Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv., Fr. Maximilian Martin, OFM Conv., Fr. David Blowey, OFM Conv. and Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. attended the January 16-20 first round of the Order’s “Midway” Meeting, held at the Seraphicum College in Rome.
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Catching up with Friar Deacon Manny!
Friar Deacon Manny with Fr. Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv. – Chaplain for the SU Catholic Center.
This past December 2022, our province friars gathered to celebrate the Diaconate Ordination of Friar Deacon Emmanuel Wenke, OFM Conv. Since then, he has been serving in our Syracuse, NY ministries, while residing in our St. Francis Friary, along with eight more friars, serving in and with four Syracuse based ministries: FrancisCorps, the Franciscan Church of the Assumption – including its many parish ministries such as the Franciscan Place Chapel & Gift Shop at Destiny USA and the Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen, and Syracuse University Catholic Campus Ministry.
Along with Friar Nader Ata, OFM Conv. (FrancisCorps Chaplain and Franciscan Church of the Assumption Parochial Vicar – 3rd from top left), friar Joe Krondon, OFM Conv. (Apostolic Year of Formation with Syracuse Ministries – 2nd from top right), and Friar Deacon Emmanuel Wenke, OFM Conv. (center bottom), the FrancisCorp24 Volunteers welcomed César Perez (Our Lady of the Angels Province Postulant), while he made a stop in Syracuse, during his January 2023 Province Ministry tour. Please keep César, friar Joe and Friar Deacon Manny in your prayers during their continued formation as Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province.
If you live in the USA or Canada and want more information
on life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual,
visit FranciscanVoice.org, or
email our Province Vocation Office at vocations@olaprovince.org.
If you are not living in the USA or Canada, but want contact or vocation information on a Province, Custody, Delegation or Mission nearest to you, visit the Curia’s Website.
Inter-Novitiate Conference on the Rule of Saint Francis
January 9-12, 2023: This year marks the 800th Anniversary of the 1223 Rule of Saint Francis. Theologian, professor, speaker, and author – including contributing editor of “The Francis Trilogy,” Friar Bill Short, OFM (of the St. Barbara Province – USA, Order of Friars Minor [OFM]***), presented a conference on the histories and developments of the Rule of 1221 (Regula non bullata) and the Rule of 1223 (Regula bullata), to the Novices of the First Order Franciscan USA Novitiates. The participating Novices, including our own province’s friar Marvin Paul Fernandez, OFM Conv. (4th row – 4th from left) and friar Connor J. Ouly, OFM Conv. (2nd row – 2nd right from center), will profess their Simple Vows, at the end of this Novitiate Year. Also pictured above far right is Fr. Marek Stybor, OFM Conv., a friar of our province who serves the Novices of our St. Francis of Assisi Friary Novitiate, in Arroyo Grande, CA, as Assistant Novice Director.Friar Bill and friar Marvin demonstrate how a friar professes his obedience to his ordinary, in the same way that our Seraphic Father ~ Saint Francis of Assisi vowed an obedience to Pope Innocent III and his successors.
For more information on vocations with our province, email our Vocation Office at vocations@olaprovince.org.
***NOTE: Just as our province
one of the Order of Franciscan Friars Conventual [OFM Conv.],
the friars of the St. Barbara Province OFMs are also
one of the three First Orders of Franciscans,
which includes the Capuchin friars [OFM Cap.].
one of the Order of Franciscan Friars Conventual [OFM Conv.],
the friars of the St. Barbara Province OFMs are also
one of the three First Orders of Franciscans,
which includes the Capuchin friars [OFM Cap.].
New Ministers Provincial, Custos & Secretaries Meeting
January 9-13, 2023: The new Ministers Provincial, Custos and Secretaries of our Order gathered in Rome, at the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure, commonly known as the Seraphicum, for meetings and orientation with our Minister General, The Most Reverend Carlos Trovarelli, OFM Conv. Their days included spiritual reflections, prayer, fraternity, and some practical matters. Friars from all over the world participated, with seven from the Conventual Franciscan Federation (CFF) which includes friars of Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, and the U.S.A. {As pictured above: Friar Anthony Lojado, OFM Conv. (translator – in studies in Italy, St. Bonaventure Province), Fr. Kevin Hanley, OFM Conv. (Custodial Secretary – Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody), The Most Reverend Fr. Carlos Trovarelli, OFM Conv., (Minister General of our Order), the Very Reverend Fr. Martin Day, OFM Conv. (Minister Provincial – Our Lady of Consolation Province), His Eminence, Mauro Maria Cardinal Gambetti, OFM Conv. (Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City and President of the Fabric of Saint Peter’s), Fr. Mario Serrano, OFM Conv. (Secretary – Our Lady of Consolation Province), Br. Nicholas Romeo, OFM Conv. (Secretary – Our Lady of the Angels Province), the Very Reverend Fr. Paul Langevin, OFM Conv. (Minister Provincial – St. Bonaventure Province), the Very Reverend Fr. Maximilan Martin, OFM Conv. (Custos – Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody), and the Very Reverend Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv. (Minister Provincial – Our Lady of the Angels Province). Also in attendance was Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. (a friar of our province who serves as Assistant General for the CFF).
