Luis Rosado, OFM
Two Holy Name Province brothers will profess their solemn vows this Saturday at the iconic St. Francis of Assisi Church on W. 31st Street in New York City. Luis M. Rosado, OFM, and Jason D. Damon, OFM, will make history as the last Holy Name friars to make their solemn profession before HNP, along with the other US-6 provinces, becomes part of the new national province in the United States.
Jason Damon, OFM
Tomorrow’s (Aug. 26th) Mass of Solemn Profession will be followed by a celebratory reception at San Damiano Hall next door to the church. Friars from around the country, family members, friends and parishioners will share in the joy of this blessed and historic event.
Kevin Mullen, OFM
“Profession of solemn vows is a significant moment in every friar’s life and in the life of our Province and the Order. Our brothers Luis and Jason embody these truths in an even more special way, as they stand as the final two members of Holy Name Province to profess solemn vows,” said Kevin Mullen, OFM, Provincial Minister.
“Following the Gospel insight that ‘the first will be last and the last will be first,’ our brothers will be the ‘first’ in terms of youngest members – by length of profession within our Province – who will join the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, another significant moment for all of us to celebrate. Like our father Francis, we remain grateful that ‘God has given us brothers,’” added Kevin, who will be presider and homilist.
Joseph Rozansky, OFM
Lawrence Hayes, OFM, HNP Provincial Vicar and Provincial Minister-elect of the new province, and Joseph Rozansky, OFM, director of post-novitiate formation, will be concelebrants of the Mass.
Luis and Jason are looking forward to the profound spirituality and Franciscan traditions that are part of the Mass of Solemn Profession, and the overall excitement of the next step they will be taking in their Franciscan vocation.
Lawrence Hayes, OFM
“I have been living this Franciscan life for a while, but now I get to stand before my brothers, family and friends and proclaim my commitment through solemn profession,” said Jason, who admits that his early discernment journey was a rollercoaster of emotions – frustration, exhilaration, doubts, apprehension and joy – which caused him to keep discernment at arm’s length.
“But it kept nagging at me until I realized this is what God was calling me to do. To have all of the people who have supported me along this journey witness my solemn profession is exciting and humbling,” added Jason, whose godmother, Cheryl Winter-DeHaas, will present the first scripture reading (1Kings 19:4-9, 11-15) and whose sister, Amanda, will be one of the gift-bearers during the offertory.
Luis’ family will also play important participatory roles at the Mass, with Ivelisse Laracuente presenting the second scripture reading (Romans 6:3-11) in Spanish, and Madeline Collazo presenting the gifts.
Jay Woods, OFM
Others working behind the scenes to make the day special for the friars include Jay Woods, OFM, master of ceremonies; altar ministers Domingo Martinez, OFM, John Neuffer, OFM, Jimmy Kernan, OFM, and Edgar Alberto, OFM; Eucharistic ministers Antonio Luevano, OFM, and James La Grutta, OFM, and St. Francis of Assisi Church ministers of music: Meredith Augustin, director, William Mulligan, cantor, and Jared Lamenzo, organist.