Franciscan Friars Province of the Immaculate Conception

Provincial Update - September 2021

Dear Brothers, Only the hardest of hearts could not have been moved by the vivid pictures coming to us of the devastation of coastal states, as the recent hurricanes and storms took their toll of life and property. Victims stood by helplessly as the forces of nature wiped away towns and cities, and we were reminded once again how powerful storms can be and how weak we are as human beings. Even here in New York City, we were not spared, as flooded subways and streets wreaked havoc on our city. Contrast that with the drought afflicting the western states- rampant fires in California and other places destroying forests and towns. We would hope that there would

some way the excessive rain and water saturating the eastern United States could be used to help our western neighbors.  It is no secret that citizens of those states most deeply affected by the storms are raising their voices in anger at the slow response of government agencies, both on the federal and state level. It seems that so much more could be done- and there’s so much more that we could be doing. It seems that more and more we are confronting disasters.  Whether it is these weather-related issues, or the recent (and continuing) COVID-19 pandemic, we are becoming a reactive society, rather than pro-active.  This month we also remembered, with much sadness, the attacks on our city and nation of September 11, 2001.  Living here in the southern part of Manhattan, only one mile from Ground Zero, we are keenly aware of the loss of life, health, and property that occurred on that day, as well as the blatant and overt attack on our society and all that it stands for. We are reminded of this every day as we walk down Thompson or Sullivan Street, and see the new World Trade Center, but are constantly reminded of what was there and what happened. Every year this event is commemorated in special ways: memorial services at the site itself; masses and prayers at our churches; special lighting effects in the sky, and a sharing of stories and memories.   It is also a reminder of our vulnerability.  We remember the countless people from all parts of our nation and the world who came to our aid in our dire need.  The lessons of hurricanes, storms, droughts, fires, disasters, and terrorist attacks lie, not so much in our response to them- but in our continuing response to one another. We need to be our brothers’ keepers. We need to take responsibility to assist those most in need, not just in times of disaster- but at all times, and in all places. As we come to the end of September and make our way to our solemn feast of St. Francis, we also need to remind ourselves of our responsibilities to each other, especially with an aging population of friars.  We need to help each other, to be supportive of each other, and to love each other.  Happy Feast, brothers.  Let it be a reminder to all of us of our common brotherhood and vocation- to imitate Christ in everything that we do.   Fraternally,

News from the Novitiate San Damiano, Assisi Four New Novices Received into the Order 

The newly-received novices with Friars Orlando Ruiz and Antonio Riccio.

Six young men, two from the Seraphic Province of St. Francis of Assisi, and four of our own province, were received into the novitiate and invested with the habit of St. Francis on September 8, 2021, in the courtyard of the Sanctuary of San Damiano in Assisi.  In the beautiful outdoor cloister, Friar Francesco Piloni, O.F.M., Provincial Minister of the Seraphic Province, presided over the Rite of Investiture, which marked the beginning of the novitiate year. In addressing the novices, Friar Francesco urged them to experience that change of mentality required by the Gospel when it states that 'new wine must be poured into new wineskins.'  For this to happen, it is necessary, first of all, to be “present to the present God”. He added, “the Lord calls his disciples to be well aware of the world around them. It is therefore always necessary to inform oneself of the difficulties that people are going through, to train oneself to be able to help them and, finally, to let the Holy Spirit act and transform everything according to God's will.” The novices were invested with the Franciscan habit by Friar Antonio Riccio, O.F.M., Provincial Secretary of Formation and Studies. Friar Orlando Ruiz, O.F.M., Provincial Director of Vocations, was also in attendance. The new novices are Br. Kevin Ottoniel Hernandez, Br. Gabriel Rojas Mendieta Br. Yony Alberto Molina Diaz, and Br. Jimmy Alexis Marchante Congratulations, brothers.

