the the - Capuchin Franciscans, Province of St. Mary

Transcription

VOLUME VI, ISSUE III • FALL 2008
the
Capuchin Journey
CAPUCHIN MISSION AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Collegio San Lorenzo
da Brindisi ROME, ITALY
Celebrating the Newly Ordained
World Youth Day
Capuchin Formation
Friar in Focus
Dear Friends:
In June, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap. ordained Samuel Fuller, Arlen Harris and
Thomas Franks to the priesthood and ordained Richard Crawley and Marvin Bearis to the
diaconate. They’ve had a variety of educational experiences and secular careers that give
them an established outlook and broaden their perspectives as they face the challenges
of modern ministry in today’s Church. In addition, each has his own unique reasons for
wanting to follow St. Francis as a Capuchin and will bring an optimistic energy to the
poor and marginalized that they have joined The Order to serve.
Capuchin Formation combines intense academic studies with emphasis on the distinctive
lifestyle of a Capuchin friar. Daily adherence to Capuchin charisms creates strong bonds
among friars living in fraternity that eases transitions within The Order. Over the years, basic
education requisites have not changed, however adjustment processes have been made
to accommodate the changes in the backgrounds of men who are answering their calling
to a vocation later in life. For example, years ago, young men began living in fraternity while
pursuing their bachelor degrees, while today most postulants have already completed
their undergraduate studies. Formation for ministry as a Capuchin is a continuous process
meant to deepen spirituality and advance effective ministries.
Fr. Francis J. Gasparik, OFM Cap.
Director
Mission & Development Office
Fr. Michael Banks, OFM Cap. highlights the need for the friars to ‘focus on the signs of the
times’ when planning their ministerial service. This is part of ongoing Capuchin education.
Successful ministry is the result of practical understanding of and communication with
the communities served and recognizing the complicated personal and social dynamics
that influence and even sometimes define them. The Pastoral Plan for The Province of
St. Mary identifies specific areas where Catholics have drifted away from The Church
as a major guiding force in their lives and calls for the development of programs and
ministries that will target these areas.
Father Michael Connolly, OFM Cap., our Friar in Focus, provides a fine example of how
Capuchin education often evolves to best suit particular ministries. His penchant for
counseling became evident early in his Formation when he worked at St. Rose's Home
for the terminally ill and then later on when he served as Catholic Chaplain in a hospital
and prison in Westchester County. He believed he could more effectively counsel by
enhancing his academic credentials and returned to college to obtain a Masters in social
work. The intellectual insights resulting from his advanced studies further helped when
he was called upon to counsel the grieving parishioners at St. Joseph the Worker when
they tragically lost their beloved pastor, Fr. Thomas March, OFM Cap.
The Province of St. Mary welcomed four of our brothers from the Collegio San Lorenzo
da Brindisi, to spend the summer in New York. The Collegio is a residence for Capuchin
friars who are pursuing graduate studies in Rome and provides a unique experience for
the friars to live in fraternity with their brothers from all over the world. Fr. Flavian Gondos,
OFM Cap. is from Romania and is hoping to learn English while residing at St. John’s and
offering the Mass in Italian at St. Athanasius in Brooklyn. Fr. Rajesh D’Souza, OFM Cap.
spent his summer on Long Island at the diocesan parish of St. Hugh of Lincoln, where
he participated in routine parish ministry.
The Province of St. Mary continues to strive to carry out the plan St. Francis designed of
service and ministry to the poor. Our generous donors have provided us with the financial
means to carry out our mission. We are dedicated to constantly and consistently bringing
the love and hope of Christ to those who are often overlooked. We thank God for all of
the support of those who share our vision and help us on our way.
God Bless the Capuchins and those we serve. And, God Bless those who support us and
pray for us.
Sincerely,
Fr. Francis J. Gasparik, OFM Cap
Our Goal
The goal of the Capuchin Mission Development Office is to fund the domestic and
international mission of the Province of St. Mary. That mission ranges from support of
our own members in the Province to assistance to other Capuchin jurisdictions. The Province of
St. Mary is in the top ten Capuchin jurisdictions in the world for its generous and professional
support to Capuchin foreign missions including the Damietta Initiative, Franciscans International
and the Pontifical Council for Justice Peace and Migrants.
If you are interested in helping with any of these specific needs, please contact
Margaret Cuccinello at (212) 564-0759 ext. 253 or [email protected].
features
Collegio San Lorenzo da Brindisi
8
Friars studying in Rome have the unique opportunity
to reside in the largest and most ethnically diverse
Capuchin Fraternity.
Capuchin Formation
16
Education is part of the formation process combining
academic studies with an intense understanding of the
unique Capuchin lifestyle.
19
On Saturday, June 7th, The Province of St. Mary
celebrated the ordination of their newest priests
and deacons.
Provincial Minister’s Outgoing Message
22
Fr Michael Banks, OFM Cap. addresses the Friars at the
19th Ordinary Provincial Chapter, at the San Alfonso Retreat
House in Long Branch, NJ.
4
Province Directory
5
Planned Giving
6-7
News Notes
12
World Youth Day in Australia
24
Friar in Focus: Father Michael Connolly
27
Upcoming Pilgrimages
Magazine of the
Capuchin Franciscans
of the Province of
St. Mary
Editor in Chief
Drew O’Connor
Publisher
Fr. Francis J. Gasparik, OFM Cap.
Design/Art Direction
Sabrina Fondren
Forefront Graphics Inc
Writer
Michelle McConeghy
Copy Editor
Margaret Cuccinello
Contributing Editor
Vilana Bedeau
Circulation Director
John Martin
Capuchin Communications Office
John Shento, OFM Cap.
Donna Smith Kresel
White Plains, New York 10605
the
Capuchin
Journey
FALL 2008
VOLUME VI, ISSUE III
© 2008 Capuchin Mission
Association & Development Office
Let us know
Serving New York/New England
The Capuchin Journey is our way of letting you know how the
Province of St. Mary fulfills our mission. You, as part of our
community, share this vision of service to those in need and we
want you to see how we use the resources you so generously
provide to us. We hope the content of the Capuchin Journey
will provide an understanding of the work we do and how
valuable your contributions are to our success.
Central America, Japan, Africa,
Please feel free to write us with your comments and suggestions.
Thank you!
and the mission areas of
India and the Pacific
210 West 31st Street
New York, NY 10001
212-564-0759
www.capuchin.org
Province Mission
Province Directory
The needs of the poor and the demands
of justice shape our every ministerial
endeavor. We attempt to promote the
equality of all people within our fraternity,
in the churches dedicated to the gospel of
Christ and in the larger world. Capuchin
friars minister in a wide variety of settings.
Service to people of a variety of cultures
in North America and around the globe
have allowed us to witness God at work
in countless ways.
PROVINCE OFFICE
DIRECTORY
Here in the Northeast United States,
the Province of St. Mary serves through
any number of institutions dedicated to
the service of real human needs and
the proclamation of God’s love. Urban,
suburban and rural; poor, blue collar and
middle class; Latino, Asian and Englishspeaking – the friars can be found living
amid all of these diverse circumstances.
St. Michael Friary
225 Jerome Street
Brooklyn, NY 11207-3209
Phone: 718-827-6990
Capuchin Charisms:
FRATERNITY of the friars joins
them in their common goals and
taps into their unique talents to
most efficiently operate their
own community as well as the
communities they serve.
MINORITY has enabled them to
walk with the people they serve and
be accepted as one of their own.
St. Joachim Friary
Capuchin Franciscans
61 Leonard Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Phone: 845-838-0000
St. Lawrence Friary
180 Sargent Avenue
Beacon, NY 12508-3992
Phone: 845-831-0394
JUSTICE, PEACE AND ECOLOGY
are uniquely Capuchin because an
essential part of the mission of
St. Francis was to strive for all of
God’s creation to live in peace
and harmony.
4
Sacred Heart Friary and Parish
110 Shonnard Place
Yonkers, NY 10703-2228
Phone: 914-963-1357
St. Joseph Friary & Parish
34 South Chestnut Street
New Paltz, NY 12561-1914
Phone: 845-255-4892
St. Clare Friary
110 Shonnard Place
Yonkers, NY 10703
Phone: 914-423-2392
Capuchin Mission Association
& Development Office
210 West 31 Street
New York, NY 10001-2876
Phone: 212-564-0759
St Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph The Worker
Friary & Parish
510 Narragansett Avenue
East Patchogue, NY 11772-5132
Phone: 631-286-7921
St. Fidelis Friary
7790 County Road 153
Interlaken, NY 14847-9648
Phone: 607-532-4423
San Lorenzo Friary
15 Montebello Road
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-2352
Phone: 617-983-1919
Our Lady
of Sorrows
Saitama Capuchin Residence
2-115 Suehiro
Kumagaya City, Saitama
Japan 360-0031
Phone: 011-81-48-521-1098
Good Shepherd Friary & Parish
608 Isham Street
New York, NY 10034
Phone: 212-567-1300
Our Lady of Sorrows
Friary & Parish
213 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-475-2321
CENTRAL AMERICA –
GENERAL VICE PROVINCE
OF NUESTRA SENORA DE LA
ESPERANZA (GUATEMALA,
EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS)
Franciscanos Capuchinos
Friary and Parish
San Jose
Honduras, Central America
Phone: 011-504-653-3353
Curia Viceprovincial
Friary and Parish
Fraternidad El Calvario
Chiquimula, Guatemala
Central America
Phone: 011-502-942-0467
St. Joseph Friary & Parish
673 Stevens Avenue
Portland, ME 04103
Phone: 207-797-7026
St. Benedict The Moor Friary
41 Harold Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
Phone: 617-541-0462
St. Pius X Friary and Parish
310 Westfield Street
Middletown, CT 06457-2047
Phone: 860-347-4441
St. Fidelis Friary
135 Chalan Kapuchino
Agana Heights, Guam 96910
Phone: 671-472-6339
St. Francis Friary and Parish
1 Aza Oroku
Naha City, Okinawa
Japan 901-0152
Phone: 011-81-98-857-3795
St. John Friary and Parish
210 West 31 Street
New York, NY 10001-2876
Phone: 212-564-9070
St. Anne/St. Augustin
Friary & Parish
231 Merrimack Street
Manchester, NH 03103-7290
Phone: 603-623-8809
STAR OF THE SEA
VICE PROVINCE
CUSTODY OF JAPAN
Capuchin Youth
& Family Ministry
781 Route 9D
P O Box 192
Garrison, NY 10524
Phone: 845-424-3609
CONTEMPLATION requires they
set aside time to reflect upon the
progress and direction of their
mission and to listen for God’s
guidance in their mission.
