During the Monday, July 22, 2019 Jubilarian Mass Celebration at our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD), friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv., friarJoseph Krondon, OFM Conv. and friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. will Profess their Simple (First/Temporary) Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. This week our North American Provinces celebrated the 2019 Investiture of five new Novices entering the Inter Provincial Novitiate. The event included the “Sending Forth” of our three graduating Novices of our province: friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. to further studies while living in community in the San Damiano Friary (San Antonio, TX), with friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv. and friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. moving onto further studies while living in community in the St. Bonaventure Friar (Silver Spring, MD). For more on that celebratory day, click on Investiture Celebration. As these three friars will not profess their vows until Monday, their habits’ cords still are not yet knotted. These friars officially entered the Novitiate and were vested in the habit of our Order, during their own Investiture in July 2018 (the photo above was taken that day). During this year’s ceremony, our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. presented them with new knotted cords – the three knots symbolizing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience – as well as gifting to each of them a Blue Cross.
On Monday ~ July 22, 2019, less than a week after their Sending Forth, these three friars will don their new knotted cords and profess their Simple (Temporary) Vows, in the presence of a large gathering of their confreres, family, guests, supporters, and shrine pilgrims.
Please keep them and all of our Province 2019 Jubilarians in your prayers!
2019 Profession Jubilarians
80 Years Friar Lucjan Krolikowski, OFM Conv.
70 Years Friar Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv.
65 Years Friar Raymond Borkowski, OFM Conv.
60 Years Friar Joseph Angelini, OFM Conv. Friar Julian Zambanini, OFM Conv.
50 Years Friar Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv. Friar Ross Syracuse, OFM Conv.
Friar Dennis Mason, OFM Conv.
40 Years Friar Joseph Benicewicz, OFM Conv. Friar Russell Governale, OFM Conv.
25 Years Friar Gregory Spuhler, OFM Conv. Friar Robert Benko, OFM Conv.
Friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv.
Friar Pedro DeOliveira, OFM Conv.
Friar Vincent Rubino, OFM Conv.
2019 Ordination Jubilarians
65 Years Friar Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv.
60 Years Friar Augustine Pilatowski, OFM Conv.
50 Years Friar Anthony Francis Spilka, OFM Conv.
Friar Martin Breski, OFM Conv.
Friar Joachim Giermek, OFM Conv.
40 Years Friar Vincent Gluc, OFM Conv.
Friar Raphael Zwolenkiewicz, OFM Conv.
Friar Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv.
Friar Michael Sajda, OFM Conv.
Friar Joseph Dorniak, OFM Conv.
Friar Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv.
Friar Thomas Reist, OFM Conv.
“Why the Children?”
Sometimes we stay away from discussing certain issues because they are politically charged and because of that, we become concerned with the ramifications that such discussions will have on us. Yet, there are issues in our society and in our world that need to be addressed and discussed no matter the consequences. It’s never easy.
We, as a people in our country, have a situation at our southern border that rips apart the human heart, especially when it comes to the children. The news give us information about the inhumane policies that are creating a cruel environment for these children. As people of good will and as believers in a God of compassion, as revealed to us by Jesus, we need to do everything possible to see the human faces of these children and recognize the situation at the border from a humane point of view. It cannot be just an “issue.”
When it comes to the situation at our southern border there is enough blame to go around the planet an infinite number of times. Where will such blame game get us? What will it accomplish? What good will it bring to us and to humanity at large?
Why the children?
Do we honestly believe that we have the right to treat children in such a way? What have we become? What do such policies say about who we are?
Newly Invested friar Christopher M. Fernández, OFM Conv. (far right) stands next to our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., along with our friar novices from our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody – friar Kyle Banks, OFM Conv. and friar Peter Flynn, OFM Conv.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019: friar Christopher M. Fernández, OFM Conv. was invested in the Franciscan Friars Conventual habit along with four more friars from his Postulancy Class. He is pictured at right being vested by our minister provincial. After completing their initial year of formation, living in community in St. Bonaventure Friary (our Order’s North American InterProvincial Postulancy – Chicago,IL), these friars are now in the Novitiate stage of formation. They will spend this next stage living in community in St. Francis of Assisi Friary (our Order’s North American InterProvincial Novitiate – Arroyo Grande, CA). Already invested as novices this past November, friar Kyle Banks, OFM Conv. and friar Peter Flynn, OFM Conv. of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody (Great Britain/Ireland) will continue their studies alongside these five Newly Invested Novices. Please keep all of our friars in formation in your continued prayers.
