Our province provides several grants to outreach, service, mission and ministries affiliated with the work of our individual friars’ ministries. One such outreach is the Jamaica Service Trip International Clinical Experience led by the College of Our Lady of the Elms Professor and Coordinator of the Accelerated Second Degree Program, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Br. Michael Duffy, DNP, APRN-BC (pictured top row second from left). Throughout the year, he takes Senior students from Elms College’s accelerated second degree nursing program to several locations in Jamaica, for community clinical service in a variety of settings. The underwriting for these clinics includes funds provided from grants from our province.
This is one of three clinics underwritten by the generous support of the Friars and Our Lady of the Angels Province. In just two days at Holy Spirit Clinic, almost 100 patients were seen.
Among others, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. is the patron saint of prisoners, media communications, journalists, eating disorders, families and the pro-life movement. He is also well known as the patron saint of people suffering from the disease of addiction. During the time that the Pilgrimage of the Relic of St. Maximilian Koble will be at our pastoral ministry of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, the parish will host a 7:00 p.m. non-denomination prayer service, held on Wednesday, March 16th. If you or someone you love suffers from addiction or if you want to pray for those who do, please feel free to join them for this prayerful event.
In addition to the prayer service, please join Our Lady of the Angels Province friars,
Fr. Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv. (Pastor) & Fr. Joe Angelini, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar),
and the parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy parish for veneration of the relics from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, March 16-17, 2016.
You are also encouraged to begin your morning at the Parish’s 8:30 a.m. Daily Mass and then stay for some peaceful and prayerful veneration each of those days.
The Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church location is the last opportunity for veneration in North Carolina. The relics will be moving onto our two pastoral ministries in Florida. The first weekend in April, the tour continues with a stop at St. Lucie Catholic Church, in Port St. Lucie.
The friars serving there, including the Pastor – Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv. and Parochial Vicars – Fr. Curt Kreml, OFM Conv., Fr. Paul Gabriel, OFM Conv. and Fr. Daniel Pal, OFM Conv., look forward to your visit. Check back to our website for another new News Item with more details or call St. Lucie Parish at (772) 878-1215 .
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is also a Holy Door location for the Diocese of Charlotte. Take this opportunity to enter through the Holy Door for this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, celebrate the Eucharist with the parish family and venerate the Relics of The Martyr of Charity, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Consider visiting Friar Carl at Our Lady of Fatima Mission (211 West Third Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101) while you are in the area on Wednesday, as Confessions are heard from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This will lead you one step closer to obtaining a Year of Mercy Jubilee Indulgence ~ (requirements: 1. Cross through a Holy Door signalling the deep desire for true conversion. 2. Go to confession. 3. Receive the Holy Eucharist “with a reflection of mercy.” 4. Make a profession of faith. 5. Pray for the pope and for his intentions.)
Order your own copy of this interpretive biography of Coventual Franciscan Friar and Martyr of Charity, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., written by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James E. McCurry OFM Conv.
Follow up by Friar Carl: Our Lady of Mercy hosted the relic of St. Maximilian Kolbe from March 16-17, 2016. The Charlotte Catholic community came to venerate the relic and learn more about this Polish martyr. About 200 people to celebrate St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life and death. On Wednesday, March 16, 2016, Our Lady of Mercy celebrated with a prayer service for those suffering from addictions of any sorts and for their families. Two local protestant ministers came and provided meditations on scripture passages from the Gospel of St. Luke and then gave recovery witness talks to the community and invited those present to give witness to the disease of addiction. 75 people attended and a rock band from a neighboring parish provided the music for the occasion. God certainly provided His Holy Spirit to bring so many good people to Our Lady of Mercy Church to venerate St. Maximilian Kolbe life.
