pat said, “memorializing the 65th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombings.” Pat said Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest war profiteer and the U.S. chief nuclear weapons contractor. A peace vigil was held prior to the noontime memorial. Seven people, including Pat, were arrested at the conclusion of the demonstration while attempting to deliver to Lockheed Martin management pictures from Japan showing the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were released from the Upper Merion Police station on Disorderly Conduct citations.
Kevin Tortorelli, OFM, described the adult education courses available this fall at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan as “faith conversations.” In the Aug. 22 parish bulletin, the director of the St. Francis Adult Education Program invites people to take a copy of the new brochure about classes and lectures being offered at the West 31st Street church.
News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by Sept. 8, always the Wednesday before publication. Topics planned for futures issues of this newsletter include:
· Commemorations of Sept. 11
· Diaconate ordination of two friars
· Annual meeting of ESC Communicators
· Summer activities of friars
— Compiled by Jocelyn Thomas