Over the next few months, three of our friar students plan to profess the Solemn Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Here is a bit about what they have been experiencing during their Apostolic Year of Formation:
In 2019, friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv. participated in the JPIC Summer Experience in Shamokin, Lexington, Colombia, and El Salvador, led by Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv., along side four more student friars, with a “home base” set up as Mother Cabrini Friary, in Shamokin, PA. In May 2020, friar Richard returned to the Shamokin area to begin his Apostolic Experience serving as Coordinator for FAR (Faith Alliance for Revitalization) of The Franciscan Center, in Coal Township, PA. There he has been working in conjunction with our three friar priest who are in pastoral ministry in Shamokin, Coal Township and Trevorton, PA. In a video on FranciscanVoice.org, friar Richard sums up his time in ministry there as this: “We don’t just serve in the churches here. It is not just Sacramental Ministry only. There is more to it than that. We get to go out of the friary and out of the churches, to serve the people of God; to meet them where they are at, to meet them in their struggles, in their joys, and walk ‘with’ them as we are all working together to rebuild Shamokin.”
In September 2020, a short lived opening in the USA/Canadian Border, afforded friar Tim Blanchard, OFM Conv. the opportunity to begin his Apostolic Experience, serving alongside our friars in Toronto, ON, and focusing on ministering to the people of The Franciscan Church at St. Bonaventure and to the needs of St. Clare Inn (a transitional housing project that offers accommodation to homeless women between the ages of 30-60 who are struggling with a diagnosed mental health issue). He also spent countless hours working behind the scenes on digital content for these ministries, and new content for the province JPIC Commission and Vocation Offices.
Although this school year has been a very challenging one for all, the Fraternal/Apostolic Experience (last year of formation) for friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv. has also been a joy filled one. Since August 2020, he has been serving alongside our friars in Columbus, GA, with his main focus in ministry to the St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School (PreK – 12th Grade) students and St. Anne Catholic Church parishioners. The intent when he first began the school year was to assist with campus ministry programming, offer classes to all grade levels on Franciscan Spirituality, and pitch in where needed should a teacher be absent or out for a couple of days. The year proved to be so much more.
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Another friar who will be Professing Solemn Vows this year, is Fr. Louis Maximilian Smith, OFM Conv., who serves in Campus Ministry at The Catholic University of America. Friar Louis Maximilian is a friar priest who has transfiliated from another Order, and has been in formation to become a Solemnly Professed Franciscan Friar Conventual with our province, since 2018.
Keep friar Richard, friar Tim, friar Franck in your prayers, as they finishes up their Apostolic Experience, and then mve onto a month long preparation (including communal and private prayer, fraternal interaction, and a retreat) for Solemn Vow Profession this Summer. Also please keep Fr. Louis Maximilian in your prayers as his 3-yr probationary period comes to and end, and he can now fully become a Solemnly Professed member of our province.
For more information on discernment as a Franciscan Friar Conventual of our province, visit FranciscanVoice.org
April 12-19, 2021: Our Lady of the Angels Province JPIC (Justice, Peace & the Integrity of Creation) Commission Chairman, Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. visited the North American Novitiate, to speak about social justice, his experience in his JPIC Ministries in Shamokin, PA and the 2019 JPIC Summer Experience he had with five student friars in Shamokin, Lexington, Colombia, and El Salvador. The 2020-2021 Class of Novices were grateful for the quality time they spent with Friar Michael.
Great Job, St. Lucie Catholic Church, our pastoral ministry in Port St. Lucie, FL, served by Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv. (pastor), Fr. Curt Kreml, OFM Conv. (parochial vicar), and Fr. Gabriel Scasino, OFM Conv. (parochial vicar).
Season One is presented Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv.
(Province Vocation Director) and in
Season Two, a variety of friars tell the tales of their vocation journeys:
Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. is not only a prolific author for all ages, a scripture scholar, and well respected speaker on biblical theology, he also serves our Order as an Assistant General (CFF).
In this video reflection, Friar Jude shares some thoughts on the Book of Wisdom.
Doing Penance… In the previous reflection, we mentioned prayer and fasting. Both the life of prayer and the life of fasting can be summarized in one word: Penance. But this does not mean that the “life of penance” is reduced only to those two aspects, namely, prayer and fasting.
Characteristics of Religious Orders in His Day: Monastic life gained particular importance in the Middle Ages. It was seen as a kind of exile. Existence in this world was viewed as slavery and a pilgrimage to the “heavenly Jerusalem” with Jesus Christ pointing the way. The very word “world” (in Latin: mundus) was understood in a negative sense by the monastic Orders.
