To be live streamed on February 21, 2023, a ‘Digital Reception, in Honor of Righteous Among the Nations ~ Monsignor Giuseppe Placido Nicolini’ will be a celebration of Bishop Nicolini’s heroic actions in saving hundreds of lives during the Holocaust. This Combat Antisemitism Movement virtual reception will highlight the Yad Vashem ‘Righteous Among the Nations‘ recipient’s story and role in establishing a rescue network in Assisi (later known as the “Assisi Network”). During the Holocaust, Bishop Nicolini rallied Assisi’s citizens and clergy to come together and save the lives of their Jewish brethren, being hunted down by the Nazis. This included Fr. Aldo Brunacci, the Canon of the Cathedral of San Rufino, who served as the head of the Assisi Network – arranging sheltering places for Jews, in some 26 monasteries & convents, and Friar Rufino Niccacci, OFM, [pictured below] the Guardian of the San Damiano Friary, who helped to provide false identity papers and also provided protection and sanctuary in the friaries and convents under his direction, disguising the Jews as friars and nuns. Read more about them and others who worked through the Assisi Network and have been recognized as ‘Righteous Among Nations.’

The link to register for the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Virtual Reception.

Father Rufino Nicacci, OFM pictured with Holocaust survivor, Hanna Hirsch.

“The program may help inspire current leaders, and everyone, to confront hatred & bigotry in today’s world.”
~ Fr. Russell Governale, OFM Conv.

Originally filmed in 2021, by the friars who were at the time living in the St. Bonaventure Friary, in Toronto, ON.

July 21-23, 2023: For anyone ages 13-18 can participate! Each person should be associated with a parish, school, or campus ministry
group. Each ministry needs to send chaperones to accompany its group: one (1) adult for every twelve (12) youth.
The retreat is limited to 150 participants, so register early! 

Excerpts from
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis, for the 31st World Day of the Sick:

To the intercession of Mary,
Health of the Sick,
I entrust all of you who are ill;
you who care for them in your families,
or through your work, research and volunteer service;
and those of you who are committed to
weaving personal, ecclesial, and civic bonds of fraternity.
To all, I impart my heartfelt blessing.

“The Encyclical Fratelli Tutti encourages us to read anew the parable of the Good Samaritan, which I chose in order to illustrate how we can move from the “dark clouds” of a closed world to “envisaging and engendering an open world” (cf. No. 56). There is a profound link between this parable of Jesus and the many ways in which fraternity is denied in today’s world. In particular, the fact that the man, beaten and robbed, is abandoned on the side of the road represents the condition in which all too many of our brothers and sisters are left at a time when they most need help. It is no longer easy to distinguish the assaults on human life and dignity that arise from natural causes from those caused by injustice and violence. In fact, increasing levels of inequality and the prevailing interests of the few now affect every human environment to the extent that it is difficult to consider any experience as having solely “natural” causes. All suffering takes place in the context of a ‘culture’ and its various contradictions…”
“…The Samaritan calls the innkeeper to “take care of him” (Lk 10:35). Jesus addresses the same call to each of us. He exhorts us to “go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37). As I noted in Fratelli Tutti, “The parable shows us how a community can be rebuilt by men and women who identify with the vulnerability of others, who reject the creation of a society of exclusion, and act instead as neighbours, lifting up and rehabilitating the fallen for the sake of the common good” (No. 67). Indeed, “we were created for a fulfilment that can only be found in love. We cannot be indifferent to suffering” (No. 68)..”

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World Day of the Sick began in 1993 as an observation introduced in the “Message of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, for the First Annul World Day of Sick,” on October 21, 1992. In that message, he stated “This day, which, beginning in February 1993, will be celebrated every year on the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes, for all believers seeks to be ‘a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one’s suffering for the good of the Church and of reminding everyone to see in his sick brother or sister the face of Christ who, by suffering, dying and rising, achieved the salvation of mankind.'”

In the words of Saint Pope John Paul II:
May the Blessed Virgin,
“Health of the Sick” and “Mother of the Living,”
be our support and our hope and,
through the celebration of the Day of the Sick,
increase our sensitivity and dedication to those being tested,
along with the trusting expectation of the luminous day of our salvation,
when every tear will be dried forever (cf. Is 25:8).
May it be granted to us to enjoy the first fruits of that day
from now on in the superabundant joy
— though in the midst of all tribulations (cf. 2 Cor 7:4)
— promised by Christ which no one can take from us (Jn 16:22).

If you want to provide a more tangible prayer expression to someone for whom you care, who is in need of healing, our province’s Companions of St. Anthony ministry has Perpetual Mass Enrollment Cards available through our online Friar Shop. Offerings for these cards, help support the Evangelization efforts of the Companions of St. Anthony, as well as education and formation of our student friars, care for our aged and infirm friars, and the continued apostolic works of all of our province friars in the United States, and our efforts around the world. To obtain the card shown above, visit: St. Anthony Healing & Hope [Mass Enrollment Card] for more details.

Our confreres serving at the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua, Italy, also created an English Version of a Downloadable Prayer Card, with a St. Anthony’s Prayer for the sick and suffering.

