It is with great joy that our friars will gather this Saturday, July 7, 2018,
at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr (Chicopee, MA)
for the 11: 00 a.m. Diaconate Ordination
of our confrere, Friar Christopher Dudek, OFM Conv.,
with Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, of the Diocese of Springfield, MA.
Family, friends and parishioners (the Basilica is Friar Chris’ home parish) will join our friars in celebration of Friar Chris’ continued journey as a Franciscan Friar Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province. Soon after, Friar Chris will begin to serve as Deacon for one of our Baltimore, MD pastorates. Once the school year begins, he will add to his ministry, service as Campus Minister and Instructor at our Baltimore City high school ministry – Archbishop Curley High School.
Over these past several years we have shared many “Adventures with Friar Chris” as News Posts. His unique and very personal vocational journey exhibits the joy found in his life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual. As he begins this next big adventure, please keep him in your prayers.
Our Lady of the Angels Province Friar Pictured: The Assistant Director of the Novitiate – Fr. Maurice Richard, OFM Conv. (second from right – back row) and our three Novices in the 2017-2018 class: friar Fabian Adderley, OFM Conv. (to the left of Bishop Barron), friar Steven Arias Mosquera, OFM Conv. (to the right of Bishop Barron) and friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv. (fourth from right – back row)
This week, our friars of the St. Francis of Assisi Friary Interprovincial Novitiate, in Arroyo Grande, CA joined the friars of the North American Pacific Capuchin Conference Novitiate, for a Day of Recollection with The Most Reverend Robert E. Barron. Bishop Barron, who serves as the Episcopal Vicar of the Santa Barbara Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Titular Bishop of Macriana of Mauritania. He is also the founder of Word on Fire, a global media ministry. They celebrated Mass together, gathered for a short seminar where Bishop Barron “urged them to hang onto their intellectual patrimony as the means to fuel their pastoral vocations,” and ended the day sharing a meal with priests from the nearby parishes. (See article and photos posted by Bishop Barron)
This was the last “conference” these friars will share together as a Novitiate Community, as they are all finishing up their time in the Novitiate and will be moving onto their next stages in formation as Franciscan Friars. Please keep them all in your continued prayers.
Note: On Monday, July 16, 2018, our the three Novices of our Province: friar Richard Rome, OFM Conv., friar Fabian Adderley, OFM Conv. and friar Alejandro Maria Arias, OFM Conv., will celebrate their Simple Profession of Vows during our Province Jubilarian Noon Mass, at our Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD. They will then move onto their Post Novitiate studies.
You are encouraged to attend one of the Masses to hear him speak this summer: July 14-15, 2018 ~ St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church, Elmhurst NY
Saturday: 4:00 p.m. Confessions and 5:00 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m. (Polish) and 11:30 a.m. Masses July 21-22, 2018 ~ Parish Community of St. John the Apostle, Kingston, ON
Saturday: 3:45 p.m. Confessions and 4:30 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Masses July 28-29, 2018 ~ St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Johnstown, PA
Saturday: 3:15 a.m. Confessions and 4:00 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Masses August 4-5, 2018 ~ Holy Family Parish, Kingston, ON
Saturday: 4:30 p.m. Confessions and 5:15 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m Masses August 11-12, 2018 ~ Mother Cabrini Catholic Church
Saturday: 3:00 p.m.Confessions and 4:00 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Masses August 18-19,2018 ~ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
Saturday: 3:00 p.m. Confessions and 4:00 p.m. Mass
Sunday: 10:00 p.m.(Polish) Mass
Those preaching the annual Summer Mission Appeals, over the years, have included our own friars who have served as missionaries, friars whose vocations are a result of the work of missionary friars, as well as friars from other Provinces who are currently serving in mission, have traveled throughout the East Coast of North America, preaching and celebrating Mass with thousands of varied parish communities on behalf of our (FMA). Vital donation assistance made to our FMA has afforded a multitude of Franciscans from around the world to serve in circumstances unimaginable to most of us.
While preaching mission appeals in our Province this summer, Friar Piotr (Peter) Dąbek, OFM Conv. spent some time visiting with our elder friars living in a care center in CT. Five of the seven friars living in community there are former missionaries and Fr. Peter was able to share stories about their missionary work and ministry. (pictured with Fr. Firmin Finn, OFM Conv.)
