Document from the Vatican appointing Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. John Voytek, OFM Conv., as a confessor at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome
Our Order, the Franciscan Friars Conventual have served as the official confessors at the Vatican Basilica since 1774, when Pope Clement XIV in his Apostolic Letter Miserator Dominus established our Order as the “College of the Penitentiaries.” Upon passing his examination at the Vatican on the 12th of May, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. John M. Voytek, OFM Conv. was immediately taken to the Chapel of the Penitentiaries by His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Piacenza (Major Penitentiary, the head of the Apostolic Penitentiary), and Msgr. Krzysztof Józef Nykiel (Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary) to take his oath and make his profession of faith. Having signed the official documents, the Vatican officials enrolled Friar John in the official ranks of friars who for 246 years have carried out this great service of the Order to the Church. The most recent predecessors of Fr. John as English-speaking “penitentiaries” from Our Lady of the Angels Province were Friar Kevin Hanley, OFM Conv. and Friar Nevin Hammon, OFM Conv.
At the Vatican, at the right of Friar John – the Cardinal and the Regent, to his left – Friar Robert Leżohupski, OFM Conv. ,who serves in the position formerly held by our own +Fr. Donald Kos, OFM Conv. and theologian Fr. John (Vatican officials in the Sacred Congregation of the Apostolic Penitentiary).
While preparing three months in Rome for his Penitenzeria exam, Friar John lived at our General Curia’s Convento Ss. XII Apostoli (Friary of the Twelve Holy Apostles). Our Minister General, the Most Reverend Fr. Carlos Trovarelli, OFM Conv. (at left), who sincerely asserted that the fraternity of the Friary will miss Friar John very much as he moves across the River Tiber to Vatican City. Before moving, however, Friar John flew back to Atlanta to begin the six-week process of obtaining an Italian Visa.
The International Friars serving our Shrine of St. Anthony learned this dance from our
Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
Pictured from left to right: Friar Thomas “Tommy” More Bahn, OFM Conv of South Korea, Friar Everest Valentine Nyaki Mkenda , OFM Conv., of Tanzania, Friar James, and Friar Rijo Mulavarickal Polachan, OFM Conv. of Inda (now living in Syracuse, NY).
(Photo By Michael Alexander) Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., knocks on the door of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, three times during the reception at the church door. He was greeted by Msgr. Francis G. McNamee, cathedral rector, who presented the new archbishop with a cross, a gift from the people at Cathedral of Christ the King.
The Vatican invites all people of good will to join in a day of prayer, fasting and works of charity on May 14, 2020.
Let us remember to bring our needs to God in prayer every day.
Submitted by Fr. Julio Martinez, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of St. Julia Parish, Siler City, NC
St. Julia Parish Reaches Out
On Saturday, May 2nd, I visited seven trailer park neighborhoods with the Blessed Sacrament. Men of the parish participated by organizing the visit, rigging the pickup with table and kneeler, serving as acolytes, driver and providing helping hands. The people set up shrines/altars in front of their homes to welcome the Lord and His blessing. It brought comfort, strength and inspiration to the people. Now we prepare for another visit of the Blessed Sacrament to those who live in other areas.
We set up an expanded food pantry and more and more people from the parish are using this blessing that we are able to provide. A group of ladies from the parish also take food to individuals and families that either cannot drive to the parish or are in quarantine. We are grateful to the generosity of parishioners, Friars, and anonymous donors from other communities who contribute to the food pantry. Because of this generosity we are also able to help families pay some bills.
Our monthly food distribution that we sponsor with the Food Bank continues and we distribute food to about 100 families. The local chicken processing plant has used our property for the sale of chicken at $1.00 a pound. This is a way to participate in local community endeavors during this difficult time. The parish has received $4,000 from the chicken plant for allowing them to use our property. On June 4th, the parish will again collaborate, this time with Chatham County Managerial Office and another charitable organization, providing the space for 5,000 meals to be distributed to the local community.
Our people come to the parish every Sunday to drop off their weekly contributions, receive printed spiritual material and a blessing. It also gives me the opportunity to see and touch base with them as to how they are. We have many parishioners that have tested positive. They are quarantined at home. All have lost their jobs temporarily or permanently. We also have two of our men who are in intensive care and their families are being taken care of by many in the community.
Although the church building’s doors are closed, the Church’s Hearts are wide open here at St. Julia. Our community has really capitalized on the union and genuine sense of community that already existed among us. It has become stronger and I hope that after this hell, we will return even stronger.
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Submitted by Fr. Timothy Dore, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of the Pastorate of St. Michael the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, Baltimore MD
Baltimore Pastorate Scouts Conduct Food Drive
On Sunday afternoon, May 17, 2020, Troop 419 of the Boy Scouts of America, one of the many scouting organizations serving within our Pastorate of St. Michael the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, conducted a food drive to benefit our Pastorate food pantries. They collected non-perishable food at St. Michael, Overlea, and at Annunciation, Rosedale. I’m so edified by the Scouts’ desire to serve the most needy among us, especially during these difficult days!
The students of Mater Dolorosa School thought they would not have any Crowning this year, a tradition that began when the school started, It was felt that keeping the tradition, although a bit modified, was important to the students and greater community. A video of the May Crowning with Friar Albert was streamed on the school’s Facebook Page on Thursday, May 14 2020. In addition, the Diocese of Springfield News Site posted a May 17, 2020 online article featuring the Crowning, and other events for the school/parish students. Many more videos and photos are posted on the Mater Dolorosa School Facebook Page.
