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FALL NEWSLETTER
ENGLISH SPEAKING CONFERENCE | ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR
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October 2015 | New York, New York
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"All signs all seem to have something in common - they ask us to make a change, they seek to tell us what to do.
Jesus is the ultimate sign that has been given and He constantly asks us to change as well - to move from hatred to love; from hurt to forgiveness; from doubt to faith; from despair to hope; from darkness to light; from sadness to joy.
As we gather and discuss, we're ultimately looking for the signs and what those signs are asking of us as leaders right now. We pray that we have the eyes to see those signs and the courage to make the changes they call forth from us.
Let's make the words of our new Saint Junipero Serra and our Pope our own: 'siempre adelante'! Let us see the signs all around us and keep moving forward."
- Provincial Minister Primo Piscitello, OFM (ICP)
Homily, Opening Mass
of ESC Fall 2015 Meeting
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Conference gathers in NYC for Fall meeting
Immaculate Conception Province hosts
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -
The Provincial Ministers and Custodes of the English Speaking Conference held their annual Fall meeting at the Provincial Curia of the Immaculate Conception Province in New York from October 12-16.
The Fall meeting was marked by welcomes and farewells. Conference members welcomed General Definitor Caoimhin O'Laoide, OFM, to his first ESC meeting since being elected at the recent General Chapter. They also welcomed the newly elected Assumption BVM Provincial Minister James Gannon, OFM. Jim was elected to complete the term of former Provincial Minister John Puodziunas, OFM, who was recently named Economo General of the Order. The Fall meeting also marked the final meeting of Provincial Ministers John Hardin, OFM (St. Barbara), Astijus Kungys, OFM (St. Casimir), and Dennis Vavrek, OFM (Christ the King), who are completing terms of office.
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| General Definitor CaoimhinnO'Laoide offering the homily at Mass |
During the meeting, the Provincial Ministers of the United States and the Provincial Ministers of Canada each met separately in sub-conference to discuss matters relevant to their regions. The Canadian members discussed their recently completed Chapter of Mats which took place September 20-23, 2015 as part of their ongoing conversation about reconfiguration.
The U.S. Sub-Conference met to discuss:
- The on-going conversation about reconfiguration of the seven U.S. Provinces. The Ministers met with the Franciscan Interprovincial Team who are also located in New York City.
- Met with Br. Jim McIntosh,OFM, the recently hired U.S. Digital Media Coordinator about his work with the U.S. Franciscan website and social media strategy. They also received a demonstration of the new app for smartphones that has been created and will be released in the months ahead.
- Common Admissions Policy that is being discussed by formation personnel. A final draft is expected to be ready for consideration at the Spring 2016 meeting.
Attending the week-long meeting were: Provincial Minister Richard Grech, OFM (St. Paul, Malta),
Custos Patrick Lonsdale, OFM (Immaculate Conception Province, Great Britain), Provincial Minister Marc Le Goanvec, OFM (Province of St. Joseph, Canada), Provincial Minister John Hardin, OFM (St. Barbara Province, USA), Provincial Minister Astijus Kungys, OFM (Province of St. Casimir, Lithuania), Provincial Minister and Conference President Hugh McKenna
, OFM (Province of Ireland),
Provincial Minister and Conference Vice-President Kevin Mullen, OFM (Holy Name Province, USA), Provincial Minister Primo Piscitello, OFM (Immaculate Conception Province, New York, USA), Provincial Minister James Gannon, OFM (Assumption BVM Province, USA), Provincial Minister Jack Clark Robinson, OFM (Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, USA), Provincial Minister Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM (St. John the Baptist Province, USA), Provincial Minister William Spencer, OFM (Sacred Heart Province, USA), Provincial Minister Dennis Vavrek, OFM (Province of Christ the King, Canada), General Definitor Caoimhin O'Laoide, OFM, and Executive Secretary Thomas Washburn, OFM.
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| The ESC met at the Provincial Curia of the Immaculate Conception Province in New York |
During the full-Conference sessions, members had the chance to:
- Discuss and evaluate the General Chapter in May.
- Discuss the Annual Accountability Reports from the various secretariats, commissions and committees of the Conference.
- Met with Kim Smolik, Executive Director of Franciscan Mission Service, who updated the group on the work of FMS.
As with each meeting, the Ministers and Custodes also found some time for recreation. The group attended a performance of
The King and I on Broadway and many found some free time for visits to the September 11th Memorial and Museum as well as many of the museums and sites that the City has to offer.
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| The group also had time to visit the Provincial Curia of Holy Name Province, also located in New York. |
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Update on the new Seraphic Missal
Supplement nearing publication
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Among the reports received by the Conference during this Fall meeting, was the annual report of the American Franciscan Liturgical Commission. The main work of the Commission currently is the production of the new Seraphic Missal supplement to the Roman Missal Third Edition.
The Commission reported the following timeline for the completion of their work on the new Seraphic Missal supplement:
- Early Fall 2015: Final review of text of the Supplement returned to AFLC
- November 2015: Final approval of text/review of artwork
- December 2015: Text to General Curia for recognitio
- June 2016: Return of text from Rome with recognitio
- Summer 2016: Qualification of recognitio (any corrections or emendations that need to be made)
- September 2016: Text to publisher
- January 2017: Published text prepared for distribution
They also reported that the Commission is c
onducting a review of the Rites of Profession and Liturgy of the Hours. No timelines were given on that work.
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Interprovincial House of Prayer
Ava, Missouri friary open to friars
AVA, MISSOURI - Our Lady of the Angels Interprovincial Prayer Fraternity
is a place of solitude where the wisdom, beauty, and goodness of God is present in all of nature:
In the songs and sounds of the creatures, in the touch of the earth, in the rhythm of the seasons, and in the beauty of the countryside.
The prayer fraternity is open to any friar of the Conference for a temporary visit or perhaps friars interested in making this a way of life. The house of prayer allows time away from the routine, noise and busyness of life and
an opportunity to pause and recognized the abundance of God's gifts which are all around us and provides a way to gain perspective by withdrawing to a secluded place for personal prayer, solitude and contemplation.
The recent General Chapter asked that every Conference of the Order establish just such a house, and we are blessed in the ESC to already have one.
Any friar interested in joining this prayer fraternity should speak to your respective Provincial Minister or Custos.
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Photos
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| Conference members during a break. |
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| Provincial Minister Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM (SJB) outside of The King and I |
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| West 31st Street, home of Holy Name Provincial Curia, has been named in honor of Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, who lost his life on September 11, 2001. |
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