Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, Chicopee, MA: The San Damiano Youth Group’s presentation of Greccio in Chicopee was a beautiful remembrance of the Nativity of our Lord! The Basilica community would like to thank the event organizers, Rebecca James and Monica Kelly and all of the youth members of the San Damiano and Morning Star Groups, musicians, equipment, construction, sound, lighting, animals, and refreshment supporters for making such a beautiful event possible. This event would not be possible without the selfless efforts and time of so many youth, parents, and friends of their youth. They also thank the kitchen crew guided by the Holy Name, Vincent de Paul, and the Rosary Societies for providing refreshments and caroling, in addition to Mr. James Perkins for dedicating his time to direct the cast of youth to display the true feeling of the beauty of our Lord’s birth. Their hope is that this event brought peace and joy into the lives of all who attended, and continues to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas and the humbleness of our Lord. Link to the video from the Catholic Communications news program, “Real to Reel,” who filmed the event.
The Franciscan custom of extracting patrons and passage, on the Feast of the Epiphany reflects a reverence for the saints and the understanding of the need for continuing promotion of personal holiness. During the extraction ceremony, participants chose a unique name of a saint to be considered a prayerful patron in addition to a short personal precept to be considered a focal point for spiritual concentrated development. This is a communal ceremony and can include not only those members of an individual friary, but those in an area, those serving in the same ministry site or those sharing the same Franciscan Charism. This can include other Franciscan Orders of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as Secular Franciscans and those sharing in ministry of Franciscan sites. The “picking” of the names and precepts are accompanied by a fraternal meal and time for fellowship. This is a time of great celebration during the Christmas season and an event which we all look forward to, each year.
Fr. Matt Foley, OFM Conv. participates in the 2016 Epiphany Extractions held in the Archbishop Curley Chapel, hosted by the the friars of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Friary, for those of our province who serve in the greater Baltimore, MD area.
Fr. Robert Schlageter, OFM Conv., Fr. Marek, Stybor, OFM Conv.. Fr. Raymond Borkowski, OFM Conv. and Fr. Mieczyslaw Wit, OFM Conv. gathered for Epiphany Extractions for friars serving in the New England area.
Fr. Raphael Zwolenkiewicz, OFM Conv., Fr. Stanislaw Czerwonka, OFM Conv. and Fr. Gabriel Scasino, OFM Conv. joined with the local Franciscan Sisters for the Epiphany Extraction celebration of the NY Metropolitan area.
Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. (top left) with Senior students of Elms College, School of Nursing, who traveled to Holy Spirit Clinic, Maggoty, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, WI, for their Clinical Rotation.
Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. (DNP, APRN-BC) is the Coordinator of the Accelerated Second Degree Program and a Professor at the School of Nursing of the College of Our Lady of the Elms, in Chicopee, MA. His vast education (B.S. American International College, M.S. University of Lowell and D.N.P. Regis College) and extensive experience as a Nurse Practitioner and Educator (Teaching at Elms College 1988-1997 and 2011 – today) is enhanced by his six years of service as a Missionary in Jamaica; managing a clinic, while serving the people of the area through the parish education and outreach needs (St Mary’s, Above Rocks, and Missions consists of: St Mary’s, Above Rocks; Holy Family, Cassava River; and Sacred Hearts, Pinto; in St Catherine Civil Parish, Jamaica, WI.). When the friars arrived in Jamaica they were instructed by the local clergy to give the people good Liturgy and take back the schools, to help stop the hand out mentality, to preach stewardship and to encourage evangelization and catechesis. For six years Brother Michael and the other friars serving there made it a point to have the church open daily while keeping the Sunday celebration of Eucharist central to the life of the Mission. They also committed themselves to weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. They took back the schools, helping them return to a better sense of order, with good principals, weekly Mass, and regular participation in school devotions, meetings and functions.They made great strides in bringing order to chaos and dignity to charity. They preached, encouraged and participated in every evangelization effort that the vicariate or archdiocese offered, while reviving an effective Sunday School and sacramental catechesis. When they left the missions, the seed for success was implemented as the people served took over the reins.
Br. Michael, or “Duffy” as he is affectionately known, has worked in several states and holds a special place in his heart and ministries for those he calls the underserved, including his implementation of the carRe vaN, a mobile healthcare unit serving the poor in the Chicopee area. “Having worked in street clinics in Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, I know how important it is to bring healthcare to the homeless rather than asking them to come to you.” This program also provides nursing students with clinical experience, while providing blood pressure, blood sugar, foot, episodic first aid and minor wound care, as well as patient education and other healthcare needs that may arise.