FRIARS COMPLETING THEIR NOVITIATE PROFESS FIRST VOWS August 28 was a day of great joy for the Order of Friars Minor.  Six of our brothers, two from the Seraphic Province and four from the Immaculate Conception Province, professed their first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience at the Sanctuary of San Damiano in Assisi.  The celebration, held in the outdoor courtyard of the novitiate, was celebrated by Friar Francesco Piloni, O.F.M., Provincial Minister of the Seraphic Province. Friars Antonio Riccio and Orlando Ruiz were also in attendance. Those who made their first profession from our province were Friar Dagoberto Hernandez Lopez , Friar Matthew Mancino , Friar Kevin Gabriel Gonzales Vega. and Friar Nelson Aldair Orantes Calderon. Congratulations Brothers.

News From the Post-Novitiate Friars

The simply professed friars from the Convento San Francesco in Rome are completing their summer assignments and will soon be making the trek back to Rome. Their experiences have been fantastic, and the province's friars are very impressed with their dedication and devotion. They are being joined by the four brothers who completed their novitiate (See article above) and, after a visit with their families, will continue in their initial formation as friars. Some of the brothers wrote of their summer experiences: Dear brothers, after a couple of months in Central America, in my place of summer mission, Ataco, El Salvador, I send you a fraternal greeting of peace and good.  After the vacation time with my family and grateful to God for the beautiful moments shared with them, I met with Father Rafael at the San Francisco Institute in Comayagüela. After a couple of days, we traveled to Inmaculada Concepcion de María parish, in Ataco. I feel very happy and grateful to God for the opportunity to be here, with Father Rafael and all the people of this beautiful parish, for their welcome.  After a few weeks, our brother Luis, arrived at this place, his home parish. We have been having excellent weeks, collaborating with some parish groups and other activities. I continue to entrust myself to your prayers so that the Lord will give me the grace to respond with generosity and fidelity every day. May God bless all of you!  Fraternally, Fr. Marco Antonio Gómez García OFM Dear brothers greetings of peace and goodness to all of you. I am writing this update from the Immaculate Conception church that is one of our parishes in El Salvador and also it is my home parish. I arrived here on August 22, here I found our brother Marco Gomez who was also asigned to this parish. For me it was a big joy returning to my parish as a Franciscan friar after 2 years of being away from this community in which I grew up. Marco and I have been helping the pastor Fr. Rafael Fernández in all that we can do- for example we have been helping with English classes in the school that is staff by us, we have been given catechism classes for kids who are getting ready to receive the first communion and confirmation. We have visited homes with elderly or sick people and also we have accompanied the different groups that exist in the parish. For me it has been a great experience being in this parish for which I thank God. Now we heading to the last 2 weeks that we are going to be here, feelings of sadness start to arrive, but I am also extremely excited to return to Rome to continue the formation program. May God give you peace. Fraternally, Bro. Luis Hernandez  Peace and good brothers, this last month has been very interesting. At Valle de los Angeles this year a bakery was opened. In it the boys and girls make bread and cookies in order to consume here in the orphanage and are also sold at the end of Sunday Masses. For me it was a great joy to share the recipe for some cookies- the rich and special Italian "mostaccioli" according to a book that reconstructs various recipes of some saints. These were those that Fray Jacopa di Sottesoli was preparing for his great friend Saint Francis of Assisi. It has truly been a ministry opportunity for me, with wonderful fraternity and evangelization. Blessings to all dear brothers in Jesus Christ! Brother Daniel R. Luna OFM

Friar Daniel Cavalieri assisting at St. Christopher Friary Friars Jack and Angelo enjoying the beautiful New Hampshire seashore.

Friar Daniel Luna with Friar Joaquin Mejia in Moyuta, one of the first places our province ministered at in Central America. Friars Marco Antonio and Luis with Friar Rafael on summer assignment.

