RALEIGH, N.C. — Fr. Richard Fragomeni of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., presented “Sacraments: A Closer Look” to 200 people who attended the Feb. 23 formation day at the Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi here.
Fr. Fragomeni, renowned for his work with theology, interpretation theory and poetry, is the author of Come to the Feast, Come to the Light, and In Shining Splendor; Easter Meditations on the Exsultet, and co-author of Blessed Art Thou Mother, Lady, Mystic, Queen and At the Name of Jesus: The Way, the Truth, the Life.
His talk focused on sacramentality, as all of life is imbued with the beauty and presence of God. Fr. Fragomeni discussed the seven characteristics of sacramentality — hospitality, generosity, humility, desire, prayer, justice and bedazzlement.
The afternoon consisted of six breakout sessions on the seven sacramental apex moments. Mark Reamer, OFM, pastor at St. Francis, focused his workshop on funeral rites and baptism. Dan McLellan, OFM, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Durham, was a guest speaker at the most popular workshop on the Eucharist.
The day was a great success and a follow-up Ministry Formation Day is planned for late summer that will focus on conversion, with attention to Pope Benedict’s proclaimed year of Paul, as well as the 800th anniversary of OFM.
— Donna Smith is liturgical communications specialist at the Raleigh, N.C., parish.