Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our province is promoting opportunities to more fully tap into a devotion from our Kolbean heritage, through the example of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., and the continued efforts of his Militia of the Immaculata’s (M.I.) unconditional Consecration to the Immaculate. In order to better promote M.I. among the faithful served through the ministries of our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., our Province MI Assistant, has completed the 27th successful and rewarding stop on our Province M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries. Friar Jobe’s revised scheduled stops on this tour will continue through February of 2022. Keep him and all those he greets in your prayers, as he continues to preach at the Masses to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate, and to enroll in the M.I.
Over the October 2-3, 2021 weekend, the 27th stop of the M.I. Initiative to promote Consecration to the Immaculate and membership in the M.I., took Friar Jobe to St. Anne Church, in Davidsville, PA. After a fire that destroyed the rectory and church hall at Holy Family Parish in Hooversville, PA, many of the faithful followed their pastor, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Karl Kolodziejski, OFM Conv., to join his new pastoral ministry of St. Anne Parish, where he serves as Administrator. Church attendance at this Stop was the best our Province M.I Initiative Tour has seen in these weeks of the ongoing pandemic. Many of the new M.I. members are pictured here with Friar Karl (center back) and Friar Jobe (center front).
Post-Christian Culture, the Eucharist and Francis of Assisi Texts: Sir 50: 1, 3-4, 6-7; Gal 6: 14-18; Mt 11: 25-30. Theme “Behold him whose time the house of God was renovated” (Sir 50). Subtheme “…a new creation is everything!” (Gal 6: 15). Subtheme: Jesus exclaimed: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things
from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants” (Mt 11:25).
Chapter 50 of the Book of Sirach refers to renovating the house of God. Francis of Assisi is the iconic saint of rebuilding the Church. He is known for responding literally to the Most High: “Francis, Rebuild My Church, you see it is falling into ruin.” He seems to have tried to escape what God was asking of him for a short while, then aligned with the message he heard as he was praying before the crucifix. From then on, he chose to conform to the Second Person of the Trinity. He put on a yoke that bound him to Christ as married couples freely choose a yoke binding them in the sacrament of matrimony. [While touring the new home for the priests and brothers of the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame, I saw the yoke from the team of oxen that brought Fr. Sorin to Notre Dame in 1842. Who knew that a renowned Catholic university entrusted to Our Lady of Grace would be born?]
In the 1220’s, St. Francis instructed his friars: study without losing the spirit of prayer and devotion. By the 1250’s St. Bonaventure systematized Francis’ guidance. By the early 1300’s, Bl. John Duns Scotus fine-tuned Francis’ instructions. In the 1850’s, St. John Henry Newman amplified the meaning where faith and reason would intersect in response to the “secularizing” called the Enlightenment. By the 1930’s, the secular invasion was being mounted with full vigor. St. Maximilian Kolbe countered the secular invasion with a distinctive Franciscan inflected Marian cast. Pope St. John Paul II gives an unforgettable image to renovate and to build up the Church: “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth. God has placed in the human heart the desire to know the truth—in a word, to know Himself—so that by knowing and loving God, men and women may come to the fulness of truth about themselves” (Fides et Ratio, 1).
The sobering reality is that many external factors react against the human spirit that is free to employ faith and reason rising to contemplate truth. Some say there is a freefall of truth. Yet, God has placed in the human heart as exemplified by all the saints and faithful the desire to know the truth. As a person checks his or her alignment and choices in freedom, they come to the truth about themselves. The journey into wisdom is to come to the fulness of truth about oneself. Yes, our times throw many hindrances in the way. Partial answers are put forth that deceive, that appear as truth. We see in those who align with the traditionalism of the right or modernism of the left, possibly very sincere faithful, but unwittingly allowing a veil to cover clear headed thinking. The result is a serious impairment in knowing and loving God so that they might come to the fulness of truth about themselves.
Francis of Assisi found the balance. He would say: Be Catholic! It took me a long time to understand why Francis was saying: Be Catholic! I concluded that he meant: know your Catholic faith; avoid misinterpretations; guard against them, whether unintentional or worse, intentional. The latter is repackaging doctrine which is very dangerous to faith. First as Anglican and then Catholic, St. John Henry Newman chose the via media. Pope Saint John Paul II chose wisdom as the sure and final goal of all true knowing and to be freed of every hindrance by the intercession of the one who, in giving birth to the Truth and treasuring it in her heart, has shared it forever with all the world” (FR, 108).
