The miracle of the Transfiguration, when Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain and appears transfigured with Moses and Elijah.  During the Transfiguration,  the voice of God was heard coming from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him.” But there is another statement that is significant- that of Peter- who proposes that they construct three tents- one for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah.  What Peter is saying is this:  this is so beautiful, let’s just stay here.

We’ve all had moments like that in our lives.  Maybe a wonderful vacation or a special event being surrounded by family and friends.  Perhaps another extraordinary experience in our lives that we will never forget.  SOme may think of their own profession of vows, or ordinations. We take a deep breath and say to ourselves- oh, if I could only freeze this moment.  Or maybe we say, while laying on a beach on a tropical island in the Caribbean- I wish I could stay here forever and not have to go back home.

But we realize, in our maturity, that we have to go home- that we have to go back to reality.  What Peter was experiencing was such a beautiful experience that he did not want to leave.  But Jesus snaps him back to reality- that he had to descend the mountain, go to Jerusalem, and suffer and die, and be risen from the dead.

Sometimes in our spiritual lives we achieve a level of contentment that we feel we don’t have to grow in our faith.  We are perfectly content and possibly become stagnant in our lives- that we just find ourselves doing the same thing over and over and not growing closer to Christ.  If our purpose in Lent is to grow closer to God- to grow holier in our lives, then we cannot be content or satisfied with our level of Christianity or our lives as Friars Minor. We can never take that deep breath and say, “I’m perfectly content with what I do in regard to my faith.”  

Lent is a time of challenge and growth.  We are constantly challenged not only to re-examine our lives, but also to continually grow in the love of God means that often takes us out of our contentment and our comfort zone.  

We are reminded that the great saints of the church, even our own Franciscan Saints, constantly searched for ways to become holier.  Reading the life of Saint Francis reminds us that he was never satisfied with his own life and challenged the early brothers : “Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing.”

This is the challenge of the Transfiguration.  We cannot make "spiritual" tents for ourselves and stay where we are.  We must continually grow in the love of God and in our fraternity. 

News from the Convento San Francesco

A warm greeting from the Friary of San Francesco. This month of March has been filled with activities, joy, and reflection for our community. We began by celebrating the birthday of our dear Daniela together with her husband, a moment of sincere joy. Then, on March 3rd, we joyfully celebrated the birthday of our guardian, a special occasion for all of us.

Furthermore, we have embarked on the journey of Lent, a period of deep spirituality. Every Friday, we dedicate ourselves to serving during the Stations of the Cross at San Pietro, a moment of prayer and sharing.

We wish you a serene start to Lent and may the Lord accompany you on this path towards Holy Week. May this time of reflection and preparation bring peace and renewal to your hearts.

Br. Aldair, ofm

FR. RICK MARTIGNETTI LEADS MARIAN UNIVERSITY MISSION TRIP

From March 1 to 8, 2025, along with another staff member from Marian University, I was blessed to accompany seven M.U. students to Tohatchi, New Mexico for an alternative spring break mission trip. We visited and stayed at Saint Mary’s Mission parish on a Navajo reservation in Tohatchi, about a three hour drive from the Albuquerque airport. A 78 year old Franciscan priest, Fr. Dale Jamison, OFM, originally from the Cincinnati Province, has been serving tribes and pueblos in that area for over thirty years. Now as pastor, Dale hosted us, along with his parochial assistants, two Franciscan sisters who are both in their 80’s. The Catholic Church is hurting in that remote corner of the country. My team of students made up the majority of the congregation for the morning Ash Wednesday Mass that I celebrated while the evening Mass brought in about sixty people.

From the tales told to us, I learned that the U.S. government has not been kind to the Navajo people and has not followed through on promises to help with their education and commerce. As a result, many of the Navajo live in poverty, have run ins with theft and other crimes, and suffer from alcohol addiction. We heard many a sad life story and yet the people we interacted with were filled with faith in Christ and hope. They were very grateful for our visit and wanted to tell us everything about their history and their culture.

