Our own Fr. Reto Davatz, OFM Conv. serves in Flüeli-Ranft, Switzerland, ministering with the friars of the Konvent St. Franciscus, serving as chaplains for the Bruder Klaus Pilgrimage Site pilgrims.

November 2019: Our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. traveled to the Rio de Janeiro district of Brazil for his annual Fraternal Visitation with our Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception. The visit commenced at our Order’s Interprovincial Novitiate for Brazil, near the borders with Argentina and Paraguay. Our Immaculate Conception Custody has one novice, Frei Fernando Pereira Júnior, OFM Conv. (above with Friar James). He is joined by 7 other friar novices, under the leadership of two Formation Directors.
Coinciding with Friar James’ visit was that of Friar Joseph Blay, OFM Conv., a Ghanaian friar who serves in Rome as our Order’s JPIC (aka GPIC) Delegate General. Friar James, Friar Joseph, along with a group from the Novitiate, took the opportunity to visit the nearby Monastery of Poor Clares (above) – whose contemplative spirit overflowed in an abundance of sisterly joy. Post on Order’s Site

Not far from the novitiate are the famous Iguazú Falls. Novices Herivelto and Fernando delighted in sharing this awe-inspiring site with Fr. James.

The next stop of Fr. James’s fraternal visitation in Brazil was the large city of Belo Horizonte. The Custodial Chapter of 2017 voted to open a presence of the Order there.   At the invitation of the local Archbishop, the Friars assumed pastoral care of Paróquia Santa Cecília, which had been without priests for many years. Fr. James’s visit coincided with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (see below) newly inaugurated parish Dia de Santa Cecília 2019 (Festival of St. Cecilia).

See more photos from the Solenidade de Cristo Rei (Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe) celebrations from the Facebook page of Paróquia Santa Cecília, by clicking on this photo.

The Custodial Definitory met with our Minister Provincial – Friar James – at our former seminary in Andrelândia – now our experimental hermitage – all day on the 28th of November – America’s Thanksgiving Day. While signs galore commemorate “Black Friday” in Brazil, the unique American holiday of Thanksgiving is unknown. (more photos) – São Francisco em Conversa Facebook Page

The Friars of our Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception have begun steps towards opening the Cause for Sainthood of the late +Frei Martin de Porres Maria Ward, OFM Conv. Frei Martin was an early missionary friar of our province, who died in while serving the people of Brazil.  He was also the first person of African lineage to enter the Order in modern times. His grave in Andrelândia (at left) is now a place of pilgrimage by the local faithful.

The friars and parishioners of all ministry sites in our Immaculate Conception Custody made their 3rd Annual Pilgrimage to The Cathedral Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida (Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida) ~ Patroness of Brazil. On Saturday the 30th of November, Friar James was welcomed by the pilgrims. Following the Liturgy, our group of 600 held a spiritual convocation of music, talks, and prayer on the Shrine premises.

No fraternal visitation of our Brazilian Custody feels complete without spending time with Mother Pacifica (Abbess) and the Poor Clares at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Rio. For over 50 years as Abbess, Mother Pacifica has served as the Clarissan Matriarch in Brazil. Due to her failing health, the Friar James and the Custódio Provincial, Frei Ronaldo Gomes da Silva, OFM Conv., were allowed to visit inside the enclosure behind the grill. 

Friar James with some of the Postulants at the Custody’s Formation House in Historic Sucre.

November 19-22, 2019: Our Lady of the Angels Province Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. visited our Order’s missions in Bolivia, to explore new ways of collaboration between the Friars of the Provincial Custody of St. Francis (of the Krakow Province) and our Province. This collaboration began 40 years ago, when the late Friar Flavian Goral, OFM Conv. started mission support and vocational promotion for the then new Bolivian mission launched by missionaries from Poland.

Former Custos – Friar Ronald Armijo, OFM Conv. shows Friar James the “Campana de la Libertad”

Sucre’s San Francisco Basilica (Bolivia) is under the care of the friars. The bell tower contains Bolivia’s “Campana de la Libertad” (Liberty Bell) – first rung in 1809 to announce their Declaration of Independence signed in Sucre, and again when Independence from Spain was attained, in 1825. The Liberty Bell – which is actually named “Immaculate Conception” – is rung once a year on August 6th – Bolivia’s Independence Day, despite its crack.

