On the evening of Thursday, February 15, 2018, friars, priests, bishops, sisters and laity who knew +Friar Donald Kos, OFM Conv. gathered at the Basilica Santi Apostoli our Curia’s Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome) for a Mass in his remembrance. The Major Penitentiary of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza JCD celebrated the Mass along with three other bishops and over 100 concelebrating priests. The Minister General of our Order, the Most Reverend Fr. Marco Tasca, OFM Conv. presented +Friar Donald’s various ministries and accomplishments throughout his tenure in Rome and Cardinal Piacenza delivered a beautiful homily in his remembrance.
A few weeks ago, Fr. Jacek Leszczyński, OFM Conv. organized a three-day workshop for the Hispanic Servers of Iglesia Catolica de St. Julia, in Siler City, NC. Topics included how to be a committed server, the image of the parish portrayed at Mass, reconciliation with God and our brothers and sisters, and much more. Participants worked on what individual ministry groups accomplished in 2017 and proposed activities to support spiritual enhancement and contributions. More on Friar Jacek and his ministry:
Known as Friar Jacek (to his Polish speaking parishioners), as Padre Jacinto (to his Spanish speaking parishioners) and as Friar Jack (to his English speaking parishioners), he is a Polish Conventual Franciscan Friar Missionary who in 2008 came to the United States, after serving for 10 years in Peru. At the request of our Minister Provincial, he has served the multicultural parish (American-Spanish-Polish) of St. Julia, since 2014, while residing in our Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary, in Pittsboro, NC, alongside Our Lady of the Angels Province friars, Br. Raymond Sobocinski, OFM Conv., Fr. Joseph Madden, OFM Conv. and Friar Gregory Spuhler, OFM Conv. The parish is part of the Diocese of Raleigh. Each weekend, he celebrates at least seven Masses (in English, Spanish and Polish), as well as Weddings Masses, and Quinceañera Masses. Over these past few years, Friar Jacek has facilitated many improvements to the property, including new bathrooms, floors, and stairs, as well as upgrades in the offices and courtyard, catechesis tools, a more secure roof, new paint for the church, offices and parish rooms, and new statues & artwork. The parish was gifted a new statue of St. Francis of Assisi and in the sanctuary space, they were able to mount a three dimensional work of Last Supper, painted by an Polish artist, from Raleigh. Although the parish is large, it is a poor community of mostly those who have come to this country to work; providing a future for their children and helping family they left in their home countries. However, they are very devout and spiritually connected community, closely and lovingly involved in the work of the parish. As a whole, they do everything for the glory of God. The Masses in Spanish are overcrowded, with a major lack of parking, causing hardship for the neighborhood. So, in November of 2017, St. Julia purchased 10 acres adjacent to the parish. They plan on expanding the parking area and building a Franciscan Spiritual Center.
+Fr. Donald (Thaddeus) Kos, OFM Conv. entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual Novitiate in Becket, MA, in 1953, Professed his Simple Vows on August 15, 1954 and his Solemn Vows on September 23, 1957. After earning a B.A in Philosophy from St Bonaventure University in 1958, +Friar Donald moved to Rome and continued formation at our Order’s Pontificia Facoltà Teologica San Bonaventura – Collegio Internazionale Seraphicum. He was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in our Curia’s Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in 1961 and continued his education, earning a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Seraphicum in 1964, and a Doctorate in Canon Law from Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University in 1966.
That same year, at the request of the Most Reverend Fr. Basil Heiser, OFM Conv., the 114th Minister General after St. Francis, +Friar Donald began his work for the Order and for the Vatican in the office for the Postulation of Saints’ Causes. During that time he aided in the cause of the sainthood of our confrere, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv.
Four years later, and under the same Minister General, +Friar Donald was elected to serve on the General Definitory of our Order as Assistant General serving the Conference of North America and England. He held that office until, in 1978, he was elected Procurator General of the Order, a position which he held for the next 17 years and re-assumed from 2007-2013. Within that time frame, he also held the higher position of Vicar General of the Order (1989 -1995).
In the eight-century history of our Franciscan Order, +Friar Donald had the unique distinction of being the only American to serve as Procurator General, and the related distinction of being the first of Polish nationality to hold that position.
