God’s unconditional love and forgiveness, as witnessed through the sacrifice of his only son, are central to the season of Lent. As HNP ministries prepare for Easter, friars and their partners-in-ministries are offering varied ways to pray and to learn more about their faith. The HNP Development Office is offering a new edition of “Lent In My Pocket,” a booklet …
Retreat Centers Offer Ways to Discover ‘Richer Life and Living’
Are emotions our friends or our foes? Sr. Danielle Marie Baran, a Sister of the Resurrection, will address this question through prayers and reflection during a retreat this month at Mount St. Francis in Peekskill, N.Y. The retreat will explore the four basic emotions — anger, fear, sadness and happiness. “This is an invitation to discover anew these ‘stepping stones’ to …
Vocation Office Welcomes Men to Retreats
Do you know someone who might make a good friar? The HNP Vocation Office is holding three autumn events — the first in early October — for men to meet the Franciscans and explore their own call to serve God. A college retreat, an Asian-American retreat and a “Come and See” Vocation Weekend have been scheduled at locations throughout the …
Fall Retreats Focus on Varied Themes
As the summer season ends and autumn nears, friars and retreat centers are inviting friends to deepen their prayer life and broaden their horizons. Michael Calabria, OFM, of Washington, D.C.,will lead an overnight retreat, “An Interwoven World: The Christian-Islamic Fabric of Culture,” from Sept. 26 to 27 at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Aston, Pa. The workshop addresses the myth …
Urban Hermitage Offers Sanctuary of Silence in Nation’s Capital
WASHINGTON — The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land has been a well-known destination for spiritual tourists since the late 1890s. If visitors aren’t admiring the Byzantine-style architecture of the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulchre, they’re exploring the historic gardens and outdoor shrines. But a few years ago, people began flocking to this sanctuary in the busy heart of …
Anthony Carrozzo, Daniel Riley to Lead Retreats
A variety of Franciscan retreats and programs is being offered in the coming months. All are open to friars as well as laypeople. Next week, the director of Mt. Irenaeus, Daniel Riley, OFM, will lead a retreat titled “Franciscan Spirituality: Open Heartedness and the Cosmic Christ” at the Assisi Institute in Rochester, N.Y. The afternoon of reflections, meditation and dialogue on May …
Mt. Irenaeus Plans Contemplative Days, Anniversary Commemorations
WEST CLARKSVILLE, N.Y. — Summer at the Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Retreat will focus on contemplative prayer and celebrations, with events planned for June and July. Holy Name Province friars and members of other religious communities are invited to the Mountain’s annual Contemplative Days, June 23 to 27. Recognizing that contemplation is a necessity in Christian life, “We look to …
Retreat Opportunities Around the Country
Interested in setting aside time to reflect, to pray and, perhaps, to learn? Throughout the coming months, a variety of retreats and programs are being offered at Franciscan venues in scenic settings around the United States. In Florida, the Franciscan Center in Tampa is offering three retreats over the coming weeks: Holy Week retreat, April 16 to 20, led by Anthony …
Interprovincial Retreat to Focus on Aging
WINTER PARK, Fla. — All friars are invited to a “historic” gathering this fall about aging. The retreat, titled “Seasonal Friar Retreat: A Practical and Spiritual Approach Toward a Hopeful Future,” will be offered from Nov. 3 to 7 at San Pedro Retreat Center, 15 miles from the Orlando airport. This gathering is the “first interfamilial retreat for all First …
Retreat Opportunities Announced
A variety of Franciscan retreats and programs is being offered in the coming months, many of them in the Northeast. All are open to friars as well as laypeople. In March, two retreats are being held by the Byzantine Franciscan community of Assumption Province, in Sybertsville, Pa. They are: An icon retreat titled “Softener of Evil Hearts” from March 6 to 9. …
Friars Honor African Ancestry Culture in the Church
SILVER SPRING, Md. — Holy Name Province friars and members of other Franciscan and religious communities welcomed 25 black Catholic men for a weekend of prayer and community last month, just after Christmas. Men of both African and African-American descent traveled from as far away as Buffalo, N.Y., and St. Louis to participate in the Go Down Moses retreat to learn …
Gene Pistacchio Leads Secular Franciscan Retreats
This past spring and fall, I was privileged to offer two weekend retreats for the Secular Franciscan Order. The first, held at Mt. Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., for the Our Lady of the Angels Region, included OFS communities in Manhattan, Staten Island, Yonkers, and Mt. Vernon, N.Y., and in North Jersey. The second retreat, held at the …