To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., our province has sponsored a pilgrimage tour of 1st degree relics (fragments of his beard). This is the largest tour of St. Maximilian Kolbe relics in North America and will span the entire East Coast territory of the province. The relics have been in North Carolina since the end of February and will next visit St. Julia Catholic Church in Siler City (March 11th-13th). The Polish Community will be celebrating Mass on Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 p.m. Lenten Lamentations (traditional Lenten service) will be chanted at 1:30 pm in the church and the Mass will be followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Friar Jacek Laszczynski, OFM Conv. and the parishioners of (Iglesia Catolica de St. Julia) St. Julia Catholic Church welcome and invite you all to celebrate in the presence of the relics of this great Martyr of the 20th century and pray with them in his native language.
The parishioners of St. Julia performed a play about the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, including this moment when he, as a small child, was offered the crown of purity and the crown of martyrdom by Our Lady. He chose both.
Parishioners of St. Julia portray the condemned prisoners in prayer alongside St. Maximilian Kolbe.
Sunday, March 6, 2016: On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday, friar Antonio Sandoval Poveda, OFM Conv., brother Milton de Jesus Torres Albarran, OFM Conv. and friar Juan de Dios Martinez Canelón, OFM Conv. received the Minor Ministry of Acolyte (The chief offices of an acolyte are to light the candles on the altar and carry them in procession, to prepare wine and water for the sacrifice of the Mass, and to assist the sacred ministers at the Mass and other public services of the Church.), as a gift in his Franciscan and priestly vocation. The celebration was presided over by Friar Marco Umaña Juárez, OFM Conv., guardian of Convento Nuestra Señora de la La Asunción (Alajuela, Costa Rica). In the homily, Friar Marco reminding them of the love and mercy with which should assume the ministry and function of Acolyte. We are thankful for the goodness of the Father Almighty, Who calls friars to His service and Who has seen fit to depart these three brothers of ours in the Order, as well as to the various ministries on the path to the vocational invitation the priesthood.
“On March 5th at Marytown, the first English critical edition of the Letters (Volume 1) and Other Writings (Volume 2) of St. Maximilian Kolbe was launched before a celebratory and packed Conference Center Auditorium. As the keynote speaker, {[Minister Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province, the Very Reverend] Fr. James [McCurry, OFM Conv.] captured everyone’s interest and emotions as he contextualized the 2500 pages of Kolbe’s writings, which were written mainly between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II. That period was characterized by the extremes of Nazism on one side and Communism on the other. Between these totalitarian “isms” of godlessness, Fr. James said, Kolbe and his writings stand as a witness of hope. In today’s society, secularism and atheism remind us that the “isms” of godlessness and hatred are often still present. Just as Maximilian tried to touch and witness to all, even to his own companions in the death bunker, he wants to touch all of us today. What a better way to do that, Fr. James proposed, than through the saint’s writings. Needless to say, sales of the handsomely-bound, two volumes were quite brisk!” ~Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. (M.I. Assistant)
The team that made these writings possible: Bro Charles, Fr. James, Antonella DiPiazza, Mary Farrow and Kit O’ Brien
The Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., Minister Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province and recipient of Marytown’s 2015 St. Maximilian Kolbe Award, gave the Keynote address at the Saturday, March 5th Book Presentation and Celebration of the publication of the first English critical edition of “The Writings of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Volumes I & II.”
To order these volumes, click on the order form here and download your copy to mail to Marytown Press, 1600 W. Park Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048. If you have any questions or have trouble getting the form, please call Marytown Press directly (800-743-1177) as we will not have any of the volumes available through our province.
The relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. are currently on tour throughout our province territory on the east coast of North America. Newman Catholic Student Center Parish, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will host the relics on Monday, March 7th at 7:00 p.m., in the St. Mary of the Angels Chapel of the Activity Center. There will be a prayer service which includes readings from the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, prayers, and veneration of the relic.