On Thursday, January 12th, participating friars traveled to the General Curia for a practicum day and some free time to explore the Eternal City, before celebrating Mass in our Order’s Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli (The Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles aka Santi Apostoli), presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv., who formerly served as Guardian of the Sacro Convento of the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi.
Our Friar Max and Friar Michael while visiting St. Peter’s Tomb, guided by Friar Agnello Stoia, OFM Conv., the pastor of the parish of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter – Vatican. Pope Francis named Friar Stoia pastor in 2021, after he had served eight years as pastor of our Curia’s Santi Apostoli. The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter houses the sacred tomb of St. Peter, the 1st Pope of the Catholic Church, in the depths of the Vatican Necropolis.
The participating Provincials remained in Rome
for a “Midway” Meeting of the Order
in preparation for the 2025 Ordinary General Chapter.
More Photos and Information – Article on Order’s Website
Pope Francis Encourages: Educate with Fraternity
Many of the pastoral ministries of our province, include a parish or parochial school. In addition, fifteen more of our friars also serve as educators, chaplains, scholars and administrators in high school and university level ministry.
In the Holy Father’s January 2023 “The Pope Video,” Pope Francis proposes that educators “add new content to their teaching: fraternity.” Fraternity is already at the heart of our Order. This fraternal charism is central to all of our ministries, and it is visibly evident in our parish schools and other education ministries. As the Holy Father stated in his January 2023 video reflection, “Education is an act of love that illuminates the path for us to recover a sense of fraternity, so we will not ignore those who are most vulnerable.”
If you do not already, prayerfully consider becoming a part of our education ministries, by enrolling your family in a school near you, praying for our friars serving in education ministries, or financially contributing to one of these ministries most in need.
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Featured Ministry: St. Peter School, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
At left, 8th & 2nd grade Prayer Partners attended Mass together, at St. Peter School, the parish school of our pastoral ministry ~ St. Peter Catholic Church. These 8th graders work together to help guide their 2nd grade Prayer Partners through the correct prayers and responses, during the Liturgy. St. Peter School, located at 415 Atlantic Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 (732-892-1260), is celebrating a Centennial Jubilee this year. Start off your support, by joining them on January 29, 2023, for their Catholic Schools Week Kickoff, including a student led Mass and an Open House. Come back for more celebrations throughout the year, in support of our friars’ 100-year-old school, founded by our own +Fr. Peter Jachetti, OFM Conv., and “Anchored in Faith.” (Donate)
At left, 8th & 2nd grade Prayer Partners attended Mass together, at St. Peter School, the parish school of our pastoral ministry ~ St. Peter Catholic Church. These 8th graders work together to help guide their 2nd grade Prayer Partners through the correct prayers and responses, during the Liturgy. St. Peter School, located at 415 Atlantic Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 (732-892-1260), is celebrating a Centennial Jubilee this year. Start off your support, by joining them on January 29, 2023, for their Catholic Schools Week Kickoff, including a student led Mass and an Open House. Come back for more celebrations throughout the year, in support of our friars’ 100-year-old school, founded by our own +Fr. Peter Jachetti, OFM Conv., and “Anchored in Faith.” (Donate)Along with the January intention of Pope Francis,
“Let us pray that educators may be credible witnesses,
teaching fraternity rather than confrontation
and helping especially the youngest and most vulnerable above all.”
teaching fraternity rather than confrontation
and helping especially the youngest and most vulnerable above all.”
Visit our province website’s Location Page to find a ministry nearest to you.
Live Streamed Masses
Throughout our province, several of our ministries are still able to share Livestreamed Masses via their website and varied social media platforms. Several of these are shared on our Province Facebook Page, each day. Visit the “Locations” page of this website to find hyperlinks to the individual ministry website, for more information.
Friar Pedro & Frei Luiz – in the News
January 10, 2023 article by Henrique Mano, News Editor of “Luso-Americano” (a Ludlow, MA Portuguese American Newspaper)
Franciscan Centenary
Letter of the Coordinating Committee of the Franciscan Family for the Franciscan Centenary
Franciscan Friars Conventual Praying for the Repose of the Soul of +Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Adapted from the Vatican News Facebook Page
Until the Thursday, January 5, 2023 Funeral, the body of +Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lies in state in the Papal Basilica of St. Peter, as the faithful pay final respects, offering prayers for the repose of his soul. In this Vatican News photo posted on January 2, 2023, His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv. [a friar of our Order, appointed Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City and President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the office in charge of the basilica’s upkeep, on February 20, 2021], welcomed and blessed the body of the +Pope Emeritus. In the center of the second row behind them, standing among many more Franciscan Friars Conventual who like him also serve as Confessors at the Vatican, is Our Lady of the Angels Province friar ~ Fr. John Voytek, OFM Conv.
Conventual Franciscans were included among the small congregation gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 2nd. A photo taken that day by Friar John is below.
