Our Lady of the Angels Province Vicar Provincial, Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. was invited to give the May 2016 St. Bonaventure Province Priesthood Ordination retreat for three of their friar deacons. Fr. Jim Ciaramitaro, OFM Conv., Fr. Edmond Des Forges, OFM Conv. and Br. Jim Dufresne, OFM Conv., living in St. Bonaventure Province’s St. Anthony Friary (Rockford, IL), provided outstanding hospitality and wonderful fraternity for the entire week’s retreat. The retreat participants, Fr. Brad and the local St. Bonaventure Province friars enjoyed a final dinner out, to celebrate Br. Jim’s 65th birthday.
Along with own Friar Nicholas Rokitka, OFM Conv., we lift up in prayer our three brothers from Saint Bonaventure Province, as they also prepare for their June Ordination.
Photo of Friar Nicholas Rokitka, OFM Conv. (left front) as he and Fr. Gabriel Scasino, OFM Conv. (now an ordained priest serving the people of San Damiano Mission, in NY) professed their Solemn Vows on August 6, 2014. The event was celebrated by the majority of his brother of Our Lady of the Angels Province. Friar Nick is scheduled to be Ordained to the Priesthood, at 11:00 a.m., on June 25, 2016, at our pastoral ministry of St. Casimir Church, in Baltimore, MD.
For the past three years, Fr. Emmanuel Acquaye, OFM Conv., a Ghanan friar of the Provincial Custody of St. Anthony of Padua (under the Italian St. Anthony of Padua Province), has been living with the friars of our province, in the St. Joseph Cupertino Friary (Ellicott City, MD), while studying full time at Loyola University Maryland, and assisting the friars of our ministry of The Shrine of St. Anthony. It is with great joy that we celebrate Friar Emmanuel receiving his Masters of Arts in Pastoral Counseling during Loyola University Maryland’s 164th Commencement Exercises, Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Royal Farms Arena, in Baltimore, MD!
He is grateful for the support of the friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, particularly those of St. Joseph Cupertino Friary. Video of event: He crosses the stage around 2:24:10.
On Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and pastor of Holy Family, Friar James Fukes, OFM Conv. welcomes you to a special 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by a Prayer Service that includes Veneration of the 1st degree relic.
The relic (fragments of the beard of St. Maximilian Kolbe) will remain at Holy Family Church until Thursday, June 2, 2106, 5:00 p.m. Please keep an eye on the Holy Family website to check the newest bulletins for the most up to date details on the events.
Franciscan Friars of St. Anthony Friary
Friar David Collins, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of St. John the Apostle
Friar Jim Fukes, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of Holy Family Parish & Guardian of the Friary
Friar Ed Debono, OFM Conv. ~ Sunday Chaplain, Sisters of Providence
Friar Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. ~ Canon Law Professor, St. Paul University (Ottawa)
Click the above image to order copies of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity, written by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the August 14, 1941 martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., at the World War II Oświęcim concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland, 1st degree relic stands of his beard have been on tour throughout our province since January. The Relic Tour will continue into Canada to visit our pastoral ministry of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure, on May 28-29, 2016. There will be a special 9:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 28th to begin this historic visit. After the Mass, there will be a Solemn Procession with the relic and a Prayer Service recounting St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life. Pope John Paul II declared Maximilian Kolbe a “Martyr of Charity.”
St. Bonaventure is home to five of our friars, living, working and serving in Ontario, Canada: Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. (Guardian of the friary and Executive Director of St. Clare Inn), Fr. Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv., Fr. David Stachurski, OFM Conv. (pastor of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure) Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv., and Br. David Suckling, OFM Conv. (member of theBoard of Directors of St. Anthony of Padua Mission Aid – Franciscan Centre). This is the first of three Canadian locations for our Pilgrimage Relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. The tour will continue onto our pastoral ministry of The Church of St. John Apostle and Holy Family, in Kingston, Ontario, May 30-June 2, 2016, before returning the USA for the rest of the tour.
FRANCISCAN SOY CANDLES: To commemorate this pilgrimage tour, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Br. Andre Picotte, OFM Conv. the artisan creator behind Franciscan Soy Candles (a ministry to raise funds needed to care for his aged and infirm brothers) has a newly available St. Maximilian Kolbe Candle. Even if you cannot get to any of our locations to venerate the relic, you can enjoy this commemorative candle, while helping us provide much needed support for our more senior friars.
Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., the Provincial Assistant to the Militia Immaculata (an evangelization movement identifying with Mary that was established by St. Maximilian Kolbe) presided over Mass concelebrated by the friars serving the people of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure (left to right: Fr. David Stachurski, OFM Conv. – pastor, Fr. Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv. and Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv. Friar Jobe (who is also a Canon Law Professor at Saint Paul University, in Ottawa, Canada) spoke on St. Maximilian Kolbe, as well.
In an article published online by the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, Friar Jobe stated, “As Christians, we are called to reveal God’s love by our concrete actions. In our day, St. Maximilian’s martyrdom at Auschwitz is a preeminent manifestation of that.” In that same article, our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. added, “His relevance to people in the 21st century lies in his validation that love conquers hate, and goodness will ultimately triumph over evil.”
Pictured are the Friars who attended the event from Our Lady of the Angels Province friars in attendance: Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv., Fr. David Suckling, OFM Conv., Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv., Fr. Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv., Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv., Fr. Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv. and Fr. David Stachurski, OFM Conv.
