Father Richard Rossell, OFM Conv., 85, grew up in Trenton, the son of Marcella and Ralph Rossell and one of five brothers.

Brother Jim Moore, OFM Conv. grew up in an Irish-Italian family in Syracuse, N.Y., with four siblings.

As part of his Documentary Production Class, at Syracuse University, Fr. Rijo Mulavarickal Polachan, OFM Conv. created the following video visit with Fr. Robert Amrhein, OFM Conv. as he reflected on his time serving in Costa Rica, including a video greeting {Gracias Por Todo ~ Thanks for Everything} from one of his former students.

Friar Rijo is a Franciscan Friar Conventual from the India Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe. He is living in community with our friars in Syracuse, NY while continuing his studies, at Syracuse University. Friar Robert is an 85 year old friar of our province, living in the same friar community, in Syracuse.

Excerpt from the Assisi Virtual Pilgrimage Facebook post:

Franciscan Pilgrimage Program
was asked to create an alternative pilgrimage due to the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On November 7th, 8th, and 11th, 2020,
they will present a Virtual Pilgrimage to Assisi, at NO COST!
It is completely FREE
so that everyone can experience a pilgrimage during this tough year of 2020.

The schedule will be as follows:
November 7th – Porziuncola
Noon (ET) – Brief 30 min ZOOM Discussion followed by a YouTube Virtual Pilgrimage to be viewed before the evening session.
8 PM (ET) – ZOOM Discussion about the Virtual Pilgrimage from YouTube link

November 8th – Rieti Valley
Noon (ET) – Brief 30 min ZOOM Discussion followed by a YouTube Virtual Pilgrimage to be viewed before the evening session.
8 PM (ET) – ZOOM Discussion about the Virtual Pilgrimage from YouTube link

(The link for the YouTube Virtual Pilgrimage for Veterans Day (November 11, 2020) will be given during the Zoom call on Sunday evening).
November 11th – La Verna (Stigmata)
Noon (ET) – Zoom Discussion about LaVerna and the stigma of PTSD in light of the stigmata of St. Francis.

***Evening Discussions on the 7th and 8th and the Noon discussion on the 11th will be broken into two groups of pilgrims and veteran pilgrims.***
All are invited to a Free Zoom meeting, each date: Nov 7th, 8th, and 11th 2020

________________________

UPDATED INFORMATION:
Due to an overwhelming response to their Virtual Pilgrimage, the Franciscan Pilgrimage Program had to upgrade their ZOOM Chat settings.  Below you will find a NEW Link where we ask you to PREREGISTER for the pilgrimage.
You MUST preregister in order to participate.
They apologize for the confusion but want to make sure to accommodate everyone who is interested in joining them. 

Preregister for the Virtual Pilgrimage by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvd-uvrTguGtKbZdlset1GPa0-eJE73hhD 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

“Screenshot” of friar Cristofer (top left) with some of the virtual attendees during his session

Friar Cristofer M. Fernández, OFM Conv., a brother candidate of our province in studies at The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC), gave a virtual talk for the CSUSB PDC Catholic Newman Club’s Hispanic Heritage Month event. In his talk titled “Emerging Care for our Common Home: Migration, Creation Care, and Latino Catholics,” friar Cristofer discussed the relationship between human movement under the stresses of environmental disequilibrium and shared what Catholic social doctrine had to say regarding migration and creation care. Toward the end of the talk he explained what the hispanicization of the U.S. Church looked like and encouraged the college students to share their gifts with the Church and people in need. The students responded well to his talk and appeared to have fruitful dialogue in the breakout session.

On October 7, 2020, the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., a friar of our province and the Archbishop of Atlanta, was formally conferred the sacred pallium; a band of sheep’s wood worn over his vestments as an ancient symbol of his leadership and his unity with the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Pallium Mass was celebrated by The Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio To The United States, at Saint Peter Chanel Catholic Church, in Roswell, GA.

Read more about the pallium and the Pallium Mass

Papal Nuncio Homily – Imposition of Pallium on Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer

Joyfully, eleven friars of our province were able to join in the celebration: (left to right) Fr. Tom Reist, OFM Conv., the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv., Fr. José Guadalupe Matus Castillo, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv., Fr. Calixto Salvatierra Morena, OFM Conv., Fr. Robert Schlageter, OFM Conv., Fr. Jude Michael Krill, OFM Conv., Fr. Martin Kobos, OFM Conv., Fr. Vincent Gluc, OFM Conv. and Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv.

The Archbishop after being formally conferred the sacred pallium.

The Archbishop flanked by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. and our Vicar Provincial, Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv.

For the first Sunday since his near-fatal bout with the Coronavirus, Fr. Noel Danielewicz, OFM Conv. returned to his parish of St. Benedict the Moor Church – on the Feast of St. Francis – October 4th. Our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (below right) flew to Georgia to be celebrant and homilist at the liturgy. Tears of joy and applause reverberated as the flock of St. Benedict the Moor welcomed back their beloved shepherd, Friar Noel!
Friar Noel Danielewicz, OFM Conv. has been the pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Church (Columbus, GA) since August 2018. He lives in fraternity in our Franciscan Martyrs Friary, with five other friars of our province, who serve in Saint Benedict the Moor’s sister-parishes of: St. Anne Catholic Church & Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church as well as in education ministry at St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School.

The night before, Friar Noel joined his confreres to celebrate the Transitus with Friar James at St. Anne’s where one of the parishioners had drawn a chalk painting of St. Francis of Assisi on the pavement, to welcome the local community and members of all 3 parishes served by the friars in Columbus, GA (below).

ENCYCLICAL LETTER – FRATELLI TUTTI – OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON FRATERNITY AND SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP

Francis Week #1: Dedication to Christ in the Church

Francis Week #2: Community Connection

Francis Week #3: Concern for the Marginalized

Francis Week #4: Oneness of Creation

Francis Week #5: Peaceful Resolution of Conflict