In the Andean city of Cochabamba, the Friars of Bolivia serve in parochial ministry as well as at the University. While there, Friar James enjoyed some time in the friary garden with the Custodial Vicar – Friar Orlando Montaño Palma, OFM Conv., another former Custos – Friar Anthony, and the present Custos – Friar Carlos Antonio Catalán Melgar, OFM Conv. Friar Carlos attributes his vocation to our late Friar Flavian Goral, OFM Conv. Those early missionaries are honored in many ways, including the artwork in the Quintanilla church (at left) of the early missionary Friars from Poland and the first generation of Bolivian vocations. Friar James also enjoyed a visit with Friar Roberto Tomichá, OFM. Conv. Ennobling the Franciscan intellectual tradition at Bolivia’s Catholic University in Cochabamba, Friar Robera is the well-known Conventual scholar and Author, as well as the Director of the Institute of Missiology of the Catholic University of Bolivia.

The Curia of the Bolivian Custody is now transferred from Cochabamba back to its original foundation house in Montero (on the outskirts of Santa Cruz). The people of Montero honored the friars with special Franciscan touches when the built the new church there to replace a much smaller chapel. The Bolivian Friars took the inspiration for the Church’s tabernacle (at fight) from its prototype in our St. Joseph Cupertino Friary, in Ellicott City, MD.

Friar Gerry with a sampling of the ROTC 1:00 p.m. Mass group

On Veteran’s Day morning (November 11, 2019), Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Campus Minister for Syracuse University & SUNY – ESF Catholic Center, Fr. Gerald Waterman, OFM Conv. joined a large group of students, staff, faculty and others for the Veteran’s Day Fun Run. Runners began in front of the Schine Student Center on University Place, did two full laps, then onto the quad on the third lap, after passing between Maxwell and Hendricks Chapel. All participants finished on the quad in front of (fittingly) Hendricks Chapel.

November 1-8, 2019: Our Province Definitory joined that of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody (known as the Greyfriars) for not only meetings but the opportunity for our friars of North America to visit many of the friaries and ministries of our friars in England and Ireland. Although unable to visit all of the friaries of our Custody there, they were able to visit Dublin, Liverpool, Oxford and Walsingham – including spectacular ruins of the medieval Priory of our Lady of Walsingham, on the grounds of The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham (pictured above).  Read more in this News Feature on the website of our Greyfriars.

Watch the Mass celebrated by our friars as part of their November 7th visit.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, Our Lady of the Angels Province Chairman of JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation), Fr. Michael Lasky, OFM Conv. published a November 8, 2019 reflection on the Seraphicum’s website entitled “A Song of Hopefulness for Veterans & Members of the Armed Forces.” Take a moment to read this as we celebrate Veteran’s Day 2019. Within the reflections he included this stanza from the “Navy Hymn” added in 1969/70:

Creator, Father, who first breathed
In us the life that we received,
By power of thy breath restore
The ill, and men with wounds of war.
Bless those who give their healing care,
That life and laughter all may share.

Many of our friars have served and continue to serve in the Armed Forces. A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Fr. Santo Cricchio, OFM Conv. is in the Reserves and currently provinces counseling services for the Jonesboro, GA area through an office in our pastoral ministry of St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church. A veteran of the Vietnam War, where he was known as Corporal Kenneth Lucas of the US Marine Corp, Br. Ken Lucas, OFM Conv. (pictured at left) still stays involved in Veteran Affairs, as he stated in his recent Spiritual Testament posted on this site on November 5th. There are a number of other friars of our province who are also veterans, including Fr. Curt Kreml, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar – St. Lucie Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie, FL) and Br. Dennis Sokolowski, OFM Conv. (In residence at the Our Lady of the Angels Care Center, Enfield, CT). Take a moment to re-read some more of the Spiritual Testaments written by several of our Senior Friars for more stories by our friar Veterans.

