Dear Brothers,

Receive a warm greeting from the brothers of the Provincial House of Formation at the Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi in Rome (Italy).

During these days, from October 31 to November 4, we had the joy of welcoming our brother Daniel Cavalieri.

As a fraternity, on October 24 we received an invitation from the Synod Preparatory Commission, in which we collaborated by providing the liturgical service for its inaugural celebration. This event included the presence of various cardinals, bishops, and groups from different countries around the world.

On November 1, we gave thanks to God for the gift of the life of our brother Jimmy, whom we celebrated with a fraternal lunch and a cake in his honor.

Likewise, on November 2, we made a community visit to the Abbey of Saint Benedict, where we shared a meaningful moment of prayer and fraternity.

Brothers, as we conclude, let us remember that we are close to beginning the season of Advent and celebrating the great solemnity of our Mother, the Immaculate Conception, patroness of our Order and of our beloved Province. May the grace and peace that come from God accompany us on this pilgrimage toward Christmas and toward the feast of our Mother.

May Mary, the Immaculate Conception, model of grace, hope, and vigilant waiting, lead us to her Son Jesus and rekindle our love for Him.

We entrust ourselves to your prayers, and may the Lord grant you peace.

Kevin Leonel Flores

NEWS FROM THE VOCATION OFFICE

MEETING OF THE ESC VOCATION ANIMATORS IN MALTA

Greetings Brothers. From October 27th-the 31st, Br. Daniel and I were in the lovely island country of Malta. We were there attending the Vocation Directors for the English Speaking Conference. In attendance were friars representing Immaculate Conception Province, Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, Holy Spirit Province, the Franciscan Province of Ireland, St. Paul the Apostle Province of Malta, and St. Casimir Province of Lithuania. It was a wonderful time to reflect on our ministry of being vocation directors. We shared many joys, challenges, and some best practices to keep in mind and help us with this important role. It was especially fruitful, as many of the friars in attendance were new to the ministry, so being able to gather and make connections was an invaluable experience. We also had elections for the leadership of the Vocation Committee: Br. Greg Plata, OFM, of OLG, was elected as President; Br. Michael Perras, OFM, of Holy Spirit Province of Canada was elected as Vice-President; and Br. Antonio Luevano, OFM, of OLG, was elected as secretary. In addition to the meeting, there also a bit of sight-seeing that we got to do together. Malta is so rich in history! So many different peoples and cultures have contributed to Malta at one point or another throughout the ages. Among the highlights were Br. Dan and I got to see a beautiful neolithic temple older than Stonehenge, and the grotto where St. Paul was in prison for three months. It was a blessing to go. I know I speak for Br. Dan when I say that it was an wonderful experience. And as always, it remains an honor to continue to talk with guys about vocations, to journey with them as they discern where God is calling them to give their lives. Thank you for your trust in Br. Dan and I for this work. May the Lord give you all peace!

Josh

Come and See Weekend in Boston



Brothers, may the Lord give you peace!

On the weekend of Friday November 7^th- Sunday November 9^th we hosted a “Come and See” weekend in the North End at St. Christopher Friary, which also happily coincided with National Vocations Week. Three young(er) men – Tim C., Troy R. and Matt K. - came to spend the weekend with us and get a taste of Franciscan life. Fr. Josh and I organized the weekend and the friars here at St. Christopher hosted us. We also had the privilege to have a fraternal visit at Blessed Sacrament Parish in New Hampshire with Fr. John Bucchino who spoke to the guys about the ministries there, specifically to the poor, and also about Franciscan brotherhood. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that John prepared a lovely lunch for all of us. Yes, we had pasta and yes, the guys loved it! 

The weekend began with a prayer led by our most tenured brother of the house Fr. Robert Caprio, followed by introductions, faith sharing and testimony from several friars here as well as myself and Josh which opened the floor to the aspirants. Overall, there was a spirit of openness and honesty among the candidates. Saturday, we prayed with the fraternity, Morning Prayer was followed by the celebration of Mass and then we headed up to Blessed Sacrament to visit with John. Following our field trip to New Hampshire, we returned to the North End to individually meet with each of the aspiring candidates. We continued with Solemn Evening Prayer, exposing the Blessed Sacrament because, as we know our life isn’t all about eating…and then we had a “light” dinner – sandwiches and salad! Hey, the Lord himself held some of his most important encounters with the disciples at table. We concluded Saturday with a bit of recreation playing some board games/Uno getting to relax and laugh a bit.

Sunday began with Morning Prayer and then a beautiful Mass in St. Leonard’s Parish celebrated by Fr. Josh, who preached about vocations, tying it into the feast of St. John Lateran. After communion, we asked the parish community to pray for the aspirants as they continue to discern to which they responded with generosity, welcoming and applauding the guys. We finished with a nice brunch which we all prepared together and then concluded with a brief meeting and a prayer. All in all, the weekend was a positive experience. Please keep us and these men in your prayers as that is the driving force of all vocations!

A special thanks to the fraternity here at St. Christopher who opened their doors to welcome our guests and to the friars who helped and participated in anyway to make the weekend possible. Remember we are ALL in some way, vocation directors!

Fraternally,

Dan Cavalieri ofm

Health Care Q & A

Do I need to update my Health Care Proxies?

           Yes. Each friar should update their health care proxies to indicate first their guardian, then Fr. Patrick as the secondary contact. Please check with Fr. Patrick or Fr. Michael Dominic if you need an exception to this guideline.

What documents should I have ready in case I need to go to the hospital?

           Each friar should have a copy of his medications, any medicine allergies, health concerns, and a list of past surgeries; his health care proxy; copies of his medical cards (Anthem for those under 65 in the US and Medicare plus Hartford for those over 65 in the US. Appropriate Canadian Health cards for those in Canada.)

What do I do with them?

It is suggested that every friar in the province have an envelope next to their room door with the documents mentioned above marked “ambulance.” In case of an emergency the documents will be easily accessed.

Do I need to give these documents to my guardian?

           Yes, it is important that your guardian, as the primary health care proxy have a copy of all your medications, health care issues, and medical cards. You should also indicate anyone who should be notified in case of grave illness (family close friends).

What about bank accounts and why is this healthcare?

           This is a constant issue. Even if one is under 65 in the US, in the event of a catastrophic injury that would indicate the need for Medicare or Medicaid services, we must prove that you have no personal assets. Even if you have a bank account with little money in it, we will have to access five years of records. If you are the only signatory and you are incapacitated, we cannot access these services.

           In case of death, if you are the only signatory, the monies will go to the state, as we cannot access them.

What if I have an account with a relative?

           In the US, if there is a need, if your name is on the account, it is still considered money in your name. All or a portion of it may be taken by the state to apply toward your care.

What is the best way to have a bank account?

           The proper way to handle a bank account in the US is to have the money in an account under Friars Minor of the Order of St. Francis” with the province EIN and tax numbers. The principal signatory will be the friar and the secondary the provincial or his designee.

What about bills or questions? Is there still a Medical Claims Office?

           Any questions may be directed to Michael Dominic by calling his cell (see the directory) or the provincial office. All bills and claims go through the provincial office. If a bill is for more than just a typical copay, it should come to the provincial office. Do not pay it.

Why don’t we have dental or eye insurance?

           We have investigated this at length. In the US, it is not cost effective for our group. Some states do offer subsidies for those who are disabled or over 65.

So, what if I need a dental procedure that is high cost?

           The provincial minister must approve all expenditures for dental work, hearing aids, or other expenses not covered by insurance. Of course, this does not include emergencies.

ALL SAINTS DAY CELEBRATION AT SAINT PETER PARISH WOODBRIDGE, ONTARIO

It is customary that in today’s world, the celebration of Halloween is an important event. The current English name Halloween traces back to medieval Christianity. The word hallow is derived from the Middle and Old English words for holy. As a noun, it can also mean a saint. In those days, the Christian holiday we know as All Saints' Day was called All Hallows' Day, and the day before, when an evening mass was held, was All Hallows' Eve. That name eventually got shortened to Halloween. And so, it became a materialistic celebration

We here at St. Peter’s Parish in Woodbridge, together with a team of people, have organized the All-Saints Day Children’s Party. We asked the children to come dressed up as a particular or favourite saint, and the outcome was very encouraging, over 70 children attended with their parents. In the parish hall, we had all saints-related video clips, games prepared for the children, pizza treats, raffles and best costume prizes. 

Thank you all to the organizers, volunteers and sponsors. Before the end of the celebration, we were asked to continue to organize this celebration on a yearly basis. Praise be to God.

Fr. Charles Michael Grech ofm

Pastor

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church

100 Bainbridge Ave

Woodbridge, ON. L4L 3Y1

NOTICE

Please remember to notify the Provincial Office if you have changed your email, phone number, cell number, or address. Thank you.

YOU SHOULD HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED FROM THE PROVINCIAL CURIA A COPY OF THE NEW FRANCISCAN LITURGICAL ORDO (USA AND CANADIAN FRIARS ONLY) AND THE UPDATED NECROLOGY OF THE PROVINCE (ALL FRIARS).

Peter  Furgiuele - December 3 72

Louis Troiano - December 10 95

Patrick Boyle - December 15 73

Vit Fiala - December 16 68

Albin Fusco - December 28 96

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

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