A sampling of the St. Ignatius Martyr Church Parishioners in attendance gathered with friar Raad (holding flowers) and the friars who concelebrated Mass: Fr. James Fukes, OFM Conv. (top row second from left), Fr. Sebastian Karamvelil, OFM Conv. – Pastor of St. Ignatius (2rd from left), Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. – Provincial Delegate (center front) and Fr. Ed Debono, OFM Conv. (5th from right)

Over the weekend of August 9-10, 2019, several of the friars of our Province’s Canadian Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi came together in Ottawa, Ontario to honor friar Raad Eshoo, OFM Conv.; the first friar of the new Delegation to Profess his Simple Vows, since it was erected on February 14, 2019. Friar Raad was on hand for Friday Mass at St Ignatius Martyr Church, and the Saturday Evening Vigil Mass at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. After both, he shared his vocation story with the parishioners. A reception followed Saturday’s Mass, affording those in attendance the opportunity to meet and congratulate Friar Raad. Both events were successful and helped to raise awareness of the need for an increase in Vocations.

A sampling of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Parishioners in attendance at the reception, gathered with (left to right front row) Fr. Sebastian, Fr. Jobe, friar Raad, and Fr. Dominic Lim, OFM Conv. – Pastor of Assumption.

In 2011, several years before the late +Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, OFM Conv. returned to our Order, where he spent the last two years of his life as a Franciscan Friar Conventual of our Province, he recorded this video Novena at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Lacrosse, Wisconsin; a ministry of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. +Friar Peter Damian was welcomed by Sister Death on May 8, 2018, but we are grateful that his writings and his gifted words are a great source of prayerful comfort and peace.

Friar Juan Lopez, OFM Conv. (left – a Transitional Deacon Friar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province in Mexico, who has been studying in the USA and assisting at Assumption this summer.) and Friar Ed Falsey, OFM Conv. (right – Guardian of St. Francis Friary, serving as a Psychotherapist at a local counseling center) listen to a presentation by FrancisCorps Director – Mr. AJ LaPointe

Mayor Walsh, Friar Jim, Bishop Cunningham, and Friar James

July 19-25, 2019: FrancisCorps celebrated their 20th Anniversary with an alumni reception at Assumption Church, an alumni reunion at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and a banquet at the Embassy Suites attended by over 280 Syracuse community members, alumni and friars.
Special guests included the Syracuse Mayor – Ben Walsh, Retiring Bishop of Syracuse – Most Reverend Robert J. Cunningham, and the Minister Provincial of our Province – the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., as well as the Vicar Provincial of our Province – Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv. who served as Homilist for the Mass at the conclusion of the weekend, held at the Franciscan Church of the Assumption, in Syracuse, NY, with principal celebrant, Friar Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv. – Chaplain and Pastor of Assumption.

Members of FC1 with the Founder of FrancisCorps – Br. Jim Moore, OFM Conv. (center) and former Co-Minister – Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. (right)

A few weeks later, on August 4, 2019, Fr. James (lower right) returned to welcome the six volunteers of FrancisCorps 21. They are pictured above with FrancisCorps Staff Members: Chaplain and Pastor of Assumption – Friar Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv. (lower left), Director – Mr. AJ LaPointe (top right), and Associate Director and member of FC17 – Ms. Johanna Cajina (top left). Missing from the photo is CoMinister – Sr. Caryn Crook, OSF.
FrancisCorp 21 volunteers were commissioned during 10:00 a.m. Mass, at our pastoral ministry – the Franciscan Church of the Assumption, in Syracuse, NY.

On the first day of the August 1-3, 2019 NAA Annual Conference 2019, the NAA (National Newman Association of America) elected Our Lady of the Angel Province friar, Fr. Edward Ondrako, OFM Conv. as their new Vice President.
On day two – Friday, August 2nd, Fr. Ed was the 8:30-9:20  Session 3B Conference Presenter of his paper: “Four Themes Basic to Intellectual Formation in Newman’s Idea of a University“

Fr. Edward Ondrako, OFM Conv. is Visiting Scholar at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and a Research Fellow at the Pontifical Faculty of St. Bonaventure, Rome.

Fr. Ed with Robert Lisowski and Robert McFadden (CSC seminarians), at the 2019 NAA Conference, in New Orleans.

