Friar Erick G. Marin Carballo OFM Conv. lives with other religious and laity who are part of his itinerant team. Their shared life is an example of holy simplicity. It reminded me of the time a friar said to me, “privacy is the luxury of the rich.”

![]() Catching up with Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. (Part 3)Friar Erick G. Marin Carballo OFM Conv. lives with other religious and laity who are part of his itinerant team. Their shared life is an example of holy simplicity. It reminded me of the time a friar said to me, “privacy is the luxury of the rich.” ![]() Catching up with Friar Deacon Manny!![]() Friar Deacon Manny with Fr. Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv. – Chaplain for the SU Catholic Center. This past December 2022, our province friars gathered to celebrate the Diaconate Ordination of Friar Deacon Emmanuel Wenke, OFM Conv. Since then, he has been serving in our Syracuse, NY ministries, while residing in our St. Francis Friary, along with eight more friars, serving in and with four Syracuse based ministries: FrancisCorps, the Franciscan Church of the Assumption – including its many parish ministries such as the Franciscan Place Chapel & Gift Shop at Destiny USA and the Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen, and Syracuse University Catholic Campus Ministry. ![]() Along with Friar Nader Ata, OFM Conv. (FrancisCorps Chaplain and Franciscan Church of the Assumption Parochial Vicar – 3rd from top left), friar Joe Krondon, OFM Conv. (Apostolic Year of Formation with Syracuse Ministries – 2nd from top right), and Friar Deacon Emmanuel Wenke, OFM Conv. (center bottom), the FrancisCorp24 Volunteers welcomed César Perez (Our Lady of the Angels Province Postulant), while he made a stop in Syracuse, during his January 2023 Province Ministry tour. Please keep César, friar Joe and Friar Deacon Manny in your prayers during their continued formation as Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province. If you live in the USA or Canada and want more information ![]() Inter-Novitiate Conference on the Rule of Saint Francis![]() For more information on vocations with our province, email our Vocation Office at vocations@olaprovince.org.
***NOTE: Just as our province
one of the Order of Franciscan Friars Conventual [OFM Conv.], the friars of the St. Barbara Province OFMs are also one of the three First Orders of Franciscans, which includes the Capuchin friars [OFM Cap.]. ![]() New Ministers Provincial, Custos & Secretaries Meeting
![]() On Thursday, January 12th, participating friars traveled to the General Curia for a practicum day and some free time to explore the Eternal City, before celebrating Mass in our Order’s Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli (The Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles aka Santi Apostoli), presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv., who formerly served as Guardian of the Sacro Convento of the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi. ![]() Our Friar Max and Friar Michael while visiting St. Peter’s Tomb, guided by Friar Agnello Stoia, OFM Conv., the pastor of the parish of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter – Vatican. Pope Francis named Friar Stoia pastor in 2021, after he had served eight years as pastor of our Curia’s Santi Apostoli. The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter houses the sacred tomb of St. Peter, the 1st Pope of the Catholic Church, in the depths of the Vatican Necropolis.
More Photos and Information – Article on Order’s Website![]() Pope Francis Encourages: Educate with FraternityMany of the pastoral ministries of our province, include a parish or parochial school. In addition, fifteen more of our friars also serve as educators, chaplains, scholars and administrators in high school and university level ministry.
In the Holy Father’s January 2023 “The Pope Video,” Pope Francis proposes that educators “add new content to their teaching: fraternity.” Fraternity is already at the heart of our Order. This fraternal charism is central to all of our ministries, and it is visibly evident in our parish schools and other education ministries. As the Holy Father stated in his January 2023 video reflection, “Education is an act of love that illuminates the path for us to recover a sense of fraternity, so we will not ignore those who are most vulnerable.”
If you do not already, prayerfully consider becoming a part of our education ministries, by enrolling your family in a school near you, praying for our friars serving in education ministries, or financially contributing to one of these ministries most in need.
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Featured Ministry: St. Peter School, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
![]() Along with the January intention of Pope Francis,
“Let us pray that educators may be credible witnesses,
teaching fraternity rather than confrontation and helping especially the youngest and most vulnerable above all.” Visit our province website’s Location Page to find a ministry nearest to you.
![]() ![]() Live Streamed Masses
![]() Friar Pedro & Frei Luiz – in the NewsJanuary 10, 2023 article by Henrique Mano, News Editor of “Luso-Americano” (a Ludlow, MA Portuguese American Newspaper) ![]() Franciscan CentenaryLetter of the Coordinating Committee of the Franciscan Family for the Franciscan Centenary![]() Franciscan Friars Conventual Praying for the Repose of the Soul of +Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI![]() Adapted from the Vatican News Facebook Page Until the Thursday, January 5, 2023 Funeral, the body of +Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lies in state in the Papal Basilica of St. Peter, as the faithful pay final respects, offering prayers for the repose of his soul. In this Vatican News photo posted on January 2, 2023, His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv. [a friar of our Order, appointed Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City and President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the office in charge of the basilica’s upkeep, on February 20, 2021], welcomed and blessed the body of the +Pope Emeritus. In the center of the second row behind them, standing among many more Franciscan Friars Conventual who like him also serve as Confessors at the Vatican, is Our Lady of the Angels Province friar ~ Fr. John Voytek, OFM Conv. Conventual Franciscans were included among the small congregation gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 2nd. A photo taken that day by Friar John is below. |