Volume 4 ~ Issue 8; Release: May 1, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE:
  • + Friar Kenan B. Osborne

  • Religious Brothers Day!
  • José Ramirez, New SAF Chief

  • HNP Friar in Immigration Detention
KENAN
May 29, 1930 – April 19, 2019

May God bless all of these men and women who have influenced my life in a very deep way. All of (them) were sent by God to help me grow physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Those of you who are attending my funeral today are very special. 

Our brother Kenan Bernard Osborne, entered into eternal life on Good Friday, April 19, in his hometown of Santa Barbara, California. A vigil prayer service was held on Friday, April 26, in the Serra Chapel of Old Mission. The Mass of Resurrection was celebrated Saturday, April 27, in the Mission Church. Provincial Minister David Gaa presided, with former provincial minister Joe Chinnici delivering the homily. The upcoming issue of  WestFriars, edited by Friar Warren Rouse, will be dedicated to Kenan and will contain Joe’s remarks as well. As Joe mentioned, “We had a very good sendoff for Kenan, really beautiful wake and funeral Mass the next day. . . . The local community did exceptionally well at the hospitality. His nieces and some family members were there, the church was full except for the last two or three pews. What a remarkable man and friar and priest.” Women from the parish served as pallbearers. According to Friar Larry Gosselin: “It was only fitting that Kenan, who did so much to encourage women’s talents and leadership in the Church, should have these wonderful women participate in his funeral.”

From The Santa Barbara News-Press :  
Born on May 29, 1930 to Frederick Earl and Ida Lerg, Kenan was raised in Santa Barbara, attending school at Notre Dame School and St. Anthony's Seminary. He is preceded in death by his parents and three siblings, Frederick Earl, Jr., Lawrence Gerard and Rosalie Bernard Francis. He is survived by his sister- in-law Francis Lynette Osborne and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.

Kenan was invested in the Franciscan Order in 1947 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1955 at Old Mission Santa Barbara. His entire ministry was devoted to higher theological education and writing. After earning his doctorate degree in 1967 from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, he served the Franciscan School of Theology at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA for over forty years. He was a most popular professor, dean and president. He was also an intellectual leader in the world-wide Franciscan Order. He is the author, or co-author of more than twenty books and countless scholarly articles. Throughout his career he was a highly sought-after speaker and lecturer on current theological and pastoral issues in the Vatical II renewal tradition. Ever a life-long learner, in his later years he engaged in Asian theological studies and perspectives with great enthusiasm. He was a frequent visiting professor to China and other Asian nations over the past twenty years. Fr. Kenan's vision of a global and enculturated Catholic Church experience continues through the generations of students he has inspired.-- Published in The Santa Barbara News-Press Online Edition from Apr. 25 to Apr. 29, 2019

From Friar Dan Lackie:
Many of us will remember Fr. Kenan for his humble, smiling and loving presence around the Mission and for the wise words he shared, honed through a long and prolific career as a master theologian in the Franciscan tradition. . . . Fr. Kenan could well have been speaking of himself … in his description of “third millennium discipleship”. Expanding on Jesus’s final beatitude he wrote: “Anyone who sees a credible disciple of Jesus sees Jesus as well, which can only mean that one begins to see in such an encounter the contours of a credible God.” –From the St. Barbara Parish bulletin, April 28, 2019.

From the Franciscan Sisters (Redwood City, California)
Dear Brothers: 
All of St. Francis Province offer you our sympathy at the passing into eternity of our beloved Fr. Kenan Osborne, OFM. Dying on Good Friday night, we believe he heard Jesus’s words: “This day you will be with me in Paradise!” May it be so. He added much to our understanding of the church, the sacraments and the Franciscan way of life through his insightful writing and teaching. We love each other more in the church and beyond be- cause of his perspective and the way he helped us see the beauty of the ways of God. 
Know of our prayers for you as you mourn his passing. -- Your Sisters of St. Francis Province Redwood City, California.