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Submitted by Fr. Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Winston-Salem, NC
Drive-In Mass Celebrated on Sunday May 17th
Pastor Emeritus, Fr. Joe Angelini, OFM Conv. and Pastor, Fr. Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv. of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, in Winston-Salem, NC celebrated their first ever outdoor car Mass (in English and Spanish), on May 17, 2020. Over 125 car attended both services. A multicultural team put together the logistics for this event to happen. YouTube Video of the Mass in English
On May 10, 2020, Friars Timothy Blanchard (above) and Franck Sokpolie (below) renewed their vows during Evening Prayer at St. Bonaventure Friary, Silver Spring, MD. They will be going on an Apostolic Year in the summer and, God willing, they will ask to make their Solemn Vows next year. If you are interested in adding life as a friar of our province to your discernment journey, email vocations@olaprovince.org
The following article has been shared by our Province Delegate to the Militia of the Immaculate (M.I.) ~ Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv.:
From our Order’s Website: “300 Years as the Principal Patroness of the Order”
On May 7, 2020 the Order marked three hundred years since the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, was declared the principal patroness of our Order. That declaration was made by decree of the 156th General Chapter (May 1719) and approved by Pope Clement XI on May 7, 1720. To celebrate this significant anniversary, our new General, Friar Carlos Trovarelli, presided at a Mass in Rome at the Basilica of Santi Apostoli, still closed because of Covid-19. After the Mass, Friar Carlos renewed “today and forever” (oggi e per sempre) the consecration of the entire Order to the Blessed Virgin Mary, invoked under the title of the Immaculate Conception (see the Order’s website for the beautifully detailed prayer of entrustment).
The Order’s Communications Office recounts that what occasioned this joyous commemoration was a letter which our General received from one of the oldest friars in the Order, Friar Oreste Casaburo (age 94) of the Neapolitan province. In a letter to the General, Friar Oreste reported that he had made a happy discovery last year when he found an article by St. Maximilian Kolbe, entitled “Two Hundred Years Ago” (see The Writings of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, 1271).
In the article, which was written in Japan in May 1934, Friar Maximilian explained that, at the conclusion of the 156th General Chapter in Rome, it was decided to raise up and establish the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as the Principal Patroness of the Order. The newly elected General, Friar Carlo Giuseppe Romilli of Bergamo, Italy, together with his definitory, decreed:
“Since its origin and throughout its history, the Order of Friars Minor Conventual has surrounded the Conception of the Blessed Virgin with special manifestations of devotion. Therefore in the footsteps of their fathers, the Venerable Definitory has decreed to establish the Blessed Virgin, under the title of Immaculate Conception, as their main Patroness, in the firmest hope that more and more every day in our Order, devotion and veneration toward the Mother of God and toward the mystery of her Immaculate Conception increase and develop.”
Our Communications Office stated that, in his letter, Friar Oreste underscored: “In Father Kolbe’s day, it was 200 years, now it is 300 years, three centuries.” He invited the Minister General to seize the occasion: “Given this curious but happy coincidence, the idea popped into my head of asking if you might not address to us a few words of comfort during this bitter “virus” situation by way of a “Franciscan prayer” to the Virgin, entrusting your apostles and sons to Her, as our Seraphic Father, St. Francis, once did.” It was very soon after receiving Friar Oreste’s letter that our 120th Minister General decided to accept the proposal and renew forever the consecration of the Order to the Immaculate Conception. The Communications Office ended its report stating: “Once again we encounter the tradition of the Order; we hope and trust in the protection and guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Cf. Constitutions, art. 1, §§ 6-7).”
UNC Chapel Hill Newman Catholic Student Center Parish (pastoral and university campus ministry of our province, in Chapel Hill, NC) came out on Mother’s Day 2020 weekend, to celebrate Liturgy publicly for the first time in two months. In his latest executive order the Governor of North Carolina allowed outdoor religious gatherings, as long as social distancing was maintained and the wearing of masks was encouraged. The Bishop of Raleigh permitted the celebration of the Eucharist under the same rules. Since Newman had been prepared for this eventuality, our pastoal ministry there was able to organize and publicize celebrations within two days.
Fr. Timothy Kulbicki, OFM Conv. (Pastor & Campus Minister – pictued at left) and Fr. William Robinson, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar & Associate Campus Minister) were able to hear confessions on the afternoon of Saturday, May 9, 2020, in the well-ventilated narthex. Access to the nave or Eucharistic Chapel were not allowed. A 9:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 10, 2020, found 85 people gathered in the parking lots, with another 65 at the 11:00 a.m., which was also livestreamed. Those cathered enjoyed full liturgical music, with one-use liturgical aids at each Mass. Many (including our friars) were deeply moved, with tears in their eyes.
Today, May 8, 2020, at noon, the Holy See officially announced that the Holy Father appointed our confrere and former Minister General, Friar Marco TASCA as the Archbishop of Genoa.
While preparing three months in Rome for his Penitenzeria exam, Friar John lived at our General Curia’s Convento Ss. XII Apostoli (Friary of the Twelve Holy Apostles). Our Minister General, the Most Reverend Fr. Carlos Trovarelli, OFM Conv. (at left), who sincerely asserted that the fraternity of the Friary will miss Friar John very much as he moves across the River Tiber to Vatican City. Before moving, however, Friar John flew back to Atlanta to begin the six-week process of obtaining an Italian Visa.
On May 10, 2020, Friars Timothy Blanchard (above) and Franck Sokpolie (below) renewed their vows during Evening Prayer at St. Bonaventure Friary, Silver Spring, MD. They will be going on an Apostolic Year in the summer and, God willing, they will ask to make their Solemn Vows next year. If you are interested in adding life as a friar of our province to your discernment journey, email 
UNC Chapel Hill Newman Catholic Student Center Parish
