During the week of October 16th, as the Church marked the centenary of the founding of the Militia of the Immaculate, our Order sponsored an International Conference at the Seraphicum in Rome, Italy, with the theme: “St. Maximilian Kolbe in the Light of the New Evangelization.” On Thursday, October 19th, Our Lady of the Angels Province Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. was a keynote speaker. The title of his one-hour conference was “St. Maximilian: Minoritas for the Sake of the Kingdom.” During his conference, with the help of personal anecdotes, Friar James explained St. Maximilian’s exercise of minoritas (i.e. “the stance of humility before God and others”) in his apostolic service and his fraternal role as guardian among the friars – all for the sake of the kingdom. By way of three sources (biblical, Franciscan testimonials from Kolbe’s contemporaries, and Auschwitz survivors), Friar James examined generally how minoritas impacts a friar’s work of evangelization. In particular, Friar James explained how St. Maximilian exercised minoritas from four perspectives:
His vocation of itinerancy over 31 years
His theology of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception
His spirituality of total consecration to Mary
His mission of evangelization as a member of the Order of Penance
Citing texts of the saint, Friar James explained St. Maximilian’s plan for upbuilding the Church and fostering a civilization of love. He showed how Kolbe represented the icon of minoritas, imaged in Mary’s Immaculate Conception, as a type of “blueprint” for what a converted and sanctified world could look like. The martyr of charity proposed the M.I. as a mode for that evangelization, and intended Niepokolanow (“City of the Immaculate”) as a model of “minoritas space, or archetype of the kingdom,” which is also realizable today.
Submitted by Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv.
Our Lady of the Angels Province M.I. Assistant
The friars in attendance from our province took the opportunity to visit with some of our friars serving in Rome.
St. Anthony’s Relics in Canada: Mass at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Ottawa, presided by the Archbishop of Ottawa, Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, SJ.
Endearingly referred to as our International Friary, St. AndréBessette Friary (320 Olmstead Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1L 7K3) is home to Our Lady of the Angels Province friar – Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., who serves as Guardian as well as a professor at St. Paul University Canon Law Program, from the Philippines – Fr. Dominic Lim, OFM Conv., who serves as pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, from India – Fr. Saviour Karamvelil, OFM Conv., who serves as a Catholic Hospital Chaplain for the Archdiocese of Ottawa, and from Romania, Fr. Jeremiah Budău, OFM Conv., who serves as pastor of St. Ignatius Martyr Church. Our confreres from Padua, Italy, will be traveling in Canada, with the relics of St. Anthony of Padua, this November, with a visit to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, November 11-12, 2017
Within the Franciscan Family, St. Francis of Assisi founded three Orders.
We friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province are members of a First Order – the Friars Minor which is divided into three branches consisting of ordained and non-ordained friars: the Friars Minor (Brown Franciscans – OFM), the Friars Minor Capuchin (Capuchins – OFM Cap.) and the Friars Minor Conventual (Franciscan Friars Conventual – OFM Conv. – of which our province belongs). All First Order Friars take solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Conventual friar priests and friar brothers live in community as a single family, sharing in the life and work of the entire community, with equal rights and obligations. Read More
The Second Order – the Poor Clares, includes nuns professing the Rule of St. Clare (est. 1253) as well as those who observe dispensations granted (1263) or the constitutions drawn up by St. Colette (1458). Each Poor Clare Nun (O.S.C.) lives in the same monastery for her whole Religious life, taking the same solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Read More
Also established by St. Francis of Assisi is the Third Order – Secular. The Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) is a public association in the Church, divided into fraternities at various levels: local, regional, national, and international. Each fraternity has its own juridical personality within the Church and consists of laity (men and women) as well as secular clergy (deacons, priests and bishops). The rule and life of the Secular Franciscan is to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people. Secular Franciscans make a public profession and are consecrated, but they are not bound by public vows as are the First and Second Order Franciscans. Read More
The Leadership of each regional and local fraternity, as well as formation, is provided by a Professed Secular Franciscans. Since the Holy See has entrusted their pastoral care and spiritual assistance to the Franciscan First Orders and the Third Order Regulars, we have our own Provincial Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order: Br. Lawrence LaFlame, OFM Conv.
