Christmas at Greccio (Thomas of Celano)

 (Francis’) highest aim, foremost desire, and greatest intention was to pay heed to the holy gospel in all things and through all things, to follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and to retrace His footsteps completely with all vigilance and all zeal, all the desire of his soul and all the fervor of his heart. 

Francis used to recall with regular meditation the words of Christ and recollect His deeds with most attentive perception. Indeed, so thoroughly did the humility of the Incarnation and the charity of the Passion occupy his memory that he scarcely wanted to think of anything else. 

We should note then, as matter worthy of memory and something to be recalled with reverence, what he did, three years prior to his death, at the town of Greccio, on the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ. There was a certain man in that area named John who had a good reputation but an even better manner of life. Blessed Francis loved him with special affection, since, despite being a noble in the land and very honored in human society, he had trampled the nobility of the flesh under his feet and pursued instead the nobility of the spirit. As usual, blessed Francis had John summoned to him some fifteen days prior to the birthday of the Lord. “If you desire to celebrate the coming feast of the Lord together at Greccio,” he said to him, “hurry before me and carefully make ready the things I tell you. For I wish to enact the memory of that babe who was born in Bethlehem: to see as much as is possible with my own bodily eyes the discomfort of his infant needs, how he lay in a manger, and how, with an ox and an ass standing by, he rested on hay.” Once the good and faithful man had heard Francis’s words, he ran quickly and prepared in that place all the things that the holy man had requested. 

Finally, the day of joy has drawn near, the time of exultation has come. From many different places the brethren have been called. As they could, the men and women of that land with exultant hearts prepare candles and torches to light up that night whose shining star has enlightened every day and year. Finally, the holy man of God comes and, finding all things prepared, he saw them and was glad. Indeed, the manger is prepared, the hay is carried in, and the ox and the ass are led to the spot. There simplicity is given a place of honor, poverty is exalted, humility is commended, and out of Greccio is made a new Bethlehem. 

The night is lit up like day, delighting both man and beast. The people arrive, ecstatic at this new mystery of new joy. The forest amplifies the cries and the boulders echo back the joyful crowd. The brothers sing, giving God due praise, and the whole night abounds with jubilation. The holy man of God stands before the manger, filled with heartfelt sighs, contrite in his piety, and overcome with wondrous joy. Over the manger the solemnities of the Mass are celebrated and the priest enjoys a new consolation. 

The holy man of God is dressed in the vestments of the Levites, since he was a Levite, and with full voice sings the holy gospel. Here is his voice: a powerful voice, a pleasant voice, a clear voice, a musical voice, inviting all to the highest of gifts. Then he preaches to the people standing around him and pours forth sweet honey about the birth of the poor King and the poor city of Bethlehem. Moreover, burning with excessive love, he often calls Christ the “babe from Bethlehem” whenever he means to call Him Jesus. Saying the word “Bethlehem” in the manner of a bleating sheep, he fills his whole mouth with sound but even more with sweet affection. He seems to lick his lips whenever he uses the expressions “Jesus” or “babe from Bethlehem,” tasting the word on his happy palate and savoring the sweetness of the word. The gifts of the Almighty are multiplied there and a virtuous man sees a wondrous vision. For the man saw a little child lying lifeless in the manger and he saw the holy man of God approach the child and waken him from a deep sleep. Nor is this vision unfitting, since in the hearts of many the child Jesus has been given over to oblivion. Now he is awakened and impressed on their loving memory by His own grace through His holy servant Francis. At length, the night’s solemnities draw to a close and everyone went home with joy. 

THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS

OF THE

PROVINCE OF THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

WISH YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES

A MOST BLESSED CHRISTMAS

AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR

News from the Convento San Francesco

My summer experience in the fraternity of St. Christopher in Boston was very nice, because I was able to meet some friars. In my case it was the first time that I was in the United States, my first contact with the Province. It was very useful to be exposed to the reality of my Province, and to take part in one of its ministries. This gave me the opportunity to share time with many elderly friars, to talk a little about their life experience and how they have given their lives to the service of God.

I went to our provincial curia and shared a moment with Father Robert Campagna. Also, getting to know Padua House and the other friars who live there was a moment that made me very happy and made me feel I could call the province, “my province.”  

It was also an opportunity where I could develop everything I learned during these 3 years of formation within the Order; the fraternal life and the organization of time for study and personal prayer. It was also a time to learn a little English during the 6 weeks I was in the school and the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours in English helped me to understand the language a little more. However, I consider that it was not enough time to learn it well, I would like to continue studying it and this is what we are now doing in Rome with our formator every Saturday, for those of us who need it.

