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Quick Links
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Allegany Franciscans Website
FSA Jamaica Website
UPCOMING MEETINGS
AND EVENTS
June
25 and 29
General Commission meeting
June 1-2
,
Allegany
Golden Jubilee Celebration
July 7, Brazil
The Path & Practice
of Mindfulness in the Christian
Contemplative Tradition
Br. Richard Hendricks, OFM Cap
July 21, Motherhouse
Franciscan-Clarian Spirituality Committee meeting
July 26, 27, 28, Tampa
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Many of us will remember our 2016 Chapter facilitator, Sr. Carmelita Murphy O.P. On the morning of our first Chapter Planning Committee meeting, Carmelita received a very difficult phone call from her family saying that her 12-year-old grandnephew, Adam, was diagnosed with cancer. All of us prayed for Adam, Carmelita, and the family through a two-year courageous battle which ended on June 14, 2016, just about a month before Chapter. One of our gifts to Carmelita was to have a tree planted in memory of Adam.
And so we will gather on Friday afternoon, June 1,
for the tree planting and prayer service. Please join us in prayer!
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 Congratulations, Sr. Judith!
Sr. Judith Terrameo celebrated her Golden Jubilee on Saturday, May 26, 2018, in the chapel at the St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. Surrounded by family and friends, Sr. Judith reaffirmed her commitment to the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and to a life in the Franciscan tradition.
Congratulations, Sr. Judith!
Additional photos will be published in the next edition of Allegany Connections. Our Brazilian Jubilarians will celebrate in Brazil on July 7, 2018.
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A Celebration of St. Anthony's
Part of a presentation given by Margaret Mary Kimmins OSF delivered during Mass on the occasion of our Congregation's departure from St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New York City, May 13, 2018.
It is my privilege and pleasure to be with you today as we celebrate our commitment to the people of New York City and especially the people of St. Anthony of Padua Parish.
Everyone loves a good story. Stories are told at family gatherings: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, reunions, even funerals. Stories hold memories.
The stories of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany at St. Anthony's parish and school, and our ministries with the Friars of the Immaculate Conception Province, go back to 1859 when Fr. Pamphilo founded the Friars and Sisters. We were with them in two of our first three missions - Winsted, CT in 1865 and St. Anthony's in New York City in 1874. We also ministered with them in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Catskill, and Mt. Vernon. We have been gifted to work with these good men.
As many of you know, we initially came to teach the Italian immigrants. We are still serving the new immigrants in advocating for a path to citizenship.
The evening of Friday, May 11
,
we
prayed
with the last four Sisters - Rita Frances Guaracsi, Lois Christopher, Gloria Oehl, and Kathie Uhler - as they
prepared to
leave St.
Anthony's.
We prayed
in memory
the names
of
all
of the Sisters who
had
served
at
St. Anthony's
- 220 Allegany Franciscans, many of
whom loved it
so much, they stayed for a very long time.
Our memories of St. Anthony's feast brings smiles to our faces. Every June, seeing people from near and far join us at the street festival to honor the Saint of Padua and to meet former neighbors and friends who had moved away, while enjoying the delicious food and entertainment.
The goodness of the people who greet us every day as we meet them on the street and acknowledge our presence brings us warmth. From the very beginning of our time here, our house was a house of hospitality. Whether we lived on Spring, Sullivan, or Prince street, we always welcomed visitors from other countries and other congregations. We were enriched by their presence. Many of them ministered in other parts of the city - they worked at the U.N., did pastoral ministry, religious education, nursing, and taught in colleges. They went wherever they were needed, and we take this opportunity to thank them for gifting us by their presence.
We, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, thank you, the parishioners of St. Anthony's, for your presence to us, your friendship with us, and of course your loving kindness. We thank the Friars of the Immaculate Conception Province, our friends for over 153 years and with whom we will continue that friendship into the future.
We believe, as St. Francis of Assisi said, "We have done what is ours to do" and we leave comforted by this. We leave in peace!
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 Brazil Reflection, Part 4
By: Margaret Magee OSF
This is the fourth and final installment in a series reflecting on our life and mission in Brazil.
