Below are highlights of notable November events that took place around Holy Name Province:
One Year Ago
Nov. 7, 2009 — St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes, N.J., was honored by interfaith environmental organization GreenFaith at its fourth annual awards celebration. The church’s “green” initiatives include an energy audit and the installation of solar panels.
10 Years Ago
Nov. 19, 2000 — The Franciscan Counseling Center and the Franciscan Center for Spiritual Direction were formally dedicated at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston. (Today, Richard Flaherty, OFM, directs the center for spiritual direction.)
15 Years Ago
Nov. 16, 1995 — A joint meeting of the provincial councils of Holy Name and Immaculate Conception provinces was held at the IC Provincial Curia on Thompson Street in New York City.
20 Years Ago
Nov. 25, 1990 — St. Joseph’s Church (pictured) in West Milford, N.J., closed its yearlong celebration of its 225th anniversary. (Holy Name Province returned the pastoral care of the parish to the Diocese of Paterson in 2004.)
35 Years Ago
Nov. 28-29, 1975 — An informational meeting for friars interested in the Province’s religious permanent diaconate program was held at St. Francis Friary in New York. (Today, three HNP friars are permanent deacons — Christopher Coccia, OFM, Henry Fulmer, OFM,and Alan Thomas, OFM.)
60 Years Ago
Nov. 15, 1950 — The community of Holy Name College was honored with a visit from Fr. Raymond Abboud, OFM, secretary to His Excellency Msgr. John Capistran Cayer, present Vicar Apolstolic of Egypt. According to the February 1951 Provincial Annals, Fr. Raymond enjoyed “the distinction of being the first Franciscan priest to belong to the Coptic rite.” The Egyptian friar explained the “beautiful liturgy of his native rite” and later celebrated Mass in the Coptic rite. “Father also sung various prayers of the Moslems, from whose religion he is a convert,” according to the Annals.
— Compiled by Rebecca Doel