Summer assignment at Valle de los Angeles. Valle de los Angeles

News from St. Christopher Friary, Boston

Back To School…   It’s that time of year when we get new pencil cases and get ready for a new semester.  Here at St. Christopher, we are in the learning mode. This summer Michael and Robert both took online courses through “The Great Courses” series. Robert took a course in vocabulary improvement just for Scrabble night! Dan Cavalieri got recertified as an RN and began guitar lessons. The community has benefited more from the nursing than the guitar so far. He will be off for his first year of theology at the printing of this issue. James and Michael were recertified in first aid and CPR. Maurus gave the entire community a lesson on the “mission” with an impressive chronological summary of the province’s history in Central America. Age is certainly no barrier to learning.   Dan has been an excellent addition to the community this summer. He has used his nursing regularly, taking vitals, helping to transport, and communicating with health professionals. He has been able and willing to share a few reflections with the community. Each of these was well received by the guys. In addition to his prayer and work, he has helped with social activities. Our outings to the movies are proving to be a big success. Dan did some weekend ministry at St. Leonard’s and has been adopted by the community of younger Italian folks in the North End.   The hurricane hit Boston hard with rain and flooding. The roof at St. Christopher could not withstand all the water. The fourth floor became an indoor shower all during the night of Sept. 1. Dan, Michael, and Emilio, our custodian, took half-hour shifts throughout the night and early morning emptying buckets of water from the roof.  The rooftop garden came down so that the roofers could check things out. A seam repair did the trick and thankfully was far less costly than anticipated.    We had a slew of visitors in late summer. Angelo Monti paid us a visit for his vacation time. It was a pleasure hosting him. Each day he took a journey around Boston. He also found his favorite spot for gluten free Italian cookies.  He visited it often, but always brought back treats for the house. Jack Sidoti passed through for a night on his way from his summer assignment. Damian and Joe dropped him off and were able to stay for lunch with the guys. Mary Volpe spent a few days with us and Dan Cavalieri’s mom, sister and brother were able to be with us for Dan’s birthday.    It is almost time to switch off the air conditioners. Of course, half the house was using heat even in July, but the weather is starting to cool and our activities will begin to change. More doctor’s appointments! That’s it from the North End.

Friar Angeo Monte Visits Friar Daniel's Birthday

October Birthdays  Take time to wish our friars a Happy Birthday! Kevin Ottoniel Hernandez- October 1st- 31 Mario Julian - October 2nd – 67 Nery Aguirre - October 6th - 77 Joseph Powell - October 10th - 34 Rohwin Pais - October 13th - 60 Angelo Falzon - October 15th - 64 Roger Hall - October 16th - 67 Paschal DeMattia - October 19th - 86 Angelo Monti - October 21st - 79 Michael D. Ledoux - October 23rd - 64

