“Screenshot” of friar Cristofer (top left) with some of the virtual attendees during his session

Friar Cristofer M. Fernández, OFM Conv., a brother candidate of our province in studies at The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC), gave a virtual talk for the CSUSB PDC Catholic Newman Club’s Hispanic Heritage Month event. In his talk titled “Emerging Care for our Common Home: Migration, Creation Care, and Latino Catholics,” friar Cristofer discussed the relationship between human movement under the stresses of environmental disequilibrium and shared what Catholic social doctrine had to say regarding migration and creation care. Toward the end of the talk he explained what the hispanicization of the U.S. Church looked like and encouraged the college students to share their gifts with the Church and people in need. The students responded well to his talk and appeared to have fruitful dialogue in the breakout session.

On October 7, 2020, the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., a friar of our province and the Archbishop of Atlanta, was formally conferred the sacred pallium; a band of sheep’s wood worn over his vestments as an ancient symbol of his leadership and his unity with the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Pallium Mass was celebrated by The Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio To The United States, at Saint Peter Chanel Catholic Church, in Roswell, GA.

Read more about the pallium and the Pallium Mass

Papal Nuncio Homily – Imposition of Pallium on Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer

Joyfully, eleven friars of our province were able to join in the celebration: (left to right) Fr. Tom Reist, OFM Conv., the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv., Fr. José Guadalupe Matus Castillo, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv., Fr. Calixto Salvatierra Morena, OFM Conv., Fr. Robert Schlageter, OFM Conv., Fr. Jude Michael Krill, OFM Conv., Fr. Martin Kobos, OFM Conv., Fr. Vincent Gluc, OFM Conv. and Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv.

The Archbishop after being formally conferred the sacred pallium.

The Archbishop flanked by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. and our Vicar Provincial, Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv.

For the first Sunday since his near-fatal bout with the Coronavirus, Fr. Noel Danielewicz, OFM Conv. returned to his parish of St. Benedict the Moor Church – on the Feast of St. Francis – October 4th. Our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (below right) flew to Georgia to be celebrant and homilist at the liturgy. Tears of joy and applause reverberated as the flock of St. Benedict the Moor welcomed back their beloved shepherd, Friar Noel!
Friar Noel Danielewicz, OFM Conv. has been the pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Church (Columbus, GA) since August 2018. He lives in fraternity in our Franciscan Martyrs Friary, with five other friars of our province, who serve in Saint Benedict the Moor’s sister-parishes of: St. Anne Catholic Church & Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church as well as in education ministry at St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School.

The night before, Friar Noel joined his confreres to celebrate the Transitus with Friar James at St. Anne’s where one of the parishioners had drawn a chalk painting of St. Francis of Assisi on the pavement, to welcome the local community and members of all 3 parishes served by the friars in Columbus, GA (below).

ENCYCLICAL LETTER – FRATELLI TUTTI – OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON FRATERNITY AND SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP

Francis Week #1: Dedication to Christ in the Church

Francis Week #2: Community Connection

Francis Week #3: Concern for the Marginalized

Francis Week #4: Oneness of Creation

Francis Week #5: Peaceful Resolution of Conflict

Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi Prayer Service at St. Bonaventure Church, Toronto, ON

The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi: 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.)

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.

__________________________________

 From around the province:

Friars from the Maryland and Washington DC areas gathered in our Chapel at The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD. (Click to watch)

Most Holy Trinity – St. Mary Catholic Church, in Brooklyn, NY

Friars of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, who reside in St. Clare’s Friary (Mancester, England) celebrated in their friary as a precaution and for the protection of the parishioners they serve at Saint Clare R.C. Parish. (Click for more)

The Friars of Assumption Church (Syracuse, NY) remembered the passing of Saint Francis from this world to the next, thanks to the invaluable pariticipation of this year’s FrancisCorps volunteers. (Click for more)

A young parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Parish (Johnstown, PA) joyfully portrayed the “dead” St. Francis at an abbreviated Transitus Ceremony during 4:00 p.m. Mass, as two more parishioners him down the main aisle of the Church and place him at the foot of the altar. There he rested for at least 15 minutes, while the Transitus Service was conducted by Fr. Anthony Francis, OFM Conv. (pastor); his twelfth Transitus at the parish since becoming pastor there.

From the Conventual Franciscan Postulancy, USA: “May all of us be instruments of God’s peace to a world sorely in need.”

Our friars serving at St. Anne Church (Columbus, GA) offered special blessings for each animal and its family during the annual Blessing of Animals. The tradition of blessing animals is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. (Click to see more photos from St. Anne)

Blessing of Pets (and all animals) on the grounds of The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City. (Click to see more photos from The Shrine of St. Anthony)

Blessing of the Animals with friars of our Immaculate Conception Custody – Brazil, serving at Paróquia São Francisco de Assis (Click for more)

Saint Francis Day Blessing of Animals, October 4, 2020 at the Parish of Saint Junipero Serra, Seaside, NJ. (Click photo for more from the parish)

What a beautiful day for a Pet Blessing at Assumption Church, in Syracuse, NY (Click to see more)

Blessing with friars of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody (Great Britain/Ireland) serving at Wexford Parish, in Ireland.

Blessing of the Animals at Saint Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site, in Fonda, NY (Click for more)

 If you missed out on these opportunities or any of the other Blessings held throughout our province, here again is the Virtual Blessing:

News Articles:
New Britain Herald
The Catholic Review
LocalSYR.com

In honor of the October 4th Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. provides a virtual blessing of the animals.

On October 4, the Church observes the Feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. For the friars, this joy-filled Solemnity celebrates not just the founder of our Order himself, but also the very life of the brotherhood he founded.
Francis of Assisi experienced God’s call in his life as a summons to conform himself ever more closely to Jesus Christ. Conventual Franciscans, men who strive to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to the example and Rule of Life of Saint Francis, continue to live out that summons. Simply. Authentically.
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