In addition to working with Br. Michael through the caRe vaN project, students have the opportunity to join him as he returns to Jamaica so they can participate in a population health and community nursing experiences. Work continues with the doctoral students to further develope ways to provide primary care to the under-served of the Chicopee area.
The Ladies from St Mary’s , Above Rocks pictured with Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv., after Mass at St. Paul of the Cross Cathedral in Mandeville during their annual retreat at the adjacent Passionist Retreat House. They send greetings to all the Friars who served their community.
January 15, 2015: Second bush clinic (flash clinic) in the Morgan Forest District in Clarendon, JA, where they saw served 102 people. The group is pictured here in front of the building dedicated as “Barb and Fran Homework & Community Centre” which served as their clinic for the day. Br. Duffy and his student are very grateful to our friars and our benefactors for your continued support, especially over those 13 days in Jamaica.
Friar Michael speaks at “To Heal a Broken World” presented at Elon University (where Our Lady of the Angels Province Friar, Fr. Gerald Waterman, OFM Conv. serves as Chaplain of the Catholic Campus Ministry). The presentation expressed what Judaism, Islam & Christianity say about Social Justice. On hand were a Priest (Friar Michael), a Rabbi and a Muslim who talk about why they promote social justice & how their tradition motivated them. There were two sessions: January 7th and January 14th.
Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. was born in Baltimore, Professed his Solemn Vows in our Order in 1998, and was Ordained to the Priesthood in 2000. Prior to his ordination, began his ministry in the province as a teacher at St. Francis High School in 1997, taking a break from ministry to earn his M.Div. and get ordained, returning to the high school to teach from 2000-2005. He spent the next five years as Campus Minister, at Western Connecticut State University, in Danbury, CT. In 2010, he began a two year assignment as Regional Director for the Americas, of Franciscans International (FI), in NY, working at the United Nations (UN) to address human rights injustices that impact on the poor and most vulnerable. After spending time in Spanish Studies, Bogota, Columbia, he served as the Parish Administrator and Campus Minister of Newman Student Center Parish, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC). He is currently residing in our SS. Francis and Clare Friary, in Washington DC.
Friar Michael was one of the Religious Leaders to sign the Franciscan Action Network and Muslim Leaders’ Joint Statement on Anti-Muslim Rhetoric. As the Chairman of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission of our Province, Friary Michael uses his gift for preaching, flair for presentation and generosity of spirit to reach out to everyone he meets; living our the loving charism of St. Francis of Assisi. His love for justice for all has no limitation; no matter what faith or cultural background ideals are held by those around him. As indicated in the picture here, he works with the rest of the friars of our Province, our Order and the world around us to help educate, encourage, mediate and be an example of PEACE in our time.
As the new year quickly approaches, we friars would like to remind you of our upcoming
“Pilgrimage of the Relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe.”
From some of those strands, four identical reliquaries were created, one of which will be venerated during this pilgrimage.
In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Our Lady of the Angels Province has scheduled a pilgrimage of a relic throughout our province U.S. and Canadian territory. The reliquary pictured here is one of four that was created in 1971 (11 years prior to his canonization – thus marked as B. Max. Kolbe as he was then only elevated to blessed) to hold a portion of his beard that in 1938 was shaved after Friar Maximilian received permission from his Minister Provincial. It contains many 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 housed in a glass case entwined with our Franciscan knotted cord representing his vocation to our Order and our vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
St. Maximilian first grew out his long beard to enhance his missionary work in Japan where the beard helped to earn the respect of the people he served. Upon his return to Poland, under the National Socialism, the beard 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.” After having shaved Maximilian’s beard, one of the friars placed it in a pouch. Strands of the beard still are preserved in the Niepokalanow archives. (Claude R. Foster, Mary’s Knight, Marytown Press 2013, p. 586) From some of those strands, four identical reliquaries were created, one of which will be venerated during this pilgrimage.