Although not all fraternities within the perimeters of our province are served by our friars, there are several friars who also serve local fraternities near their own ministries. To find a fraternity near you, click here.
St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity in Boynton Beach, FL is served by our friars in pastoral ministry at St. Mark Catholic Church, where they meet each month, as a local fraternity of the Five Franciscan Martyrs Region (SE USA – Southern GA, Lower AL and FL).
This month, Fr. Richard Florek, OFM Conv., who serves as Parochial Vicar at St. Mark Parish, helped them celebrate their fraternity’s Rite of Admission for three new members.
On a quiet September morning, anticipating a trip to The Big E later in the day, I chanced upon FriarDavid having his breakfast. With a cup of coffee in hand, I sat myself down and asked him a simple question, “David, can you tell me about the goats?” His answer began with a Stopyra look and laugh.
Friar David as shepherd of those in formation: 1976-1979 when he served as Guardian and Director of Formation, St. Hyacinth College and Seminary (Granby, MA)
Here is his story… Imagine our senior friars at St. Hyacinth Friary anticipating that annual October Conventual discernment: “What will we ‘do’ for the Franciscan Fast?” The day of the friary’s House Chapter* arrived and Friar David announced that he would spare the community the early penance of such delicate deliberation and offer something new, which would be announced on the community bulletin board within the week. The notice went up and friar after friar rolled his eyes, while chuckling at the typo, Goats for the Poor, “Surely, he meant Coats for the Poor!”
No, he meant GOATS. It was something Friar David put into practice as pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish (Taunton, MA), where he served for 15 years. He has now brought to our friars in Chicopee through the Catholic Charities initiative ~ Goats and Hopes.
Friar David’s inspiration went back to when he was first made a “shepherd” of goats in the Novitiate. In the mountains of western Massachusetts, in a place simply called Becket, +Father Master Cornelian Dende, OFM Conv. acquired goats, which were put in Friar David’s care. They were Alpine, Toggenburg, Saanen, and Nubian. Each had a name. Friar David especially remembers Luella and Susie (remembered as Poor Susie but that is a story for another day).
Fr. David Stopyra, OFM Conv. celebrated 65 years as a Professed Franciscan Friar Conventual this year. Born in Lawrence, MA in 1934 (A son of The Queen City of the Merrimack Valley), he entered the Mt. St. Lawrence Novitiate in 1951, and made his First Profession of Vows on August 15, 1952. Three years later to the day, he celebrated his Solemn Profession of Vows and was Ordained to the Priesthood on May 28, 1960 in St. Michael’s Cathedral, in Springfield, MA by +The Most Rev. Christopher J. Weldon.
Friar David earned several advanced degrees in Philosophy, Theology and Education and has served in province pastoral ministries as well as an educator, counselor, formator and definitor. He currently resides in our St. Hyacinth Friary, in Chicoppee, MA where he lives in community with several other of our senior friars.:
1960: Assistant Pastor & Teacher, St. Francis Parish & St. Francis HS, Athol Springs, NY
1961: Teacher & Counselor, Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, MD
1971: Guardian & Principal, Immaculate Heart of Mary Friary & Archbishop Curley HS
1976: Guardian & Director of Formation, St. Hyacinth College and Seminary, Granby, MA
1979: Guardian & Pastor, St. Stanislaus Friary and Parish, Trenton, NJ
1982: Guardian &Pastor, St. Hyacinth Friary and Parish, Auburn, NY
1991: Guardian & Pastor, St. Francis Friary and Parish, Athol Springs, NY
1997: Pastor, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish, Taunton, MA
*Rooted in the positive attitude and openness of each and every friar, the House Chapter is where we share the things most vital to our life so that our fraternity can be life-giving to us and attractive for young men to join us. Each friary commits itself to celebrate at least eight chapters per year and devote ample time to fraternal sharing, discernment, and planning. Each friar commits himself to this positive, participative, and prayerful moment in the life of a healthy friary.