MINISTRY has led the Capuchins
to appeal to and often allay the
hunger, despair and loneliness of
those among whom Christ would
have walked.
Capuchin Vocation Office
34 S. Chestnut Street
New Paltz, NY 12561-1914
Phone: 845-255-5680
St Fidelis Friary
in Guam
St. Peter Friary & Parish
134 Convent Ave.
Rutland, VT 05701
Phone: 802-775-1994
St. Conrad Friary
30 Gedney Park Drive
White Plains, NY 10605-3599
Phone: 914-761-3008
The Capuchin Journey • Fall 2008
The To-Do Checklist
Are you a checklist person? I am. I make checklists
to help me organize my day. Last year for Christmas,
my sister gave me the book, A Thousand Places to
See Before You Die – what an awesome checklist
that book is! In fact, my sister often jokes that I have
a checklist to check off tasks on my checklist!
Okay, so maybe I am a bit of a Type-A personality.
Well, I have a checklist for you. Very often, I hear
from donors that they don’t have a will and then
they give me a list of reasons why not. I don’t
have the time. I don’t like lawyers. It’s a waste of
money. I don’t like thinking about death. I don’t
have anything to give. My family will know what
to do when the time comes. I’m spending it all
now (my mom’s favorite!)
If you do not have a will, please consider making
one. Whether your estate is large or modest, a
well-written will prepared by a qualified professional is worth the cost. If you don’t know where
to start, give me a call. I would be happy to send
you a Personal Financial Affairs Booklet that will
help you organize and ease the steps necessary
to put your estate plan in order.
If you do have a will – Congratulations! Periodically,
it’s a good idea to run through a little checklist
to make sure your will keeps up with your life’s
circumstances.
If and when you do update your will – or maybe
prepare one for the first time – I hope you will
consider adding a
bequest to the Province
of St. Mary. We have
excellent brochures that
provide information on
wills and basic estate
planning. They are yours
free for the asking.
By Margaret A.
Cuccinello
And, yes. I have a will.
I am leaving all my
checklists to my sister!
✓ Is my will up-to-date?
This is an important question because many people have a
will tucked away someplace, a will that is so outdated as to
be practically useless. In fact, an out-of-date will can actually
cause more problems for your loved ones than not having a
will at all. Tax laws change and the size and extent of your
assets may have changed as well. Updating your will allows
you to take advantage of recent tax developments and new
techniques in estate planning.
✓ Does my will represent my wishes?
Your family situation may have changed over the years so
that you no longer have dependents at home. Perhaps your
estate has grown beyond your earlier estimates. Maybe
you’ve changed your mind about some of your bequests. The
more time that passes and the more changes that occur in
your life, the more you should consider bringing your will
“up to speed.”
✓ Is my will valid?
Have you moved to a different state since creating your will?
The laws may differ and your will may be invalid. Or maybe
you prepared your own will and missed something of vital
importance, like proper signatures. Considering the importance
of your will, it makes good sense to have a reputable estateplanning attorney review your current will or even draft you
a new one.
✓ Is my will safely stored?
Where do you keep the original copy of your will? Is it safely
tucked away in a fireproof home safe? Or is it in a file folder
someplace or even in an old shoebox under the bed? This is
a precious document and should be either in a bank safety
deposit box or some other place where it is protected from
fire and thievery.
✓ Does my representative know?
After selecting a safe place to store your will, be sure to tell your
personal representative where to find it. Imagine the frustration
and added grief by being unable to fulfill your wishes in
settling your estate. Besides informing your representative
about your will (and maybe even giving him or her an access
key or combination), you might also, along with the will,
provide a list of accounts, assets and funeral instructions.
5
Capuchins Assume
Pastoral Duties of
Our Lady of Lourdes
On August 6th, the pastoral
duties at Our Lady of
Lourdes were taken over by
the Capuchins. The new
pastor, Fr Brendan Buckley,
OFM Cap. took a very low
profile to the event out of
respect for the former
pastor, Fr Charles Bourque.
Fr Charlie retired after 29
years of service and was
well loved and respected
in this ethnically diverse
community, so the day
was bitter sweet for many
of the faithful.
Pastoral duties include both
the financial responsibilities
of running a church as well
as the spiritual needs of the
community. Fr Brendan has
the trusted business minded
services of Br Joseph
Yakimovich, OFM Cap. and
the multi lingual pastoral
services of Fr Zachary
Grant, OFM Cap. Together,
they are all very excited and
energized to be given this
opportunity.
Our Lady
of Lourdes
Church
Back-to School Picnic
As the summer months come to an end and
most of our vacation memories begin to fade,
The Capuchin Food Pantries respond to the
needy by creating a day full of new memories in
celebration of summer and the beginning of a
new school year.
Every child enjoys the freedom that summertime offers. But with children at home during
these months, and not benefiting from school
breakfast and lunch programs, families of The
A happy mom and daughter
open the bag of school supplies
Capuchin Food Pantries feel an increased demand
provided at the picnic.
on their food and nutritional needs. This often
means that by the end of summer parents
cannot afford the many items returning to school requires. “Back-to-School Picnics”
are held each August by The Capuchin Food Pantries to help parents stretch their
resources by presenting children with gift bags filled with school supplies at the close
of a relaxing day of good food and company. Popular picnic spots provide peaceful
settings for a fun filled day when families come together to enjoy a wonderful catered
barbeque lunch. Adults and children participate in playing games, visiting old friends
and just enjoying the beautiful sunny day together. “Back-to-School Picnics” are one
small way The Capuchin Food Pantries continue to treat our clients with dignity, while
encouraging them to look forward with hope.
Giving the Gift of Hope
Thousands of people die each year waiting for organ transplants that never happen.
In August 2000, Pope John Paul II praised organ donations in his encyclical
Evangelium Vitae, in which he suggested that a culture of life could be nurtured by
donating “organs, performed in an ethically acceptable manner, with a view to offering
a chance of health and even life itself to the sick who sometimes have no other hope”.
Fr Patrick Sullivan, OFM Cap. made the decision to donate his kidney to a stranger in
2001. “My decision was influenced by some great role models” he says. St. Francis
gave everything he had to the poor. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of these
least brothers of mine, you did for me”. (Matthew 25:40)
As an alumni member, this past July, Fr Patrick attended the “US Transplant Games”
in Pittsburgh. This event gathers 1400 athletes who had received organ transplants,
159 living donors and hundreds of donor families who gave permission for the
transplantation of their loved ones’ organs after death.
Fr Pat shared his experience while grabbing a burger at a local McDonalds, “I noticed
a middle-aged couple sitting at a table wearing the "Team Northern California"
Transplant Games shirts. As I had my "Team N.Y.-N.J."
shirt on I joined them and we swapped stories. Their son
Joe had been a California cop, killed on duty. They gave
permission for his healthy organs to be transplanted.
Later they met the young man who had received Joe's
heart. They embraced, and the young man allowed them
to press their heads against his chest so that they could
hear their son's heart still beating, now giving life to
another young husband and father.”
Many friars have signed their permissions to allow
usable organs and tissues to be transplanted after
death. Others may still be thinking about it. Stories like
these certainly invite us to realize how much a difference
our ‘gift of life’ could make to others who are waiting.
If you are interested, please visit www.organdonor.org
6
Participation at the games
shows how Fr Pat remains
active with only one kidney.
“The Gospel Calls us to Serve”
In mid July, members of the Capuchin Youth & Family
Ministry (CYFM) community traveled to Harlan, Kentucky
on their Capuchin Appalachian Mission. As Tom
Brinkmann, Director of CYFM explains when asked,
“Why?”, “Because the Gospel calls us to serve”. And serve
they do. For the past 16 years, the CYFM community has
gone on a mission to rural Appalachia. The child poverty rate
Members of CYFM’s Appalachian Mission put a
within this part of our country is 1 in 2 as opposed to 1 in 10 new roof on the home of a woman raising her three
for the United States in general. The CYFM community grandchildren. The materials were purchased with
funds donated by CYFM’s Companions in Service.
organizes three ministries while in Appalachia. They offer
a Vacation Bible School free of charge to about 50 children of the area; they repair homes for many
of the poor and elderly who live in substandard housing; and they deliver donated clothes and
children’s books gathered from their home base, in Garrison, New York.
One Harlan resident, Sandra, was returning home when she saw two vans in her driveway. Upon
learning that these were members of CYFM outreach ministry offering clothes, Sandra broke down
and began to cry. She explained that her two daughters were going back to school in September and
she didn’t know what she would do for back-to-school clothes for them. Sandra gave a tour of her
home and explained how she helps her own neighbors by wrapping and delivering gifts at Christmas.