The liturgy, although Catholic, had some notable differences. Instead of blessing themselves with holy water when entering church for Mass, the Navajo have a bowl of incense burning by the entrance, so that the people entering can waft the smoke up towards their faces and noses and “bless” themselves with this holy incense. I was instructed by the pastor to make sure I walked clockwise around the altar. Movement in Native American ceremonies, I learned, is often circular and clockwise (or sun-wise, as they call it) in an attempt to align with the forces of nature, such as gravity and the rising and setting of the sun.

We spent two days on Spirit Farm where a wonderful couple named James and Joyce Skeet have been working hard for decades to heal the damaged land and reconnect indigenous wisdom into a regenerative agriculture. We fed pigs and sheep, milked cows, planted seeds, and harvested herbs and plants that would be ground up and mixed with glycerin to make healing oils, foods, and salves. 

Many beautiful moments of heartfelt prayer occurred during our week in New Mexico. We made sure to purchase some of the beautiful paintings and pottery we saw to support local artists. When all was said and done, I’d say that my team and I learned a great deal from the farmers, the Franciscans, and the proud and resilient Navajo people.

Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM

Fr. Leo Rizzo of Saracena

The Lion of Winsted

I am sure that many of the friars of our Province are very familiar with the book “The First Bonaventure Men” by Walter Hammon, written about the origins of our Province and St Bonaventure University. But how many know about one of the Italian friars who spoke English with an Irish brogue and was chaplain of the Connecticut Ninth regiment during the Civil War?  

Father Leo Rizzo was born on August 15, 1833 in the town of Saracena in the province of Calabria in Italy. He entered the Franciscans in 1850 and was sent to Saint Isidor‘s College in Rome, which was the College of the Irish Franciscans. There he was a student of Fr. Panfilo daMagliano, the founder of our Province. It was at St. Isidor’s that he learned to speak English with an Irish brogue. After his ordination in 1856, he accepted an invitation from his former mentor to join the early Franciscan mission in Allegany, New York. He arrived in the United States on the steamship Illinois in September of 1860. There he joined the other Italian Franciscans who had begun to minister to the Irish immigrants building the Erie Canal, connecting the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers to the Great Lakes. He was sent to Tawanda, Pennsylvania, and eventually was assigned to Saint Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut.  Nine months later he accepted a commission as chaplain of the Ninth Connecticut division. Father Leo served as their chaplain only until the end of October 1864, but he was with the ninth division during the heavy fighting of General Philip Sheridan‘s Shenandoah Valley campaign that year. The regiment was also engaged in three major battles, during which they broke the confederate control of the Shenandoah Valley. 

When Fr. Leo returned from his military service, he was assigned to Saint Joseph’s Church in Winsted, Connecticut. He celebrated his first mass there on January 1, 1865 and while pastor, was very involved in the Custody of the Immaculate Conception. When St Bonaventure College received its charter from the Board of Regents of New York State in 1875, his name was listed among the ten trustees of the college. Two years later he was elected sixth president of the college.

He was an excellent organizer administrator and a fearless disciplinarian during his three year term as president. During his tenure, the university grew from 96 students to 153 students with 52 students in the seminary studying for the priesthood. The commencement at the end of Fr. Leo’s presidency was notable because it included the ordination of six Franciscans, an indication of the harvest of vocations from the establishment of this university.  When his term was ended, he happily returned to Saint Joseph’s in Winsted, where he was affectionately called “The Roaring Lion of Winsted.”  He remained in Winsted for the rest of his life except for a visit to his home country in 1891. During his visit he had an audience with Pope Leo XIII.  

Fr. Leo Rizzo died in Winsted on the evening of November 3, 1897. He was 64 years old.  His obituary described him as the best known Roman Catholic priest in Connecticut. The news of his death spread rapidly, and he was very much loved. The bells tolled when death came, and everyone knew he had died.  Hundreds of the flock assembled quietly in the streets in front of the friary, with the friars and the Franciscan sisters. At the time Saint Joseph’s Parish embraced Norfolk, Colebrook and other parts and grew considerably during his 30 years there. At the time of his death 2000 Catholic worship there he performed 600 marriages and baptized 3500 children during those years. He also built the monastery as well as the convent and Catholic school Saint Joseph’s church was filled for his funeral and several hundred people stood outside, not being able to get in.  