Each year, on Good Shepherd Sunday (April 25 this year), the Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. As revealed in the name, the day is an opportunity for Catholics around the globe to pray more intentionally for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and the diaconate.
Holy Thursday Mass in the Novitiate Chapel, celebrated by Fr. Maurice “Moe” Richard, OFM Conv. (Our Lady of the Angels Province – Assistant Director of the Novitiate) and concelebrated by Friar Julian.
On Good Friday, Friar Moe was assisted by friar Jonathan and friar Edgar
Although the Novices are spending a year and a day in the prayerful confines of this Novitiate community, their formators make sure they have moments of joyful fraternal celebration breaks from their studies of Franciscan History, Franciscan Spirituality, Rule and Constitutions of the Order, Liturgical – Devotional – Contemplative Prayer, History of Consecrated Life, and the Gospel Counsels. The Communal Prayer life in fraternity nourishes the Novices souls, and they are happy to also share in traditional celebrations that nourish their bodies, like an Easter Feast which even included a Baranek Wielkanocny (Paschal Butter Lamb), displayed by friar Edgar.
The Our Lady of the Angels Province friars pictured here, who are not in the prior photos above are: friar Michael Boes, OFM Conv. – Novice – bottom 3rd from left & friar Bram De Backer, OFM Conv. – Novice – bottom 3rd from right. Several friars of St. Joseph of Cupertino Province are also pictured here: Friar Jacob Carazo, OFM Conv. – Vicar Provincial , Friar Jerry Payne, OFM Conv. – Novitiate Formation Team, Friar John Farao, OFM Conv. – Prison Chaplain, and the other Novice – friar Wayne Mulei, OFM Conv. (top right)]
A message from the friars of the Novitiate: “Happy Easter from all of us here at St. Francis of Assisi Novitiate. May the Risen Lord bless you and keep you. Alleluia!”
Our Lady of the Angels Province student friar Cristofer M. Fernández, OFM Conv. is completing his first year of post-novitiate studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., wile also “completing” a couple of old research projects. Recently, his hummingbird species life history project, from his days of undergraduate research, was published through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Ithaca, New York, USA). Read More on our Curia’s Website:
In 2019, friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv. participated in the JPIC Summer Experience in Shamokin, Lexington, Colombia, and El Salvador, led by Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv., along side four more student friars, with a “home base” set up as Mother Cabrini Friary, in Shamokin, PA. In May 2020, friar Richard returned to the Shamokin area to begin his Apostolic Experience serving as Coordinator for FAR (Faith Alliance for Revitalization) of The Franciscan Center, in Coal Township, PA. There he has been working in conjunction with our three friar priest who are in pastoral ministry in Shamokin, Coal Township and Trevorton, PA. In a video on FranciscanVoice.org, friar Richard sums up his time in ministry there as this: “We don’t just serve in the churches here. It is not just Sacramental Ministry only. There is more to it than that. We get to go out of the friary and out of the churches, to serve the people of God; to meet them where they are at, to meet them in their struggles, in their joys, and walk ‘with’ them as we are all working together to rebuild Shamokin.”
In September 2020, a short lived opening in the USA/Canadian Border, afforded friar Tim Blanchard, OFM Conv. the opportunity to begin his Apostolic Experience, serving alongside our friars in Toronto, ON, and focusing on ministering to the people of The Franciscan Church at St. Bonaventure and to the needs of St. Clare Inn (a transitional housing project that offers accommodation to homeless women between the ages of 30-60 who are struggling with a diagnosed mental health issue). He also spent countless hours working behind the scenes on digital content for these ministries, and new content for the province JPIC Commission and Vocation Offices.
Although this school year has been a very challenging one for all, the Fraternal/Apostolic Experience (last year of formation) for friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv. has also been a joy filled one. Since August 2020, he has been serving alongside our friars in Columbus, GA, with his main focus in ministry to the St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School (PreK – 12th Grade) students and St. Anne Catholic Church parishioners. The intent when he first began the school year was to assist with campus ministry programming, offer classes to all grade levels on Franciscan Spirituality, and pitch in where needed should a teacher be absent or out for a couple of days. The year proved to be so much more.
Another friar who will be Professing Solemn Vows this year, is Fr. Louis Maximilian Smith, OFM Conv., who serves in Campus Ministry at The Catholic University of America. Friar Louis Maximilian is a friar priest who has transfiliated from another Order, and has been in formation to become a Solemnly Professed Franciscan Friar Conventual with our province, since 2018.
