Our pastoral ministry of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure has several unique ministries.
The St. Bonaventure’s Ministry with Maturing Adults, “Living our Spirituality  in the Second Half of Life” will be holding several Tuesday programs this Spring, from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., in the Francis Room of the parish. All are welcome to attend and there is no fee.
To request more information, click here.

March 13, 2018
Homeless in Toronto
March 20, 2018
The Wisdom of Teresa of Avila – Responding to the summons of our elder years
April 24, 2018
Special Event with Luncheon

At the end of April, gather with the Toronto Community to support another one of the unique ministries stemming from our friars there. St. Clare Inn is a transitional housing project that offers accommodation to homeless women between the ages of 30-60 who are struggling with a diagnosed mental health issue.
Their Spring Fundraiser, “Black & White ~ Oh, What a Night!” promises an evening of lively entertainment, delicious food, silent and live auctions and more. Held at the Donalda Club in the heart of Toronto, the evening will not only be a joy, but will also help support our beautiful outreach ministry of St. Clare Inn.
For more information or to purchase you tickets visit.

If you are in the Toronto, Ontario area, please be sure to visit our friars serving there and check out the parish website for more great ministry information.

Tune in to EWTN for the Solemn Easter Vigil Mass, celebrated at the Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, by the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, His Excellency, Archbishop Christophe Pierre serving as the celebrant & homilist.
Our very own Friar Emanuel Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. will serve as Deacon, including chanting the Exsultet and the Gospel at the Saturday, March 31, 2018 8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass, which will be televised live on EWTN.
The other days of the Triduum, Friar Emanuel will be blessed to serve as Deacon at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, for His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl, of the Archdiocese of Washington.

It is with great joy that we Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province announce the March 6, 2018 re-election of  the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. as Minister Provincial of our province. Friar James accepted the office and the Most Reverend Fr. Marco Tasca, OFM Conv., the Minister General of our Order, has ratified the election.
Exactly four years prior, on March 6, 2014, friars of the former Immaculate Conception Province and the former St. Anthony of Padua Province elected Friar James to be the 1st Provincial of our new Our Lady of the Angels Province that was established May 5, 2014.
In April 2018 our Provincial Chapter will convene. At that time, Friar James will take an Oath of Office and our friar delegates will elect our new Definitory. The Definitors collaborate with the Minister Provincial to articulate our province vision, determine our initiatives, and discern our friars’ assignments. Together the Minster Provincial and the Definitory will lead the friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, in addition to those of our Immaculate Conception Custody (Custódia Provincial Imaculada Conceição – Brazil) and Blessed Angellus of Pisa Custody (The Greyfriars – Great Britain & Ireland).

Most High and Good God,
we ask You to send us Your Spirit,
as we prepare to gather in Chapter.
Inspired by our common life
of prayer and fraternity,
may we bring Your Gospel to those
who long to hear Your voice.
By our following more closely
in the footsteps of our Father Francis,
may we find You and serve you
in the poor, the marginalized,
and in our care for creation.
We ask this in the name
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Saint Francis ~ Pray for Us!
Our Lady of the Angels ~ Pray for Us!

For over 20 years, The Franciscan Place at Destiny USA has provided a spiritual sanctuary for quiet reflection in Syracuse’s Destiny USA; NY State’s largest shopping center. The mall is visited by approximately 26 million guests every year and The Franciscan Place provides shoppers, mall employees and tourists, with a refuge from the fast-paced commercial atmosphere.
With help from mall management and generous benefactors, renovations in 2014 doubled the size of the Chapel and Religious Goods Shoppe, which supports the ministry. The Chapel holds 100 faithful and is separated from the store area by glass doors. There is also a conference room facilitating extension programs such as book clubs, a children’s story hour, movie nights and discussion groups.
Under the direction of Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Nader Ata, OFM Conv. (who also serves as Parochial Vicar at The Franciscan Church of the Assumption) and with the support of our friars living in the St. Francis Friary, the Franciscan Place is an outreach of our pastoral ministry, The Franciscan Church of the Assumption, with a mission to reflect St. Francis of Assisi’s presence in the marketplace.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in the Chapel, Monday through Friday, but it is not offered on the weekends, so as to encourage the faithful to attend the Masses of their home parishes. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Monday-Saturday. In the Religious Goods Shoppe, visitors can purchase an assortments of Religious Articles including Rosaries, Holy Cards, Medals, gifts for Sacramental celebrations, greeting cards, educational and inspirational books, CDs, and DVDs.

Enjoy a recent video from the 2018 Ash Wednesday Services:

While in Rome for some Canonical Visitations and meetings, our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.(center right purple vestments), caught up with the pilgrimage group from our pastoral ministry of St. Lucie Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie, FL.
Their parish pilgrimage was led by our province friar, Fr. Russell Governale, OFM Conv. (center left purple vestments) and Fr. John Cella, OFM, Franciscan Pilgrimages (far right).  In addition to his work with Franciscan Pilgrimages, Friar Russell is also the Vocation Director for our province. Also joining the pilgrims as they celebrated Mass together at the altar of Pope St. John XXIII in St. Peter’s Basilica was our Fr. Kevin Hanley, OFM Conv., a friar of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody who serves as a Confessor at the Vatican. It was wonderful that Fr. James was in Rome at the time and was able to visit with pilgrims from one of our pastoral ministries, as well as celebrate Mass with them, and preach.

Friar James McCurry, OFM Conv. ~ Minister Provincial, Friar James McInerney, OFM Conv. ~ Definitor, Friar Dariusz Davidowski, OFM Conv. ~ Definitor, Friar Ciprian Budău, OFM Conv. ~ Custos and Friar Maximilian McKeown, OFM Conv. ~ Definitor & Vicar somewhat enjoying a bit of snowfall at Scotland’s University of Aberdeen.

From February 20-28, 2018, Our Lady of the Angels Province – Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. visited with our friars of our Province Custody of The Blessed Agnellus of Pisa, in Great Britain & Ireland, for his Canonical Visitation. On February 27th, he met with the Custos, the Custodial Definitory and the Bishop in Aberdeen (Scotland), the Rt Rev. Hugh Gilbert OSB.

A part of their Annual Novices’ Southern Tour, the West Coast Dominican Novices shared in the joyful fellowship that is so evident within our Franciscan Novitiate Family. The Novices of the Dominican Friars of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, along with their Novice Director of 18 years, Fr. Anthony Rosevear, O.P., passed through the three California Franciscan Novitiate houses (Capuchin Novitiate – Santa Inez, OFM Novitiate – Old Mission Santa Barbara & Conventual Novitiate – Arroyo Grande) this week to share in our fraternity.
Our friars of our Conventual Franciscan Novitiate hosted a cookout on Saturday, February 24th, and in between the hot dogs, hamburgers and freshly squeezed lemonade from the Novitiate’s own trees, the novices asked each other some perennial questions like, “How do you keep those white habits so clean?” They all hope to get together again for a few shared conferences before the end of this novitiate year.

If you would like more information on becoming a
Franciscan Friar Conventual, please contact our Vocation Office:

Vocation Office
Fr. Russell Governale, OFM Conv. – Vocation Director
vocations@olaprovince.org
Franciscan Friars Vocation Office
223 Bedford Avenue #306
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-510-5822