NEW YORK —The Provincial Minister of the South Korean Province, Fr. Paul Oh, OFM, visited midtown Manhattan last month, enjoying meals and conversation with Holy Name friars and several others who live at St. Francis of Assisi Friary.
The visit, Aug. 8 to 11, was fraternal, said Pio Kim, OFM, who lives at the West 31ast Street friary, while pursuing a doctorate in counseling from Fordham University in the Bronx. Fr. Joseph Kim, OFM, also lives at St. Francis as minster to the large Korean congregatio there.
On Aug. 10, Jerome Massimino, OFM, St. Francis pastor and guardian, and Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, welcomed Fr. Paul to dinner at the friary. The Provincials enjoyed talking together, Pio said. Fr. Oh’s impression of Holy Name was very positive, he added.
“He said he was amazed and pleased at how systematically the friars here collaborate,” said Pio.
Two other friars from the Korean Province also visited the midtown friary. They were Andrew Cho, OFM, who is studying English at Holy Name College in Maryland, and Nicholas Shin, OFM, on sabbatical until December while studying at St. Bonaventure University’s Franciscan Institute.
The Korean province has 170 members, including students, Pio said,