All of the newly Invested Novices – friar Roberto, friar Joshua, friar Alex, friar Michael and friar Chris – pictured with their Postulancy Director, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. (2nd right)
Congratulations to: friar Michael Hintze, OFM Conv. ~ St. Bonaventure Province friar Joshua Sherls, OFM Conv. ~ Our Lady of Consolation Province friar Alexander Gould, OFM Conv. ~ Our Lady of Consolation Province friar Christopher M. Fernández, OFM Conv. ~ Our Lady of the Angels Province friar Roberto Macias-Marin, OFM Conv. ~ Our Lady of Consolation Province
As part of the celebrations, the three graduating Novices of our province were “Sent Forth” onto their continuing studies. The chapel was full as we vested the five new novices in the habit of our Order and sent forth friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. to further studies while living in community in San Damiano Friary (San Antonio, TX), as well as friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv. & friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. to further studies while living in community in St. Bonaventure Friar (Silver Spring, MD). At left, they are pictured receiving their blue crosses and knotted cords (at right) from our Minister Provincial.
As these new friars have not yet professed their vows, you will notice their habits’ cords around their waists are not knotted. Upon their Simple Profession of Vows, the cords of their habits will hold three knots symbolizing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. On Monday ~ July 22, 2019, just few days after this Investiture and Sending Ceremony, these three friars will don their new knotted cords as they profess their Simple (Temporary) Vows during our Province Jubilee Mass; celebrating milestone years of Profession or Ordination. The Jubilee Mass with Simple Vow Profession will be held at our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD).
Our Province Friars who were on hand for the day’s celebration (left to right/top to bottom rows): Fr. Russell Governale, OFM Conv. (Province Vocation Director), the Very Reverend Fr. Michael Zielke, OFM Conv. (currently serving as Minister Provincial of St. Bonaventure Province), Fr. Maurice Richard, OFM Conv. (Novitiate Assistant Director), Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv. (Prefect of Formation & Pastor of St. Lucie Catholic Church, in Port St. Lucie, FL), friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv., friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv., Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. (Postulancy Director), friar Antonio Mouleau, OFM Conv., Fr. Marek Stybor, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar of St. Peter RCC, in Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ), friar Kyle Banks, OFM Conv., the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (Minister Provincial), friar Christopher M. Fernández, OFM Conv. and friar Peter Flynn, OFM Conv. Missing from photo: Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. (CFF Assistant General of the Order)
Photo Cred: Saint Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site
The Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, presided and preached at the Sunday, July 14, 2019, 10:30 a.m. Mass of Celebration for the Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, during the Annual St. Kateri Feast Day Weekend, at our Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site, in Fonda, NY. Our friars concelebrating the Mass were our Minister Provincial ~ the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (right), Chaplain of the Shrine ~ Fr. Timothy Lyons, OFM Conv. (left of Bishop Scharfenberger), Instructor at St. Francis High School – Athol Springs, NY ~ Fr. Max Avila, OFM Conv. (2nd from left) and Pastor of St. Adalbert RCC – Elmhust, NY ~ Fr. Miroslaw Podymniak, OFM Conv. (far left)
Pilgrims from far and wide, including New York City, areas of New England, and Canada filled the Shrine’s St. Maximilian Pavilion for Sunday’s liturgy which incorporated a Smudge and Four Direction Purification Ceremony during the penitential rite (right) and music with the Kateri Native Ministry of Ottawa. Veneration of the Holy Relic of St. Kateri followed Mass. The weekend began on Saturday at 10:00 a.m., with a day filled talks, presentations, music, testimonials, and veneration of the relic of St. Kateri. Among the presenters was Kay Olan, a Mohawk educator and storyteller, music by the Kateri Native Ministry of Ottawa, and a Four Directions smudging of sacred plants. Mass on Saturday was concelebrated by Friar Tim and Friar Max. The evening ended with a 7:00 p.m. prayer and healing circle with Terry Steele, who sits on the St. Kateri Shrine Council and is a member of the Algonquin nation. There were also several opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation available over the weekend.
Fr. Max Avila, OFM Conv. and Br. Gerry Seipp, OFM Conv. stopped for a quick photo in the beautiful sunshine. Photo Cred: Fr. James
There are many more events and celebrations happening at our National Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site throughout the summer, including their 21st Annual Kateri Tekakwitha Peace Conference, August 16 & 17, 2019. Visit the Shrine’s “News & Events” webpage for more details.
Our National Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site (Fonda, NY) will celebrate the annual weekend of festivities surrounding the Feast Day of their Patron Saint, Kateri Tekakwitha, July 13-14, 2019. The Shrine is a very unique property ~ “a sacred place of peace and healing; a place of history and holiness.”
Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our province is progressing in our efforts to more fully tap into this devotion from our Kolbean heritage, through the example of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., and the continued efforts of his Militia of the Immaculata’s (M.I.) unconditional consecration to the Immaculate. With a view to promoting consecration to the Immaculate among the faithful served through the ministries of our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., who serves as our Province MI Assistant, has completed the second stop on our Province M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries. Over the next few years, Friar Jobe will preach at the Masses to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate and to enroll in the M.I.
Friar Jobe (top center) some of the parishioners from St. Peter’s Church to have already made their consecration that day. Joining them in the lower photo are Friar Brennan-Joseph (back row – 5th man from right) and Friar Marek (seated in front)
On the weekend of July 6-7, 2019, Our Lady of the Angels Province friars ~ Fr. Pedro de Oliveira, OFM Conv, Fr. Richard Rossell, OFM Conv., Fr. Brennan-Joseph Farleo, OFM Conv. and Fr. Marek Stybor, OFM Conv. ~ welcomed Friar Jobe to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, (Point Pleasant, NJ) for the second stop on our M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries.
St. Peter Roman Catholic Church (Point Pleasant, New Jersey)
Although actually Stop #2 on the tour, this first USA stop of the M.I. Initiative Tour was very successful with over 900 faithful attending the weekend Masses at St. Peter’s. In addition to those pictured, many more took home the information to prayerfully prepare, so they can later enroll with Friar Jobe. Next weekend, July 13-14, 2019, large crowds are also expected at St. Junipero Serra Parish (Seaside Park/Seaside Heights, NJ)
Saturday, June 6, 2019: Our Minister Provincial, the Very Rev. Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. was joyfully in attendance as the friars of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody (aka the Greyfriars of Great Britain/Ireland) celebrated the Priesthood Ordination of Fr. Colin Mary Edwards, OFM Conv.,
by Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell OSA, at the Blackfriars Priory, of Oxford University.
Friar Colin Mary is from the UK, has also lived in Africa and has traveled extensively. Prior to joining the Order, he lived in London where he worked as a teacher and principal in inner-city schools. Several of our Our Lady of the Angels Province friars were in attendance. His Novitiate classmate, Br. Emnanuel Wenke, OFM Conv. (Theology Instructor at our Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, MD; pictured in bottom photo 3rd from left) also made the trip to Oxford to share in the celebrations, as did Fr. Dan Quackenbush, OFM Conv. (Pilgrim Guide at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi – in Assisi, Italy; pictured below 5th from right). Two of Our Lady of the Angels Province friars serving in the Custody were also on hand: Fr. Giles Zakowicz, OFM Conv. (Director of Formation at the Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Friary – Oxford) and Fr. Matthew Chadwick, OFM Conv. (Parish Priest – St. Anthony’s Parish – Rye, East Sussex).
Many of the friars were on hand as Fr. Colin Mary celebrated his First Mass of Thanksgiving, including his Formators – Friar Giles (far right corner) and Friar Jarosław Zachariasz, OFM Conv. of Poland (back row center) and his Provincial Custos, Very Rev. Ciprian Budău, OFM Conv. (right of Friar Colin Mary)
Monday, July 1, 2019: In the presence of most our the Our Lady of the Angels Province Definitors, Novice Christopher M. Fernández & FMA staff members – Reilly Gates and Joseph Hamilton – Director of Mission Advancement (below), our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. and our Province Secretary, Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. blessed nearly 6,000 philosophy and theology books bound for the Order’s seminary in Accra, Ghana (left). Collected over the course of three months through the Province Franciscan Mission Association (FMA) office, locted in Ellicott City, MD, these books were donated by friars, friaries, and ministries of our province, as well as friaries of other North American Franciscan Friars Conventual Provinces, and Diocesan friends of friars. The effort to collect books for the seminary in Ghana has exceeded our effort two years ago to collect books for the seminary in Sri Lanka.
Three years ago, on July 21, 2016, after completing their time in the Novitiate, friar Franck Lino Sokpolie, OFM Conv. and friar Timothy Blanchard, OFM Conv. first professed their Simple {Temporary} Vows; choosing to live as a Franciscan Friar Conventual for a period of three years. Most often, Simple Vows will be renewed at least once during a friar’s Post-Novitiate years of continuing study and formation. Solemn Vows are perpetual and are not professed until after the friar completes all stages of formation. The time between the temporary and perpetual vow profession is also the formation period when friars reflect as to whether they wish to live as a friar priest or friar brother.
