BRONX, N.Y. — Postulants Mario Gomez and Peter Viccione, along with Ronald Pecci, travelled from Holy Cross Church here to Potsdam, N.Y., last week where the three presented a mission.
St. Mary’s Parish in Potsdam is the campus ministry center for the State University of New York at Potsdam and Clarkson University. The mission was a request of Ron by the pastor, Fr. Garry Giroux, a graduate of Christ the King Seminary.
Ron said that he and William Herbst felt that the trip would be a good experience of Franciscan ministry and itinerancy for the postulants. Given the significant number of college students with whom they would be in contact, Ron said he thought the postulants would be a good witness and example.
Mario, Peter and Ron spoke at all of the weekend Masses and on each night of the Mission, which went well enough to precipitate invitations for other missions, Ron said. They were also able to distribute printed material on HNP vocation to the Province as well as Franciscan Volunteer Ministry.
Itinerancy is not new for the postulants, said Ron who is director of HNP’s pre-novitiate program. After the friars-in-training finished their summer theology program at Holy Name College, they went on to visit many ministries including St. Francis Parish in Triangle, Va., Mt. Irenaeus in Western New York, St. Bonaventure University, Saints Rita and Patrick Parish, Buffalo N.Y., St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, Hartford, Conn. , St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, St. Francis Chapel, Providence, St. Paul’s and St. Joseph’s churches in Wilmington, Del., St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Long Beach Island, N.J., St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, St. Francis of Assisi, N.Y., and Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, N.J.
Since settling in at Holy Cross, the postulants have been to All Saints and St. Stephen’s churches in Manhattan, the convent of the Poor Clares in Wappingers Falls, N.Y.,; St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J.; St. Mary’s Church, Pompton Lake, N.J.; Holy Angels parish in Little Falls, N.J., Siena College; Holy Cross Church, Callicoon, N.Y.; FrancisCare in Elmwood Park, N.J., and a weekend at Point Lookout on Long Island. More visits are scheduled including Holy Week at Mt. Irenaeus with the postulants of the Immaculate Conception Province.
The mission was an experience in addition to the regular ministries of the postulants. Mario, shown at left in photo, works at the St. Francis Residences, Peter, at right, at Project Create, and Antonio Cornier works at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan.