Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Associate Chaplain for the CUA Faculty & Staff, Fr. Louis Maximilian Smith, OFM Conv. alongside the participants on the Rural Appalachian Service Immersion, in West Virginia.
Our province contributes to the Service & Justice Immersion Program at the Catholic University of America (CUA). Our donation helps keep the cost down; making the program accessible to students from more diverse economic backgrounds. This year, CUA students were able to engage in immersion trips outside the USA to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, as well as trips to the Appalachian region of West Virginia, Philadelphia-PA, El Paso-TX, and Apopka-FL. The program has expanded through the years to facilitate more experiences, opening the participants’ eyes to different realities, struggles and gifts of communities far from their home. These experiences fall right in line with our Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) charism; inspiring the participants to get more involved in social justice.
From volunteering with children to farming with migrants, the students were able to experience different cultures and learn ways to live in solidarity with the poor and marginalized. The students who traveled to rural West Virginia learned about the environmental impacts of mining, and also worked with various social services. Some students lived with migrant families in Florida, while working on the farms with them, and learning more about the challenges immigrants face in the United States. A group of students also went to Jamaica and worked with the Missionaries of the Poor and the Passionist volunteers.
Since returning to campus, many of the student participants have begun volunteering in the Washington, DC area. In just a few weeks, another set of students will travel to Belize and El Salvador for Summer Immersion Trips. Your support of our friars helps our continued support of programs affiliated with our varied ministries. We currently have four friars serving the students, faculty, staff and visitors of The Catholic University of America through the Campus Ministry Office: Fr. Jude DeAngelo, OFM Conv. (University Chaplain & Director of Campus Ministry), Fr. Andrzej Brzeziński, OFM Conv. (Associate Chaplain for Faith Development), Fr. Louis Maximilian Smith, OFM Conv. (Associate Chaplain for University Faculty and Staff),
and Fr. Albert Puliyadan, OFM Conv. (Associate Chaplain for Liturgy and Worship). Our province also has several student friars in study at CUA, and together with our friars in ministry, they help to enhance CUA’s Campus Ministry as a place where friends soon become family, expanding the capacity to serve and love others, while finding the freedom to take a deeper dive into what it means to live a life of faith. Learn more about Campus Ministry at CUA
His confreres joined Fr. Chris in concelebrating his First Mass of Thanksgiving, including our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (left) and the pastor of the Basilica, Fr. Joseph Bayne, OFM Conv. (right)
April 27, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.: On the date of his Ordination to the Priesthood at the hands of the Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, Bishop of Springfield, Fr. Christopher Dudek, OFM Conv. was able to celebrate his Thanksgiving Mass at his home parish and the site of his Ordination – the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr.
During his interactive homily, Fr. Chris presented flowers to his family.
Fr. Chris’ Mass of Thanksgiving with his students, fellow faculty & staff members including his confreres serving at Archbishop Curley High School. Mass was concelebrated by the President of Curley, Fr. Donald Grzymski, OFM Conv.
Since August 2018, Fr. Chris has serves as Campus Minister and as a Theology Instructor at Archbishop Curley High School (Baltimore, MD). Just a few days after his Ordination, on April 30, 2019 he returned to his ministry there to celebrate 9:15 a.m. Mass for the first time as an ordained priest with the faculty, staff and students.
On April 17, 2019, the Wednesday of Holy Week, the Young Adult Community at our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD) held an Ecumenical Taizé Service of prayer, contemplation and candlelight procession. According to br. Franck Lino, OFM Conv., one of our friar students in formation, whose ministry assignment during his years of study at The Catholic University of America is to the Young Adults at the Shrine – it was by far the most beautiful Taizé service they have facilitated:
“The chapel was filled, leaving standing room only. We ran out of programs for the faithful who were in attendance, even though we printed over 100 copies. In addition to young solemnly professed friars and student friars from our Order who are serving and studying from Baltimore, Washington DC and Silver Spring, many of our Franciscan brothers from other Orders were also present (OFM postulants from Holy Name College, Capuchins from the DC House of Studies). The atmosphere was very prayerful. At the end of the service a lady came up to me and said, ‘I am so happy I came tonight; it was just what I needed.’ Another said, ‘This is a great thing you are doing here at the Shrine.’ Still another said, ‘The prayer service was profoundly refreshing.’ It was very emotion for some people, you could see tears droping down people cheeks as they came to pray at the taizé cross.
In our society today everything moves at a fast speed. We get lost in the noise that never stops. Hence the silent prayers of Taizé can be dauting or scary for some. But in silence we are able to listen to the voice of God speaking. The founder of the Taizé Community, Brother Roger (Frère Roger Schütz) said, ‘In a breath of silence in a whisper, God speaks to you humbly.’”
The next Young Adult event scheduled at our Shrine of St. Anthony is a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, to end the Spring Semester. If you are a young adult, aged 18 to 39, and you or your young adult group would like to participate, the May 5, 2019 event will begin with the Noon Mass at the Shine with the celebration afterwards. Please follow the link for more information.
In the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) Weekly Newsletter Published April 1, 2019: “Doing Something New”, the FAN Board of Directors announced Our Lady of the Angels Province friar – Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. as their newly elected president.
Born in Baltimore, MD, Friar Michael professed his Solemn Vows in our Order in 1998, and was Ordained to the Priesthood in 2000. He began his ministry in the province as a teacher in 1997, at St. Francis High School (Athol Springs, NY), took a break from ministry to earn his M.Div. and get ordained, and returned 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 in NY as Regional Director for the Americas, of Franciscans International, working at the United Nations to address human rights injustices that impact on the poor and most vulnerable. After spending time in Spanish Studies, in Bogota, Columbia, he served as the Parish Administrator and Campus Minister of Newman Student Center Parish, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC). Upon moving to our friary in Washington DC, he joined the FAN Board of Directors in 2014 and had served them as vice president for the last four years.
Friar Michael currently resides in our St. Joseph Cupertino Friary, adjacent to our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD), where he also provides sacramental assistance when he is able. He serves as chairman of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) of our Province, using his gift for preaching, flair for presentation and generosity of spirit to reach out to everyone he meets. From an office in the Shrine, he also works as the Director of Little Portion Farm, on the property of the Shrine. His love for justice for all has no limitation; no matter what faith or cultural background ideals are held by those around him.
Although they misrepresent him as a Order of Friars Minor Capuchin friar, Brother Michael “Duffy” really is a Franciscan Friar Conventual of our province.
Fr. Kevin Fausz, CM (pastor of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church),friar Fabian and the rest of the RCIA team with Confirmandi who came into full communion with the Church, this past Holy Saturday.
One of two friars of our province assigned to the San Damiano Friary – Formation House, in San Antonio, TX, friar Fabian Adderley, OFM Conv. is a simply professed friar in formation who has been busy in his continued studies as well as in ministry at a nearby parish (Holy Redeemer Catholic Church), where he assists by serving as a Catechist and with the RCIA program. During this past Holy Week’s celebrations, friar Fabian was afforded the opportunity to narrate the Passion of Christ (left), as well as witness those members of the parish’s RCIA program, to whom he has been serving in ministry, as they came in full communion with the Church during the 8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil at Holy Redeemer (above).
Note: San Damiano Friary is part of the Our Lady of Consolation Province.
Franciscan Friars Conventual around the world work together as one community.
Two friars from our province,
Fr. Gary Johnson, OFM Conv. (Guardian & Formation Director, and Definitor) and friar Fabian live in community with other province professed friars and students.
Prayer of Consecration to the Immaculata
…composed by Saint Maximillian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you.
Although established in 1917, the Militia of the Immaculata was granted the first verbal blessing by Pope Benedict XV, on March 28, 1919. The official recognition of the Church occurred on January 2, 1922, granted by Cardinal Basilio Pompilj, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome: “With fervent desire that devotion to the Blessed Virgin may extend everywhere, with our authority we establish canonically the pious association commonly called ‘the Pious Union of the Militia of Mary Immaculate’ in the chapel of the Seraphic College of the Friars Minor Conventual in Rome and approve what was established.” On the 80th Anniversary of the founding of MI, the Pontifical Council for the Laity recognized the MI as a Public Association of the Faithful, universal and international, in accordance with the Code of Canon Law, and approved, at the same time, its General Statutes.
Militia of the Immaculata & Our Lady of the Angels Province 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, plans to visit all of our pastoral ministries, over the next few years. In working with our Director of Mission Advancement, new prayer cards and MI enrollment forms are being created. Friar Jobe will be preaching at the Masses in the parishes to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate and to enroll in the M.I. At those Masses, the congregation will be given an envelope with the consecratory prayers card and a miraculous medal. On the envelope those who wish to enroll will have to opportunity to fill out the information and apply to enroll in the M.I. Enrollment Certificates will be issued from our offices in Rensselaer, NY.
Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Order’s Constitutions remind our friars that in St. Maximilian’s unconditional consecration to the Immaculate, we have found “a concrete form of openness to the new challenges of mission.” Our province plans to more fully tap into this devotion from our Kolbean heritage. Friar Jobe and our friars serving as pastors have mapped out a schedule through February 2022, to preach at the Masses to promote the consecration and enrollment in the Militia of the Immaculata.
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M.I. INITIATIVE SCHEDULE THROUGH February 2022 Personal Consecration to the Immaculate
In the Fall of 2018, our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD) added a Young Adults Community program. Throughout the year, this community of friars & pilgrims host spiritual and social events, as well as bring awareness of the shrine and its facilities to the greater area Young Adult Ministry programs of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington DC and their neighboring diocese.
Recently, our young adult friars and our friars in formation, led by the shrine’s Young Adult Community Animator – friar Franck Sokpolie, OFM Conv., along with the Director of the Shrine – Fr. Eric de la Pena, OFM Conv., hosted a social night with night prayers. The group gathered in the Shrine’s Glass Room for games, snack and socializing and then ended the night with night prayers in the Shrine’s Chapel.
The Next upcoming event is an Ecumenical Taizé prayer service April 17, 2019, the Wednesday of Holy Week. Open to everyone, come share an evening service of prayer, song, and contemplation by candlelight, from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.
Franciscan Friars Conventual Responding to Real Needs –
Helping to Turn Strangers into Neighbors
On February 21, 2017, Pope Francis in an address to the VI International Forum: Migration and Peace, felt compelled to address the nature of contemporary migratory movements, which increases challenges presented to the political community, civil society and to the Church, and which amplifies the urgency for a coordinated and effective response to these challenges. Our shared response, according to our Holy Father Francis, “may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate.” Have you ever wondered what it is like living in a world, city, or local neighborhood, where your very presence arouses contempt, suspicion, prejudice or common indecency? Where judgements are made of you based on the tone of your skin, the first language you speak or the accent present in your words? Where you as the stranger are literally untrusted, despised or rejected? Where your description begins with a negative – illegal? Where the term friend, neighbor, brother or sister are unspoken?
Sometimes we forget that the words we choose to identify another person do make a difference in whether they meet with our approval, are treated with respect and dignity or vilified and turned away.
Ever given a second thought, to what is to be in hand to enter your child’s school, pick-up a pharmacy prescription, enter a hospital, sit in a library or present when you use a credit card?
Ever question, why we do what we do to others who like ourselves are merely looking for opportunity and means to provide for themselves and those they love and care for?
Most of us perhaps fail to ponder and take for granted that when a person, be they an officer of the law, pharmacist, teacher, sports coach or cashier, ask for a picture identification we readily show a driver’s license, passport or BJ’s / Costco ID which has a picture, address and baseline information stating who we are and where we live. It is not so easy for everyone. Essentially, it is the reality of tens of thousands reaching into the millions now living within our country’s borders, cities, villages, towns and rural areas. They are the souls we greet in the market, on the streets, in our churches, work places and gatherings. They are the anawim of God, loved and cherished by Jesus, and named by him as our brothers and sisters.
As part of small but growing effort, the Blessed Sacrament Faith Community and the Franciscan Friars Conventual together with the local Burlington Police Chief, law enforcement officers, and a dedicated group of volunteers representing various religious traditions and families came together two years ago – May 2015 – hoping to make a meaningful dent into a lived problem. Namely, “How to help turn strangers into neighbors”. The result of our coming together was the formation of the Faith ID Card Task Force of Alamance County.
With financial and moral support from the Conventual Friars of Our Lady of Angels and Our Lady of Consolation Provinces and the approval of Bishop Burbidge, then Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, we setup a specialized FAITH ID CARD PROGRAM linked to an expanding program here in North Carolina known as the FaithAction Network.
So What Is A Faith ID Card Program? An ID card is just a piece of plastic until a person gives it a face and story, and our community gives the card value. We believe each person in our community, regardless of race, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration or socio-economic status has inherent dignity and worth, and is deserving of a valid form of identification. At this particularly divisive time in state and national politics on issues of immigration and diversity, community ID programs bring greater dignity, access and hope to our newest neighbors, while building safer, more inclusive and united communities for all.