Women of Valor Awards Tea
Mann Publications hosted the Capuchin Food Pantries’ Sixth Annual Women of Valor Awards Tea which
was held at the Waldorf-Astoria. Ten extraordinary women were honored for their outstanding works in the
community and contributions to those less fortunate throughout New York City. All proceeds benefited the
Capuchin Food Pantries, which serves over 4,000 needy families each week throughout New York City.
Leslie Thompson of Vornado, was the Guest of Honor. The Keynote Speaker and Honorary Chair was
Dana Tyler of WCBS-TV, Erika Craven of Bowne & Co. along with Monica Larsen Wetherell of Ted Moudis
Associates, both received the Humanitarian Award for their outstanding services to the community.
The Clarisa Award recipients were: Donna Barbaro of New York Presbyterian, Patricia Begley of
Lehman Brothers, Frances LoMonaco of WPP Group USA, Colleen Moran of Newsweek, Frances
Pionegro of Liz Claiborne, and Sloane Rhulen of CB Richard Ellis.
Family Barbeque
Food and fellowship go hand in hand every summer as families
enjoy an old fashioned barbeque. Generations gather together
and celebrate long-standing summer traditions with each other.
Providing food is the basis for The Capuchin Food Pantries, but
when our volunteers step in, even a simple meal becomes a
memorable event for the needy.
The Capuchin Food Pantries unloaded a chuck wagon full of
“good eats” for a fun filled “Family Barbeque” for over 500
of our clients. This old-fashioned family meal was not affected Just a few of more than 3 dozen volunteers eager
to lend a helping hand at our Family Barbeque.
by the weather, as it is held in the comforts of the Affinia
Manhattan Hotel. C & C Sales, ICC, Lane Office Furniture, Linear Technologies and Joe Candella sponsored
the complete traditional barbeque menu. Everything from hotdogs and hamburgers, to baked beans, corn,
and potato salad, as well as tasty cookies served by cheerful volunteers wearing cowboy hats and
bandannas. Country Western music completed the barbeque theme for the day. All the children and
adults received a special gift to remember the day. The Capuchin Food Pantries proudly hosted this
twist on a summer barbeque, and everyone had an afternoon of good food and lots of laughter.
NEWS NOTES
Tom explains, “There is a dual purpose for the trip. The obvious reason is to help our poor brothers
and sisters in this economically impoverished area. The other is the evangelization of the participants
from the CYFM.” Through the Capuchin Appalachian Mission the Gospel comes to life in a new way.
Participants understand that service is an essential part of the Christian life and begin to find other
ways to be of service in their lives. After leaving Sandra’s home, the CYFM members had a sense of
being a part of neighbors helping neighbors get through some hard times.
7
Collegio San Lorenzo
da Brindisi
ROME, ITALY
The international “Collegio” of St. Lawrence of Brindisi,
founded in 1908, was originally headquartered in Via
Sicilia in central Rome. In 1968 the college relocated
to the Grande Raccordo Anulare, the Roman ‘beltway’.
The college is actually the largest Capuchin fraternity,
welcoming Capuchin Friars who come to Rome for
graduate studies at the various ecclesiastical universities
located there. With over 150 friars (students, core
fraternity, professors and other personnel), from 33
different countries, it is also the most multicultural
fraternity in the entire Order.
Capuchin Friars share a very unique way of life, shaped by
a deep devotion to living in accordance with the Capuchin
charisms. The Collegio affords Capuchins the opportunity
to meet and live in fraternity with their brothers from all
over the world. Their Capuchin vocation unites them in
their diversity transcending cultural differences, and
creating a peaceful personal and communal harmony
that few outside of the Order can really understand.
The Collegio’s importance to the Capuchin Order is
undeniable. It aims to enrich and pass on the Capuchin
Franciscan “culture” and to foster the formation of future
generations of friars in the best possible ways. The
8
Capuchin friar-students savor the opportunity to
concentrate on a diverse array of theological and
philosophical fields, preparing to pass on the Capuchin
legacy in their own Capuchin provinces. The College is
also the headquarters of the Historical Institute of the
Order, the Franciscan Museum, the Central Library of
the Capuchin Order and the General Archives.
In July of 1926, Minister General Melchiorre of Benisa
officially announced the purchase of the Sperelli
building in Assisi, to house a group of scholars to
work on studies related to the Order. It was called the
College of Assisi (in Italian, “college” indicates a place
where people who study reside; it does not mean that
courses are taught there – from the word for “coming
together”.) The College was comprised of a library
and the Franciscan Museum and it published a scientific
periodical. Eventually, to facilitate the use of archives
and libraries of Rome, the College relocated to Rome
and changed its name from the College of Assisi to
the Capuchin Historical Institute. Today, the Institute
researches and chronicles the cultural and spiritual
histories as well as the ministries of the Franciscans
with a focus on the Capuchin Order.
< This mosaic, found in the foyer of the Collegio, is called “Christ the Teacher.” The artist was inspired by the line:
“The friars ought not carry many books so that they may read the most excellent book of the Cross more assiduously.”
Jesus is standing on an aqueduct which signifies Rome. He is holding the Scriptures which read “One is your Teacher”
in one hand and the Cross in His other. The earliest Constitutions of the Capuchins, written in 1536, remind that they
should study and learn, but always remember that the main point of learning is coming to know Jesus Christ.
The friars on the right have dropped their books and are gazing at Christ who is holding His cross. Mary is above them
as protector and intercessor.
On the left is St. Lawrence of Brindisi, with the phrase “St. Lawrence, enlighten us.” An early leader, he was called
the only Capuchin “Doctor of the Church" because he aided the Church through his teaching and prolific writing.
Below him is a representation of the Collegio.
The foundation for the Franciscan Museum is credited
to Br. Louis-Antoine of Porrentruy. He collected a
great deal of historical material for a volume on
St. Francis that was published in 1884. Much of the
material he collected, however, was not used. While
continuing his research, he organized all of the material
he’d collected and established The Franciscan Museum.
It was located above the choir loft of the friary in
Marseilles and was opened for viewing in 1889.
In just a year, the amount of material collected by
the museum required expansion and in 1896, a third
large room was opened. In 1927, the Franciscan
Museum was transferred to the Historical Institute in
Assisi and from then on was aligned with the
Historical institute. Though the museum contains
many objects of great artistic and historical value and
it documents Franciscan art and culture through
the centuries, its primary focus is on illustrating
the history of the Franciscan Order and includes
the various Families and reforms within the Order
including the Capuchins.
The Capuchin Central Library preserves printed material,
particularly publications concerning the Order. The Library
has over 120,000 books and documents catalogued.
The library specializes in Franciscan studies and related
subjects such as medieval and modern history and
the life, apostolate and spirituality of the Capuchin
Order. It is the largest Franciscan library in Italy.
The General Archives represent the historical memory of
the Order from the 16th century to the present. The Archives
have various collections including Parchments, registers,
and documents relating to the administration and government of the Order, etc. Individual Provinces and missions
of the Order often have their own archives with a wide
array of historical material about their own growth and
legislation and about individual friars, houses, institutions
and social and charitable apostolates. The General
Archives, however, contain material that dates back to
before many individual Provinces were formally organized.
Workshops sponsored by the Central Library allow
archivists and librarians throughout the Order to network
and to standardize cataloging practices.
The statue of St. Lawrence of Brindisi holding his preaching Cross is seen as you enter the grounds.
To the left is the Capuchin Museum/Historical Institute, the center building is the entrance to the Collegio
and the bell tower overlooks it all.
continued on page 10
9
Collegio San Lorenzo da Brindisi
Journeying Together
Fr Agapit J. Mroso, OFM Cap.
November 2007
The International College of St. Lawrence of Brindisi speaks
eloquently of ‘the one and the many’, of ‘unity in diversity’.
Think of the 146 friars from 33 different nations. Together
we share the daily life and activity of the College. Think of
the cultural and linguistic diversity which we encounter
everyday. All these are grace-filled dimensions of our family
life for which we thank the good Lord. At the same time, we
ask him to continue to enlighten us so that we may actually
benefit from these characteristics of our fraternity so that
the cross-cultural gift we bring to the Order will be fulfilled
in our generation as it has been done so fruitfully in those
who have gone before us.
Friar students who are assigned to the International
College choose one of the Roman Pontifical Faculties
in order to obtain the ecclesiastical graduate degrees of the
“Sacred Theology License” (STL) (two years beyond a
“Masters”) or the “Sacred Theology Doctorate” (STD). The
majority of the friars take two to three years to complete
their degree work. The primary objective of their extensive
study is to then teach other friars when they return to their
home Provinces. During the summers of their studies in
Rome, the friars often pursue other language studies or
work in other Provinces where they further have the
opportunity to broaden their experiences of Capuchin life.
As we take up our studies, our stay in the College fraternity
is a unique opportunity for us to meet and respond to the
multifaceted character of our international brotherhood today.
This is, in fact, the main purpose of our College. Not only will
our studies broaden our perspectives, but our life together
as brothers will open our horizons as well. We offer one
another a challenging variety of cultures, values, attitudes
and sensibilities which we would otherwise never have known.
Welcoming this diversity with generosity and openness in a
spirit of mutual service as brothers – this is an indispensable
lesson in serving the human family after the example
of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our Seraphic Father
St. Francis of Assisi.
In Rome, Fr. Rajesh D’Souza
is enrolled at the Salesian
University working toward a
License in Social Communications. The first time
he met Capuchin Friars
from a Province other
than his own in India was
when he began his studies Fr. Rajesh D’Souza,
at the Collegio and he loves OFM Cap.
being with other Capuchins
and sharing fraternity and community prayer with
them. He knows that his time and experiences at
St. Lawrence will enrich his life as a Capuchin and
his future ministries.