The Newman Catholic Student Center Parish is one of our most unique pastoral ministries. It is made up of a vibrant faith community located in downtown Chapel Hill, with a primary mission to spread the Gospel on the UNC campus and serve all Roman Catholic students, faculty, and residents in Chapel Hill. The parish and campus ministry are headed up by Our Lady of the Angels Province friars Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. and Fr. Bill Robinson, OFM Conv., who often are aided by the confreres who live in Durham’s St. Anthony of Padua Friary: Fr. Brad Heckathorne, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv. & friar Emanuel Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. who work in Campus Ministry at the Duke Catholic Center, as well as the pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Fr. Andrew Santamauro, OFM Conv. In addition to being a full Roman Catholic parish, they are the active campus ministry on UNC’s campus, offering Faith Formation, Service Opportunities, Sacramental Preparation, and Community Building. Please feel free to join these friars and the parishioners of The Newman Catholic Student Center Parish for this special prayer service, on March 7th. At this service, the parish will also be commissioning all of their spring mission trip participants.
St. Maximilian Kolbe Prayer
St. Maximilian, amidst hate
and imprisonment, you
brought love into the lives of
fellow captives and sowed the
seeds of hope amidst despair.
You bore witness to the whole
world by word and deed that
“love alone creates.”
Heavenly Father,
You inflamed St. Maximilian
the friar and priest with love
for the Immaculate Virgin,
and filled him with zeal for
souls and love of neighbor.
Through his prayers, grant us
to work strenuously for Your glory
in the service of our sisters and brothers,
and so be made conformable to
Your Son until death.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
February 29, 2016:
At evening prayer at St. Anthony of Padua Friary, in Durham (NC), friar Emanuel Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. was installed as Lector with all of the friars who live and work from the friary present. He is pictured here receiving The Word from the Guardian of the friary, Fr. Brad Heckathorne, OFM Conv. Friar Manny had previously received the ministry of Acolyte, while in study at the St. Bonaventure Friary Post-Novitiate, in Silver Spring, MD. Read more about friar Manny who is currently serving through the Duke University Catholic Campus Ministry Office.
Note on Minor Ministries: Prior to 1963 and the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), during the formation process on the road to the priesthood, men were affirmed to four Minor and three Major Ministries. Now there are two; Acolyte and Lector (Can. 230 §1 and §2) in preparation for the transitional diaconate step prior to the priesthood. These are two stable “Ordinary” ministries, as opposed to “Extraordinary” ministries of temporary designation afforded to those not in preparation for the priesthood.
Our Lady of the Angels Province Vicar Provincial, Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv., blessed friar Luis while Fr. John Burkhard, OFM Conv., Br. Jim Moore, OFM Conv., (Deacon) Friar Nick Rokitka, OFM Conv., and his confreres in formation stand in witness, in the St. Bonaventure Friary Chapel.
Tuesday – March 1, 2016:
During the Morning Liturgy, fr. Luis Palacios Rodrigues, OFM Conv. received the minor ministry of Lector. The ceremony took place with the friars of St. Bonaventure Friary (Silver Spring, MD) present. We send blessings upon friar Luis.
Note on Minor Ministries: Prior to 1963 and the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), during the formation process on the road to the priesthood, men were affirmed to four Minor and three Major Ministries. Now there are two; Acolyte and Lector (Can. 230 §1 and §2) in preparation for the transitional diaconate step prior to the priesthood. These are two stable “Ordinary” ministries, as opposed to “Extraordinary” ministries of temporary designation afforded to those not in preparation for the priesthood.
REVISION: The new hours are: Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. & 7-8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (with prayer service at 11:00 a.m.) and 7-8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Pilgrimage of Relics in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv.
