Durham, NC: On Monday, January 26, 2015, the Very Rev. Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., Minister Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province, blessed and dedicated the new residence of our friars working at Duke University, the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and Holy Cross Catholic Church. Having been already canonically erected by our Order’s Minister General, the newest friary of the Our Lady of the Angels Province is under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua. Friars who are stationed not only at St. Anthony of Padua Friary but in other areas of North Carolina assembled for the fraternal festivities, along with the Diocese of Raleigh dean of the region, the guardian of the local OFM community, and a vocation applicant and senior Theology major at Duke University. The blessing took place in the context of Evening Prayer, where Fr James’ reflected on the vocational journey of St. Anthony of Padua, as a flight from mediocrity:
“Mediocrity is compromise worked out into a system. For the young Portuguese Anthony, the vocation to religious life could brook no such thing as compromise. If we examine the vocational journey of Anthony, we note that his was a continuing ‘flight from mediocrity.’ First, he entered the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross at St. Vincent’s in Lisbon, trying to immerse himself in the supernatural life. Unfortunately he kept getting interrupted by visitors from his past, who distracted him from the path of interior formation. So he requested of his superiors to be transferred to their monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, where he could further distance himself from the distractions of the world. While in Coimbra, he met and hosted the five young Franciscan Friars who were en route to Morocco. They stirred higher longings in his soul. When word later reached Coimbra that these five had been martyred – the protomartyrs of the Franciscan Order – Anthony’s ‘flight from mediocrity’ would take a new and life-changing turn. After praying before their remains, which were returned to Holy Cross in Coimbra for burial, Anthony discerned to leave the Canons and join the Franciscans at their nearby hermitage “The Olives.” Later as a Franciscan, he pursued the call to follow in the footsteps of the protomartyrs by going as a friar-missionary to Morocco. Illness and shipwreck eventually led him to Italy. His ‘flight from mediocrity’ deepened in the obscurity of his early assignments among the Italian friars, until Francis himself and the other leaders among the Friars of the Community recognized his preaching talents. Itinerancy characterized Anthony’s entire religious journey – grounded in a humble and perpetual desire to be authentic to the charism of following Jesus after the manner of Francis. He relied on Our Lady for supernatural help during his lifelong ‘flight from mediocrity.’ It is my prayer that you Friars here in Durham, following the example of your friary patron, never be content with anything mediocre. May Our Lady of the Angels intercede for you as She did for Anthony. God asked Our Lady to oversee the work of the Angels in His divine plan. May she oversee the work of the Angels as His divine plan unfolds here in the North Carolina Triangle. There are two important features about angels – their purity of spirit; their energy for mission. May Our Lady of the Angels stimulate each of you individually and all of you collectively towards ever greater purity of spirit and energy for mission, as she did the good St. Anthony.”
Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. in front of the mobile health care van: caRe vaN.
The Raskob Foundation awarded a $27,000 grant to the caRe vaN. The caRe vaN has served the community surrounding Elms College since January 13, 2013. This grant will greatly help Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. and the undergraduate nursing students to expand services and will also help in some much needed capital expenses. If you would like to help this important outreach to the homeless and under-served in the Chicopee area, please contact Br. Michael at bro_duffy@hotmail.com
Excerpt from the Profession of Simple Vows: “… placing my hand in yours … with firm faith and will, I vow to God the Father, the Holy and Almighty, to live for three years in obedience, without anything of my own, and in chastity…” “…with all my heart I entrust myself to this brotherhood that through the working of the Holy Spirit, the example of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the intercession of our father Francis and all the saints, and with the help of my brothers, I may, in the service of God, the Church and humankind, seek the perfection of charity.”
On Saturday, January 10, 2015, the friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province joyfully celebrated, as Friar Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv. professed his first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The celebration was held at the Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, Maryland. Many friars, pilgrims and friends were in attendance, including a large group of Vocation Prospects. We ask that you please keep friar Luis, and all on the vocational journey toward the Franciscan Friars Conventual, in your continued prayers.
Friar Luis signing the Book of Profession (left: Fr. Gary Johnson, OFM Conv. – right: Br. James Moore, OFM Conv.)
Presentation of the Rule and Constitutions of the Order (center: Br. James Moore, OFM Conv. – right: Very Rev. Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.)
