ST. LOUIS, MO. — Fr. William Spencer, OFM, and Fr. Michael Jennrich, OFM, were re-elected provincial minister and vicar by the friars of the Province of the Sacred Heart at their triennial chapter, held the week of June 13. Six friars were also selected provincial councilors. They are Fr. Gerald Bleem, OFM, Fr. John Dombrowski, OFM, Fr. John Eaton, OFM, Fr. James Lause, OFM, Br. Ducanh Pham, OFM, and Fr. Moises Gutierrez-Rivas, OFM.
General visitor Br. Bruce Michalek, OFM, of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, served as president of the chapter, which was attended by 120 Sacred Heart friars.
Some of the highlights, according to the June 23 weekly newsletter Around the Province, were:
• The June 13 celebration of the Eucharist which demonstrated the cultural diversity of the province
• The approval of three proposals
• A celebration of friars who commemorated jubilees over the last three years, since the last Sacred Heart Province chapter
• The discussion of the type of provincial candidates needed. Those selected represented minority cultures and they included lay brothers
• A question and answer session with the new provincial administration
Several other provinces of the OFM English-speaking Conference held chapters this year. Both Assumption Province, from which Dominic Monti, OFM, served as general visitor and president, and St. John the Baptist Province, whose friars met the week of May 23. The Irish Province will gather for chapter in July.
Holy Name friars tried an unusual schedule for their 2011 chapter by gathering in January, rather than in the spring, the standard timeframe.