Br. Vivian signs the Book of Profession held by Fr. James

Br. Vincent Vivian, OFM Conv. made his Profession of Simple Vows in the Chapel of St. Hyacinth Friary, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Br. Paschal Kolodziej, OFM Conv. and Fr. Jude Surowiec, OFM Conv. were the canonical witnesses, as our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. received his vows, in the presence of local friars and visiting St. Bonaventure Province friar, Fr. Bob Cook, OFM Conv. The celebration continued after Mass, with the friars sharing a delicious meal at a local restaurant.

Canonical Witnesses: Br. Paschal Kolodziej, OFM Conv. (seen signing the Book of Profession) and Fr. Jude Surowiec, OFM Conv. (far right)

Having been approved for re-admission to the Order by then Minister General, the Most Reverend Fr. Marco Tasca, OFM Conv. and his General Definitory. Br. Vincent was re-invested in the habit of the Order as a member of Our Lady of the Angels Province, by Fr. James, during Mass in the Provincialate chapel, on September 3, 2018.  At that time, he began the canonically required period of probation – living with and ministering as a healthcare assistant with our friars of St. Catharine of Siena Friary in Seaside Park, NJ. For health reasons, he moved with our Chicopee friars earlier this year.

Keep Br. Vincent and all of our friars in joyful prayer.

On May 25, 2019, the Ordinary General Chapter of the Friars Minor Conventual elected the Most Reverend Fr. Carlos Alberto Travarelli, OFM Conv. as the new Minister General of their religious family. The election took place at the Sacred Convent in Assisi.

The Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. in Brazil belongs to the Province of Our Lady of the Angels in the USA. On July 8-12, 2019, the friars gathered at the Monastery of São Bento in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The theme of the assembly was “Canon Law in the Consecrated Life.” The Benedictine monk, Anselmo Chagas preached and led the group of twenty-five religious.

Three years ago (2016) marked the 800th Anniversary of the August 2nd Portiuncula Indulgence. You will notice that our province logo incorporates the Portiuncula graphic. This is because the Portiuncula (the small chapel of St. Mary of the Angels nicknamed “Little Portion” by St. Francis of Assisi) is located within Assisi’s Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Franciscans around the world celebrate August 2nd as the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Angels but we friars who are members of a province named in her honor, hold the day in special regard. There are many opportunities to join our friars that day, throughout our province and we encourage all to find a ministry location nearest to you. Visit our ministry locations page for more information, and follow the links to the ministry websites. We hope to see you.

More on the Feast Day and Il Perdono (the Portiuncula Indulgence):
The small chapel of St. Mary of the Angels (Our Lady of the Angels) was very dear to St. Francis of Assisi. He referred to it as the Portiucula (aka “Little Portion” and pictured at right) and it is considered the cradle of the Franciscan Order. In 1209, as the quarters of Rivo Torto became too small for the newly forming Religious Order, St. Francis obtained from the Benedictines the use of the Portiuncula, for which he paid a basket of fish. The chapel and the surrounding small parcel of land were is disrepair. Just as he had done at San Damiano, St. Francis rebuilt the chapel, adding small huts (cells) and enclosing it all in a protective hedge. It was there that St. Francis gained a more vivid understanding of his own vocation. He held the annual meetings of the friars (Chapters) there and it is where he desired to spend his final earthly moments; dying in his nearby cell October 3, 1226.
St. Francis felt that the Portiuncula was a place filled with God’s grace. In 1216, at the request of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Honorius granted special privilege (plenary indulgence – a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins) to all those who would visit the little chapel.
Although limited to include from noon on August 1st to midnight on August 2nd, the privilege continues to be granted to this day; not only to those who visit the Portiuncula, but to anyone who visits any church where Franciscan Friars live and minister. To receive this privilege (for yourself or for someone else – living or deceased), in addition to the visit, one must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within several weeks of the Feast Day, go to Mass and receive the Eucharist, recite the Our Father and Apostles Creed, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.
The beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (below) that now surrounds the Portiuncula chapel was begun in 1569 (completed in 1684) by decree of Pius V. It was meant to accommodate the huge crowds of pilgrims who came on August 2nd for Il Perdono (Portiuncula Indulgence). This is an important feast day for all Franciscans and is celebrated in Franciscan churches throughout the world. As we stated before, for we friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, this Feast Day has singular significance.