With praise and gratitude to the Most High God, we Franciscan Friars Conventual of
Our Lady of the Angels Province joyfully announce that three of our brothers Friar Moises Maximilian Avila Pacheco, OFM Conv. Friar Emanuel Ventura Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. Friar Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv.
alongside Friar Milton (de Jesus) Torres Albarran, OFM Conv.
of the Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto (Venezuela)
were ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood
through the imposition of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit,
on Friday, June 22, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT)
at Saint Louis Roman Catholic Church, 780 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Check back soon for a video of the entire
Liturgy of the Eucharist with the Rite of Ordination.
_____________________________________________________
June 25, 2017: Friar Moises Maximilian Avila Pacheco, OFM Conv. (at right) and Friar Emanuel Ventura Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. (at left), both friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, were Ordained as Deacons, in the Chapel of our Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, MD.
January 14, 2018: Our Lady of the Angels Province friar Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv. (2nd from right) and Friar Milton de Jesus, OFM Conv. of the Venezuelan Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto (2nd from left) were Ordained as Deacons, in the Chapel of our Shrine of St. Anthony.
(Spanish Translation)
Con alabanza y gratitud a Dios Altísimo los frailes franciscanos conventuales de la Provincia Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles y de la Custodia Nuestra Señora de Coromoto alegremente anuncian que sus hermanos
Moises Maximiliano Avila, OFM Conv.
Emanuel Ventura Vasconcelos, OFM Conv.
Milton Torres Albarran, OFM Conv.
Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv.
recibirán el Sacramento del Orden Sacerdotal por medio de la imposición de manos y la invocación del Espíritu Santo el dia viernes 22 de Junio del 2018 a las 2:00 pm en la Iglesia Católica Romana de Saint Louis, 780 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
(Portuguese Translation)
Com louvor e gratidão a Deus Altíssimo os frades franciscanos conventuais da Província de Nossa Senhora dos Anjos e da Custódia de Nossa Senhora de Coromoto alegremente anunciam que os seus irmãos
Moises Maximilian Avila, OFM Conv.
Emanuel Ventura Vasconcelos, OFM Conv.
Milton Torres Albarran, OFM Conv.
Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv.
serão ordenados para a Sagrada Ordem do Sacerdócio através da imposição das mãos e a invocação do Espírito Santo na sexta-feira, o dia 22 de junho, no ano de Nosso Senhor de dois mil e dezoito às duas horas da tarde na Igreja Católica Romana de Saint Louis, 780 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Friar Franck with the St. Paul Parish Youth Minister – John Imbimbo and a member of the Youth Core team – Steve Beck
“I was able to attend the June 10-13, 2018 Catholic Youth Ministry Training Convention (Life Teen) in Scottsdale, Arizona. The theme for this year convention was ‘The Relentless Father’ and it was an incredible five day experience. Over a thousand youth ministers where gathered, with 56+ priests in attendance, as well as another religious friar ~ Br John Timothy of the Community of St. John. I had the opportunity to serve at all of the Masses and at Adoration, along with two of the seminarians in attendance. Overall, God strengthened my faith and has poured out His grace on me during this weekend convention. I feel renewed and even more committed to living out my vocation. He who has called me to this life of journey towards Him; through no merits of my own continues to unfold in my life His Grace and Mercy.”
Feast of St. Anthony of Padua – June 13th
St. Anthony ~ Pray for Us!
In celebration of the Feast of St. Anthony, our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD) hosted their 8th Annual St. Anthony Festival, on Saturday, June 11th. The featured speaker for the day was Dr. Scott Hahn. For those who were unable to join our friars, staff, volunteers and pilgrims that day, please enjoy these two talks given by Dr. Hahn.
Talk #1: “The Fourth Cup: The Miracle of Mercy in the Eucharist.”
Talk #2: “The First Society: The Miracle of Mercy in Marriage”
Friar Michał Tomaszek, OFM Conv. and Friar Zbigniew Strzałkowski, OFM Conv, along with Rev. Alejandro Dordi (Italian Missionary) are remembered as the Blessed Three Martyrs of Chimbote, who were murdered in Peru in 1991 by the Shining Path communist guerillas. Bl. Michał and Bl. Zbigniew are remembered today, June 7th (and August 9th) and Bl. Alejandro is remember on August 25th. Read More
A Message from br. Tim Blanchard, OFM Conv. “This summer I have taken on a double internship with both the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) and our province’s JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation) ministry to further explore and utilize the major I am pursing in Media and Communications, at CUA (The Catholic University of America, Washington DC). In this JPIC Update, I would like to share a quick reflection on two past events I had recently attended and how they have impacted me as a student friar. Its my hope to integrate the deeper truths about what it means to actively participate in social justice as a Franciscan.