Throughout the Month of November, we are all called to continue to remember those who have gone before us. Our varied Province ministries hold special Masses, prayer services, memorials and other events to remember the faithful served by the ministries, as well those who have serve through them. We have been sharing photos and articles from our ministries, on our Province Facebook Page, since the November 1st celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints and the November 2nd Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls).

We would like to take this opportunity to share the very special way several of our recently deceased friars are being remembered this year. Our province has a large number of senior friars under the care of their confreres in friaries, in specialized facilities and, if still vibrant and strong – remaining in active ministry. Currently, we have six friars under the care of the Felician Sisters in the Our Lady of the Angels Care Center (Enfield, CT).
Over this past year, another eight of our friars were living there at the time of their deaths. Our province is so appreciative of the Sisters and of their ministry. Our deceased friars who were blessed to be under the care of the Sisters, at the time of their passing during the November 2018-October 2019 year, are remembered as part of a memorial display in their Motherhouse Convent Chapel.

The Sisters display those they have lost from their own community above, as well as photos of our friars on the levels below. “These beloved Friars and Sisters, who passed into eternal life from November 2018 – October 2019, are in our prayers and in our hearts.”

Taken at St. Patrick Parish, Friar Steven (holding the relic of St. Maximilian) is flanked by local members, including four local parishioners, of the St. Michael’s Guard trained to be Master of Ceremonies when the Bishop visits and to assist the priests of the area in enhancing liturgies.

The Most Reverend Ronald W. Gainer, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, sent a request that every parish in his Diocese have a Mass for Healing from Addiction for those suffering from opioids and other drugs. As Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish (Coal Township, PA) & St. Patrick Parish (Trevorton, PA), Fr. Steven Frenier, OFM Conv. read the letter, he was reminided that St. Maximillian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. is the Patron Saint for those suffering from addiction. He requested to borrow a St. Maximlian Relic from our Shrine of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD) for use at his pastoral ministries.
On September 17, 2019, the faithful gathered for a Healing Mass, at Our Lady of Hope Parish. The next week, on September 23, 2019, a Healing Mass was also celebrated at St. Patrick Parish. After each of the Masses, those present stayed for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by an invitation to come forward and receive an individual blessing with the relic of St. Maximilian. Although free to leave after the blessing if they wished, Friar Steven recommended that those gathered stay and rest in the quiet peace of the Church; allowing Jesus’ Grace to give them hope, comfort and peace. He was pleasantly surprised at both Masses to see how many people remained in the Church. After a time of quiet reflection, they closed with Benediction and a song of praise to God.

Throughout our province ministries, our friars are celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints.

Some have a much more “adorable” way to celebrate than others.

Saintly Students of the Kindergarten Class at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School, with our own Friar Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv. (pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church)

Other friars, celebrated Mass today in some of our more unique sites:

Due to serious storms in the Atlanta area, our Vicar Provincial was stuck at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, after missing his flight to the UK, for a week of meetings with our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody. He took the opportunity to go to the Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, at the airport’s Interfaith Chapel. There he joyfully found his confrere, Fr. Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar at our pastoral ministry of St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church ~ Jonesboro, GA) celebrating the Mass. Although it is Friar Luis’ day off, he celebrates Mass at the Atlanta Airport every Friday; meeting the Lord’s People right there, in the busiest airport in the world.

As our Order’s Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Revision of the Constitutions and Seretary of the 202nd Ordinary General Chapter, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Tim Kulbicki, OFM Conv. continues his journeys visiting friars around the world, for the implementation of the Revised Constitutions. In addition to his other assigned ministries and positions, Friar Tim has been traveling the world helping friars to “receive” the new Constitutions, through academic conferences and friary presentations.
After presenting recently in Libertyville, IL (at right) to members of St. Bonaventure and Our Lady of Consolation Provinces, Friar Tim traveled to Zambia to give presentations to the friars at St. Bonaventure College in Lusaka (for undergraduate friar students from throughout Africa); in Makeni (for the friars in the central region); in Ibenga (see video – for friars in the Copperbelt region); in Solwezi (for friars in the northwest region); and in Mwinilunga (for friars in the rural northwest region).
He traveled over 1000 miles by road, including 150 miles on washed-out roadways.