NEWS FROM THE GENERAL CURIA, ROME TEMPO FORTE SEPTEMBER 6-15, 2021

General Minister Brother Massimo FUSARELLI together with General Vicar Brother Isauro COVILI LINFATI, and the eight General Definitors gathered from September 6 to 15, 2021 at the OFM General House in Rome, to deliberate on matters related to the governance, administration, and animation of the Order. At this Tempo Forte meeting, the General leadership met with the General Secretariates and various Offices, attended to international matters of immediate necessity, and discussed the direction of the Order for 2021-2027, including practical ways to implement the decisions and guidelines of the General Chapter of July 2021. After confirming Brother Giovanni RINALDI as Secretary General ad interim until 31 August 2022, the General Definitory elected for this coming six years: Br Francisco GÓMEZ VARGAS, of the Province of Saint Paul the Apostle, in Colombia, as Secretary General for Missions and Evangelization; Br Darko TEPERT, of the Province of the Saints Cyrill and Methodius, in Croatia, as Secretary General for Formation and Studies; and Br Claudio DURIGHETTO, of the Seraphic Province of Saint Francis of Assisi, in Italy, as Procurator General of the Order.   Along with these six-year elections, a new Guardian of the Fraternity of the General Curia-Santa Maria Mediatrice was elected for this triennium in the person of Brother Maciej (Krzysztof) OLSZEWSKI, of the Province of Saint Francis of Assisi, in Poland. In addition, the following official appointments were made: Br Dennis TAYO, of the Custody of Saint Anthony of Padua, in the Philippines, as General Animator for Missions; Br Hieronimus Yosep DEI RUPA, as General Vice-Secretary for Formation and Studies; Br Chryzostom (Jarosław) FRYC, as Secretary of the Office of the General Procurator; Br Evodio JOÃO, of the Custody of Saint Claire, in Mozambique, as Director of the Communication Office; Br Fabio César GOMES, of the Province of the Immaculate Conception BVM, in Brazil, as General Delegat Pro Monialibus; Br Israel PORRAS ALVARADO, of the Province of the Saints Peter and Paul, in Mexico, as Vice-Director of the Office of the General Protocol; Br Baptist D’SOUZA, of the Province of Saint Thomas the Apostle, in India, as Vice-Director of the Development Office; Br Angel Edwin MONTOYA MONTOYA, of the Province of Saint Francis, in Ecuador, as Rector of the Students of the Fraternity “Blessed Gabriele M. Allegra”, at CISA; To be confirmed: Personal Secretary of the Minister General; and To be confirmed: Director of the Development Office. Interview with the Minister General Meet the 121st successor of St. Francis of Assisi: Exclusive interview with Fra Massimo Fusarelli, the recently elected head of the worldwide Franciscan Order of Friars Minor (OFM) By Xavier Le Normand | Italy Delegates of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), the largest male branch of the worldwide Franciscan Family, recently elected their new Minister General. He's Father Massimo Fusarelli, a 58-year-old Rome native who has been a friar since 1982. Ordained to the presbyterate in 1989, he has a licentiate in early Christian writings from the prestigious Augustinian Patristics Institute (Augustinianum), located in Rome. Fra Massimo Fusarelli was elected to an initial six-year term as the OFM Minister General. La Croix's Xavier Le Normand has this interview with the friar who is considered the 121st successor of St. Francis of Assisi. La Croix: How was your religious vocation born? FMF: When I was a high school student, around 1980, some friends and I were looking for a place to nourish our faith. In Italy, that period was marked by political violence, even terrorism. We were concerned about all that. With these friends, we learned that there was a Franciscan community not far away, at the service of the Gospel and of people with disabilities, who, at the time, were particularly isolated. This community impressed us through its always positive atmosphere and openness to young people. I fell in love with it, and I'm not the only one, since three of us from this group of friends have joined the Franciscans. I felt a call to stay with the Lord, which was a real fire for me, which I still have today, although in a different way. I first rushed headlong to answer that call; since then I have had difficulties, but that flame has always remained.  How has your Franciscan vocation evolved since you joined the order? FMF: When I was young, especially when I was among people with disabilities, I began by trying to do things for the poor, a bit like a charity. Then, like St. Francis who did not want to do for the poor, but to live with them, I felt a call to share their lives. I experienced this when some other friars and I opened a fraternity in a very disadvantaged neighborhood. We had no real pastoral mission other than to listen to the people. This was very important for me, because I realized the truth of our rule: it is the poor who change us -- not the other way around -- because they open us to a new vision of the Gospel. Even violent people, even prostitutes who live through horrible things, keep their great dignity. We always have to learn from the least among us. The poor remind us of the Lord and it is only through them that we can meet Christ. I experienced this in a particular way in 2016, after the earthquake in Amatrice (in Abruzzo), where I was living at the time. Before these wounded, grieving