Francis became this Marian trajectory underlying Pope John Paul’s Fides et Ratio on every page. Francis became totally devoted to the Mother of God. His writings radiate: “Holy Virgin Mary, among women, there is no one like you born in the world: you are the daughter and the servant of the Most High Supreme King and Father of heaven, you are the mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, you are the spouse of the Holy Spirit” (Off Pass). Francis had become “a [living Pauline inflected] new creation” by seeking perfect conformity to Christ. Franciscans interpret his vocation: “Rebuild My Church” not as a self-aggrandizing egotist, nor as a self-proclaimed savior of the world. Rebuilding the Church with his brothers and devoted faithful is for the long haul. Reform and renewal for the Church are constants. Listen to Francis: “After the Lord gave me brothers, no one showed me what I was to do, but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the Holy Gospel.
To live the Gospel is Francis’ uncompromising goal by avoiding extremes of modernism or traditionalism; of being faithful to the Church’s irrevocable and unchangeable doctrine. Francis commanded his friars to work together, to faithfully respect and format Church teaching in a way that demonstrates the friars know how the doctrines match the requirements of our time. To Francis and Anthony, living the Gospel is good theology and does not minimize nor threaten the importance of good theology. To live the Gospel is neither liberal nor conservative as in political, much less traditionalist. To live the Gospel is “liberal” as St. John Henry Newman took the view of a university, a place of teaching universal knowledge, with its object as intellectual, not moral, the diffusion and extension of knowledge rather than the advancement. It is the seat of literature and science. (Preface, Idea of a University).
The vocation of theologian is to serve the truth. The words liberal-conservative as they are used today almost always have a political perspective. While there are similarities and dissimilarities, the categories are not appropriate to clarify matters in theology. In his Testament, Francis understood: “We should honor and respect all theologians and those who minister the most holy divine words as those who minister spirit and life to us (cf. Jn 6:64). Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, O.F.M.Conv. (1931-2018), understood Francis. There can be tensions when theologians are described as conservative or liberal by our culture in a modern political sense which is not at all helpful. Fr. Fehlner’s adage is: “A good theologian need not be a good politician and a good politician need not be a be a good theologian.”
Many in our post-Christian culture choose something other than the light, a routine that is comfortable, a low ceiling for individual and social behavior. Does repairing and fortifying the house of God in the Book of Sirach serve as a light? The context is fortifying the temple. Possibly. Ours is a developing post-Christian culture. Catholic Christianity plays a part by reacting poorly to external factors. The secular invasion is undeniably visible. When Catholic Christianity temporizes, or delays, post-Christian culture grows. In addition, there is complicity to invite in the secular without the skills and competence to Christianly regulate. This diagnosis of post-Christian culture satisfies and convinces me.
The Eucharist sealed for Francis a reverence in churches and respect for and worthy reception of the Eucharist. Testament: “I would simply pray…We adore You, Lord Jesus Christ, in all Your churches throughout the world, and we bless you, for through your holy cross you have redeemed the world.” Ep Ord: “At the mention of Him who redeemed us and washed us in His most precious blood, you must adore Him with fear and reverence, prostrate on the ground.” Ep Cust II: “I ask you in the sight of the Lord Our God, as much as I can to give the letters which treat of the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord to the bishops and other members of the clergy. Ep Ord: “I admonish and urge that only one Mass according to the rite of the holy Church be celebrated each day where the brothers stay. Our Lord Jesus Christ fills those who are present and absent who are worthy of him.” In sum, Francis models living joyfully because he understood Jesus exclaim: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”
In Celebration of My Golden Jubilee Year of Priesthood, Fr. Edward J. Ondrako, O.F.M.Conv., eondrako@alumni.nd.edu
Fr. Edward J. Ondrako, OFM Conventual
Research Fellow Pontifical Faculty of St. Bonaventure, Rome
Visiting Scholar, McGrath Institute for Church Life
University of Notre Dame
October 4, 2021
A contemplative statue of St. Francis of Assisi greets visitors as they enter the Ellicott City, MD complex, which is home to ten of our province ministries, including the Provincial House and The Shrine of St. Anthony.
Our friars of St. Bonaventure Friary, in Toronto, ON: (left -right) Fr. Mark Steed, OFM Conv., Br. Manny Wenke, OFM Conv., Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv., Fr. Dennis Mason, OFM Conv., friar Fabian Adderley, OFM Conv., Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv. and Fr. Joseph Connick, OFM Conv. [To virtually join them for Mass each day on the YouTube channel of The Franciscan Church at St. Bonaventure, click on this photo.]