A Ministry of Service ~ St. Bridget’s Residence Program
St. Bridget’s is one of many community services provided by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. It is a structured therapeutic program for homeless men and women living with HIV/AIDS. We are located downtown Newark on University Ave. just a few blocks from the main shopping area. Our program buildings were once known as St. Bridget’s Parish – a former church and rectory and a school and convent.
St. Bridget’s is not a hospice nor a medical facility, but a transitional housing program. It provides a safe and healthy environment necessary to enable each resident to empower himself. This empowerment strengthens the residents to live in a permanent residence and provide skills necessary to obtain a permanent home. This mean that the resident’s focus and energy must be placed on achieving those goals necessary to enable them to move into a permanent housing and be successful in a new home.
Ministering to homeless men with HIV/AIDS at St. Bridget’s reminds me of how St. Francis, with love and compassion, approached the leper 800 years ago. Many of our men have shared with me their personal stories of how they have been rejected by society, family and friends because of their HIV/AIDS condition. Much education is still needed in this area. “What you did for the least of these…, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). This is our testimony and our challenge to offer a better life for those who seek our services.
My weekly ministry hours and days at St. Bridget’s are from 3:00 p.m. to 12.00 a.m. – Monday through Friday. Compassion and Service has been the hallmark of my nineteen years ministering at St. Bridget’s. I have been with Catholic Charities for 26 years. Before coming to St. Bridget’s I begin my years with Catholic Charities in 1988 as a teacher of Special Education.
On Monday, November 10, 2014, prayer intentions sent into the Companions of St. Anthony by our Province “Companions” were placed on the altar of St. John XXIII, located within St. Peter’s Basilica, in Rome. Fr. Timothy Kulbicki, OFM Conv., the Guardian of Rome’s Convento S. Antonio alle Terme and the former Vice Rector of Baltimore’s St. Mary’s Seminary and University, is pictured here as he celebrated the Mass for those intentions. The Companions of St. Anthony is a ministry our friars and their friends who share a common bond inspired by the life and values of St. Anthony of Padua.
Canadian Canon Law Society President, Robert Lariviere, presenting Fr. Jobe with the medallion and pin, distinctive of the 2014 Jean Thorn Canon Law Award of Merit
On October 23, 2014, at the closing banquet of the forty-ninth annual convention of the Canadian Canon Law Society held at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. was presented with the 2014 Jean Thorn Canon Law Award of Merit. Fr. Jobe is a Canon Law Professor at Saint Paul University, in Ottawa, Canada.
A portion of an October 28th announcement made by Saint Paul University Dean of Faculty of Canon Law, Anne Asselin, JCD, PhD, stated, “Nous sommes également heureux d’annoncer que la Société canadienne de droit canonique a décerné la Mention de mérite Jean Thord pour 2014 au professeur Jobe Abbass. Il a été honoré pour sa recherche et sa contribution exceptionnelle au droit canonique, spécialement dans le domaine du Droit oriental. Le prix est décerné aux membres de la Société qui se sont distingués dans la promotion du droit canonique ou qui ont fait des contributions exceptionnelles au service du droit canonique.” (Translation: We are … pleased to announce that the Canadian Canon Law Society awarded the Jean Thorn Canon Law Merit Award for 2014 to Professor Jobe Abbass. He was honoured for his research and outstanding contribution to canon law, especially in the field of Eastern Law. The award is granted to members of the Society who distinguished themselves in the promotion of canon law or who have made exceptional contributions in the service of canon law.“)
As stated by our Minister Provincial, the Very Rev. Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., “You have brought a distinct honour to our new Province of Our Lady of the Angels. Kudos and Thanks!”
Participants at the Damietta Peace Initiative October 2014 Gathering – Pretoria, South Africa
From October 22 – 25, 2014, Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv., the Assistant General of the CFC (Conventual Franciscan Conference), participated in a gathering of the Damietta Peace Initiative in Pretoria, South Africa, as the personal representative of the Minister General, Friar Marco Tasca, OFM Conv., along with Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv., the head of the Commission of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation for Our Lady of the Angels Province.