[Note: the photo is not of one of our parishes. It is a graphic from popesprayerusa.net, using a photo of Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Monserrate, (Our Lady of Montserrat), in Havana, Cuba]

February 2023 – Prayer of the Month

Almighty and everlasting God,
Who through your Son, the cornerstone,
has joined these people, coming from diverse places,
and has joined this flock under one and the same Shepherd,
give to Your servants, the indissoluble bond of charity,
that there be no division of minds.
And let us, who are all one flock
under the guidance of one Shepherd
and are enclosed in one fold under Your protection,
never be separated.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

This month’s intention is “For Parishes.” Among the 72 ministries served by our province friars, we have friars serving in pastoral ministry in six parishes of our Province Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi (Ontario, Canada), and thirty parishes, along the East Coast of the United States. In addition, the friars of our Province Custodies also serve in varied ministries with a large group of them serving in parish communities. Please keep our friars, and the parishes they serve in your prayers, as you join in praying for the Holy Father’s intention this month.

• If you are a young man, living in the USA or Canada, and you feel you may be called by God to serve His people as a Franciscan Friar Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province, email our Province Vocation Office at vocations@olaprovince.org.
• If you would like more information on life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual, please explore the other pages of this website and then visit FranciscanVoice.org.
• For men who do not live in the USA or Canada, who would like more information on vocations with our Order, and the Order’s presence around the world, please visit our Curia’s website, for contact information on a province nearest to you.

The Church celebrates the annual World Day for Consecrated Life on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, each February 2nd. This year, it will be recognized in parishes over the weekend of February 4-5, 2023. Take this time to encourage the young people you know, to consider life as a consecrated religious, in the Church? Tell them what gifts you believe they are gifted to bring to that life, and what gifts they will receive as a member in that life. Keep them, and their discernment in your prayers., as well as an increase in vocations.

Please pray for ALL those who have made commitments in the consecrated life and be sure to thank them on this World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life.

“For those consecrated to God by the vows of
chastity, poverty and obedience
that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely
and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord
and serve with open hearts and willing spirits.
We pray to the Lord…“

For more information on life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual in North America, visit FranciscanVoice.org. If you live on the East Coast of North America and you would like more information on Our Lady of the Angels Province, email our Province Vocation Office at vocations@olaprovince.org.

The Postulants of our Inter-Province Postulancy in Chicago, IL, spent some time back with their families over the Christmas holiday, followed by touring of each of their provinces. Our own Province’s Postulant, Cesar Perez spent most of January touring several locations throughout our province and our ministries. The Postulants have now returned to the St. Bonaventure Friary (Chicago) to begin the second half of their Postulancy experience. Please continue praying for the Postulants and their Friar Formators.

Visiting with our friars of St. Paul Friary (Kensington, CT), who serve in pastoral ministry at St. Paul Catholic Church: Fr. Joseph Benicewicz, OFM Conv. (Pastor), Cesar Perez (Our Lady of the Angels Province Postulant), Fr. Raymond Borkowski, OFM Conv. (Mass Assistance), Fr. Michael Englert, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar) and Fr. Martin Kobos, OFM Conv (Parochial Vicar).

On his visit with the friars of Most Holy Trinity Friary (Brooklyn, NY), home to five of our friars who serve our pastoral ministry at the Roman Catholic Church of Most Holy Trinity – St. Mary, Cesar helped prep dinner with Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. (Friary Guardian). One of the friars there also serves as a Psychotherapist at a Brooklyn based counseling center.

Cesar got to enjoy a nice evening out to dinner with our friars of St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Friary (Chicopee, MA), who serve in pastoral ministry in two area parishes: seated left to right – Fr. Lucjan Szymański, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr, Chicopee), Fr. John Koziol, OFM Conv. (Friary Guardian & Parochial Vicar of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr, Chicopee), Cesar, Fr. Pedro De Oliveira, OFM Conv. (Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Ludlow), and Frei Luiz Fernando Lima Rangel, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Ludlow). [Photo Cred: Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. (Rector/Pastor of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr, Chicopee)]

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Click HERE for more information on vocations and the formation process.
Spend some time learning more about the life of a Franciscan Friar Conventual by visiting FranciscanVoice.org.
Contact our Vocation Office via vocations@olaprovince.org.

The friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province Vocations Office have been involved in a fair amount of travel these last few months. Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv. and Fr. Manny Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. have traveled together to several events for young people, and it’s been good to have the witness value of both a friar-brother and friar-priest on these occasions. They have also traveled separately, which has given them the opportunity to cover more ground.

While Br. Nick was participating in the 2023 Meeting with the New Ministers Provincial, Custodes and Secretaries, in Rome, Fr. Manny was in St. Louis, MO for SEEK23. It was good to be present among those college students! About 17,000 people were at this yearly event, and Fr. Manny was able to have some meaningful conversations about Franciscan life and history with young men and women. He told the young women that while they themselves couldn’t join us, they probably know someone who would make a good friar.

With FrancisCorps, and student friar Joe Krondon, OFM Conv., also present at this event, it was a great chance to direct college students to the idea of a year-long service experience, if that felt more approachable to them.

The days ahead are marked with even more travel, as we continue the conversation with a number of men in various stages of interest. Br. Nick will be at some vocation fairs, as well as offering reflections to high school guys on retreat. Fr. Manny will be making Lenten Mission visits to some of our ministries and preparing for a World Youth Day experience in Lisbon this August, with our friars in initial formation!

Keep us in prayer as we continue going out into the vineyard. Learn More about vocations with Franciscan Friars Conventual, at FranciscanVoice.org

Contact Br. Nick and Fr. Manny at vocations@olaprovince.org