+Lt Col Fr. Samuel Zebron, OFM Conv. ~ Military Chaplain (1969-1991)
+Fr. Samuel Joseph Zebron, OFM Conv. (1932-2017) Born in Baltimore, MD in 1932, at the age of 17, Friar Sam entered Mt. St. Lawrence Novitiate of the Franciscan Friars Conventual. A year later, he professed his vows and on May 24, 1958 was ordained to the priesthood at St. Michael’s Cathedral, in Springfield, MA, by +Most Rev. Christopher J. Weldon (who also served as a military chaplain during World War II). After his ordination, Friar Sam served the province as a teacher in New York and Maryland high schools, until in 1969 he requested permission to become a Military Chaplain. Granted permission, Friar Sam served in the US Air Force for 21 years, attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel. He received numerous medals and honors and retired from the military in 1991. His military experience helped form his life and he conducted himself with the high expectations of military bearing. In the years following his military chaplaincy, he continued to serve the province in pastoral ministry. His last assignment was as Parochial Vicar at St. Mark Parish, in Boynton Beach, FL. He remained there after his assignment retirement, and continued to be a presence in the parish community.
+Friar Sam met Sister Death on June 19, 2017, and on this year’s Commemoration of All Faithful Departed (All Souls Day – November 2, 2017) he was interred in Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors. Friars, family and friends – with clearance – were on hand for the Catholic Rite of Committal ceremony, followed by military honors.
More photos from the November 2, 2017 Internment at Arlington National Cemetery can be found in the Province Facebook Page Album.
October 5, 2017: Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and former president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, found time during a Catholic U – Washington DC speaking engagement, to visit Friar John Burkhard, OFM Conv. one of his professors from his time in study at our province’s former St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary.
Fr. John and our friars of the St. Bonaventure Friary – Post Novitiate Formation Community in Silver Spring enjoyed a wonderful visit after Cardinal Turkson contacted our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. to arrange the impromptu get-together.
On October 7, 2018, to kick off the Native American & First Nations Weekend at our National Shrine of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (Fonda, NY), Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv., who serves as our province Chairman of JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission), gave this 2:30 p.m. talk: “A Franciscan Understanding of Sacred Ground and Care for Creation.”
The weekend also included:
4:30PM Saturday Vigil Mass with traditional purification rite (smudging)
7:00PM Saturday Prayer & Healing Circle with Terry Steele and Deacon Ron Boyer
10:30AM Sunday Mass with traditional purification rite (smudging)
Presented by Friar Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. ~ Province Secretary
Archbishop Curley High School Transitus Service (10/3/17)
My sister-in-law loves the minions from Despicable Me and it was with my family that I first watched the film. For those of you who follow the movie series it traces the life of Dru Gru and how he found love, adopted three little girls and thereby changed his wayward life of villainy, well … thievery, to one of domestic bliss. The Minions are dedicated in service to Dru, much like how Friar Matt has his Minions, I mean “assistants,” here at Curley. As the story line has dragged on in the most recent Despicable Me 3, we see how Dru Gru finds out that he has a somewhat polar opposite identical brother, Felonius Gru, who tries to talk him back into a life of crime. In any event the DM3 animated adventure revolves around the theme – “I have a brother!”
In celebrating St. Francis of Assisi tonight we meet a real brother to all, not a comic creation, but someone who realized, as he noted in his Testament “the Lord gave me some brothers,” that he knew his way of life – living a poor simple life following the footsteps of Jesus – had been blessed with brotherhood. God has continued to give Francis brothers throughout the centuries. This Transitus Service assists us in getting close to the Spirit that embodied this man and serves as a charism for the Franciscan way of life.
