The student friars of our province are spending their summer break from study, living in community and serving with our friars in various ministries around the province: friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. – Atlanta, GA, friar Cristofer M. Fernández, OFM Conv. – Columbus, GA, friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. – Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ, and friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv. – Port St. Lucie, FL.
Part of the ministry service friar Raad is experiencing while living in community with our friars of the St. Lucie Friary has been working with the Youth of St. Lucie Catholic Church during their July 12-16, 2021 Service Mission Week. This week of service affords the young people of the parish the opportunity to show mercy to those in need. The youth and their adult leaders, including friar Raad, start with Mass every day. Each morning, they serve in many different outreach facilities such as food banks, thrift shops, and feeding homeless. In the afternoon, they continue to help in the St. Lucie Parish Community, by doing yard work at parishioners’ houses, for those who need the extra help. It has been an enjoyable experience for friar Raad and he sends his blessings and well wishes to all.
Friar Raad’s “Goodbye” to the parish at the end of his Summer Assignment:
Under the direction of province friar, Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv., creativity and a trust in our providential God allowed the DCC ministry team to find new ways to care for and walk alongside Duke Catholic students.
Three years ago, our friars began serving in Columbus, GA. There, they found a vibrant faith community that expressed its faith by assisting the poor of the region.
Over the weekend of July 10-11, 2021, while on break from his ministry as an instructor at our St. Francis High School (Athol Springs, NY), Our Lady of the Angels Province friar – Fr. Max Avila, OFM Conv. was able to join the pilgrims at our Saint Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site (Fonda, NY) to celebrate Mass during the Saint Kateri Feast Day Weekend:
July 10, 2021 – 4:30 PM Saint Kateri Feast Day Vigil Mass with the Traditional Purification Rite and Solemn Blessing with the relic of Saint Kateri
July 10, 2021 – 7:00 PM Prayer and healing service
July 11, 2021 – 10:30 AM Mass with Traditional Purification Rite and Solemn Blessing with the relic of Saint Kateri
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The Feast Day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha is July 14th.
She was a Mohawk woman who lived in the 17th century, with a profound and moving story of conversion to Christianity, of courage in the face of suffering and extraordinary holiness. St. Kateri also came to be known as the Lily of the Mohawks, in recognition of her kindness, her prayer life, her faithfulness and her suffering. She is the first Native American Saint in the United States of America and Canada and our Shrine ministry honoring her is located in Fonda, New York; her home during her teenage years, and the site of her Baptism.
St. Kateri’s parents, her mother a Christian Algonquin mother – her father a Mohawk Chief, and her brother died of smallpox when she was only four. She survived but was badly scarred and left with poor vision, giving her the name “Tekakwitha” {she who bumps into things}. Taken in by her uncle, and following the tradition of her people, at the age of eight she was paired her with a young boy with the expectation of marriage. Instead, she wanted to dedicate her life to God, remain single, and give herself only to Jesus. When she was 10, a war caused the Mohawk survivors to move to the modern Fonda, NY area creating the Caughnawaga village, where she lived for another 10 years – the site of our St. Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site. She began instruction in the Catholic Faith in her late teens, with her uncle’s permission ~ but in secret because he was greatly opposed to Christianity. In turn she was ridiculed, scorned, beaten and her life was threatened by others in her village, but that did not deter her. At the age of 20, she was baptized Catherine (Kateri in Mohawk speech) and later escaped North to the St. Francis Xavier Mission near Montreal (a village also named Caughnawaga/Kahnawake – meaning fortified place or castle). There, in peace, she received her 1st Eucharist, made a vow of perpetual virginity, and consecrated herself to Our Lady. In her new home, she was greatly loved and respected, as she taught the children, and worked with the elderly and sick, all with a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Cross of Jesus. After a suffering a harsh illness, she died at the age of 24 and was buried in Canada. Tradition holds that at her death, she spoke the final words, “Jesus, I love You,” and moments later the pock marks vanished from her restored radiant face.
June 8, 2021: The Very Reverend Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. (Provincial Delegate & Delegate to the M.I.) and the other thirteen solemnly professed friars working in our Canadian Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi were joined by Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. (Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Assistant General – CFF), the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (Minister Provincial) and Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv. (Vicar Provincial) for a Delegation Assembly via Zoom. After the Opening Prayer, Friar Jude read an inspiring letter from our Order’s Minister General, The Most Reverend Fr. Carlos Trovarelli, OFM Conv. in which he encouraged the assembled friars to grow, and reverse the decline of vocations in the West. The keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Andrew P.W. Bennett, a Ukrainian Catholic Deacon, gave a well-received conference entitled, “Public Faith and Religious Freedom in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities for the Church,” addressing the need for a call for the faithful to engage in public life by fostering the Church’s role in advancing a culture of Incarnation. The meeting covered a variety of Delegation business items, including a Friars’ Forum allowing all the friars a chance to express their hopes and expectations for the new Delegation, as well as the election of the Councilors to the Delegate: Fr. David Collins, OFM Conv. and Fr. Maurice Richard, OFM Conv. The next Assembly is projected to meet February 2022 in order to work on a strategic plan to be presented, along with any other proposals, to the 1st Session of the Ordinary Provincial Chapter of Our Lady of the Angels Province in May 2022.