The College has been serving our International brotherhood
for nearly one hundred years since its foundation in 1908
and its canonical erection on February 5, 1909, and it will
continue to do so for many years to come. Wherever you
go, you will come across a brother who remembers his
“good old days” here in Rome, or who asks “Where is brother
so and so?” and “What is brother so and so doing now?” –
referring to someone he met at the College during his stay.
Our College has been very successful in forging links among
the brothers, relationships that
have lasted beyond the years
of study.
Fr Agapit J. Mroso,
the 22nd Rector of the
International College
10
This is a legacy that the College
offers us and which we would like
to share with future Franciscan
generations. We pray that as the
College forges into the future, its
international character will not
only be strengthened, but become
an ever more conspicuous and
tangible sign of real Gospel
brotherhood made possible.
Fr. Rajesh spent the summer in Huntington on Long
Island at St. Hugh of Lincoln, a diocesan parish. He
participated in parish ministry and, although the
costs of his lodging and studies are covered by the
Order, during the summer, he hoped to earn money to
cover the costs he’ll have when he returns to Rome
such as the numerous books he needs for his studies
and for an upgraded computer, a necessity nowadays.
Several of Fr. Rajesh’s family members are Capuchin
Friars, including two cousins, so he was familiar with the
Order when he joined right after college. He was drawn
to the Order because he sought a simple holy life where
he would be ready to serve at all times. He believes that
the brotherhood (“fraternity”) a Capuchin friar finds
within a Capuchin community anywhere, will enable him
to answer God’s call at any time, regardless of where his
calling leads him. The diversified fraternity at the Collegio
has reinforced his belief that the Capuchin charism
unites the friars in a common effort to bring the world to
the Gospel, regardless of national or social differences.
Fr. Flavian Gondos, from Romania, is studying biblical
theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He very
recently arrived in the United States and spent the
summer at St. John’s Capuchin parish in New York
City before returning to Rome in the fall.
Since lectures at the Universities are in Italian, students
who don’t know the language take an Italian language
course for their first five months in Italy. Depending
upon the course material, text books are found in an
array of languages – Italian, French, German, Spanish
and English. Although Fr. Flavian speaks Italian very
well and lectures don’t present a challenge, he hopes
to learn English while he
resides at St. John’s so that
English-language sources
will be easier to explore.
In addition to his language
work, Fr. Flavian will be
offering the Mass in Italian
at St. Athanasius in
Brooklyn while he is here
Fr. Flavian Gondos,
and performing other
OFM Cap.
routine parish ministries.
Fr. Flavian believes God presented him with a great gift
of so many and new brothers through the Capuchin
Order. He believes he is following the calling of Christ
who instructed his apostles to leave their mothers and
fathers and sisters and brothers to be with Him in
His community of disciples and he quotes St. Francis
saying, “The Lord gave me brothers”. He has traveled
extensively and, he is grateful to have been part of a
global experience of Capuchin fraternity. His stay at
the Collegio, however, is still a unique experience in its
breadth and diversity.
The Collegio of St. Lawrence has housed literally
thousands of friars in its 100 year history. Any
International Commission, from the Order’s work in
Formation to its Commissions of Solidarity or of Justice,
Peace, Ecology and the Respect for Creation, profits from
former students who are able to come together and
speak a common language – an International network
of brotherhood. Their experiences have borne fruit in
all levels of the Capuchin Order from leadership and
administration to formation work with new friars.
A huge fountain with a “dual-cross’ at the entrance to
the Collegio is meant to signify the two natures in the
one Lord Jesus – Human and Divine. By His crucifixion, Christ embraced humanity and brought divine life
to its heart. A fountain runs throughout the crosses as
a symbol of abundant life. Overall, the dual cross and
fountain represents the one Center of their lives:
Jesus Christ, whose life and power flows from his
Cross to every part of the world through the life and
work of the Collegio.
“In the holy words of this holy lesson grant that I may love you as much as I know you, since I do not
want to know you except in order to love you, Lord God, my creator. Amen.” (Prayer of the Student,
Capuchin Constitutions 1536)
11
World Youth Day
Sydney, Australia
BY BR SALVATORE CORDARO, OFM CAP.
As Capuchin Franciscans, we are called to live an
evangelical life, one that is directed toward the renewal
and strengthening of the Church and of human society.
We offer humble service to our brothers and sisters
and, at the same time, we empower them to obtain
the security and dignity that they deserve and are so
often denied. To prepare us for this work, we need to
be formed into persons whose lives are defined by the
Gospel and are imbued with the spirit of St. Francis.
Our education in the initial stages of formation is
meant to mature and deepen our Christian faith and
to instill a Franciscan view of life. Whether a friar in
post-novitiate formation will become a priest or
remain a lay brother, each one needs to be trained in
the role he will fulfill as minister to his brothers and
the people he will serve.
12
In addition to our formal education, we also need to
keep abreast of what is happening in the world and to
read the signs of the times: to discern what God is
saying to us and to be witnesses of our belief that
God is acting through human history and through the
cultures of all peoples. This is not to say that
everything in our contemporary culture is to be
accepted unconditionally. There are things in our
society that are harmful and life-denying and so need
to be challenged. For example, our young people
are bombarded with messages of consumerism and
individualism that can destroy society from within.
They result in a lack of empathy for the other and a
hardening of heart towards the needs of others – the
evils of war and racism and other types of social
injustice are evidence of that.
(l-r) Br Andrew Nowak, OFM Cap, Br Sal Cordaro, OFM Cap and Br John Koelle, OFM Cap
during their walk to Randwick Racecourse in Australia, where the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI
would celebrate Mass on Sunday morning.
However, there is hope. Pope Benedict XVI at the
last World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, spoke to
the hundreds of thousands of young (and older)
people assembled there about the need to transform
the world by our witnessing to the Holy Spirit alive
in us. The friars in formation were privileged to
attend the celebration in Sydney, and while the
style of worship was not always to our taste, it
was inspiring to see young people with a true
desire to live their faith and to spread the Good
News to every one they met. They are not afraid
to be a witness to their faith, as many adults seem
to be. We adults are often hampered in our
evangelization by fear of rejection or misunderstanding,
embarrassment, etc. These young people are
energized by their experience of the Church and
want others to know what they themselves have
encountered.
While we were in Australia, we also took part in an
annual event called “Reuniting for Renewal.” This is a
chance for all the friars in post-novitiate formation to
get together and share our experiences in our respective
provinces. Friars from all over North America were
there, as well as our Australian brothers, and those
from Guam, Papua New Guinea and Puerto Rico. Old
friendships are rekindled and new ones are formed,
and we share what we have learned in our ministries,
our educational experiences and our life in community.
Our fraternity, our relationship as brothers, is strengthened
by our common experience of growing in our identity
as Capuchin Franciscans and learning a new way of
being in the world. Although our experience in Boston
is very different from that of our brothers in Papua
New Guinea, both are experiences that will bring
some of the hope that this world desperately needs
and will contribute to the growth and development of
our Church and of our society.
13
AUTUMN 2008
CAPUCHIN
JOURNEYS
St Francis of Assisi Weekend Getaway, Washington DC
October 3, 4, 5, 2008
PILGRIMAGES
HIGHLIGHTS: Franciscan Monastery, John Paul II Cultural Center, National Basilica of the
Immaculate Conception, day and night tours of DC
Celebrate the Poor Man of Assisi on his feast day, while enjoying our Catholic American
heritage in our Nation’s Capitol.
Cost per person double occupancy – $579.00
Secular Franciscan Pilgrimage Italy
October 12-20, 2008
Join Fr. Matthias Wesnofske, OFM Cap, Provincial Spiritual Assistant as he leads us in the footsteps
of St Francis and the Secular Franciscan Order.
HIGHLIGHTS: Rome, Vatican City, Assisi, Greccio (shrine of the first Christmas crib) & Viterbo
(shrines of St. Rose & St. Crispin)
Cost per person double occupancy – $2,625.00
St Jude & Basilica of the Assumption – Day of Recollection
October 26, 2008
The Saint of Hopeless Cases draws us to his Shrine in Downtown Baltimore to join in the prayers
and devotions of the millions of his devotees.
HIGHLIGHTS: Votive Mass of Holy Apostle Jude, Thaddeus, Tour of the Nation’s first Catholic
Diocese with exposition of Blessed Sacrament
Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine & Sight and Sound Theater
November 7, 8, 9, 2008
The Shrine of Jasna Gora, the Patron of Poland calls us to reflect on Our Lady’s greatness and
helps to prepare us for the upcoming Advent and Christmas Holy seasons.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Miracle of Christmas Play, Tour of Lancaster, Jasna Gora Chapel
Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament & EWTN Studios
New Date: November 10-13, 2008
The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, located at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville,
Alabama, is truly an amazing and awe-inspiring place. Located on 400 acres of lush farmland southeast
of Cullman, the medieval-style monastery and the Shrine itself are a wonder one could hardly expect
to experience outside of Old World Europe, much less to find in the rural southeastern United States.
Home to the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, a cloistered Franciscan Order, the monastery
was built by Mother Angelica, founder of the Eternal Word Television Network. The Shrine of the
Most Blessed Sacrament, located in the monastery’s Upper Church, is described by the Order as
“a Temple consecrated to Almighty God, open to people of all faiths.”
A unique opportunity for spiritual renewal awaits those who make a Eucharistic pilgrimage to the
Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. At EWTN
pilgrims can join the audience of an EWTN live show, attend the televised Mass or a spiritual talk.
Through adoration, the Shrine leads the soul to contemplate the Face of Christ. The Nuns invite
those seeking spiritual renewal to come and join them in prayer.
