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.
Former Provincial Minister Anthony Carrozzo, OFM, will preach Sept. 30 at the convocation at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City, at which three individuals are being honored.
Kevin Cronin, OFM, reports that Bishop William Murphy of the Rockville Centre Diocese on Long Island has approved that the readings for the Franciscan Lectionary may be used on the feast day of St. Francis on Oct. 4, which this year falls on a Sunday. Kevin said he “will be preaching that day at five of the nine Masses at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, sharing our father Francis and our 800th anniversary with the good people of Long Island. “I am pleased to say that in my 16 years in the Province’s Ministry of the Word, I have given over 80 missions on Long Island and I iwll be giving fve more this coming Lent.”
William DeBiase, OFM, of Philadelphia has added features to his blog, “Franciscan.” They include a podcast about blessing animals and a picture slide-show of photos he took at a rose garden in Oregon. William, who is a member of the Province’s Ministry of the Word team, recently began blogging about Catholic social teaching as well.
The friars of St. Anthony Shrine honored Dominic Finneran, OFM, a resident of Marian Manor in South Boston, for his 91st birthday on Sept. 13. Each month, friars at Arch Street gather to celebrate the friar/postulant birthdays for the month. After Guardian David Convertino, OFM, arranged for Dominic to come home to the shrine on Sept. 13 to commemorate his birthday, and postulant Brian Taberski accompanied him to St. Anthony Shrine. Dominic seemed happy to see everyone and celebrated with a special preprandium, dinner and cake, said Vicar John Maganzini, OFM. “Everyone went to wish him happy 91st and Dominic commented, ‘Boy, I am old,’” said John.
Alfonso Guzman, OFM, received a doctorate in history from the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y El Caribe in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after successfully defending his thesis Sept. 3. His doctoral thesis was on the Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese of San Juan 1800 to 1923. The school is a specialized center, Alfonso said, that operates on a building owned by the archdiocese and is located right next to the archbishop’s residence in Old San Juan. “I was fortunate to get a scholarship to study there,” he said.
An introduction by Daniel Horan, OFM, appears on the inside cover the 800th anniversary edition of St. Anthony Shrine’s Canticle, released last month. Addition information about the anniversary edition was included in the Sept. 16 issue of HNP Today.
Paul Keenan, OFM, of Silver Spring, Md., and Walter Liss, OFM, of Loudonville, N.Y., are mentioned in the October 2009 issue of The Pilgrim, the newsletter of St. Francis Inn ministries. They are thanked for their summer help.
Michael Joyce, OFM, was mentioned in a recent article in Rhode Island Catholic, the publication of the Diocese of Providence, titled “Chaplains Bring God to Inmates.” Michael has ministered to men in the maximum security facility on Sunday mornings since 2002.
Jacques LaPointe, OFM, has submitted a video showing is recent travels. It was created by Adam Gyorgy.
Brice Leavins, OFM, of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Providence, R.I., has been elected to a three-year term of the board of directors of Rhode Island Meals on Wheels.
John Mahon, OFM, and the friars of St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., celebrated the 800th anniversary of the Order at a gathering on Sept. 20.
John Maganzini gave an invocation and address on Sept. 21 on Franciscan charism at the Interfaith Prayer Service of the Franciscan Hospital for Children, formerly the Kennedy Memorial Hospital, in Brighton, Mass. John worked at the hospital for 10 years before joining the Franciscans. This year, the hospital celebrates its 60th anniversary. John said, “It is through the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary who staffed the hospital that I came to understand the Franciscan charism and met the friars of Holy Name Province.”
Louis McCormick, OFM, of Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Retreat, and Peter Schneible, OFM, an assistant a professor of biology at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y., were honored on Sept. 27 for their recent Franciscan jubileees at a family Mass at SBU. Louis celebrated 50 years and Peter 25.
Frank McHugh, OFM, of St. Anthony Shrine, has been appointed to the Presbyterial Council of the Archdiocese of Boston.
Siena College President Kevin Mullen, OFM, was honored Sept. 12 by the New York Army National Guard when he received a United States flag that was flown in Iraq. Soldiers in the 3-142 Assault Helicopter Battalion presented Siena with the flag during a college-hosted “Freedom Salute,” a celebration of their return from a tour of duty. “It was a great honor to shake the hands of all the folks serving the nation in this capacity,” Kevin said.
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, attended a 100th anniversary Mass on Sept. 27 at St. Francis Church in Youngsville, N.Y., celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. The Province staffed the church until 2003 when Holy Name turned administration over to the Archdiocese of New York. Ignatius Smith, OFM, pastor of nearby Holy Cross Church in Callicoon, N.Y., and Anthony Moore, OFM, also attended the Mass.
Francis Pompei, OFM, has finished training the Franciscan Mystery Players group from Clayton, N.Y., to produce his Christmas play. It has not been presented in 12 years, Francis said. “It was my favorite, so I am thrilled that they want to do it. It will be performed this Advent four or five times. One of the performances will be in Buffalo, N.Y., the second week of Advent.”
Daniel Riley, OFM, director of Mt. Irenaeus, celebrated a Mass for St. Bonaventure University alumni at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York on Sept. 28. On the following two evenings, he facilitated programs of the Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Sojourners community at the homes of SBU alumni in Connecticut. In the current Mountain newsletter, Daniel provides information about the Oct. 17 celebration of the 25th anniversary of Mt. Irenaeus. The fall 2009 issue includes a chronology of the growth of Mt. Irenaeus, beginning in 1971.
Peter Sheridan, OFM, was honored last week with a party at Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J., to celebrate his 96th birthday. He is the oldest living Holy Name Province friar. Jud Weiksnar, OFM, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camden, N.J., provided a photo of the Sept. 21 festivities.
Christopher VanHaight, OFM, of Paterson, N.J., participated in a celebration last month of the 100th anniversary of the cure in Lourdes of the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SMIC). A group of sisters, friars and friends gathered in West Paterson at Berkeley College, the order’s site of the former Tombrock College, which was named for the woman cured, Elizabeth Tombrock. Christopher, who is parochial vicar at St. Bonaventure Church, “enthroned the Eucharist and placed the Blessed Sacrament on a table over the tomb of the mother immaculate to be admired with either alleluia verses,” according to a story in the Sept. 17 issue of The Beacon. The event took place Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
News for the next issue of HNP Today is requested by Oct. 7.