people, I opened the door of my heart a little more. Since then, I can no longer seek God without thinking of the tears from those who have lost everything. Have you experienced moments of doubt, of questioning your vocation? I have experienced two moments of darkness in my faith. During the first one, I questioned all the doctrine that I had learned. But I understood that these doubts were really more emotional than rational: they came from the difficulty of abandoning myself. The second dark night was really a questioning: "Lord, where are you?" I had the impression that all my structures were collapsing and I felt a great sense of emptiness, especially before the rites and all that I would call religious imagination. There was nothing left. Everything was falling apart, and I had to learn to believe again. Today, I hope to be a believer, not only in God, but also in the possibility of relying totally on God. My faith is still a bit restless, but faith is a searching for God, because God always appears to us in a different way and we have to be open to these surprises. The path of faith is always new. Your peers elected you to lead the Franciscans last July. How did you feel about this election? When the final results of the election were announced, I was seized by a reaction of fear. But the most difficult moment was the night before, because I had already received a lot of support while being aware of my weaknesses before this mission of being a sign of St. Francis. I don't believe that the success of this mission will depend on whether I am good or not, but rather on my ability to serve from my weaknesses, placing my life in the hands of the Lord. God said to me again: "Abandon yourself to me", and I felt again the difficulty of this surrender.  What will be the main priorities of your mandate? The priorities of my mandate have been given to me by the general chapter and I must obey them. We have been asked to renew our Franciscan identity, not as a doctrine, but as a way of life. The name of our order is the Friars Minor. So this means to renew fraternity and to make ourselves small. It asks us to rid ourselves of defensive attitudes and to learn to rejoice in being with the poor, the rejected, the marginalized. The goal is to rediscover the Gospel and put it at the heart of our lives. Nothing new of course, but it is a matter of truly believing that this is possible. Another priority of my work will be to help the friars who can sometimes be discouraged or tired. This attitude is found in Western countries where vocations are drying up and the brothers are questioning the meaning of their mission. We must truly believe that God is also there where we no longer expect it. In the other direction, where vocations are growing, we must not congratulate ourselves, but try to understand what this success is based on. In short, on the one hand, it is a matter of rekindling hope, and on the other, of supporting it where it is. We must not forget that doing good does not make headlines and that the Gospel is much stronger than we are, because it is the power of God .For example, does God no longer act in secularized France? Of course God does, but we must listen and believe that God is present today, perhaps even more than before. Concern for creation, multiple references to St. Francis, desire for a "poor Church for the poor"... Pope Francis seems more Franciscan than Jesuit.  In your opinion, is the Church taking a Franciscan turn? This is indeed a reflection that we had during the general chapter: we are going through an extraordinarily Franciscan moment, but perhaps we are not living it enough ourselves. The encyclical Laudato si' (2015), with its perspective of integral ecology, gives us a new vision where everything is interconnected and puts faith back at the heart of the world. This is precisely what St. Francis experienced. In Fratelli tutti (2020), the pope tells us that we need new human relationships based on social friendship, in the name of and thanks to the Gospel. Again, this is deeply Franciscan. I believe that the path to follow is the one indicated by the pope: to become a poor Church, to accept being stripped down and not believing that we are a great, strong Church. This requires conversion, including for us religious .It is in this sense that I understand obedience to the pope: to really listen to him as a fruitful source. What advice do you have for the laity to walk in this Franciscan way? I always encourage families to follow an evangelical lifestyle. Read the Gospel among yourselves and live it! We can also ask ourselves about the relationships between the different members, evaluate the relationship with material goods and ask ourselves if the family is open to others or closed in on itself. Another piece of advice is to always cultivate hope, especially in this period which foreshadows -- God willing! -- the post-Covid era. It is a matter of believing that the future is already here in the present. But we must remember that hope is the child of poverty. If I try to have too much money, to protect a safety-measure, to always have a guarantee, hope cannot be there. Saint Francis wanted to possess nothing in order to be free and, even without going that far, we must know how to become a little lighter, to have what is needed and to rely on God for the rest. Read more at: https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/meet-the-121st-successor-of-st-francis-of-assisi/14898