Click the above image to order copies of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity
In 1941, St. Maximilian demonstrated heroic charity by giving his life in place of fellow prisoner, Franciszek Gajowniczek; a husband and father who was one of ten men chosen to suffer death by starvation after being subjected to hours of standing in the hot summer sun, in the Auschwitz (Poland) concentration camp during World War II as consequence for one prisoner’s successful escape. Franciszek’s a cry of despair,” What will become of my family?” moved Saint Maximilian to step forward and ask to be taken instead. 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.
PILGRIMAGE OF THE RELIC OF
ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE
2016 Itinerary (Updates Will Occur Upon Change)
A bearded St. Maximilian smiles over the heads of his fellow friars, over whom he served as Guardian
O God, who gave the Church and the world the priest and martyr
Saint Maximilian Kolbe, burning with love for the Immaculate Virgin Mary and with apostolic zeal for souls and heroic love of neighbor, graciously grant, through his intercession, that striving for Your glory by eagerly serving others, we may be conformed, even until death, to Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen
In the Meeting Room of the Organization of American States
Fr. Walter Loaisiga, OFM Conv., President of St. Francis College, in Moravia, San Jose, Costa Rica, accompanied a group of his students on a visit to the United States. They were invited to Washington, DC, the first week of December 2015, to give a presentation on Costa Rica & Education, to the Organization of American States, the world’s oldest regional organization established in 1889. The presentation was requested due to the fact that St. Francis College, our education ministry in Costa Rica – serving Preschool, Elementary and High School aged students, is the only fully bi-lingual school (English/Spanish) in Costa Rica.
Friar Walter and the students met with the Ambassador of Costa Rica to the Organization of American States prior to making their presentation on Education in Costa Rica
Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Winston-Salem
On Friday, December 11, 2015, over 1000 faithful participated in the mañanitas (early morning busy festivities) lasting from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. It ended with a re-enactment of the miracle of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin receiving the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saturday, December 12th, again over a 1000 people came for the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe into our church and up to her shrine there. Due to the fantastic turnout on Friday and Saturday, Fr. Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv., a friar from our province who serves as pastor of both Our Lady of Fatima Mission (NC) and Our Lady of Mercy Church (NC), was expecting a small number of people for the Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Latino Mass, but again over 1000 people showed up to celebrate Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday Mass for the 3rd Sunday of Advent.
A few photos of the events for the Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
On the December 12, 2015, in the Chapel of our St. Francis College in Moravia, San Jose, in Costa Rica, Our Lady of the Angels Province Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (pink Gaudete/Rejoice vestments – kneeling), presided at the Profession of Vows for four of our Costa Rican Friars. In addition to the local friars on hand, also participating in the celebration were two more friars from the United States, Fr. Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv. (Syracuse-NY) and Br. Jim Moore, OFM Conv. (Silver Spring-MD), as well as American Volunteers currently serving for a year in Alajuela, Costa Rica, through FrancisCorps ministry.
~ Simple Vows – fray Henry Ramírez Vargas, OFM Conv.
~ Solemn Vows – Fray Pablo Alonso Carvajal Espinoza, OFM Conv.
~Renewal of Vows – Fray Milton Torres Albarran, OFM Conv.*
and Fray Juan Gregorio Martinez Canelon, OFM Conv.*
*Our Lady of Coromoto Provincial Custody (Venezuela) of the
Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo (Puglia, Italy)
Graduation Ceremonies ~ St. Francis College in Moravia: President of the College, Fr. Walter Loaisiga Gonzalez, OFM Conv. & Minister Provincial, Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
Visiting Costa Rica also afforded Fr. James the opportunity to preside at the Mass and Graduation Ceremonies at our Province’s St. Francis College in Moravia, San Jose, Costa Rica.
Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, Chicopee, MA: The San Damiano Youth Group’s presentation of Greccio in Chicopee was a beautiful remembrance of the Nativity of our Lord! The Basilica community would like to thank the event organizers, Rebecca James and Monica Kelly and all of the youth members of the San Damiano and Morning Star Groups, musicians, equipment, construction, sound, lighting, animals, and refreshment supporters for making such a beautiful event possible. This event would not be possible without the selfless efforts and time of so many youth, parents, and friends of their youth. They also thank the kitchen crew guided by the Holy Name, Vincent de Paul, and the Rosary Societies for providing refreshments and caroling, in addition to Mr. James Perkins for dedicating his time to direct the cast of youth to display the true feeling of the beauty of our Lord’s birth. Their hope is that this event brought peace and joy into the lives of all who attended, and continues to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas and the humbleness of our Lord.