I conclude that it was an experience that gave me many teachings that will serve to help me begin a new academic year but will also be lessons to hold on to moving forward in general in religious life. I am grateful for the opportunity that I was given to come to this fraternity, to Father Francis Walter, to Brother Gabriel Aceto who were attentive to me during all this time and I really felt at home and truly in a family.”

Fra Gabriel

Dear brothers, greetings of peace and goodness from Rome:

We have arrived to the last month of the calendar. That is telling us that the year 2023 is coming to its end. The city of Roma is already adorned with lights, Christmas trees and of course the nativity sets. We as a community are also getting ready for all the celebrations of this month of December that is going to be even more special for us Franciscan friars as we will celebrate the 800 anniversary of the manger that our founder made in Greccio. We give thanks to the Almighty for the blessing He has bestowed upon us through the whole year 2023 and for all the moments we have lived as a community. Here, we share with you some of those special moments that we have experienced in November.

The celebration of Thanksgiving Day: We started the day with mass, in which our Bro. Jack Sidoti shared a beautiful reflection with us. It was centered on being grateful to God and being able to recognize all His gifts to us. Then we had a delicious lunch that was prepared by our dear Daniela. During lunch, we also had some special guests, among them, we had our minister general Bro. Massimo Fusarelli.

We also had the opportunity of serving one mass at Saint’s Peter Basilica. It was on November 26^th at 10.30. For most us of us, it was the first time serving a mass at the basilica. The mass was presided by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti. On November 29^th we participated in the celebration for the 800 years of our Rule. The celebration was organized in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and there were present the members of all the Franciscan family. The same day to continue the celebrations we had a mass in the church of “Santi Quaranta Martiri”. This one is a church where live some friars who belong to the Immaculate Conception province from Spain. At the end of the mass, we renewed our vows. 

On December 8^th, we celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of our order and also our province. To celebrate this solemnity, we had a mass at our general curia. The mass was presided by our minister general Bro. Massimo Fusarelli. Our guardian Bro. Antonio Riccio proclaimed the Gospel and some of the brothers in formation served the mass. After the mass, we were invited to have lunch with all the friars that work in the general curia.

As I already mentioned, this year’s Christmas is very special for us Franciscan because we are remembering that first manger that our founder Saint Francis made back in 1223. To celebrate these 800 years of that event, the Holy Father Francis met in a delegation from Rieti. Rieti is the region where Greccio is located. In this place saint Francis stopped to recreate the scene of the first Christmas. We were invited by the minister general to this meeting with the pope that was held in the Paul VI Hall. In the evening of the same day, some of our brothers attended the lighting of the Christmas tree at Saint Peter’s Square.

As we are getting close to the end of the 2023 year, we are grateful for all these moments that we have lived as friars from the Convento San Francesco, and specially for all these memories that I have just shared with you from November. May the Almighty God continue blessing each of us in the year that is just around the corner. Merry Christmas and a happy 2024!!! Don’t forget to keep praying for each other!!

Br. Luis

Photo 800^th ann The brothers (Aldair, Kevin Gabriel, Dan Luna, Gabriel and Jack) waiting to see the pope as he addresses a group from the province of Rieti, Italy, on the occasion of the 800^th Anniversary of Greccio.

Plenary indulgence on the occasion of

the eighth centenary

of "Christmas at Greccio"

Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you peace!

We write to you from Assisi, where we are gathered on the occasion of the

celebrations for our Seraphic Father, to share with you the great gift and privilege that the Holy Father wanted to grant us on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Christmas in Greccio. Here Saint Francis wanted to commemorate the birth of the Lord starting with a nativity scene, leading to the Eucharistic celebration, where Jesus Christ makes himself present in the bread and wine.

During this Centenary, on 17 April 2023, we addressed the following petition to the Holy Father: "in order to promote the spiritual renewal of the faithful and increase the life of grace, we ask that the faithful receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions from 8 December 2023, the Solemnity of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to 2 February 2024, Feast of the Presentation in the Temple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by visiting the churches run by Franciscan families throughout the world and stopping in prayer in front of the nativity scenes set up there. Likewise, those who are sick or unable to participate physically can equally benefit from the gift of plenary indulgence, offering their sufferings to the Lord or carrying out pratices of piety."

The Apostolic Penitentiary favorably welcomed the request, granting the right to announce it publicly. Therefore, in all the churches entrusted to us for pastoral care, it will be possible for all the faithful to receive a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, from 8 December 2023 to 2 February 2024.

We ask you to share this "privilege" in all our locations which fits in well with the special relationship that was established between Saint Francis and the Church when he asked the Pope for the Indulgence for those who visited the Porziuncola; and we hope that it will be an opportunity for communion and spiritual renewal for every brother and sister in the entire Franciscan family.

May the Lord guide your steps, and give you his mercy!

Your General Ministers and President

Provincial Retreat/ Guardians’ Workshop- May 7-10, 2024

Chapter of Mats- May 11, 2024

Guardians Workshop- A Misnomer?

Why have a workshop for guardians in the last year of their term of office? Wouldn’t it make more sense to do this at the beginning of their term? Although it would seem to make more sense to have the workshop at the beginning of the term, this workshop is for ALL friars since the role of guardian, in service to the fraternity, is to be understood by all the brothers. The workshop will focus on finances and administration, spiritual leadership, physical care of the friars, and much more. As part of the province retreat, it adds a concrete aspect to living our Gospel life together. The retreat and workshop will also serve as preparation for the Chapter of Mats and will highlight the need for renewal in all areas of our life. All  friars are encouraged to attend the retreat and the workshop.

The provincial minister asks that those with parochial and other ministerial responsibilities begin to find coverage, so that as many friars as possible may attend. Those friars who are unable to attend the retreat for health or other concerns are asked to write to the provincial minister to be excused. 

800th Anniversary of the

Approval of the Regula Bullata

November 29, 2023

On Wednesday, November 29, in the Basilica of St. John in Laterano, in Rome, we the Franciscan Family celebrated the 800th anniversary of the approval by Pope Honorio III of the Rule drafted by St. Francis of Assisi.

In a physical and spiritual itinerary inside the Basilica, we walked the path of the Rule in 12 steps, one for each chapter, lighting from time to time a lantern to symbolize the light of the Gospel, implemented by Francesco and many Franciscans who in 800 years have found always new ways of living it up. A path that has revealed, at every step, the center of life of every Franciscan: the crucified Christ who spoke to Francesco more than 800 years ago and who still speaks to each of us today.

Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, General Minister of the OFM, commented on Chapter III of the Rule ("Of divine office and fasting and how friars must go around the world"), recalling how Francis managed to combine prayer, fasting and gentleness, turning to a traveling fraternity: "How can a life be sustained" Roaming around? How can you not scatter, if you don't scatter inside? ”, asked Fr. Massimo. Francis himself gives the answer in his Rule: with prayer and fasting. “Francesco says to me, to us today: if you want to stay traveling, lighten the weights, learn not to depend on things, do not look for nutrition in food, in messy affections, in what seems to fill you up. For me today, for example, from many relationships, always having to answer, always being connected. What does it mean to rebalance these relationships? I am still learning it and I keep the Rule as a compass, because Francesco then gives us the third key: to be meek, peaceful, modest, meek and humble”, shared the Minister General.

The Rule (Regola Bullata) was formally recognized in the Bull “Solere Annuere” issued on November 29 1223, 800 years ago today.

Pope Francis’ letter was read out during a solemn liturgy presided over on Wednesday afternoon at the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Pope's Vicar for the Diocese.

The celebration was attended by friars, nuns, and lay people belonging to the three Orders founded by St. Francis.

Pope encourages Franciscans to live out their charism in the world

As the Franciscan Family marked the 8th Centenary of the confirmation of the Rule of St. Francis, on 29 November 1223, Pope Francis invites Franciscan friars and sisters to renew their vocation of bringing the Gospel of poverty and fraternity to today’s world. 

Pope Francis has urged members of the Franciscan Family to hold true to the charism of fraternity, humility and poverty of their Founder by going out to the world to share the Gospel.  

For Franciscan friars and sisters going around the world means realizing their “itinerant vocation in a style of fraternity and peaceful life” and is in line with the call on all Christians “to be an ‘outgoing Church’", the Pope said in a letter he addressed to the Ministers General of the Order on the occasion of the 8th Centenary of the formal confirmation of the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi by Pope Honorius III.

In his message, the Pope noted that the centenary is “a propitious occasion” not only to remember an important historical event, but above all, “to revive the same spirit that inspired St. Francis of Assisi to strip himself of everything, and give birth to a unique and fascinating form of life rooted in the Gospel”.

“May this jubilee be for everyone the time (…) for a renewed missionary mandate of the Church which calls us to go out to meet the world where many brothers and sisters await to be consoled, loved and cared for.”

Drawing from St. Francis’ Rule, Pope Francis, therefore, exhorted the members of the Franciscan Order first of all to “observe poverty, humility and the Gospel”, living “in obedience, without anything of their own and in chastity.”

Recalling that St. Francis put “the Gospel at the center of his existence”, the letter stressed the importance of returning “to the foundation of a Christian and baptismal commitment, capable of being inspired, in every choice, by the Word of the Lord.”

“Christ is the focal point of your spirituality! Be men and women who truly learn "rule and life" in His school!”

Obedience to the Church

Pope Francis then highlighted the Franciscans’ duty of obedience to the Church enshrined in St. Francis’ Rule. “In that bond of obedience and reverence to the Pope and the Church of Rome,” said the Pope, “he recognized an essential feature of the fidelity to his vocation and of receiving Christ in the Eucharist and this is why he declared, with no hesitation, his compelling belonging to the Church.”

“Be tenacious in supporting the Church, repairing it with example and testimony, even when it seems to cost more!”

Going out to the world

Finally, the letter called on the Franciscan friars and sisters “not to hesitate” to go out to the world “sharing the bliss of poverty, becoming an eloquent evangelical sign, and showing our age, marked by wars and conflicts, by selfishness of every kind and logics of exploitation of the environment and the poor, that the Gospel is truly good news for man.”

Concluding, Pope Francis said he confides in the Order’s capacity to identify the right way to courageously and faithfully respond to the charism it has received and invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi.

On Friday, December 8, the friars of the New York City area  gathered at Padua Friary for the celebration of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Mass was held at the Friary chapel at 5 o’clock. The main celebrant was Fr. Robert Campagna, our provincial, and Fr. Jimmy Zammit, Definitor General, was the homilist.  Besides the friars of Padua Friary, present were Fr. Patrick Boyle, Fr. Alvin Te Fr. Primo Piscitello, and Fr. Franco Mirri, OFM, Development Director for the Order. A wonderful dinner was prepared by Rosa Landazuri, friary chef and organized by Br. Courtland Campbell. It began with a welcome by the local guardian and the singing of the traditional hymn,"Tota Pulchra Es Maria."After delicious appetizers, the brothers feasted on ravioli, and a special pasta from Naples called Colonne di Pompei by Gragnano Pasta Company. Also served were veal cutlets, homemade braciola, sausage, broccoli rabe, followed by local Italian pastries from Rocco on Bleecker Street. It was a great opportunity for the brothers to get together and not only to celebrate this solemn feast of our province and country, but to enjoy our fraternity.

From Fr. Andre Cirino, OFM

I'm attaching this letter I received from Yad Vashem, Jerusalem where people who helped the Jews during World War II are honored with the title "Righteous Gentile" and a tree in planted in their honor.

Such an honor was given to Don Aldo Brunacci (whom I think you would have met when we were on pilgrimage at Casa Papa Giovanni) and the same honor given to Bishop Giuseppe Nicolini.

Our Lady of Peace Brooklyn

Celebrates

Feasts of Immaculate Conception,

Our Lady of Guadalupe,

ChristmasPageants

Our brother, Fr. Simeon Distefano O.F.M., passed to eternal life on the morning of December 4, 2023 at Mary Manning Walsh Home in Manhattan at the age of 87. He was born in Bronx, New York on June 20, 1936, and was baptized Carmelo. He was received into the Franciscan Order on August 15, 1954; made his temporary profession of vows on August 16, 1955; professed Solemn Vows on August 16, 1958; and was ordained a priest on June 15, 1963. After graduate studies in Milan, Fr. Simeon served the Province in a variety of ministries- in initial formation, secondary education, parochial ministries, and Provincial Administration. He was Headmaster of Serra High School in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and was pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Mount Vernon, New York; Saint Michael Church in Waterbury, Connecticut; and St. Anthony of Padua Church, New York City. He was also Secretary of the Province and Chaplain of Mary Manning Walsh Home in Manhattan.

Wake and Viewing: St. Anthony of Padua Church, New York City

Saturday, December 9- 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Funeral Mass to follow at 11:00 AM

Burial: Mount Alvernia, Wappingers Falls

Heavenly Father, we commend to your mercy our brother, and all who have embraced Sister Death, and we thank you for the gift of their lives. United in faith and prayer, through the intercession of our Immaculate Mother Mary and our holy Father Saint Francis, keep us ever steadfast in your love as we strive for your vision of a world made new.

Take time to wish our brothers a Happy Birthday!

Vincent Ciaravino- January 2 - 83

Robert Campagna- January 2- 77

Bruce Czapla- January 8- 73

Charles Grech- January 9- 62

Daniel Luna- January 19- 25

Joseph Lorenzo- January 25- 74

Dominic Poirier- January 28- 81