ASH WEDNESDAY IN ATACO

Photos Courtesy of Fr. Rafael Fernandez

PROVINCIAL CHAPTER NEWS 2025

The Provincial Definitorium, acting as the Pre-Chapter Steering Committee, along with Fr. Guillermo Lancaster-Jones C., Visitator General, met on February 21, 2025 at the Provincial Curia. Among other things:

Approved the tentative Chapter Agenda and Schedule

Made the following appointments:

Election Tellers.  Fr. Jack Sidoti (a second teller will be appointed at the chapter)

Legislation Committee:  Frs. Michael Corcione, Antonio Riccio, and Marco Antonio Gomez

Liturgy Committee: Frs. Jack Sidoti, Joshua Critchley, and Bruce Czapla

Hospitality Committee:  Fr. Antonio Nardoianni, Daniel Cavalieri, and Marco Antonio Gomez

Chapter Secretary: Fr. Joseph Lorenzo

Assistant Secretaries: Fr. Alvin Te and Fr. Michael Ledoux

Candidates for Moderators of Plenary Sessions:  Five were chosen.  The Chapter delegates will elect three during the First Plenary Session-  Frs. Richard Martignetti, Michael Della Penna, John Bucchino, Mario Julian, Pierre Farrugia. 

Fr. Joseph Lorenzo will handle music and booklets (Chapel and Chapter Hall booklets)

Definitorium Decisions

Approved the request of Fr. John Sidoti to be ordained a priest.  This has been scheduled for May 10, 2025 at 11:00 PM at Our Lady of Peace Church, Brooklyn.  

Approved the request of Fr. Leonardo Morles Gonzalez to be ordained a deacon.  Details will be decided at a later date.

Approved request of the following friars to profess Solemn Vows:

Frs. Daniel Ramirez Luna, Luis Antonio Hernandez Reinosa, Oscar Danilo Valle Perez, and Kevin Gabriel Gonzalez Vega.

CANONICAL BALLOTS FOR THE OFFICE OF PROVINCIAL MINISTER WILL BE SENT OUT MARCH 24

March 24- Canonical Ballots for Provincial Minister mailed to Province Friars

April 22- Nominating Ballots For Vicar/Definitorium sent out to Province

May 15- Canonical Ballots Due at Provincial Curia (To be counted at Chapter)

May 16- Official Convocation of Provincial Chapter by Visitator General

June 2- Nominating Ballots for Vicar and Definitorium Due at Provincial Curia

June 4-  Counting of Nominating Ballot for Vicar and Definitorium (Curia)

June 5-20, 2025  Toronto Visitation

June 6-9 St. Jane Frances

June 10-12 St. Francis Centre, Caledon

June 13-15 St. Peter Church

June 16-18 Immaculate Conception

June 19-Providence Villa

June 20- Fr. Celestino Canzio

June 23-27 Provincial Chapter, St. Francis Centre, Caledon Ontario

Br. Phil Adamo Turns 95

Friars Daniel Cavalieri and Marco Antonio Gomez visited Br. Phil Adamo to help him celebrate his 95th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Phil. His birthday was February 1. Phil is at Providence Health Care -Birch House, 3276 St. Clair Ave. East - Rm. 134 Toronto Ontario M1L 1W1

Take time to wish our brothers a Happy Birthday!

Guy Vellardita, April 3, 1931 (94)

Joshua Critchley, April 3, 1994 (31)

Bishop Joseph Bonello, April 4, 1961 (64)

Octavio Salinas, April 6, 1953 (72)

Alfonse Ferreira, April 9, 1934 (91)

Marco Antonio Gomez, April 26, 1991 (34)

Jules Wong, April 28, 1943 (82)

Gabriel Aceto, April 29, 1949 (76)

Jack Sidoti, April 30, 1996 (29)