On April 16, 2016, St. Clare Inn hosted An Evening in Paris fundraiser. The event featured music including an accordion player and student performers, a magician and a handwriting analysis expert. More than 200 people attended. Our ministry at St. Clare Inn (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) helps homeless women between the ages of 30-60, who are struggling with diagnosed mental health issues, rebuild their lives by providing them with transitional housing, support, assistance, guidance and training to relearn life skills. Every year, St. Clare Inn hosts two major fundraisers to assist with operational costs. Since St. Clare Inn is entirely funded privately and receives no government support, these fundraisers are vital to keeping the doors open and their proceeds cover almost 40% of their operating costs. Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Bro. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. is the Director of St. Clare Inn and our province is one of the ministry supporters.
Linda’s Walk 2016: Save the date of Saturday, August 13, 2016. Walk 5K through the neighborhood of Don Mills, in support of the work of St. Clare Inn. Join the friars, the community, annual participants and other supporters in this, the 7th year, to help change lives in ways you cannot begin to imagine. If you are not from the Toronto area but still wish to support this great ministry or for more information, please contact St. Clare Inn or visit “How You Can Help” on their website.
Saturday, May 16th, 2016, was graduation day at The Catholic University of America. In addition to several Our Lady of the Angels Province friars serving the students there through Campus Ministry, the university is where our friars in the Post-Novitiate stage of Formation study and prepare for their work in active ministry for the province. Our brother, Friar Nicholas Rokitka, OFM Conv. (whose Ordination to the Priesthood is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., on June 25, 2016, at our pastoral ministry of St. Casimir, in Baltimore, MD) received his Bachelor in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)and Master in Divinity (M.Div.) degrees. All the student friars in the area were present to accompany Friar Nick in such a joyful occasion. We send blessings to Friar Nick as he moves on to full time ministry at our high school ministry at, Archbishop Curley High School, in Baltimore, MD!
The Pilgrimage of the Relic of Maximilian Kolbe arrived at SFHS May 24-25, 2016. On May 25th, students participated in a special prayer service during their Religion class period. Students from different grade levels gathered together in the School Chapel for a modified version of the Divine Office. The prayer service included a reading from the writings of Kolbe, psalms, Scripture, a video on Kolbe’s martyrdom, and a short reflection from Our Lady of the Angels Province Friar, Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv. After each service concluded, the students had the opportunity to make a closer examination of the relics. Several visitors from outside of the school—including two local seminarians—participated along with the students.
Pilgrimage Relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province have scheduled a pilgrimage of a 1st Degree Relic of strands of his beard, traveling throughout our province territory in the U.S.A. and Canadian. The tour will end at The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD, with the August 14, 2016 Closing Ceremonies, in celebration of his Feast Day.
Photo of the relics as displayed during the February 27-29, 2016 Relic Tour Stop at our pastoral ministry of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community, in Graham (Burlington, NC).
May 24-26, 2016: The relic tour will visit our high school ministry of St. Francis High School, in Athol Springs, NY. During this time, all of the students will gather, in union with their Religion classes, for Prayer Services with Veneration, in the school Chapel.
This will be private time for the students and be incorporated into their lessons. These Prayer Services are only for students and are not open to the public. However, the relics will also remain on the school Chapel altar,
from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. If members of the public would like to venerate the relic during this time, please use front entrance of school located on Lake Shore Road.
+Fr. Jeffrey (Francis) Keefe, OFM Conv. was born to the late +Francis M. and +Maria (Kulas) Keefe, in Syracuse, NY, on June 11, 1926. Friar Jeffrey passed away on May 11, 2016 after a long illness and is survived by his Franciscan family and his nephews.
Entering the Novitiate of the Franciscan Friars Conventual in August of 1945, he professed his vows on March 17, 1946 and was ordained to the priesthood in Albany, NY, on June 7, 1952. Friar Jeffrey received an S.T.L in 1952 and an M.A (Ed) in 1955, from The Catholic University of America, in Washington DC and pursued an M.A in Psychology from Fordham University, receiving an A.A., in 1962 and his PhD in clinical psychology, in 1965. Fr. Jeffrey served for four years (1952-1956) as a teacher at Trenton Catholic Boys High School and in 1956, was assigned to St. Francis Preparatory Academy on Staten Island, NY, as Teacher and Spiritual Director. His work in Clinical Psychology greatly enhanced his experience. He taught at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary for many years and was greatly sought after for his reviews and vocation evaluations and vocation assessment, for not only our Order, but for a dozen or more other religious communities and dioceses. Fr. Jeffrey was published as a contributor on several works and in several Catholic periodicals; The Priest, Catechist, for example. He was part of the training staff for the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center from 1974-1984, while working in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Syracuse from 1971-1984. He became the Director of the Personal Resource Center under Catholic Charities in Syracuse, in 1989. Fr. Jeffrey became well-known for his work in the group, COURAGE, founded by Rev. John Harvey. COURAGE is a spiritual support group for Catholic men and women who are striving to live chaste lives in accordance with the Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality. Fr. Jeffrey was also a contributor to some of their conferences.
Visitation will take place on Sunday, May 15, 2016 from 5-7:00 p.m., followed by a Franciscan Wake Service, at 7:00 p.m. On Monday, May 16, 2016, a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., preceded by 9-10:45 a.m. visitation, at The Franciscan Church of the Assumption, 812 N Salina St., Syracuse, NY 13208. Interment will be in the Friars’ Plot, of the Assumption Cemetery, immediately following the Memorial Mass. Memorial Donations may be made to the Franciscan Education Burse, 12300 Folly Quarter Rd., Ellicott City, MD 21042.
Funeral arrangements are by Keegan-Osbelt-Knight Funeral Home in Syracuse and Kozikowski Funeral Home in Chicopee, MA.
Linda’s Walk 2016