California Lawmakers Sully the Good Name of Saint Junipero Serra

By Salvatore J. Cordileone and José H. Gomez California lawmakers have passed legislation to replace a statue of St. Junípero Serra at the Capitol in Sacramento with a new monument honoring the state’s native peoples. The Serra statue has been in storage since it was torn down by protesters in July 2020. A humble 18th-century Franciscan priest, Serra would surely approve of a new monument honoring the indigenous Californians he spent his life serving. Unfortunately, the legislature has gone further, slandering his name and pushing a false narrative about the mission period in California. “Enslavement of both adults and children, mutilation, genocide, and assault on women were all part of the mission period initiated and overseen by Father Serra,” declares Assembly Bill 338, which passed both chambers by wide margins and now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. None of that is true. While there is much to criticize from this period, no serious historian has ever made such outrageous claims about Serra or the mission system, the network of 21 communities that Franciscans established along the California coast to evangelize native people. The lawmakers behind the bill drew their ideas from a single tendentious book written by journalist Elias Castillo. As leaders of the state’s two largest Catholic communities, we serve thousands of native Californians who trace their faith to ancestors who helped build the missions. We understand the bitter history of native exploitation. But history can be complicated and facts matter. In the definitive history, “Junípero Serra: California, Indians, and the Transformation of a Missionary,” Santa Clara University scholars Robert Senkewicz and Rose Marie Beebe point out deep cultural misunderstandings that resulted in cruelties for some natives living in the missions, but nothing resembling what the legislature claims. Serra was a complex character, but he defended indigenous people’s humanity, decried the abuse of indigenous women, and argued against imposing the death penalty on natives who had burned down a mission and murdered one of his friends. At age 60, ill and with a chronically sore leg, Serra traveled 2,000 miles to Mexico City to demand that authorities adopt a native bill of rights he had written. As Pope Francis said when he canonized him in 2015, Serra is not only the country’s first Hispanic saint, but should be considered “one of the founding fathers of the United States.” Mr. Newsom knows California history well enough to see that the claims against Serra aren’t true. In 2019 he apologized for the state’s history of injustice against native people, acknowledging that it was California’s first governor, Peter Burnett, who launched what Burnett called “a war of extermination.” That was in 1851. Serra died in 1784. The destruction of the state’s native people happened long after he was gone and many of the missions had been taken over by the government. How we choose to remember the past shapes the people we hope to be in the future. We can think of no better symbol for this multiethnic state committed to human dignity and equality than to place two statues at the California Capitol—one celebrating the living heritage of California’s indigenous peoples, another reflecting the faith and leadership of their defender St. Junípero Serra. Archbishop Cordileone leads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. Archbishop Gomez leads the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

St. Leonard's Hosts Centenary Celebration of the St. Lucy Feast in the North End Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Presides at Centennial Mass. This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of the annual Feast of St. Lucy, held in the North End of Boston. The Centennial Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley on Sunday, August 22 at St. Leonard's Church. His Eminence, as well as attending dignitaries and the faithful, were welcomed by Fr. Michael Della Penna, OFM, Pastor of St. Leonard's. According to St. Anthony’s Feast Feast Committee Trustee Jason A. Aluia, the day of commemoration at 12:00 p.m. a concluded with a presentation of the Blessed Relic of Saint Lucy to the Saint Lucy Society. “The procession then proceeded to Endicott Street for the exposition and blessing of the Statue of Santa Lucia and devotees,” said Aluia. “The Statue of Santa Lucia was then taken through the streets of the North End in the Grand Solemn Procession accompanied by Italian street bands, drum and bugle corps, flower girls and color guard.” To commemorate this special occasion, the committee had a special all-day neighborhood festival in front of the Saint Anthony Society headquarters on Endicott Street.  Festivities contnued Thursday, August 26 through Sunday, August 29, with the traditional Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy Feast weekend featuring live entertainment, culinary demonstrations, outdoor seating and vendors. “The first procession of Saint Lucy was held in 1921 on the Monday after the Feast of Saint Anthony,” said Aluia. “The popularity of this Saint to the Italian immigrant population compelled founding members to expand the Feast of Saint Anthony to four days and begin celebrating a Feast of Saint Lucy annually." Cardinal O'Malley reported in his blog: "Of course, these are very important devotions in the Italian village where so many of the families of the North End are from. Those traditions of popular religiosity, which Pope Francis speaks so much about, can be a very strong influence on people’s lives and on their identity as Catholics. To me, it was very moving to see how the devotion to the saints has kept people connected to the Church and one another. They began by singing 'Santa Lucia,' which I had never heard sung in church before! It was a beautiful celebration and, despite the threatening hurricane and storms, we had a very full church." The Feastday of St. Lucy is celebrated on December 13 throughout the church. She was born in Siracusa, Sicily in 282, and her devotion spread quickly in both Western and Eastern Churches.