+Friar Donald’s talents did not go unrecognized by the Vatican. Pope Saint John Paul II appointed him a votante (voter) on the Signatura Apostolica (Supreme Court of the Roman Curia) and in 1997, he was named Promoter of Justice in the Vatican dicastery (law-court) of the Apostolic Penitenzieria (tribunal of mercy of the Roman Curia, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins). +Friar Donald served in that position until in 2016, at the age of 80, Fr. Donald received the surprise of being appointed by Pope Francis to the post of “Judicial Vicar” for Vatican Tribunal Court of First Instance.
While in the USA in 2013, he was interviewed for “Real to Reel.”
After living and serving in Rome for 60 years, +Friar Donald returned to the United States, in December 2017, and was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. He moved to the hospice care of the Felician Sisters, in Enfield, CT and was called by Sister Death on February 4, 2018.
The Most Reverend Fr. Marco Tasca, OFM Conv., the 119th Minister General of the Franciscan Order will travel to the USA to celebrate +Friar Donald’s Funeral Mass, after which he will be buried in the Friars Plot at Mater Dolorosa Cemetery in South Hadley, MA. Donations in his memory can be made to the Franciscan Education Burse, 12290 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042.
Our Minister Provincial has been traveling for his Provincial Visitations; meeting with every one of our friars of the province. While in the Chicago area visiting with our friars who serve and study there, he was able to venerate the relic of Conventual Franciscan Friar, Martyr and Saint, Maximilian Mary Kolbe, OFM Conv. while visiting at Saint Ita Parish.
Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. José Guadalupe Matus Castillo, OFM Conv., serves as Associate Pastor at Saint Ita Parish, in Chicago.
Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Gerald Waterman, OFM Conv. hails from Bridgeport, CT and in 1973, at the age of 18, entered the Novitiate. He professed Solemn Vows as a Franciscan Friar Conventual, in 1981 and in 1985 was Ordained to the Priesthood, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Albany, NY.
Throughout his three decades in ministry, he has served all over our province (in seven states to be exact) in parishes, formation and the promotion of our missions. His past two assignments have been in college campus ministry. From 2005-2016, Friar Gerry served the students of Elon University and he is currently serving those of Syracuse University and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
One of the favorite events enjoyed through the Catholic Center is the Thursday Night Dinner. Friar Gerry kicks off these evenings with 7:00 p.m. Mass with the group and then joins them for fellowship and food. Free and welcome to all students of all faiths, each of these Thursday Night Dinners include a well balanced meal featuring comforting foods such as Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta & Meatballs, Mediterranean Chicken, Mac n’ Cheese, Pulled Pork BBQ, Vegan Burgers and Chicken n’ Biscuits. Several times each semester, the participants add to this night of fun, with a bit of service to those who go without in the local community. After Mass and a great meal, the students, faculty, staff and visitors line up to make sandwiches for the local Samaritan Center, an interfaith effort of community members who are committed to serving the hungry and those in need in Central New York in order to promote their welfare, dignity and self-sufficiency. Read More This tradition began well before Friar Gerry began serving as Campus Minister for the Catholic students of SU and SUNY ESF. There has been a home for Catholic students there for well over 100 years and the students enjoy a vibrant community, with devoted staff and Student Leadership. For the eight years prior to the arrival of Friar Gerry, they were under the nurturing spiritual guidance of the late +Fr. Linus DeSantis, OFM Conv. and August 2016, the diverse Syracuse community of students, alumni, parents, and friends have embraced Friar Gerry and he enjoys serving for and with the Catholic Orange and SUNY ESF communities.
Our Lady of the Angels Province Vicar, Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. was nominated by The Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) and approved by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to serve as a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC) of the USCCB for 2018-2021. The Council’s membership of approximately 50 people is drawn from the laity, deacons, priests, women religious, religious brothers, and bishops from around the country. Members are recommended by their diocesan bishop, CMSM, Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), etc. and represent the 15 geographical regions of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Council’s work is to review, discuss, and advise the bishops on the agenda items from Administrative Committee meetings that may be coming before the full USCCB for action at the bishops’ annual fall general assembly. The NAC meets each year in March and September.
On January 15, 2018, posts and fencing were installed around 3 acres of our farm land near our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD). After a year to replenish the soil, in the summer of 2019, we hope to plant & harvest fresh vegetables to be sent to the Franciscan Center Center of Baltimoreemergency outreach.
JPIC Update…HOW is our land being farmed in Ellicott City, MD?