As the first three years come to a close, Our Lady of the Angels Province joyfully announces that in the presence of many of their confreres, friar Franck and friar Tim, both chose to profess their Renewal of Vows on Monday, July 1, 2019, during Evening Prayer, in the Portiuncula Friary Chapel (Provincial House).
Witnessed by Fr. Paul Schloemer, OFM Conv., a friar of Our Lady of Consolation Province who serves as Co-Director of the St. Bonaventure Friary Post Novitiate – Silver Springs, Maryland, and Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv., Prefect of Formation for our Province who serves as pastor of St. Lucie Catholic Church – Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Vow Renewals were received by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
On hand to celebrate with friar Franck and friar Timothy were most of the members of our Province Definitory: Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv. (Vicar Provincial), Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv. (Province Secretary), Fr. Jude Surowiec, OFM Conv. (Definitor & Professor at the College of Our Lady of the Elms – Chicopee, MA), Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. (Definitor & Executive Director of St. Clare Inn – Toronto, ON), Fr. Gary Johnson, OFM Conv. (Definitor & Director of the San Damiano Friary Post Novitiate – San Antonio, TX), and Fr. Eric de la Pena, OFM Conv. (Definitor & Director of the Shrine of St. Anthony – Ellicott City, MD). Also present were Fr. Stephen King, OFM Conv. (Associate at the Shrine of St. Anthony – Ellicott City, MD), Christopher M. Fernández who is on his way to our InterProvincial Novitiate to be Invested in our habit July 17, 2019, as well as two of their friary-mates, friar Bede Thigpen, OFM Conv. (a student friar of St. Bonaventure Province) and Friar Israel Arauz-Rosiles, OFM Conv. (a solemnly professed student friar of St. Joseph Cupertino Province).
Celebratory Fraternity (friar Tim – far right & friar Franck – second to right)
From June 3-28, 2019, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Nader Ata, OFM Conv. took a Four Week Intensive Pastoral Spanish Course. at the Mexican American Catholic College, in San Antonio, Texas. The High Intermediate program engaged the students in classroom conversation, phonetics training, grammar skills and most imporantly – pastoral vocabulary.
After a short break, Friar Nader will head to Brooklyn, New York to beging his new pastoral assignment as parochial vicar at the Roman Catholic Church of Most Holy Trinity – St. Mary.
During the Monday, July 22, 2019 Jubilarian Mass Celebration at our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD), friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv., friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. and friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. will Profess their Simple (First/Temporary) Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. This week our North American Provinces celebrated the 2019 Investiture of five new Novices entering the Inter Provincial Novitiate. The event included the “Sending Forth” of our three graduating Novices of our province: friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. to further studies while living in community in the San Damiano Friary (San Antonio, TX), with friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv. and friar Joseph Krondon, OFM Conv. moving onto further studies while living in community in the St. Bonaventure Friar (Silver Spring, MD). For more on that celebratory day, click on Investiture Celebration.
As these three friars will not profess their vows until Monday, their habits’ cords still are not yet knotted. These friars officially entered the Novitiate and were vested in the habit of our Order, during their own Investiture in July 2018 (the photo above was taken that day). During this year’s ceremony, our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. presented them with new knotted cords – the three knots symbolizing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience – as well as gifting to each of them a Blue Cross.
itial year of formation, living in community in St. Bonaventure Friary (our Order’s North American 
As part of the celebrations, the three graduating Novices of our province were “Sent Forth” onto their continuing studies. The chapel was full as we vested the five new novices in the habit of our Order and sent forth friar Antonio Moualeu, OFM Conv. to further studies while living in community in San Damiano Friary (San Antonio, TX), as well as 
Many of the friars were on hand as Fr. Colin Mary celebrated his First Mass of Thanksgiving, including his Formators – Friar Giles (far right corner) and Friar Jarosław Zachariasz, OFM Conv. of Poland (back row center) and his Provincial Custos, Very Rev. Ciprian Budău, OFM Conv. (right of Friar Colin Mary)
As the first three years come to a close, Our Lady of the Angels Province joyfully announces that in the presence of many of their confreres, friar Franck and friar Tim, both chose to profess their Renewal of Vows on Monday, July 1, 2019, during Evening Prayer, in the Portiuncula Friary Chapel (Provincial House).
Witnessed by Fr. Paul Schloemer, OFM Conv., a friar of Our Lady of Consolation Province who serves as Co-Director of the St. Bonaventure Friary Post Novitiate – Silver Springs, Maryland, and Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv., Prefect of Formation for our Province who serves as pastor of St. Lucie Catholic Church – Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Vow Renewals were received by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
Congratulationsto the whole class!