TRANSITUS: Each October 3rd, friars from all over the world gather to celebrate the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi. Transitus is Latin for crossing or passage. It is commemorated on the Vigil of the Feast of St. Francis with prayer, scripture readings, joyful songs of praise and thanksgiving. The often candle lit night service commemorates the 1226 death of our beloved Seraphic Father, as he crossed over from life on earth to eternal life with the Lord. Traditionally the celebrations of these Feast Days are chosen to mark the date of a saint’s death and are remembered by the faithful with special mention, prayers, and scripture readings. For Franciscans, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4th) is much more. It is a day filled with celebration and joy, including the traditional Blessing of the Animals and gatherings of fellowship with our brothers and sisters, in Christ. Archbishop Curley’s Transitus Service 2021
The Transitus was celebrated jointly by the friars of our St. Francis of Assisi Friary and our Fr. Justin Senior Residence (Hamburg, NY), in the St. Francis High School Chapel, along with a couple students from the high school. Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. – principal – provided the reflection for the evening.
FEAST DAY FRATERNAL FELLOWSHIP: Throughout Our Lady of the Angels Province, our friars share this joyful day with the people we serve. We also take the opportunity to celebrate our Franciscan Brotherhood with Mass, prayer, meals and laughter together in our friaries and in our ministries.
A tri-lingual Mass at our Brooklyn, NY pastoral ministry of Most Holy Trinity – St. Mary was celebrated by all three friars serving there: Fr. Raphael Zwolenkiewicz, OFM Conv. (pastor), Fr. Tomasz Ryba, OFM Conv. (parochial vicar) and Fr. Nader Ata, OFM Conv. (parochial vicar).
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: On the days surrounding the October 4th Feast Day, friars from throughout our province ministries enjoy the traditional Blessing of Animals; a simple act that helps us share the charism of St. Francis by blessing these special “companions” of those we serve. It is always a source of great joy for our friars and it was wonderful to have others who serve through several of our special ministries there to join in the fun.
Kicking off the weekend of celebrations for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, is Fr. Paul Lininger, OFM Conv. (pastor of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community – including Blessed Sacrament School, in Burlington, NC), as he blesses the animals of the school community families.
Fr. Tim Kulbicki, OFM Conv. serves as pastor and campus minister at UNC Chapel Hill Newman Catholic Student Center Parish. A nice crowd gathered in the parking lot for this year’s Blessing.
Pilgrims to The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD were greeted by Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. and Fr. Grzegorz (Greg) Wierzowiecki, OFM Conv., as they gathered for the Blessing. [Friar Richard-Jacob also serves as Province Secretary and as the Spiritual Guardian for The Companions of St. Anthony.]
As part of the St. Casimir Church Fall Festival 2021, Fr. Andy Santamauro, OFM Conv. (parochial vicar) and Fr. Dennis Grumsey, OFM Conv. (pastor) bless the animals brought to them by Baltimore City’s Canton neighborhood residents.
Some of the student friars in study at The Catholic University of America (CUA in Washington DC) – friar Alex Gould, OFM Conv. of Our Lady of Consolation Province, and friar Cristofer Fernández, OFM Conv. & friar Edgar Varela, OFM Conv. of our province (Our Lady of the Angels Province) attended the Archdiocese of Washington’s Mass for Migrants and Refugees, at the invitation of CUA’s Center for Cultural Engagement. The young friars were stirred by the multicultural liturgy. They received a flattering compliment from the Guatemalan Ambassador about how lovely their singing throughout the liturgy was–they sat behind the ambassador and his family unknowingly. Afterwards, the friars participated in an informal dialogue with Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, Auxilary Bishop of Washington & a native of Bogotá, Colombia, and other CUA students and staff on matters relating Migrants and Refugees to the Church and to our faith. [Article in the Catholic Standard]
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This participation touched the heart of another one of our friars deeply. Fr. Julio Martinez, OFM Conv. serves as pastor at St. Julia Catholic Community, a parish of more than 2,000 parishioners; 85% of them Spanish-speaking. The parish community celebrates diversity and the richness of the cultural backgrounds that bring together a Catholic community in the 21st Century. Friar Julio writes: “How Wonderful! My heart swelled with gratitude and pride at seeing two of our province’s friars in formation in attendance at the Mass for Migrants and Refugees in Washington, D.C. Your presence at that Mass speaks volumes about what Pope Francis bids us to do toward the stranger and the immigrant. Your presence speaks volumes about our Franciscan ideals of being in solidarity with the poor and the voiceless. You set an example of companionship and compassion which the migrant and refugee community all over the world needs and is hungry to feel. As a refugee myself, I just want to thank you.” ~Friar Julio
Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our province is promoting opportunities to more fully tap into a devotion from our Kolbean heritage, through the example of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., and the continued efforts of his Militia of the Immaculata’s (M.I.) unconditional Consecration to the Immaculate. In order to better promote M.I. among the faithful served through the ministries of our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., our Province MI Assistant, has completed the 26th successful and rewarding stop on our Province M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries. Friar Jobe’s revised scheduled stops on this tour will continue through February of 2022. Keep him and all those he greets in your prayers, as he continues to preach at the Masses to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate, and to enroll in the M.I.