Feliz Páscoa! Happy Easter! This final reflection of my recent travel and time in Brazil picks up on Easter Sunday morning in Ceres, Brazil. We enjoyed a quick overnight visit, hospitality, and sharing the experience of the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil with our Sisters Aparecida, Rosimeire, Maria Ângela, and Ângela Teresinha. On Easter Sunday morning we were nourished with breakfast and the company of our Sisters which fortified us for the two hour drive back to Anápolis in time to join the Sisters at Mâe Admirável, our Sisters from the other local communities, the friars, and friends in a festive Easter Sunday noon meal. It was evident that great care and attention was given to the preparation and decoration of the dining room tables at Mâe Admirável by our Sisters Solange, Stella Sabina, our novices, and aspirants. We feasted on the delicious meal prepared by Sister Paula and her staff and enjoyed the relaxing conversation and presence of one another on this Easter Sunday afternoon.
Later, Pat Klemm and I enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool at Mâe Admirável. We were joined by our novices, Eloenia and Cleise, and the aspirants
Á
drea, Lilian, and Cleidiane. Erin Baird and Pat Tyre joined us poolside. It was a wonderful time to relax, to chat, and to be together without a meeting or being on schedule.
On Easter Monday morning, Erin Baird of Allegany Franciscan Ministries (AFM) and Pat Tyre made a visit to the NACRI. The NACRI was started by the late Sister Teresa Sweeney, and Sister Iosta de Freitas Campos recently served as the Administrator. The NACRI is a community center for children and youth in a very depressed and poor section of
Anápolis
. Our Sisters no longer staff it, however, they continue to serve on the board. The NACRI is now a ministry of Nova Aliança, a Franciscan community of lay men and women, married, single, and Diocesan priests. The community of Nova Aliança was founded 25 years ago with the assistance of Sister Teresa Sweeney. The NACRI is currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary. Pictures and more information on the NACRI can be found on their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/nacri.alianca/
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Pope Francis: A Man of His Word
Movie Review By: Jeanne Williams OSF
Recently I had the opportunity to view the new documentary film Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. Viewing this portrayal of the Gospel values for which our Pope stands was a powerful and meaningful experience for me. The film begins, ends and is permeated throughout with parallels between the life of Pope Francis and St. Francis of Assisi, beginning with St. Francis' call to "Go Rebuild the Church". By quoting a number of Pope Francis' sermons and writings, and through pictures of him tenderly and courageously living out his words, the filmmaker addresses many aspects of the cry for justice and peace in our world today. The film presents the urgency to reach out to those who are poor and marginalized, to continue to work so that all people have access to needed resources, and to increase our knowledge of the adverse effects of over-industrialization, greed and the abuse of power. Experiencing this excellent film reinforced my own call to authentically live out my own Franciscan vocation.
I encourage Franciscans, and all people, to view this film if possible. The movie is available in select theaters. For further information and to view the trailer, visit:
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Franciscan sister's retreats help first responders deal with trauma
By: Jean Gonzalez, Global Sisters Report
It is never good to hear a chief of police ask the question, "What are you doing to my people?" Even if you are a Franciscan sister who serves as a police chaplain.
When Sr. Anne Dougherty heard then Tampa, Florida, chief of police Jane Castor say that to her, she admitted she suffered from an "oh no," butterflies-in-the-stomach moment. Especially since she knew the chief was talking about her people - police officers - who had recently attended the Operation Restore retreat staffed by Dougherty out of the
Franciscan Center
in Tampa.
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Give Day Tampa Bay
By: Sharon Joller, Marketing and Communications Director, Franciscan Center Tampa
Drum roll please! Our Give Day Tampa Bay fundraiser (May 1) results surpassed our goal this year and then some. Last year we raised a little over $900. We are pleased to report that in the 24-hour online campaign, the net online total was $3,830.69. Grand total with offline was $5,480.69. Our Board put up $500 in a match grant and we met that goal!
Since we met the goal, we competed for a bonus $1,000 award and we got it! It was a team effort in helping us accomplish success for
Give Day 2018. In promoting Give Day this year we partnered with Hillsborough Community College. The College's Media and Broadcast students produced two short promo videos, which helped us tell our story during the event. We are very grateful for all who contributed to this campaign.
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Franciscan-Clarian Art Reflection
By: Donna Haynes, Franciscan-Clarian Spirituality Committee Member
This image is a reminder of the power of the Holy Eucharist. This is not just a symbol or representation of Jesus, but it is the Lord himself! St. Clare's absolute faith in the presence of the Lord in this tiny wafer, caused an entire army to flee in fear.
May I, too, have this kind of deep faith in the Eucharist to transform me and remove all fears that prevent me from doing His will.
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Upcoming deadlines:
Submissions are not guaranteed publication. All submissions will be edited prior to inclusion,
and may be held for future use if deemed appropriate.
June 6, 2018 - First June edition e-newsletter
June 20, 2018 - Second June edition e-newsletter
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