Francis was a very charismatic young man and had many friends. Even in his decisions to move away from the world of fabric selling as a merchant, what we would call retail, he asked his close friends about his decisions. In this early time in his life, he encountered Christ in the cross at the church of San Damiano. It was there that he heard the challenge, Francis, “go and rebuild my church for it has fallen into ruin.” Christ spoke to Francis as a friend who asks for help; I need you to help Me do this. Francis, by following the literal observance of rebuilding that particular church, further developed his relationship with Christ in his many moments of prayer and fasting. When I come to Archbishop Curley High School I often admire the slogan – “Where brotherhood begins.” This saying captures the very spirit of Francis; being a brother or a sister to everyone and in all things. Our life is always relational – to our Most High and Glorious God, our parents, siblings, friends, and even to all of creation. This interwoven pattern begins but never ends. Just as Francis had this awesome challenge to responsibility when the Lord gave him brothers, our call is to look inward to see how we can be a brother a sister to all.
Of course, we live in a world that is also very aware of the environment – we recycle, we try to reduce our carbon footprint for our good Earth. Francis’ life beckons us – to love creation, but to love the Creator more. I think that is why Francis could embrace Sister Death singing – or having the Canticle of Creation sung to him. He had done what was his to do, and he challenged his followers to find out, to discern, where God is calling us to brotherhood today and every day.
Brotherhood to Francis was like a verb – to brother – indicating action and reaction to the world, people, everything around us. It requires an intense amount to love – for God has loved us much. Being a brother had no boundaries. At the time of his death he asked for his friend, the Lady Jacoba, to come to see him. The friars with Francis were hesitant that this woman would go into the cloister of the friars. Francis simply said – let brother Jacoba in for I need to see her. Francis was brother to all. With Francis there were no boundaries. At his tomb at the Sacred Convent in Assisi Francis four closest friars are buried near him, even dear Lady Jacoba is buried in the same crypt for she is buried across the chapel from him.
We come together tonight to realize that Francis is our brother. As we mark his passing, we can realize that here in this place, where brother hood begins, it is up to each of us to make this relational call to honor one another, to honor creation, and to honor and praise our God, Who has given us so much. We must look at ourselves and not say like Dru Gru, “I have a brother,” but it is better to say, “I am a brother.” This involves more responsibility – more accountability. How can I best be a brother to my friends and family around me right here and now?
In his Testament, Francis also says that he has done what was his to do and that we might be shown what is ours. Ours is still the call to be a brother to all and to honor one another well.
Transitus Service 2017: Each year, Archbishop Curley High School students portray St. Francis of Assisi and his Companions (brothers – friends) for the Transitus Service
Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv., who serves as our province Chairman of JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission) will give a 2:30p.m. talk, “A Franciscan Understanding of Sacred Ground and Care for Creation,” to kick off the October 7-8, 2017 Native American & First Nations Weekend, at our National Shrine of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, in Fonda, NY.
The weekend will also include:
4:30PM Saturday Vigil Mass with traditional purification rite (smudging)
7:00PM Saturday Prayer & Healing Circle with Terry Steele and Deacon Ron Boyer
10:30AM Sunday Mass with traditional purification rite (smudging)
During the week of October 16th, as the Church marked the centenary of the founding of the Militia of the Immaculate, our Order sponsored an International Conference at the Seraphicum in Rome, Italy, with the theme: “St. Maximilian Kolbe in the Light of the New Evangelization.” On Thursday, October 19th, Our Lady of the Angels Province Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. was a keynote speaker. The title of his one-hour conference was “St. Maximilian: Minoritas for the Sake of the Kingdom.” During his conference, with the help of personal anecdotes, Friar James explained St. Maximilian’s exercise of minoritas (i.e. “the stance of humility before God and others”) in his apostolic service and his fraternal role as guardian among the friars – all for the sake of the kingdom. By way of three sources (biblical, Franciscan testimonials from Kolbe’s contemporaries, and Auschwitz survivors), Friar James examined generally how minoritas impacts a friar’s work of evangelization. In particular, Friar James explained how St. Maximilian exercised minoritas from four perspectives:
In the years following his military chaplaincy, he continued to serve the province in pastoral ministry. His last assignment was as Parochial Vicar at St. Mark Parish, in Boynton Beach, FL. He remained there after his assignment retirement, and continued to be a presence in the parish community.
October 5, 2017: Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, prefect of the 
Presented by Friar Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. ~ Province Secretary