Friar Anthony Francis and Friar Jobe are some of the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish; new members of the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.)
The 26th stop of the M.I. Initiative Tour, to promote Marian consecration and membership in the M.I., took place over the weekend of September 25-26, 2021, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in Johnstown, PA. The pastor, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Anthony Francis Spilka, OFM Conv. and the faithful at all three weekend Masses were keenly aware of the need for the Immaculate’s help and protection since they are not far from Shankesville and the Flight 93 National Memorial. In the above photo along with Friar Anthony Francis and Friar Jobe are some of the parishioners of St. Francis Parish and new members of the M.I.
Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our province is promoting opportunities to more fully tap into a devotion from our Kolbean heritage, through the example of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., and the continued efforts of his Militia of the Immaculata’s (M.I.) unconditional Consecration to the Immaculate. In order to better promote M.I. among the faithful served through the ministries of our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., our Province MI Assistant, has completed the 25th successful and rewarding stop on our Province M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries. Friar Jobe’s revised scheduled stops on this tour will continue through February of 2022. Keep him and all those he greets in your prayers, as he continues to preach at the Masses to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate, and to enroll in the M.I.
On the weekend of September 18-19, 2021, Friar Jacek Leszczyński, OFM Conv. – pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish (Chicopee, MA), welcomed the M.I. Initiative on its 25th stop. At the English, Spanish and Polish Masses, many parishioners made their consecration to the Immaculate and enrolled in the M.I. In the picture are new M.I. members who attended the Spanish Mass together with Friar Jacek (in green vestments) and Friar Jobe.
On the evening of October 3rd, the Franciscan family throughout the world celebrates the solemnity of the Transitus of St. Francis, the passing over from this life to the next: “St. Francis spent the last few days before his death in praising the Lord and teaching his companions whom he loved so much to praise Christ with him. He himself, in as far as he was able, broke out with the Psalm: I cry to the Lord with my voice; to the Lord I make loud supplication. He likewise invited all creatures to praise God and, with the words he had composed earlier, he exhorted them to love God. Even death itself, considered by all to be so terrible and hateful, was exhorted to give praise, while he himself, going joyfully to meet it, invited it to make its abode with him. “Welcome,” he said, “my sister death.” (Br Thomas of Celano, Second Life.)
Our friars’ ministries throughout the province will be celebrating in person and virtually. Please contact our ministry location nearest to you to see if there is an opportunity for you to join on site to pray with us. You can also virtually join our friars of St. Lucie Friary (Port St. Lucie, FL) via the St. Lucie Catholic Church website’s Livestream. They recommend you log in a few minutes before the 7:00 p.m. service.
CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honour, and all blessing. To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name. Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High One. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong. Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs. Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your
love, and bear infirmity and tribulation. Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned. Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
Thanks to the Fantastic Volunteers and Supporters of theLittle Portion Food Pantry sponsored by Blessed Sacrament Church (Burlington, NC), Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and pastor of Blessed Sacrament – Fr. Paul Lininger, OFM Conv. shares a brief video of the Monday, September 13th, 2021 major Food Distribution, where they served 821 families, consisting of 2828 individuals.
Video produced and edited by Leo Quinn, the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Blessed Sacrament:
Over the October 2-3, 2021 weekend, the 27th stop of the M.I. Initiative to promote Consecration to the Immaculate and membership in the M.I., took Friar Jobe to St. Anne Church, in Davidsville, PA. After a fire that destroyed the rectory and church hall at Holy Family Parish in Hooversville, PA, many of the faithful followed their pastor, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Karl Kolodziejski, OFM Conv., to join his new pastoral ministry of St. Anne Parish, where he serves as Administrator. Church attendance at this Stop was the best our Province M.I Initiative Tour has seen in these weeks of the ongoing pandemic. Many of the new M.I. members are pictured here with Friar Karl (center back) and Friar Jobe (center front).
Post-Christian Culture, the Eucharist and Francis of Assisi
Photo taken from 
This participation touched the heart of another one of our friars deeply. Fr. Julio Martinez, OFM Conv. serves as pastor at 
On the evening of October 3rd, the Franciscan family throughout the world celebrates the solemnity of the Transitus of St. Francis, the passing over from this life to the next: “St. Francis spent the last few days before his death in praising the Lord and teaching his companions whom he loved so much to praise Christ with him. He himself, in as far as he was able, broke out with the Psalm: I cry to the Lord with my voice; to the Lord I make loud supplication. He likewise invited all creatures to praise God and, with the words he had composed earlier, he exhorted them to love God. Even death itself, considered by all to be so terrible and hateful, was exhorted to give praise, while he himself, going joyfully to meet it, invited it to make its abode with him. “Welcome,” he said, “my sister death.” (Br Thomas of Celano, Second Life.)