Cost per person double occupancy – $1,175.00
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
December 6th through 13th, 2008
Join Fr. Francis Gasparik, OFM Cap. as he leads a Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help in Rome Italy (Home of the Original Miraculous Image)
A week of Prayer in preparation for Christmas and the Celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI at the Piazza di Spagna
Cost p/p Double occupancy $2,249.00 (does not include air taxes)
Carmine Marotta is the Director
of our pilgrimage program.
For more information on any
of these pilgrimages, please
call/e-mail Carmine at
(212) 564-0759 ext. 268,
[email protected].
Check his blog at
http://capuchinjourney.blog.com.
12 Days of Pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of St Paul” – Greece & Turkey
March 24-April 4, 2009 — Including a 4-night cruise of the Greek Islands
Pope Benedict XVI announced that the Church has dedicated “a special Jubilee Year to the Apostle
Paul from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009, for the occasion of the 2000th anniversary of his birth,
which historians place between 7 and 10 AD.”
This pilgrimage promises many graces as we steep ourselves in ancient civilizations celebrate the
life of the holy apostle St. Paul and worship at the very home of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ephesus,
please join this journey of faith and heritage
HIGHLIGHTS: Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Philippi, Ephesus, Rhodes, Santorini, Crete, Corinth
Please call Capuchin Journeys Travel Agent for this trip (201) 529-2896
Pilgrim’s Scrapbook
A Reflection by our Pilgrimage Director, Carmine Marotta
From the lowest point on the earth to the top of a mountain, that’s
how I will always remember my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, from
floating on the Dead Sea to ascending Mt. Tabor. Escorting twenty
pilgrims to the land of our faith heritage in and of itself is an awesome
task, let alone it being my first time there, so the fear of the unexpected
coupled with the excitement of seeing places that I have read and
prayed about in Holy Scripture.
The mechanics of the trip was perfectly executed, the travel agency we
used and the local tour company were of the highest standards, and
I am sure that because of their excellence it was possible for all of us
to really insure a truly spiritual journey. I can go on about how great
the hotels were, the expertise of the tour guides, the abundant and
delicious food, the efficiency of the travel, etc. but what I really would
like to express to all of you was the feeling in my heart in this pilgrimage.
Carmen & Eugene renewing their
marriage vows at the shrine of Cana
Fr. Bill Scanlon SJ, our
Spiritual Director was wonderful; he brought the Gospel
message in his liturgies even
more alive, being in the places
where the Gospel was formed.
My fellow pilgrims’ faith witness made me feel more like
one of the early followers of
Christ, in the land where they
originally walked. Living kosher
in the hotels brought me to
understand how the Holy Family
would have kept custom and
allowed me an even better understanding of Jesus the Jew.
I would like to share four insights on this journey that have brought
me to a totally different understanding of the Gospels. The first was
our visit to the City of David, Bethlehem. In the Gospel the word city
is very misleading, village is more like the reality, but with the current
Israeli and Palestinian conflict, our trip to the site was under armed
guard. There were check points on both sides, passports, fully armed
guards in outpost towers, all the trappings that makes one nervous…
and there it is – just like Joseph and Mary had to feel that night of
her bringing forth her son, our Lord and Savior.
Group shot of pilgrims from the Mt. of Olives
will look like Joseph, but more dirty, and the wise men will have men
with weapons looking after them.
I must add I am grateful my tinsel and gold Christmas is changed forever.
The next experience I would like to share was the simple boat ride on
the Sea of Galilee, which is really a lake. To be able to do what Jesus
had done on the very same body of water that has not changed, to
be able to feel the ripples of the water as Jesus would have felt, to
see the same shore line, to be with my fellow pilgrims not many
more then the amount of the disciples, all on the same boat, made
me feel like I was chosen to follow Him who commanded the seas.
The Gospel stories were brought to present day and time.
The third was praying at the Temple Mount and Western Wall, hearing
the Hebrew Prayers and seeing the devotion of all those praying to God,
in the very same spot where Jesus prayed, Jesus taught, Jesus cleansed
and where Jesus cried. How lovely is your dwelling place oh Lord God
of Hosts.
Tour guide Moshi with Emeline and local Bedouin
and his camel on the road to the dead sea
The traditional site of the cave of the Nativity within the oldest Christian
house of worship was beautiful. But seeing the dark complexions of
the local populace, the poverty of the town, its stores all boarded up,
bullet holes marking the closed uninhabited homes, stray hungry dogs
roaming the alleys, has forever changed my tinsel and gold Christmas
feelings and have taught me that the wonderful salvation brought to
us all in the incarnation of Jesus, was anything but tinsel and gold.
My little Christmas Manger with the sweet Virgin, the restful Joseph,
happy shepherds and well dressed wise men bearing gifts, is probably
very far from the truth. I now look at the Holy Mother with a dark
complexion as a woman who looks at her child with love and worry.
Joseph will look tired with his skin aged from the sun, the shepherds
Descending Mt. Tabor looking at the Sea of Galilee
My last witness I would like to share was Mass in the Franciscan Chapel
of the Last Supper. It was a very moving and uplifting liturgy. The chapel
is nestled in a lush garden with olive and lemon tress, rose bushes in full
bloom with birds singing, The intimate setting of the chapel along with
the ancient prayers of the church and the real presence of Jesus’ body
and blood among us made the Gospel so alive in me that words fall short.
There are so many more experiences, from the Way of the Cross, the cave
of the Annunciation, Mt. Tabor, the Dead Sea excursion, visiting a kibbutz,
but space does not allow me. As the Pilgrimage director, it is my hope
in the future to bring this trip yearly or at the least, every other year.
I’d like to end with a request of all of you: please pray for the peace of
Jerusalem. And maybe we can all one day say, as our Jewish brothers
and sisters say each year at Passover, “next year in Jerusalem”.
Capuchin
Formation
Education has always been a fundamental requisite for the life of
a friar and the enhancement of his knowledge never ends.
Capuchin education is much more than pragmatic intellectualism,
it is actually a formation process to provide a philosophical and
spiritual understanding of their unique lifestyle and how it is
designed to reflect Capuchin Charisms.
Many years ago, young men entered the Order shortly after high
school and received their undergraduate and post graduate
degrees in conjunction with their formation into the distinctive life
of a Capuchin. They had not yet accumulated assets or embarked
upon any other career path. Often the young men were captivated
by the altruistic ambitions of priests they knew as youngsters
and young adults that left them with a deep desire to dedicate
their own lives to charitable endeavors and helping others. When
they entered the Order as postulants, they had few material
things to give up and many had not had lucrative careers. When
they entered the Order, the choice of a religious life was not
unusual for young adult Catholics and secular and materialistic
deterrents were not as distracting as they are today.
Over the past several decades, religious vocations have diminished
significantly in the U.S., but the Capuchins continue to attract,
profess and ordain a stellar group of friars that represent the new
generation of followers of St. Francis. Some had prosperous careers
and mature relationships before entering the Order. Many experienced
the thrill of professional success and prosperity. Yet, despite their
temporal comforts, they are drawn to the Capuchins, knowing it
means shedding all materialistic amenities and giving up a life of
personal gratification and independent control for a life of fraternity
and obedience. More important than anything, however, most have
reflected upon God’s will for their lives long before they become
postulants and are attracted to the distinctive life of Capuchin
Charisms after a great deal of consideration and reflection.
The men entering the Capuchin postulancy today are older than
their predecessors; however, the basic path they follow towards
becoming a Capuchin Friar mirrors the course of those who
studied before them. They first experience being among other
potential candidates and Capuchin friars during Discernment
Weekends. Then, they live in St. Michael’s Friary in Brooklyn for
their postulancy. Their novitiate year precedes living in the
Formation House in Boston while studying at Boston College and
other area colleges. Because of their diverse education, professional
and social backgrounds, the number of years it takes for any
individual candidate to complete these years of study varies.
The Office of Vocation Ministries sponsors Discernment Weekends.
These are times when men who feel they have a religious calling
(and it is St. Francis beckoning them to the Capuchins) gather to share
their thoughts, experience Capuchin fraternity and pray together.
16
Prior to their attendance, Br. Tim Jones, OFM Cap. visits these men
to discuss their personal aspirations and intentions and to evaluate
whether the upcoming Discernment Weekend would be suitable.
The Discernment Weekend attendees, for the most part, have sought
and maintained a close mentoring relationship with a Capuchin
friar so have some idea of what the weekend will be like. Some are
inspired by the weekends to aggressively pursue their vocation,
some leave wanting to reevaluate their ability to live as a Capuchin
and others leave spiritually inspired but realizing that God is not
calling them to the religious life of a Capuchin. On occasion, during
a Discernment Weekend, the candidates can witness the diaconate
and priesthood ordinations or the First Professions and Solemn
Professions of vows of the friars.
Computers for parish school
in Old Managua City,
Nicaragua
For impoverished populations throughout the
world, education is often the key to empowerment.
International Capuchin ministries include a
focus on increasing the levels of education in
poor communities, starting with school age
children. The generosity of our donors has
enabled the Province of St. Mary’s to support
education initiatives for some of their most
rural and poverty stricken missions.
During this time, before entering the postulancy, candidates go
through a thorough and comprehensive series of personal interviews
and psychological evaluations that provide indications as to whether
their joining the Order would be a mutually agreeable fit. Many
vocation directors believe today’s intense psychological scrutiny
of candidates for religious life is needed because of the dramatic
life transistion that takes place when mature candidates leave
their secular lives behind for a life of simplicity and service.
The structured formation process for Capuchin candidates begins
at St. Michael’s Friary in Brooklyn, NY where they live in the Friary
and assist with parish and community ministry as postulants.
