The Shrine of St. Anthony, located in Ellicott City, MD offers a place to experience the Spirit in a powerful way. Please visit anytime and renew your spirit and allow HOPE to fill your lives! In addition to Daily Mass and Confession is available Monday through Saturday, there are events happening all year long. The Shrine also has an extensive gift shop and an online Friars Shop, full of items that will fit most every Religious Goods need, including a collection of Franciscan items and literature. If you do not live close by or don’t see what you are looking for online, give them a call (410-531-2800) and they may be able to send you a gift that is sure to please.
The Companions of St. Anthony office works to gather donations for specific needs, including the education and formation of friars, as a development office of the province. St. Anthony of Padua was a pioneer in the concept of using all the different forms of the media to proclaim his message. In his days, that meant preaching, writing, providing spiritual advice, etc. As the evangelization ministry of the province, The Companions continue this use of many different approaches to the same message: to Words of salvation of our Lord. Through their website, Facebook and Twitter, as well as postal and E-mailings, you, our province companions, can access reflections on scripture, prayer books, Mass Cards, religious goods and a vast selection of materials published by and about the friars.
Little Portion Farm is a ministry located on the grounds of the Shrine of Saint Anthony in Ellicott City, MD, focused on providing fresh food to those in need, while using sustainable farming methods to restore the health of our land. The 3-acre farm functions as an “agro-ecosystem,” with a diversity of plants and habitats to support the life of this “little portion” of creation. In addition to common annual vegetable crops, sections of the farm are dedicated to native flowering plants, in an effort to provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects to reduce pest pressures.
The Franciscan Center of Baltimore offers a continuum of care that includes food, clothing, emergency services, counseling, culinary, and technology training to help clients become as self-sufficient as possible. Food grown at Little Portion Farm is sent to the Franciscan Center to feed the poorest of the poor in Baltimore.
FrancisCorps volunteers (aged 21-25) share gifts and talents in a year-long, faith-based community in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. Volunteers help to build a more just, peaceful and fraternal society. Founded in 1998, on average, 10 volunteers provide 380 hours to approximately 1200 men, women and children, each week of service.
St. Clare Inn offers accommodation and support to women between the ages of 30 and 60, who are homeless and struggling with mental health challenges. St. Clare Inn is not a shelter; it is a transitional home and a place where women can live with dignity while rebuilding their lives. Within this safe, drug and alcohol-free environment where respect, peace, safety, and dignity are key values, women can begin to heal and start to build a better future.
The National St. Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine is located in Fonda, NY where St. Kateri lived from 1666 to 1677, before she fled to a Christian village in Canada. Modern Day Fonda was then known as Caughnawaga (“By the Rapids”) and St. Kateri was baptized with the waters from a nearby spring that still flows there. It is well worth a trip to visit the beautiful and historical site of the only fully excavated Mohawk village of that era. Religious Goods can also be purchased through the website’s online gift-shop.
Carrollton Hall is an historic site on the grounds of the Shrine of Saint Anthony, in Ellicott City, Md. A pristine example of neoclassical American architecture, Carrollton Hall was built in 1832, by Emily Caton McTavish as a private residence on land gifted to her by her grandfather, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. It was officially entered into the National Register of Historic Places in January 2015. In anticipation of opening the site to the public, we are actively seeking input and collaboration from the community. We are particularly hoping to hear from those with ancestral connections to the land, including those from Native American communities and descendants of those who were or may have been enslaved at or near Carrollton Hall. If you have family memories, oral histories, or other information about Carrollton Hall or would like to be involved, please contact us as info@carrolltonhall.org.
Re-established this past year, Franciscan Soy Candles is a unique ministry producing artisan candles. Created originally by Br. Andre Picotte, OFM Conv., during the Christmas Season 2012, this hobby turned ministry served to be a great source of income benefiting our Franciscan Charity Fund, all while making great gifts and filling your home with lovely fragrances. in 2020, Br. Andre had to step down from the ministry, but he still serves as a consultant and advisor. The day to day work and creation of Franciscan Soy Candles was taken over by Br. Brian Newbigging, OFM Conv., who serves as Director. The ministry moved to Ellicott City, MD, in 2021, with in store purchases available through the St. Anthony Shop, of The Shrine of St. Anthony. You can also place an order by calling Br. Brian at 518-496-4805 or email him at FranciscanCandles@gmail.com.
The Franciscan Education Burse financially assists the education portion of formation for our friars. Each burse comes with a commitment to build up to a $5,000 value and can be made by parishes, individuals, families, groups or organizations, as established in memorial, celebration or thanksgiving. Please consider contributing to an already established burse, create a new one or leave one as your legacy. For more information or to make a donation, contact the Director of Mission Advancement – Mr. Joseph Hamilton, toll free at 844-782-6846, or email info@companionsofstanthony.org.
Fr. Justin Rosary Hour Ministry is the oldest Catholic radio program in the Polish Language in the world. It has been serving the Church and Polonia for 88 years and is conducted by the Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angles Province, in the USA. Founded in 1932 by the late +Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv., its half-hour broadcast addresses topics dealing with religion and culture and is carried weekly through a network of radio stations in the United States and Canada. The L’Observatore Romano once called The Rosary Hour the greatest Polish Pulpit.
Fat Friar Confections offers handmade gourmet treats. They are dedicated to serving the poor and marginalized by supporting the operations of Assumption Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, helping to serve the needs of the hungry in Central NY. Another ministry of our province ~ The Franciscan Place at Destiny USA exclusively sells Fat Friar cookies! video
In addition, friars serve in multiple capacities for organizations such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), as chaplains for religious orders, as military chaplains, hospitals and mission offices.