The Damietta Peace Initiative is a movement, founded by Friar Donal Francis O’Mahony, OFM Cap, to help the inhabitants of the Continent of Africa find a peaceful way to deal with their problems. The initiative sponsors groups of 10 – 20 persons of diverse background (religious, tribal, etc.) to discuss common values and to confront differences in a peaceful way. The groups have a Franciscan spiritual guide to make sure that they preserve the values of simplicity and humility. Currently ocated in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, there are over 200 active groups with over 4,000 participants. The initiative hopes to expand into a number of other countries in the near future.
The presence of Friar Jude and Friar Michael at this gathering is a sign of the growing collaboration between the various Franciscan Families in the area of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.
Minister Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. stands between Fr. Ray Mallett, OFM Conv., on loan from the St. Joseph Cupertino Province in California, and Fr. Jakub Czajka, OFM Conv. on loan from the St. Anthony of Padua and Bl. James of Strepa Province in Krakow Poland. Behind them is the Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody‘s newly established Blessed John Duns Scotus Friary and campus ministry site at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland)
Formation Community of Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, at “The Friary” Oxford (Great Britain)
Formation Director ~ Br. Daniel Geary, OFM Conv. (left), Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custos ~ Fr. Peter Damian Massengill, OFM Conv. (center) and Fr. James pictured with the new Postulants
Fr. Nicholas Swiatek, OFM Conv. served the people of Japan from 1974 – 2001, returning in 2012 to serve in his current capacity as pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption. Akabane Catholic Church.
While currently serving the parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption, Akabane (Japan), Our Lady of the Angels Province Friar, Fr. Nicholas Swiatek, OFM Conv., was able to visit the Church of St. Mary’s in Naze City, Amami Oshima, Japan, on the Feast Day of the Assumption. It was there that he visited the memorial for +Fr. Jerome Lukaszewski, OFM Conv., also of our province, along with Fr. Luke Dyjak, OFM Conv. – the first American Conventual Franciscan Friars in mission on the islands of Amami Oshima Japan. St. Maximilian Kolbe went to Japan in 1930.
Fr. Luke went on to study Japanese in Tokyo, so Fr. Jerome was our only friar to continue the mission, when the American Capuchins ended their work there. Since Fr. Jerome had only a few months of Japanese study, he learned “on the job” in Amami and therefore learned the dialect which was spoken by most of the people. Fr. Nicholas was blessed to hear many stories of the missionary life of Fr. Jerome while they lived in the same house for 6 years and every week, traveled to Naze city (1.5 hours) together.
On March 20, 2006, three years after his death at age 80, a book was published commemorating +Fr. Jerome’s 51 years of work on the island. Printed in Japanese, in 2006, the 230-page book Ugaminshoran: Memories of Fr. Jerome, Apostle of Amami Oshima was made available for 2,300 yen. (“Ugaminshoran”is the Amami Oshima dialect word for hello.) If you are interested in a copy, the Japanese contact at the time for the publication committee was Tel: 0997-52-1107 or Fax: 0997-52-1197.
Affectionately known as the “Walking Missionary,” +Fr. Jerome spoke the local Amami Oshima dialect and loved the people (and food) of the island, spending much time visiting hospitalized sick. When he found out that the government was forcing mothers infected with Hansen’s disease (Leprosy) to abort their babies, he founded a safe home for them. He was the first foreigner to be named by Naze City, now Amami City, as an honorary citizen. At the time of his funeral, the city paid for the Nze City Cultural Center to be used as there were too many people to fit inside of the church, and there were many dignitaries present. The Furutacho Church in Amami Oshima displays many items the priest left behind in a small museum, naming the church hall in his honor, “Jerome Hall.”
+Fr. Jerome’s own English handwriting, marking the 2012, 50th Anniversary of the Mission
In Great Britain and Ireland our friars of Our Lady of the Angels’ Custody of Blessed Agnellus of Pisa are known as the Greyfriars. Our Order’s first presence there began when St. Francis of Assisi sent them in 1224. During the English Reformation, our friars loyal to the Holy Father were forced to flee. Although the Greyfriars returned in the early 20th Century, this year marks another historical milestone.
Please visit www.thegreyfriars.org to read the Latest News on our brothers serving in the Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, under the jurisdiction of Our Lady of the Angels Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