The formation of postulants focuses on the life of a Capuchin
and their ministry. In the morning, they attend classes and
participate in workshops focused upon religious life and on
contemplative prayer. In the afternoon, they learn about and
participate in Capuchin ministry to the poor.
Some help in schools and others participate in youth programs
or visit the sick and homebound. Some serve in Neighbors
Together which is one of the Capuchin Food Pantries. Overall, it
is a time when the postulants actually experience fraternity and
hands-on Capuchin ministry. It is the first time they live in a
Friary with professed Capuchin Franciscans. Most friars look back
fondly upon their year as a postulant for it was their experiences
as postulants that encouraged them to continue on the path
towards ordination.
The Province has built a computer lab in
Managua, Nicaragua to help poor children learn
about computers. The lab is located in a Catholic
parish school and the children are from the
Cristo del Rosario Barria. The Capuchin Missions
have donated the funds for 12 computers,
enabling over 400 grade and high school
students to develop useful computer skills that
open up opportunities for them to further their
educational and professional futures. Father
Aurelian O’Dowd, a native of The Bronx, is
the pastor and principal of the school.
After completing their work at St. Michaels, the candidates gather
in Victoria, Kansas for the pre-novitiate program. There, for two
months, they live with other novices from around the United
States, Canada and Australia to gain a deeper understanding of
prayer and fraternity. They participate in local community projects
which serves as further introduction to Capuchin ministry. After
completing the pre-novitiate program, they are invested with the
Capuchin habit and proceed to the novitiate.
17
Capuchin Formation
Currently, most candidates in the Province of St. Mary’s
spend their time as novices in Allison Park, Pennsylvania.
The emphasis during the novitiate is on inner spiritual
growth. During the novitiate, the candidates pray, study
and minister in preparation for their first vows of poverty,
chastity and obedience. They participate in workshops
with other religious groups and live with brothers from
Friaries in the United States, Canada, Guam and Australia.
The novitiate is a serious transition period for many of
the men. It is during this time that the Novice chooses
whether to pursue his life in the Capuchin Franciscan
Order as a brother or a priest. It is at the end of the
Novitiate that the candidate takes temporary first vows
of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Following the novitiate, candidates in the Province of
St. Mary proceed to the Formation Houses in Jamaica
Plain, Boston where they live while studying theology at
Boston College. They participate in more widespread
ministries including schools, prisons and hospitals. During
their summers they often participate in community
ministries that cross cultural lines. Some help friars in
Honduras or Guatemala.
The post-novitiate is a time for learning the skills needed
to live a Capuchin life while serving the church and
God’s people. For some, their post-novitiate lasts three
years and for others it can last up to six years. Those
in temporary vows renew simple vows each year as they
move closer to Solemn Perpetual Profession.
Through changing times, The Capuchins are staunchly
dedicated to maintaining the lifestyle dictated by the
Capuchin Constitutions. Though years ago Friaries
housed many more friars than they do today, the Friar
communities average 3 to 7 brothers living together
in fraternity. The Jamaica Plain houses 21 friars. They
pray together several times a day and share their
meals together. They don’t have personal possessions
but all things are owned in common. Important life
events are celebrated together. Special individual
talents are identified and used for the betterment of
the community.
Though the profile of a ‘typical’ candidate for the Capuchin
Order has changed over the years, the Capuchin mission
has not. Therefore, their intentions as they enter the Order
remain the same. In the past, idealistic young men who
wanted to serve others entered the Capuchin Order and
matured within a Capuchin community that enabled
them to fulfill their altruistic goals. Today’s candidates
had perhaps always had ‘a pull’ towards religious service
but explored many venues before recognizing their
true callings. However, regardless of the backgrounds
of those who have dedicated their lives to the vision of
St. Francis and who will in the future, all share the same
deep desire to serve the marginalized and give a voice
to those who would otherwise suffer in silence. They wish
to answer God’s call to minister to the poor while living
in prayerful and spiritual fraternity.
Discernment
Weekends
provide men
that feel
they may
have a
calling to
share their
thoughts,
experience
Capuchin
fraternity and
pray together.
18
Cardinal Sean O'Malley OFM Cap. officiates the ordinations
at the Sacred Heart Church in Yonkers
On Saturday, June 7th, The Province of St. Mary celebrated the ordination of their newest priests
and deacons. The new friars represent a group of men with very diverse backgrounds who were
drawn to the Capuchins for different reasons and with very personal hopes for their futures.
However, this unique group of men find a commonality in their desire to make the Capuchin
Charisms the foundation of their religious lives as followers of St. Francis.
The life of a Capuchin is defined by the Capuchin Charisms, Fraternity, Minority, Contemplation,
Ministry, and Justice, Peace and Ecology. Each presents an opportunity to experience and embrace
God’s love in a different way and together they form what St. Francis envisioned as the living
spirituality needed to spread God’s love to others.
Father Samuel Fuller,
Fr Samuel Fuller
OFM Cap. was born in New
Canaan, CT. He attended
Brown University, received
his BA in philosophy in 1980
and afterwards attended
Central Maine Technical
College to study civil engineering. He began studying
for the religious life in 2000
when he entered the Capuchin
Franciscan postulancy, and
resided at St. Michael’s
Friary in Brooklyn.
Fr. Sam was drawn to the Capuchins because of
the Order’s emphasis on contemplative prayer and
spirituality. St. Francis was overwhelmed by the
purity and extent of God’s love, and he believed an
understanding of its magnificence requires serious
and intellectual meditation and prayer without
distraction. St. Francis often retreated to isolated
caves to silently and very personally pray and listen
to The Lord. In today’s hectic world, Fr. Sam saw the
peace, and sanctity of contemplative prayer as the
Capuchin Charism that most supports his journey as
a follower of St. Francis.
19
Father Arlen Harris,
OFM Cap. grew up in
Brooklyn and graduated from
the State College at New Paltz
in 1998 with a degree in journalism. He was an associate
editor of The Tablet, the
Catholic newspaper of the
Diocese of Brooklyn, before
entering the Capuchin community. In the year 2000 he
began his postulancy at St.
Michael’s Friary in Brooklyn.
Fr Arlen Harris
Although he’d always had a
genuine devotion to God, it
was in his third year in college that he first seriously
considered a vocation. He’d thought about a career in
politics or journalism; however, when he stopped and
examined what he really wanted to do with his life, it
became so clear, he wanted to help people. He wanted
to be able to bring comfort and help to those most in
need. At the same time, he wanted to grow closer to
God and ‘fully appreciate’ what God had in store for him.
The Capuchins were calling him.
The Capuchin Charism of Ministry is what stands out
for Fr. Arlen and he could see himself working as a
missionary overseas as well as working with the poor
here in the United States. Over the years of his preparation for ordination, he has had the opportunity to do
both. During his postulancy at St. Michael’s, he
worked with the kindergarten children and still smiles
when he recalls their lively innocence. During the
summer of 2004 he worked at Casa de Maria in
Honduras, founded by Fr. Bruce Quinn, OFM Cap. Casa de
Maria is a clinic and home for small children. He helped
feed the children and would often hold and play with
them. He recalls helping one child learn to walk.
Fr. Arlen cites his work at St. John the Baptist Church in
New York City as one of his most formative experiences.
He was at St. John the Baptist during the summers of
2005 and 2007. There, he helped at the Food Pantry as
well as manning the front desk. The front desk, Fr. Arlen
remembers, proved most challenging. So many people
with so many different needs came to St. John’s for
help and they first encounter the staff and volunteers
stationed at the front desk. It was there that he understood he was taking part in one of the oldest forms of
20
Capuchin service to the poor – that of Porter. A friar
serving as porter is the first to greet those seeking
Capuchin ministry. The needs of the people could be
as simple as a request to purchase a Mass card or a
request for a priest to hear a confession. A visitor may
be lonely or sad and stop by the front desk just to talk.
“The ministry of Porter has a long tradition in our
Capuchin Order,” Fr. Arlen explains, and he mentions
Fr. Solanus Casey as a most notable example. Working
in the food pantry and at the front desk helped him
understand that ‘a little bit of kindness, mixed with
the right amount of firmness when necessary and
nurtured with a whole lot of patience can go a long
way’ and is what it takes to be a good friar.
Brother Richard Crawley, OFM Cap. grew up
in the Bronx, New York as the youngest of four boys.
His mother died when he was very young, so he was
raised by his father and older brothers. He began his
year long postulancy at St. Lawrence Friary in Beacon
and earned an Associate Degree from Dutchess
Community College in Poughkeepsie, NY. As a student/
friar with the post-novitiate community of St. Veronica
in South Orange, NJ, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree
with a major in Religious Studies from Seton Hall
University. He then pursued a graduate degree in
pastoral counseling from Boston College.
Br. Richard began his studies for the priesthood in
September of 2006. He explains his entry into the
Capuchin Order as, “I see my own vocation as a future
priest doing what I have always desired to do:
proclaim the Kingdom in word, worship and sacrament.
Following the example of St. Francis, I would like to be
humble and gentle in my
manner and service.”
Br Richard Crawley
A lifestyle of Fraternity is what
stood out as the Capuchin
Charism that first attracted
Br. Richard to the Order. He
notes that growing up in a
household of men made
him understand the unique
bonds that hold members of
a living community together
and taught him to understand the responsibilities
and comfort of fraternity.
A deep desire to serve The Lord is how Br. Richard
describes what he wants to do with his life as a
Capuchin. Unlike some Capuchins who perceive their
calling as pointing toward missionary in third world
countries or in poor urban in America, he sees his
future as directing him to wherever he is most needed. He has served in campus ministry and as a hospital Chaplain, neither one of which he had initially
thought would be his calling. He explains ‘God is God
and I am a creature to serve God where needed’.