Packed crowd celebrates St. Lucy Fr. Michael Della Penna, OFM, Pastor of St. Leonard's, welcomes the devotees.

St. Thomas Friars Celebrate “Derryfest” The annual “Derryfest” celebration was held on Saturday, September 19, 2021 from 10 AM to 4 PM at MacGregor Park in downtown Derry.  People from far and wide came for fun, food, entertainment, crafts, games, and community spirit.  Derryfest is produced by the Greater Derry Arts Council.  As always, the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas, which sits in the heart of Derry, NH, sponsored a booth.  Here we see Friar Joseph Powell, Pastor, and Friar Damian Johnson, spreading the good word about the parish and its wonderful outreach to the people of New Hampshire.

TRANSITIONS Friar Regis Gallo, OFM, from in residence at Padua Friary, New York City, to Teresian House, Albany NY. Regis' new address is: Teresian House 200 Washington Ave Extension Albany NY 12203 518.456.2000 518.456.4010 (Private Number as of 9.27) Friar Alvin Te, OFM, has returned to the province after serving the Order as Communication Director. Alvin has been assigned temporarily to St. Francis Friary and Church, Toronto.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE FRIARS WHO HAVE RECENTLY DIED Friar Thomas Eisenmenger, OFM (Sacred Heart Province) Friar Vianney Justin, OFM (Holy Name Province) Friar Neri Greskoviak, OFM (St. John Baptist Province) Friar Nevin John Ford, OFM (St. Barbara Province) Friar John Ulrich, OFM (Holy Name Province) Friar Sean Gildea, OFM (Province of Ireland) Friar Bernard Jones, OFM (Province of Ireland) Recently Deceased Family and Friends Bishop John McCormack, D.D. (Former Bishop of Manchester and beloved friend to our province.) Louie De Benedetto (Province Affiliate from East Boston) Dr. Francis Mazzaglia (Former seminarian and founder of the Italian Alliance) Fr. Peter Guerin, O.S.B. (St. Anselm Abbey,Manchester NH) Let us pray for our infirm friars: Friar Flavian Mucci, OFM Friar Aubert Picardi, OFM Friar Vincent dePaul Ciaravino, OFM Friar Dennis Wheatley, OFM Friar Daniel Morey, OFM For our Infirm Family and Friends  For our friars in skilled nursing and rehab facilities: Friar Regis Gallo, OFM Friar James Goode, OFM Friar Albin Fusco, OFM Friar Isaac Calicchio, OFM Friar Daniel Morey, OFM Friar Philip Adamo, OFM Friar Lawrence Stumpo, OFM Please pray for all friars, families, friends, and benefactors, living and deceased. For medical personnel and first responders. For those in our nursing homes and hospitals.

BROTHERS: Please print out a copy of this newsletter to share with those in your community who do not have email. We hope that every friar in our province will have access to the Newsletter and that a printed copy will be posted on your friary bulletin board. Thank you

Province of the Immaculate Conception, New York NY 125 Thompson Street New York NY 10012 212-674-4388 NEWSLETTER CONTACT Please send any articles, news items, or photos to Friar Joseph F Lorenzo, O.F.M. Provincial Secretary/Communications Director 125 Thompson Street New York NY 10012 Cell: 917.337.9833 Office: 212.674.4388 Xt. 113 jlorenzo@icprovince.org VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION www.ICProvince.org