On May 21, I participated with FAN and Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. (our Province JPIC Chairman) in the Poor People’s Campaign, a movement that seeks to eradicate the evils of poverty, systemic racism, and actions that lead to war. Already this Campaign has reached 30 states across the nation challenging political leaders to fight against inequality and redirect misguided moral narratives for a better society. The pre-rally began at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in DC where I listened in on the main speaker who, at the core of his message, highlighted the fact that “the values we are demanding should go beyond just a campaign, we are looking to enable the broader movement of equality that will echo in future times”. Looking around at the excited responses and reactions of the people gathered around the speaker it was evident that this was a community willing to take risks, to disrupt unjust systems and illuminate immoral policies. We could look at the failure by federal assistance to distribute public resources to those who are absent of a good job having to fend for themselves as one example of an inactive immoral systems in the economy. Federal programs are not meeting the growing needs of the poor so who will? The group’s willingness to practice civil disobedience to be arrested is considered by them a last resort having unsuccessfully lobbied for the change of policy. It is by this action that we see the impact of the rally transition from words to actions, from being heard to being seen. This operation is not executed just for some political spite but rather displays a great witness to resistance of immoral authority for a positive social change. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the officers who, with a big smile on his face, shared with me how much he “enjoyed arresting this group.” He and the other officers expressed their respect for our groups advocacy for the poor and their organization in making civil disobedience peaceful and orderly. What a shining example of defending human rights in a peaceful manner, it can be done with everyone playing their part. Without failure to mention, both Friar Michael and I were approached throughout the day by several faith leaders, students and ministers on the Capital lawn simply because we were in habit creating a visible Franciscan presence that was clearly noticed that proved both hearting and encouraging for many. Later that same week, on May 24, along with Friar Michael Lasky, I had joined Friar Timothy Dore, OFM Conv. (pictured at center left) and parishioners from St. Ann Church (Baltimore, MD – one of the parishes where he serves as pastor) for the monthly “Prayer Walk for Peace,” in the city. Leading this assembly of prayer was Bishop Denis J. Madden (urban vicar and auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Baltimore) who opened with the following remarks: “Peace is something that is very possible to spread within the human heart, and its going to be done today within these streets that have seen such terrible violence. Our prayers reach out to this city this evening that it may find God’s love and redirect the violent actions into actions of charity.” As we walked down the busy streets of Baltimore with all eyes fixed on us, hymns of praises were being chanted speaking of the search for a peaceful change. This faithful assembly made this walk with a vulnerability and an openness to forgive and love freely. Various stops were made along the walk where we prayed at specific locations that were affected by physical and social violence one of those locations being the killing of a 16 year old boy who lived not far from the parish due to gang violence. Amidst the weight of hearing these unfortunate stories of violence tainting the city, an image I will never forget was seeing those joined in the walk flood the streets offering a glimpse of something this city sees rarely, hope. Smiles found themselves on the faces of those we passed by as if we had released them from some weight upon their backs that allowed them to finally look up and see the light above that is ever so reachable. God’s voice is heard amid fantastic visuals that signal his presence and this was certainly one of those sights. After the walk several of the parishioners came up to me expressing how wonderful it was to have a Franciscan presence for the walk. This indeed was a ministry of presence embodying the spirit of St. Francis that still lives today.
If you would ask me my takeaways from these past two events I would have this to say. Our faith calls us to be wise in our social actions, bold in our moral beliefs, and courageous in what we know to be right and just. Questions also parallel these paradigms, when a people are living in fear, how do we step in as friars to proclaim Gabriel’s message “do not be afraid” through presence and solidarity, walking with them in the difficult places asking difficult questions and seeking equally different answers and then ACT on it? What is my witness when it comes to upholding equality within our society? There is a part to play in this, pray my brothers that I may find mine and that the Lord may continue to enlighten me during this summer experience. My prayers are with you always!”
(The photos were also taken by br. Tim Blanchard, OFM Conv.)
It is with great joy that our friars will gather this Saturday, July 7, 2018,
Over these past several years we have shared many “Adventures with Friar Chris” as News Posts. His unique and very personal vocational journey exhibits the joy found in his life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual. As he begins this next big adventure, please keep him in your prayers.
I had the opportunity to serve at all of the Masses and at Adoration, along with two of the seminarians in attendance. Overall, God strengthened my faith and has poured out His grace on me during this weekend convention. I feel renewed and even more committed to living out my vocation. He who has called me to this life of journey towards Him; through no merits of my own continues to unfold in my life His Grace and Mercy.”
“This summer I have taken on a double internship with both the 