Father Thomas Franks,
OFM Cap. was born in
Middletown, CT. He attended
Dartmouth College and then
Central Connecticut State
University in New Britain, CT.
He received his BA with
highest honors from Fordham
University in New York City. In
1997 he began the Capuchin
Franciscan postulancy program
and lived at St. Michael’s Friary
in Brooklyn. He completed his
Fr Thomas Franks
novitiate in 1999 and then lived
in Good Shepherd Friary in
Toronto while participating in
the Interprovincial Year of the Integration program. He
later received his BA with highest honors from Fordham
University in New York.
Fr. Tom attended Xavier High School in Middletown, CT
where he was taught by religious brothers and became
acquainted with the unique lifestyles and service objectives that distinguished one Order from another.
Ultimately, Fr. Tom found his place was with the Capuchins.
Like Fr. Richard, he was drawn to the significant focus
on Fraternity. He saw the value in the closeness and
connections that form among the friars and he
understood how these relationships among the friars
themselves enabled them to carry out their ministries
more effectively.
on the people and community they served and began
to see himself serving people in the same way.
Brother Marvin Bearis,
OFM Cap. was born in
Honolulu, HI and grew up in the
Capuchin parish of Our Lady
of Perpetual Help. In 2000 he
began his postulancy while he
studied for his undergraduate
degree at the University of
Hawaii. After obtaining his BA,
he resided at St. Fidelis Friary
in Agana Heights, Guam to
continue his studies. During
his time in Guam, Br. Marvin
ministered as a pastoral visitor Br Marvin Bearis
at St. Dominic Senior Care
Home and was a youth
minister in the Agana Heights and Sinajana parishes.
He returned to Hawaii in 2001 and ministered as a
volunteer with Catholic Charities.
During his novitiate year, Br. Marvin lived at St. Felix
Friary, Mt. Calvary, WI. There, he ministered to the
sick and dying at a local hospice.
Br. Marvin sums up his vocation when he explains,
“I’m always thankful to God for my vocation as a
Capuchin Franciscan, enjoying my life as a religious,
ministering to God’s people, and just doing my very
best to live out the charism of St. Francis.”
While Fr. Tom knows that his ministry as a Capuchin can
go in any direction God has planned for him and it is his
ultimate wish to follow God’s plan, he sees himself as a
parish priest. He will always remember the Capuchins
in his neighborhood where he grew up and from an
early age he grew to admire the work they did. As he
grew older, he understood the extent of their influence
21
Fr. Michael Banks’
Report of the
Minister Provincial
Chapter 2008
Against the beautiful, tranquil, backdrop of The St.
Alphonsus Retreat House in New Jersey, The Friars of
the Province of St. Mary’s gathered to meet, greet, and
laugh. Many had not seen one another in years and
other newer brothers were experiencing their fraternity
as a large congregation for the first time.
Televisions were turned to Pope Benedict XVI’s New York
visit. As the Friars arrived in throughout the day, many
paused to watch the Concert of Hope that preceded
The Mass. It was exhilarating to see so many from the
The week of meetings and planning that lay ahead would
be supported by the unique spirituality and fraternity that
has always defined the Capuchins in their ministries.
Fr Michael Banks, OFM Cap. began his presentation by
commenting that the Task Force preceding his tenure
had been disappointed in that they had not satisfactorily
achieved the results they had sought. Pastoral planning
for the Province of St. Mary that adequately adapts to
changing circumstances had not been accomplished
and more study was recommended. However, Fr Michael
indicated, time had run out for research and review
and tangible action was overdue.
Fr Michael believed enough groundwork had been laid
to enable the new leadership to work with the dioceses
of the province to make plans and decisions necessary
to instill changes that would culminate into holy and
effective ministries. He acknowledged that not all
resolutions would be popular, but that hopefully their
practicality and logic would eventually be understood
when positive results became evident.
younger generations, those so often chastised for their
indifference, rejoice and marvel and celebrate the
presence of a Man of God.
It was a wonderful welcoming precedent for the work
that lay ahead for The Friars. For, after the meeting
and greeting and smiles, there was serious work to be
done for the rest of their stay. Their focus would be
what Pope Benedict XVI talked about in his homily
that day. It is the fulfillment of The Concert of Hope.
22
In devising the formal Pastoral Plan, the composers
considered first, and foremost, the undeniable reality
that the Catholic Church had “...become virtually
irrelevant to a great number of the present generation
of young adults and youth. Little or no attention is
paid to the church’s teachings on the sanctity of life,
sexuality, the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives,
the values of simplicity and humility, the dangers of
materialism and idolatry of the ego or respect for
the dignity of each person regardless of their place
in society.”
Accepted vulgarity in the media and the absence of children
and young adults at Sunday Mass is indicative of the dangerous
downward spiral of social and spiritual mores. Fr Michael
acknowledged the inadequacy of a meaningful Catholic education
in the home as well religious institutions responsible for teaching
the importance of making the Word of God and the message it
brings a real and most important and essential part of the life
of a Catholic.
The Pastoral Plan, Fr Michael reminded the friars, should be
dictated by their Constitution which calls for focus on the signs
of the times when planning ministerial service. Attention must
be paid to needs of the people of the time and it can only be
done by figuring out how God’s Divine plan can flourish in
dynamic and changing times. Fr Michael cited Section 147.3:
”When taking on new forms of the apostolate, let the brothers
show special care to those people who are deprived of ordinary
pastoral care... the young during decisive moments of their
Christian life, laborers, those burdened with financial pressures
or those harassed by hostility or racial prejudice.”
The Capuchins are further fulfilling their Pastoral Plan by ministering
to Hispanic day laborers in Brookhaven, Long Island. Brother Tom
McNamara, OFM Cap. has promoted the provinces’ preaching
ministry to the day laborers and the Pastoral Plan envisions
similar initiatives, that tie in closely with the Capuchin charism,
reaching far into the future.
So many other Capuchin programs have been successfully
sustained or launched over the past several years. The province
of St. Mary has been blessed with the generosity of donors that
enable it to assist Capuchins that fall outside their formal
boundaries. St. Mary’s is able to assist Franciscans International
by helping them finance their offices in New York and the printing
and publication of the newsletter they distribute worldwide
twice a year.
The Capuchin Franciscan Leadership Council which consists of
friars and lay business leaders was successfully formed as a
result of the Pastoral Plan and has provided valuable assistance
with ministries in Africa and Boston.
Fr Michael knows as he leaves his position as Minister Provincial
that there is a long road ahead, but he is confident that he has
secured some cornerstones and cobble stones on the path St.
Francis designed and which the Capuchins navigate every day.
The Capuchins know they can be instrumental in fulfilling the
modern mission of the Catholic Church. The Capuchins will
continue to minister to those who St. Francis sought out. They
will work towards fulfillment of Hope, the hope Pope Benedict XVI
spoke about when he visited New York and the hope the children
danced for while clasping their symbolic doves.
How can
we minister
to the most
people in
varied ways?
— FR. MICHAEL
In January 2006, a Pastoral Plan was presented to
the province and in retrospect, Fr Michael reports
that the majority of what was presented was
accepted and implemented and he described
several of these successes.
The Capuchins wanted to have a more parochial
presence throughout the province. They wanted to be
among the people. The Archdiocese in NY was undergoing intense review for considerable reorganization.
Our Lady Queen of Angels (OLQA) and John the
Baptist Church fell under the radar for possible
closure but the Archdiocese assured the Capuchins
that they would have a parish in Manhattan.
Ultimately OLQA was closed, John the Baptist
Church remains open and the Capuchins now
minister in Good Shepherd in upper Manhattan.
Sean Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap. expressed interest
in the Capuchins administrating a parish in Boston.
The Capuchins made it clear they wanted to minister
to the poor and working class in a Hispanic parish.
Cardinal O’Malley presented the Capuchins with
Our Lady of Lourdes parish which is across the
street from San Lorenzo Friary, the formation Friary
in Jamaica Plain.
The Bishop of Portland, Maine asked the Capuchins
to explore opportunities for a ministry in Maine that
would coordinate with the diocese’s reorganization
plans. The objective was to place three parishes
(including St. Joseph’s) under one administration.
Although these plans did not fit into the Capuchin
ministry structure, the Friars will remain in St. Joseph’s
until 2010 and an earnest and affable relationship
between the Bishop of Portland and the Province of
St. Mary’s was cemented and will allow for future
dialogue.
The newly installed bishop of Burlington, Vermont
inquired about the possibility of a Capuchin presence
in his diocese in September of 2005. He understood
the distinctive spirituality and mission of the Capuchins
and wanted to bring it to his own ministry. The dioceses
had only a few aging priests and was in urgent need of
religious to serve its Catholic population effectively.
The Capuchin charisms that call for the friars to
minister to those most in need directed the decision
to accept two small parishes, St. Peter in Rutland
and the Church of St. Dominic.
23
Fr. Michael remembers his parish priest walking the streets
of his neighborhood and gathering enough children together
to have two teams for a ball game. He remembers how
kind the priest was and how thrilled the children were to
follow him to the park or school yard for an afternoon of
fun and games. He grew up at a time when a priest was a
revered role model and the children who scampered after
their priest wanted to be just like him some day.
FRIAR IN FOCUS:
Father
Michael Connolly
OFM Cap.