What is sustainable agriculture and what does it have to do with us? In simplest terms, sustainable agriculture is the production of food, be it plants or animals, using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare. This form of agriculture enables us to produce healthful food without compromising future generations’ ability to do the same.
Ok. But what does that have to do with us? For many decades, the friars in Ellicott City have leased 85 acres of their property to a tenant farmer. Using the standard methods of farming in industrial countries, the tenant farmer planted one crop on the entire 85-acres each year, requiring extensive use of chemical herbicides and pesticides to protect the vulnerable monoculture from pests and disease. In order that the plant itself could survive the level of herbicide use required for protection, the farmer planted genetically engineered crops designed to withstand very high levels of herbicide application. While the corn crop itself is engineered to withstand the fatal doses of herbicides applied, the bacteria, fungus, and other biological life in the soil that is essential for plant life, however, are killed.
In addition to chemical herbicide and pesticide, standard farming methods employ heavy applications of fertilizers made from fossil fuel. While this fertilizer produces extraordinary plant growth, it also kills the biological life in the soil.
This combination of heavy applications of fossil fuel fertilizers and harsh herbicides on genetically engineered crops, applied repeatedly over the years, has resulted in soil that is sterile of life and depleted of nutrition.
Each year the tenant farmer alternated between a variety of commodity crops like corn and soybeans grown not for human consumption as part of a healthy diet, but rather to be processed into fuel like ethanol, food additives like high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated soybean oil, or feed for industrial livestock production.
Considering that the method of agriculture currently employed on its land was unsustainable without dangerous—and growing—chemical applications, and that the very crops grown were not even adding to a healthy food source for humans, the friars looked for a different farmer, a different method, and different human outcomes.
The farming method now being implemented on our land is called permaculture (a portmanteau of permanent and agriculture) and restorative or regenerative farming. These concepts all point in the same direction: using farming practices that strengthen the relationships between parts of our ecosystem rather than weakening them. Permaculture tries to use annual crops and perennial crops, as well as land and water use, in ways that let each element strengthen the other elements, creating a perpetual, self-reinforcing food system. Restorative and regenerative farming are, as their names suggest, similar projects: to farm in such a way that the farming itself helps restore the soil and regenerate healthy plants and animals for future generations.
In short, in the past products of the farm were not destined to strengthen human life, they were not fulfilling the mission of the Church. Now, in partnerships, our land is being farmed Laudato Si’ Style!
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A side note from Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv.
Our Lady of the Angels Province
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Ministry
This past week, I was able to spend several days at our Novitiate, in Arroyo Grande, CA teaching about social justice and care for creation. We explored Franciscan Prayer and Spirituality in light of JPIC and the history of Catholic Social Teaching form 1891 to the present. During a tour of the grounds, I discovered that they have enlarged their vegetable garden and are taking the time to air dry their clothes on an old fashioned clothes line!
In addition, new apostolates for the novices include both hospital and prison ministry.
At the foot of a beautifully adorned statue of Our Lady, stood three reliquaries, during Pope Francis’ Saturday, January 20, 2018 visit in Trujillo, Peru. They housed the relics of our martyred Polish confreres, Bl. Michał Tomaszek, OFM Conv. & Bl. Zbigniew Strzałkowski, OFM Conv. (martyred on August 9, 1991) and of the Italian Missionary Bl. Alessandro Dordi (martyred on August 25, 1991). These three missionaries, known as the Blessed Three Martyrs of Chimbote, were beatified together on December 5, 2015, by His Eminence, Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B.. Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Read More
Pictured here alongside the reliquaries, is Friar Rafael Dryjanski, OFM Conv., the current Guardian and Parish Priest in Pariacoto.
Pariacoto is the town in the Peruvian Andes where the terrorist guerrillas of the ‘Shining Path’ murdered Bl. Michał and Bl. Zbigniew claiming: distributing food received from imperialists was humiliating for the people, religion was the opiate of the people, and preaching peace & works of charity were tools to restrain the people from revolutionary uprising. These martyrs are buried at the parish church at Pariacoto, now served by Friar Rafael.
In August 1991, the guerrillas increased violence against the Catholic Church and publicly threatened to kill a priest of the diocese of Chimbote, each week. The first priest escaped from an instant execution, but on August 9, 1991 the two Polish Francisan Friars Conventual, Bl. Michał and Bl. Zbigniew, were taken out of the church at the end of the Eucharistic celebration and shot, along with the mayor.
