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.
The tour includes the opportunity to see a unique reliquary that holds the rare first class relics of beard fragments from St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. made available for veneration. (Note that the reliquary was created in Poland, to commemorate his beatification in 1971, as noted by the “B. Max. Kolbe” in the casing that houses the relic strands. St. Maximilian was a Polish Conventual Franciscan Friar who was canonized on October 10, 1982, by Saint Pope John Paul II – also from Poland.)
The relic, along with information about St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., will be on display beginning with the 8:00 a.m. Saturday May 21, 2016 Morning Mass and continuing throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. The 6:00 p.m. Evening Mass on Sunday, May 22, 2016, will highlight this special event. For those who will be attending Mass there this weekend, special prayer cards with a third class relic will be handed out. There will also be medals and holy cards available. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join the friars and parishioners during this special weekend. If you can not make it to these event and are in the Upstate New York or Ontario, Canada areas during these next weeks, please take the opportunity to visit one of our other ministry locations as this tour is in the area:
The Friars and people of Sri Lanka are grateful to our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, for making the new Formation House in Kandy possible. Because of the presence of a Pontifical Faculty in Kandy, the new house will serve as the Post-Novitiate site for the friars’ Philosophy and Theology studies.
The friar-students hand made a welcome arch out of coconut palm fronds. The new Formation House was formerly a hotel with four stories which will ensure that the Friars will get ample daily exercise.
The patron of the new Formation House is Sri Lanka’s first saint, the Indian missionary priest St. Joseph Vaz, who died in Kandy in 1711). Pope Francis canonized him in 2015 while on his papal visit to Sri Lanka.
The Minister Provincial of St. Maximilian Kolbe Province in India, the Very Reverend Fr. Leo Payappilly, OFM Conv. (right), hosted our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (left), throughout his visit. The Indian Province established its first mission in Sri Lanka seven years ago.
The local “Kandy Dancers” – famed for their acrobatics and whirling spirals – welcomed the local Bishop and the two Ministers Provincial to the celebration of the Inauguration and Blessing of the Formation House on Saturday, April 23, 2016. Bishop Joseph Vianney Fernando has been the Ordinary of Kandy for 33 years. He is well accustomed to being welcomed and escorted by the “Kandy Dancers.”
Garlands of orchids were placed around the necks of the three guests of honor. About 200 people filled the courtyard of the friary for the celebration – religious of several male and female congregations, including all three groups of First Order friars, the TORs, neighbors of all faiths, and civic officials. Eight friars made the journey from India to share in the celebration. For all of them it was their first trip to the Sri Lanka.
The elaborate “Inauguration” ceremony included lighting candles on a candelabra made by the friars out of the trunk, fronds, and flowers of the coconut tree. As the ceremony progressed, the big moment came for the cutting of the red ribbon – an honor accorded to our Minister Provincial. Bishop Fernando blessed each room of the new Friary, beginning with the Chapel.
The Minor Seminarians from the Mission’s formation house in Katana (Colombo) made the four-hour journey to Kandy to participate in the festivities (pictured in the Chapel). On the second day of the celebrations, Sunday the 24th, Fr. James celebrated the first Mass in the newly inaugurated and blessed Chapel, and afterwards processed outside to bless the Grotto of Our Lady, which the seminarians themselves had constructed. Fr. James left a donation for the friars to get a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which will eventually the grace the new Grotto.
On his last day in Kandy, Fr. James received the renewal of vows of two simply professed friars doing theological studies there. Friar Senet Kanjiraparambil, OFM Conv. (pictured here) renewed his Simple Vows with Fr. James. He is the artist who masterminded all of the decorative arrangements with the fronds and stocks and branches of the coconut palm trees.
Our current Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. at the October 10, 1982 Canonization of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. with St. Pope John Paul II
The last Pennsylvania tour stop for the “Pilgrimage of the Relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe” is at our pastoral ministry of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in Johnstown, PA. The relic will be present there from Friday, May 13th through Sunday, May 15th. A special Welcoming Service along with Veneration of the Relic and Benediction will take place on Friday, May 13, 2016, at 7:00p.m.
Veneration of the Relic will also take place at all the weekend Masses and all are welcome to visit Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Anthony Francis Spilka, OFMConv (pastor) and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, to take part in the weekend’s events.
After finishing up in PA, the tour moves onto our ministries in Up State NY and Ontario, Canada.
Linda’s Walk 2016