During his formative years, Fr. Michael recalls the church
was a welcoming, safe and loving support structure. He fondly
remembers the Sisters of St. Joseph who the children always
knew would give them food if they were hungry and how
the church was a refuge for those going through difficult
times at home. The church, the priests and the sisters
were very important in the lives of so many children when
Fr. Michael was young, and he believes the overall culture
of the church at that time is what enabled many children
to survive. It was a church they loved and that they knew
loved them and from as far back as he can remember, he
yearned to make his wonderful church his home.
Fr. Michael always wanted to be a priest. Like the priests
and sisters of his childhood, he wanted to help others and
make a difference in their lives. He wanted to be part of the
church that provided the physical structure as well as the
While still studying for the priesthood, Br. Michael returns to his
home parish, Gate of Heaven Church, to celebrate his sister’s
graduation from High School.
Fr. Michael’s first mass with his mother and father.
24
spiritual ambiance that facilitated its ministries among
those who needed help and solace. He’ll never forget
how comforting and special the simple unassuming
kindness of the priests and nuns of his childhood
meant to a sad or lonely child or to a teenager who
had thought that no one really cared.
While he was growing up in South Boston, Fr. Michael was
an altar boy. He served Mass for the Carmelite Sisters who
cared for the elderly. He remembers being intrigued by
the plain cloistered life they led while serving their
fragile patients so tenderly. At that time, most of the
priests he knew were diocesan priests who lived rather
independently. The Carmelites, he observed, were
somewhat secluded from outside influences and lived
as a close peaceful community of kinship and prayer.
Capuchin ordination class of 1978. Left-right: Fr. Michael
Morrissey, Fr. Thomas Houle, Fr. Michael Sevingy, Fr. Paul
Steffen, Fr. John Gallagher, His Eminence, Terence Cardinal
Cooke, Fr. Michel Dalton, Fr. John Pokaz, Fr. Thomas March,
Fr. Stephen Ambrecht and Fr. Michael Connelly
When Fr. Michael graduated from high school, he cut
out three articles about different orders from a magazine
on religious vocations, and he wrote a note to each. The
Dominicans responded to him promptly but he opened
their letter too late to participate in their next vocation
weekend. As far as the Augustinians went, they always
wanted to meet with him when he was working. A
Capuchin Friar, on the other hand, showed up one day at
the drug store where he was working. Shortly thereafter,
he began his higher education living in fraternity with
almost 50 other friars.
While some men enter the Capuchin Order with a penchant
towards a particular ministry, Fr. Michael didn’t anticipate
where his calling would take him. He only wanted to
serve where God led him. He worked with special needs
children while in college and during the summer, he worked
at St. Rose’s Home in New York City, a home for the
terminally ill. Although his work as a nurses aide at St.
Fr. Michael as Spiritual Director with St. Joseph the Worker
Parish and other youth of Long Island at a weekend DDA retreat.
Rose’s Home would prove to be invaluable to his future
ministries, for it helped prepare him for administering
The Sacrament of The Sick which he would someday
be doing as a priest. Before his summers at St. Rose’s,
he’d had little personal exposure to death and he used
his time there to learn to maintain his composure and
resolve during those difficult times.
Fr. Michael’s first assignment was as a parish priest at
St. Joseph the Worker in East Patchogue, New York, where
he ministered for six years. Over the years, Fr. Michael has
had a diversified ministry, as a social worker and a
substance abuse counselor. He worked as the Catholic
Chaplin on a campus of social service institutions in
Westchester County after he left St. Joseph. There he
served hospital, psychiatric and nursing home patients,
as well as prison and jail inmates. He did substance abuse
counseling and used the skills he’d learned at St. Rose as
an aide to tend to the hospital and nursing home patients.
His ministry in Westchester County was Fr. Michael’s favorite.
He recalls always feeling ‘grateful’ when he reposed at the
end of the day. He was grateful that he himself was not
suffering in the physical, emotional, and spiritual way
that those he served were. And, he was grateful that God
had given him the chance to comfort them and make
St Joseph’s Annual Fair
always had a line to dunk
a friar...
...and fund raising can be a
wet experience!
25
Friar in Focus: Fr. Michael Connolly
Senior Friars of St Clare on a day foliage trip to Bear Mtn.
Left-Right: Fr. Raymond Hand, OFM Cap.; Fr. Gabriel Massarro,
OFM Cap.; Fr. Michael; Fr. Oliver O’Connor, OFM Cap.;
Fr. Owen Shelly, OFM Cap.; Fr. Charles Repole, OFM Cap.
a difference in their lives. It was the opportunity he had
yearned for in his youth when he saw the priests and
sisters in his church helping others and wanted to be
just like them. During this time, Fr. Michael felt he
could sharpen his skills. He obtained a Masters in
Social Work, and became a credentialed alcohol and
substance abuse counselor.
In 1988, the pastor of St. Joseph the Worker, Thomas
March, OFM Cap. suffered a massive heart attack and
died suddenly while celebrating his Golden Jubilee with
his parishioners. The parish was grieving over the death
of their beloved priest and because of his familiarity
with the parish and its parishioners, as well as his recent
schooling as a social worker, Fr. Michael was asked to
return as pastor to help the sorrowful community deal
with its sudden loss.
Fr. Michael has worked with Br. Tim Jones, OFM Cap.
on the Discernment Weekends. The Discernment
Weekends are for men who think they may have a
calling to the religious life and are discerning if
Capuchin life is for them. While he wanted to be a
priest from as far back as he can remember,
Fr. Michael notes the men discerning a religious life
now range from 23 to 40
years old with a variety
of different backgrounds.
Hands-on nursing experience
at St Rose’s prepares for
future hospital ministry.
26
There are six Discernment
Weekends a year and each
has a different theme. Fr.
Michael tries to create a
pleasing and relevant
physical environment for
them. He often decorates
the community rooms and
Chapel with flowers and religious symbols that contribute
to the peace and solemnity of community prayer and
coincide with the theme of the weekend. The Capuchin
charism of Justice, Peace and Ecology calls for an
optimistic perception of the world as one community
in harmony with animals, plants and people, all working
together to appreciate and praise the beauty, the love
and the gifts of God. Fr. Michael, by his contributions
to the Discernment Weekends, tries to create some
semblance of the garden that is so often symbolic of
St. Francis’s love of nature and all of God’s creations –
even the most simple of them.
St. Clare’s is a friary for senior Capuchin friars. Many of
the friars live independently, while others have assisted
living and convalescent care. Some of the friars maintain
ministries in nearby parishes. St. Clare’s enables older
friars to continue to live in fraternity with their brothers
which wouldn’t be possible if they resided in secular
retirement communities.
Fr. Michael’s ministry
is to care for the friars
at St. Clare’s. He was
asked to come because
of his pastoral care
experience in social
work. He loves the work
he is doing. Most often
the senior friars have
known each other for
decades. Occasionally,
friars who have minisFr. Michael with nurse Pat Donlon
tered in severely impov- anoints patient in the Emergency
erished foreign nations Room at Westchester Medical.
for decades find it difficult to adjust to life in the States.
Some who have debilitating sicknesses or injuries are
frustrated with the loss of their personal independence.
The amount of support they get from their brothers,
however, eventually eases their anxieties and discomforts
and the overall atmosphere at St. Clare’s, while always
prayerful and spiritual is often jovial. Fr. Michael
provides a willing and appreciative audience for their
reminiscent stories and is so grateful for his ministry.
Fr. Michael is the simple priest he wanted to be since he
was a young child. He acknowledges that it hasn’t always
been easy and he has had to overcome some personal
challenges, but every day he is what the little boy from
South Boston wanted to be when he grew up.
Our Mother
of Perpetual Help
Join Fr. Francis Gasparik, OFM Cap. as he leads a
Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help in Rome Italy (Home of the Original Miraculous Image)
A week of Prayer in preparation for Christmas
and the Celebration of the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception with the Holy Father,
Pope Benedict XVI at the Piazza di Spagna
December 6th through 13th, 2008
Cost p/p Double occupancy $ 2,249.00*
(*does not include air taxes)
Call Capuchin Journeys – 212 564-0759 ext. 268
for brochure, details & reservations.
“In the Footsteps of St Paul”
12 Days of Pilgrimage in Greece & Turkey
March 24-April 4, 2009
Including a 4-night cruise of the Greek Islands
ATHENS, THESSALONIKI,
KAVALA, PHILIPPI, EPHESUS, RHODES,
SANTORINI, CRETE, CORINTH
Pope Benedict XVI announced that the Church has
dedicated “a special Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul
from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009, for the
occasion of the 2000th anniversary of his birth,
which historians place between 7 and 10 AD.”
This pilgrimage promises many graces as we
steep ourselves in ancient civilizations celebrate the
life of the holy apostle St. Paul and worship at
the very home of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ephesus,
please join this journey of faith and heritage
Please call Capuchin Journeys Travel Agent for this trip (201) 529-2896
NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE
PAID
MAILED FROM
ZIP CODE 61764
PERMIT No. 454
210 West 31st Street
New York, NY 10001-2876
Capuchin Youth & Family
Ministries Events:
September 13
Using Storytelling
To Share Biblical Stories
October 9-12
Girl’s DDA Weekend 208
November 13-16
Boy’s DDA Weekend 209
Contact Tom Brinkmann,
Executive Director, CYFM
(845) 424-3609 for information
Capuchin Food
Pantries Events:
November 6
Doodle for Hunger
Tavern on the Green, NYC
November 15
Thanksgiving with Disney – TBD
December 13
Holiday Party
Affinia Hotel, NYC
Contact Joe Sano, Managing Director
Capuchin Food Pantries
(212) 279-6171
Province Dates:
October 6
Capuchin Alumni Reception
October 7
The CFLC Meeting
November 1
Donor Reception

the the - Capuchin Franciscans, Province of St. Mary

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