Fr. David Collins, OFM Conv. currently serves as pastor of the Parish Community of St. John the Apostle, in Kingston, ON and Chaplain of Kingston General Hospital
Fr. Maurice Richard, OFM Conv. is a native of Canada, returning to pastoral ministry in the Delegation after many years serving as Assistant Novice Director
Sung in English, Italian and French (with subtitles throughout), student friars of the Istituto Teologico Sant’Antonio Dottore – Padova (Padua, Italy) recently released a new song, which they composed in praise of Franciscan Vocation. READ MORE
“Oh Most High and glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope,
perfect charity and profound humility.
Oh Lord, give me sense and discernment
in order to carry out Your true and holy will.”
Amen
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If you feel called to discern if life as a Franciscan Friars Conventual is God’s Will for you, contact our Province Vocation Director, Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv., at vocations@olaprovince.org. Consider joining him at the upcoming Summer Discernment Retreat. Sign up soon.
On July 2, 2021, Our Lady of the Angels Province Minister Provincial – the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (center top) traveled to our Franciscan Friars Conventual Interprovince Postulancy, in the St. Bonaventure Friary of St. Bonaventure Province (Chicago, IL), to celebrate the welcoming of the eight new Postulants of the 2021-2022 Class. Two of these new Postulants are of our province – Connor J. Ouly and Marvin Paul Fernandez.
Joining in the celebration were several friars from all four of the USA Provinces, including Postulancy Director, Fr. Paul Schneider, OFM Conv., of the St. Bonaventure Province (top left) and Postulancy Associate Director, Fr. Joseph Bayne, OFM Conv., of our own Our Lady of the Angels Province (top right). The Postulancy is the first stage of formation for men entering our Order. For the most part, this is a one year stage before being invested in the habit of our Order and beginning the second stage of formation at our Interprovince Novitiate (Arroyo Grande, CA). Please pray for these men and their journey of discernment, as well as for an increase in vocations. For more information on Vocations for our province, contact Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv. at vocations@olaprovince.org.
Left to Right: Our Lady of the Angels Province Postulant – Connor J. Ouly, Postulancy Associate Director – Fr. Joseph Bayne, OFM Conv., our Minister Provincial – the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. and Our Lady of the Angels Province Postulant – Marvin Paul Fernandez.
Our Lady of the Angels Province student friar Fabian Adderley, OFM Conv. has begun his Apostolic Year of Formation, with our friars of St. Bonaventure Friary, in Toronto, ON (Canada). This friary is one of our three of our Province Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi friaries, in Ontario, Canada. Friar Fabian will be assisting at the two main ministries there – Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure and at St. Clare Inn.
Friar Fabian has been living in the Post-Novitiate San Damiano Friary (San Antonio, TX), finishing his university studies and actively ministering in the area, since 2018, when he completed his time in the Novitiate. Born in the Bahamas, friar Fabian began his formation journey as a Franciscan Friar Conventual with our province in 2016, when he entered our Postulancy, in Chicago, IL. He professed his Simple (First/Temporary Vows) on July 16, 2018, renewing them on June 1, 2021, just before he left San Antonio. The Apostolic Year of Formation is one of the last stages of formation for a friar of our province. Last year, we had three friars in this stage, who are currently on their Solemn Vow Retreat, in preparation for their July 30, 2021 Profession of Solemn Vows.
Although they are still under limited attendance COVID protocol in Canada, at the morning Mass on July 2, 2021, Fr. Dennis Mason, OFM Conv., pastor of St. Bonaventure Church, was able to introduce friar Fabian to the congregation, who also served as lector at the Mass:
This ministry is staffed dedicated lay staff & volunteers, under the Spiritual Direction of Our Lady of the Angels Province Secretary, & Rector/Director of The Shrine of St. Anthony – Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. One of the tools used for the evangelization efforts of this unique ministry is their YouTube Channel. On it, viewers will find several “playlists” of interest, including the newest installment by Our Lady of the Angels Province friar & Assistant General (CFF) of our Order, Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.
In his most recent series of reflections, Friar Jude will delve into an individual reflection on each of the 150 Psalms.
“Pray for our men making ready to profess Solemn Vows. Yesterday began their three-week retreat in preparation for consecrating their selves (and the rest of their natural lives!) to God in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity.”
{From FranciscanVoice.orgFacebook Page}
In this photo are all of the CFF friars on their Solemn Vow Retreat, at the El Tesoro de los Angeles Retreat House in Woodland Hills, CO,including our own three Our Lady of the Angels Province friars who will profess their Solemn Vows on July 30th: friar Tim (2nd from left – front row), friar Franck (2nd from right – front row), and friar Rich (far right – top row).
Left to Right: Our Lady of the Angels Province friars – Fr. Adam Keltos, OFM Conv., Friar Tim Blanchard, OFM Conv., Friar Franck Sokpolie, OFM Conv., Friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv., Fr. Tim Kulbicki, OFM Conv.
The student friars of our province are spending their summer break from study, living in community and serving with our friars in various ministries around the province: friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. – Atlanta, GA, friar Cristofer M. Fernández, OFM Conv. – Columbus, GA, friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. – Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ, and friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv. – Port St. Lucie, FL.