On August 25, 1991 it was Bl. Alessandro (aka “Don Sandro”) who was ambushed after returning from a Eucharistic and Baptismal celebration in a distant chapel. Bl. Alejandro was shot getting out of his car. The three priests were the first beatified martyrs of Peru, and Friars Michał and Zbigniew were the first beatified Polish missionary-martyrs. The sacrifice of the three missionaries brought a greater awareness to the importance of Christian witness, even unto death.
On January 18th, four days after his Ordination as a Transitional Deacon, Friar Luis returned to serve as Deacon for a Mass with our friars of St. Hyacinth Friary, in Chicopee, MA, celebrated by their Guardian, Fr. Jude Surowiec, OFM Conv. who also works as a professor at nearby College of Our Lady of the Elms. This past year marked Friar Luis’ Fraternal Apostolic Year in dual ministry working for our pastoral ministry of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr parish & school while caring for the needs of our aged and infirmed friars of St. Hyacinth Friary, as well as those in the Felician Sisters’ Our Lady of the Angels Care Center, in Enfield, CT. Friar Luis will still be living with our friars in Chicopee, but our friars of St. Hyacinth enjoyed celebrating Friar Luis’ “Farewell Mass” in the company of his mother, Carmen who was there to visit the locations where her son had been serving.
Now that he is ordained a Transitional Deacon, Friar Luis will have a new ministry assignment. Although he will still be serving at St. Stanislaus, he will be doing so as a Transitional Deacon for the English speaking parishioners & students. In addition he will also be in part time ministry to the Spanish Speaking community of another one of our pastoral ministries, the Chicopee area – St. Anthony of Padua Parish.
Friar Luis with many of the Friars of St. Hyacinth Friary, Chicopee, MA
We friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province currently have three friar serving as Transitional Deacons: Friar Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv., Friar Maximilian Avila Pacheco, OFM Conv. and Friar Emanuel Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. Please keep them in your continued prayers as they prepare for their Priesthood Ordinations this June, alongside Friar Milton de Jesus, OFM Conv., of the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto (Venezuela).
(A special thank you to Br. Hugh – 2nd from right above – for proving these pictures.)
January 19, 2018: The Custos of the Custodial Nuestra Señora de Coromoto en Venezuela – Fray José Luis Avendaño, OFM Conv. and the Vicar, Fray Carlos Ortiz, OFM Conv. celebrated Mass at St. Bonaventure Friary house of studies (Silver Spring, MD), served by Friar Milton Torres Albarran (Milton de Jesus), OFM Conv., after his January 14th Ordination as Deacon, along with Friar Luis. This was a beautiful continuation of their visit with Friar Milton who is of their Venezuelan Custody and living with our friars in Silver Spring.
Photo Cred: Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Pilgrim Guide at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Fr. Martin Breski, OFM Conv.
Friar Ciprian Budău, OFM Conv., (second from left) the Provincial Custos of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody (Great Britain & Ireland) recently visited the Custody’s Novices, studying at the Novitiate at the Sacred Convent in Assisi. They were invested this past September after spending several months at the Sacred Convent in Italian studies. The time in Assisi has been joyful for friar Joseph David Freeman, OFM Conv. (left), friar Osvaldo Lopez-Figueroa, OFM Conv. (second from right), and friar Kieran John Murphy, OFM Conv. (right) and they also enjoyed having this personal time with their Custos.
Please keep them, and all of our friars in formation, in your continued prayers.
On the evening of Thursday, February 15, 2018, friars, priests, bishops, sisters and laity who knew +Friar Donald Kos, OFM Conv. gathered at the Basilica Santi Apostoli our Curia’s Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome) for a Mass in his remembrance. The Major Penitentiary of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza JCD celebrated the Mass along with three other bishops and over 100 concelebrating priests. The Minister General of our Order, the Most Reverend Fr. Marco Tasca, OFM Conv. presented +Friar Donald’s various ministries and accomplishments throughout his tenure in Rome and Cardinal Piacenza delivered a beautiful homily in his remembrance.
A few weeks ago, Fr. Jacek 
After Mass and a great meal, the students, faculty, staff and visitors line up to make sandwiches for the local 
Pictured here alongside the reliquaries, is Friar Rafael Dryjanski, OFM Conv., the current Guardian and Parish Priest in Pariacoto.
On January 18th, four days after his