The Faith ID Card Program is a connected group of faith communities, nonprofits, and grassroots movements that recognize the urgency of valid ID cards for members of our community who may have limited access to government issued forms of identification, and the importance of creating a unified model and vetting process that community partners (law enforcement, health centers, schools, businesses, and other city agencies) can trust and use to better identify, serve, and protect all residents in cities across North Carolina and the United States.
The Blessed Sacrament Faith ID Card Program is part of the FaithAction ID Network. We are proud to say we are the first franchise so to speak. We call ourselves In the past two years the network has experienced tremendous growth and community ID programs now exist in Guilford, Alamance, Forsyth, Randolph, Orange, and Mecklenburg counties, and may soon be expanding to Wake, Moore, Montgomery, and other counties throughout North Carolina and there is a satellite sponsored by Catholic Charities in Cincinnati, Ohio. Network members agree to utilize the same community ID model to ensure the integrity and further the growth of new and existing programs. Shared hallmarks of FaithAction ID network programs include:
Ensuring each program has a strong home base that can effectively communicate and coordinate a community ID drive with staff and volunteers
Utilizing the same policies, procedures, and vetting process to receive an ID card
Ensuring partnership with local law enforcement and other community partners who formally agree to support the program and attend ID drives
Utilizing the 4 stage ID drive model in a large, safe space (welcome, orientation, document check, photo/computer intake)
Facilitating dialogue throughout the ID drive between ID participants and law enforcement and other community partners with the goal of building greater understanding, trust and cooperation
Providing the same or similar look as other network programs on the front of the card, and signifying you are a part of the FaithAction ID network on the back
Printing and distributing hundreds of ID cards within two weeks of each drive, and securing the personal information of all participants
Participating in monthly calls to share experiences and best practices with other network programs
*There may be some flexibility and unique characteristics of each program, depending on the needs of each community. *All participants must attend a mandatory orientation at an ID drive, and provide proof of photo identification (passport, foreign national ID card, driver’s license, matricula consular) and proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, current rental agreement, medical record) in order to receive an ID card from a FaithAction ID Network member.
Finally, network members believe it is crucial we continue to work for a driver’s license for all residents at the state level, as well as lasting immigration reform at the federal level. In the meantime, we believe community ID programs represent a very important step forward in creating safer, more inclusive, and united communities for all – a much needed example of positive collaboration at this divided time in our nation’s history.
In closing let me say, Thank You, to our Conventual Franciscan Provinces’ leadership and members for helping make this program possible. To date, the Faith ID Card Program here in Burlington, NC, has distributed over 5000 Faith ID Cards. Without your financial and fraternal support, the effort might never have gotten off the ground. The challenge now is to keep moving forward towards the realization of its mission and vision, a place where strangers become neighbors.
An article entitled, “Community ID Program Builds trust between migrants and police,” by Maria Benevento, appeared in the April 5, 2019 online edition of the National Catholic Reporter. To read the full article, click on the following link: ID Card Program
Congratulations to our own Friar Michael Duffy, OFM Conv.! March 29, 2019: Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Br. Michael Duffy, OFM Conv. (DNP, APRN, ANP-BC)
received the 2019 “Community Service Award”
from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Massachusetts,
during a banquet ceremony, in Boston.
The ANA Massachusetts “CommunityServiceAward” is for a registered nurse whose communityservice has a positive impact on the citizens of Massachusetts. We friars are proud of Friar Duffy’s ministries at The College of Our Lady of the Elms, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, the Elms’ caRe vaN, and serving our own Senior Friars as a consultant and guide to many.
Bravo Friar Michael Duffy! “Quis ut Deus?”
From volunteering with children to farming with migrants, the students were able to experience different cultures and learn ways to live in solidarity with the poor and marginalized. The students who traveled to rural West Virginia learned about the environmental impacts of mining, and also worked with various social services
. Some students lived with migrant families in Florida, while working on the farms with them, and learning more about the challenges immigrants face in the United States. A group of students also went to Jamaica and worked with the Missionaries of the Poor and the Passionist volunteers.
Since returning to campus, many of the student participants have begun volunteering in the Washington, DC area. In just a few weeks, another set of students will travel to Belize and El Salvador for Summer Immersion Trips. Your support of our friars helps our continued support of programs affiliated with our varied ministries. We currently have four friars serving the students, faculty, staff and visitors of The Catholic University of America through the Campus Ministry Office:
In the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) Weekly Newsletter 
One of two friars of our province assigned to the San Damiano Friary – Formation House, in San Antonio, TX, 
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, 