In 1941, St. Maximilian demonstrated heroic charity by offering up his life in place of fellow prisoner, a husband & father, who was one of ten men chosen to suffer death by starvation, in the Auschwitz (Poland) WWII concentration camp as consequence for a prisoner’s successful escape. Canonized October 10, 1982, St. Maximilian Kolbe was declared the “Patron Saint of our difficult century,” and a Martyr of Charity, by Pope Saint John Paul II. Our Province is in the beginning stages of a 2016 pilgrimage of a relic to most of our ministry locations in the U.S.A. and Canada. The reliquary pictured here is one of four that was created in 1971 to hold a portion of his beard. Upon his return to Poland, under the National Socialism, the beard that once earned him the respect of the people he served as a missionary in Japan, instead provoked not only his own persecution but the persecution of his fellow friars, “Beards provoke the enemy who rapidly is approaching our friary. Our Franciscan habits also will provoke him. I can part with my beard. I can’t sacrifice my habit.” In 1938, after having shaved Maximilian’s beard, one of the friars placed it in a pouch. The reliquary also contains symbols from the life of St. Maximilian: the base is in the shape of his birthplace of Poland, covered in the “thorns” of occupation by the Third Reich. Out of those thorns, however, burst forth a lily of purity and a tulip of martyrdom – symbols of love triumphing over hate. The strands of our saint’s beard are hosed in a class case entwined with our Franciscan knotted cord representing his vocation to our Order and our vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
The tour is currently headed to North Carolina where there will be several opportunities to venerate the relics. After spending February 27th-29th at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, in Burlington, Holy Cross Church is hosting the relics (March 5th-6th). All are invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity for prayer and veneration. Holy Cross Pastor and Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Andy Santomauro, OFM Conv., will lead an 11:00 a.m. prayer service Saturday, March 5th, in the parish sanctuary. The relic will also be available for veneration following the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 6th. Fr. Andy will also reflect on St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. during his homily.
Symbols in Art: White Crown – Purity, Red Crown – Martyr, Franciscan Habit including Franciscan Crown/Rosary & Three Knotted Cord – Member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv.), Prisoner Uniform with “P” & #16670 – Political Prisoner in Concentration Camp, Prisoner Uniform with “P” & #5659 – Franciszek Gajowniczek Whom He Replaced in Death and the Images of Auschwitz Concentration Camp – Location Martyred
The next Pilgrimage of the Relic of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. stop is at our pastoral ministry of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community, in Graham (Burlington, NC).
Our Lady of the Angels Province friars, Fr. Paul Lininger, OFM Conv. (Pastor),
Fr. Vincent Rubino, OFM Conv. (Associate Pastor) and
Fr. Briant Cullinane, OFM Conv. (Pastor Emeritus)
invite all to join the parish community for a prayerful reflection the the life and death of this great Martyr of Charity. The event includes veneration of the relic, February 27-29, 2016 at the Masses {Sat. 5:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Spanish and Sun. 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Spanish).
There will also be a Special 3:00 p.m. Prayer Service on Sunday, February 28, 2016,
for those in need of or in recovery from addiction, as well as families & friends impacted.
There will also be an additional Prayer Service Monday, February 29, 2016, after 8:30 a.m. Mass.
Message from Fr. Paul:
“Blessed Sacrament was honored to host the relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe for the weekend of February 27-29, 2016. Because it was a special occasion for the parish community and others from the diocese, we decided to invite an outside speaker for the events which included homilies at all the Masses (both in English & Spanish), as well as, Sung Vespers on Sunday Afternoon, and then a special prayer service for Monday morning, Feb.29th. Fr. Michael Lorentsen, OFM Conv. was able to join us as the homilist for the occasion. In addition we included the members of the SFO from our parish along with the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes in the event. The relics were carried into the church at the beginning each service by the SFO members. It was a means of again recognizing their role here in the larger community and their ongoing quiet service to the community.”
If you cannot make these dates, know that the next stop on the tour is Holy Cross Catholic Church, (Durham, NC) March 5-6, 2016.
Relic Tour Background: To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe (a friar of our Order of Friars Minor Conventual who died in the World War II concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland) our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province have sponsored a pilgrimage of St. Maximilian’s relics (consisting of fragments of his beard). This is the largest tour of St. Maximilian Kolbe relics in the United States. It began on January 15, 2016 with an Opening Mass celebrated by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., followed by veneration, held the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland. The tour will include 38 of our friar’s ministry sites along the East Coast of the United States and Canada. The pilgrimage of St. Maximilian’s relics will return to our Ellicott City, MD ministry at the Shrine of St. Anthony for a concluding Closing Ceremony, on St. Maximilian’s feast day, August 14th.
