NEW YORK — All are invited to St. Francis of Assisi Church on Aug. 23 when three friars profess their final vows as members of the Franciscan Order. The 11 a.m. Mass at the church on West 31st Street will be celebrated by Provincial Minister Kevin Mullen, OFM.
Ross Chamberland, OFM, Jeffery Jordan, OFM, and Michael Reyes, OFM, were approved in March by the Provincial Council for this final step in their Franciscan journey. They are currently on retreat in Italy.
Several other formation events are scheduled for upcoming months.
On Aug. 2, Abraham Joseph, OFM, will profess first vows at the Franciscan Interprovincial Novitiate in Burlington, Wis. Two weeks later, on Aug. 15, four men from Holy Name Province will be received as novices there in a private ceremony. The postulants — Daniel Beckham, Javier Del Angel, Abel Garcia and Christian Seno — are at St. Bonaventure University for five weeks of summer classes in the School of Franciscan Studies with the postulants of the other U.S. provinces.
On Aug. 28, Jeffery and Ross will be ordained deacons in Boston and, in January, they will be ordained to the priesthood at St. Anthony Shrine, Boston.
The new Provincial Council is planning several annual Provincial events for later this year. They include the guardians’ meeting and the 2014 celebration of friars commemorating major anniversaries of profession.
Information about the friars in the Province’s formation program can be found on the Meet our Student Friars page of the HNP website.