Friars are welcome to send in written tributes to Kenan as well as photos: ofm.fyi@gmail.com  

Photos: Kenan Osborne ofm
Kenan (l) with classmate John Vaughn ( r ) at their jubilee celebration. 
Photo:  C. Talley OFM
Former provincial Joe Chinnici
preaching at Kenan’s funeral. 
Photo: Courtesy, L. Gosselin OFM
Religious Brothers Day:  May 1

Join in celebrating the gifts and vocation of Religious Brothers on May 1, the 3rd annual Religious Brothers Day. In celebration of Religious Brothers Day, CMSM (Conference of Major Superiors of Men) has launched a new website for and about brothers: ReligiousBrothers.org,where we can post events, news, and profiles that tell the story of Religious Brothers in the United States.

  • Post your events on social media, with #religiousbrothersday 
  • Visit @religiousbrothersday and @cmsmshares on Facebook and @cmsmtweets
  • Share your events and photos with the hashtag, and email events and photos to Brother Peter O'Loughlin

The Religious Brothers Day post on CMSM's Facebook page last year reached more than 10,000 people. Let's see how many people we all can reach this year.  Friar Sam Nasada put together this wonderful video appreciation to the lay brothers in our Province last year. It is well worth viewing again.  Click here.
Religious Brothers Symposium 2020
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
April 4, 2020

The second National Religious Brothers Symposium will be held on April 4, 2020 at Boston College. Registration will open September 1, 2019.

The day will focus on the prophetic call of the brother within the Church. Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, Director of the Vatican Observatory, will offer the keynote. Other addresses and programming will be announced in the near future.

This program is sponsored by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Religious Brothers Conference, the National Religious Vocation Conference, the Religious Formation Conference, and Boston College, in collaboration with members of the Brothers Think Tank.

To sign up to receive detailed information as the event approaches, please email coo@cmsm.org. For sponsorship opportunities, please email Tom Southard at tsouthard@cmsm.org.
From Provincial Minister David Gaa:
Leadership News at
St. Anthony's Foundation

Dear Brothers,

Recently, I attended St. Anthony's Foundation Serving Hope Gala, honoring now retired Executive Director Barry Stenger’s 14 years of service. As many of you know, Barry began at St. Anthony’s in the role of Director of Development in 2005 under John Hardin’s leadership, and was promoted to Executive Director in 2013. The evening was a fitting tribute to Barry’s life-long commitment to Franciscan values. 

I am excited to share the below announcement that will go out to the leadership team and staff of the St. Anthony's Foundation regarding the appointment of José Ramirez has as SAF’s next Executive Director, the eighth in its history. Many of you know José well as Executive Director of SAF’s “little sister,” St. Francis Center in Los Angeles where he distinguished himself with outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the poor. 

I also want to compliment the Boards of the St. Anthony's Foundation, the St. Francis Center, as well as our Friar trustee delegates who have worked so hard to make this smooth leadership transition. For the official announcement,  click here.

Photo: José Ramirez, new Executive Director, St. Anthony Foundation, San Francisco, CA. Photo: St. Francis Center.
Outgoing SAF Executive Director, Barry J. Stenger. Photo: SAF
Help Promote Our Vocations Ministry!  
Tip #9
From Friars Sebastian Sandoval, Eric Pilarcik, and Zeno Im

Dear brothers, Peace and all good! Maybe you will be seeing more young people and parishioners. As you’ve asked for vocations promotion helpers, here’s… Vocations Tip #9.

Variety, Diversity and Flexibility: As friars, we are lucky to have a huge diversity of ways of being a friar. Many discerners have no idea that this is possible, or think they have to let go of the work/ministry for which they have skill and passion. We see that some religious communities are mainly teachers, or completely non-ordained or ordained members, etc. When you meet a man who could be a likely candidate, you can offer that he could possibly take his job and ministry passions and talents with him to become a Franciscan who is ordained or a lay friar, teacher and/or pastor, medic and/or artist, missionary and/or working with the migrants or in the dining room, retreat center friar and/or serving on the Indian reservation, and more. 

Thanks for your continued good promotion of vocations. Let us know if have some good suggestions or questions for us.

PS. Please “like” our Facebook posts, and mark that you are “interested” in the Vocations events we post on Facebook. It helps extend our Franciscan promotional outreach on Facebook!! 

You can click this link right now and hit the “like” button…” Find Vocations Events in the list on the left-hand side of the page. Click on an event, then click “Interested”.

PPS. Contact us anytime: Sebastian, ofmvocations@gmail.com or 510-821-4492; Zeno, isw8724@gmail.com or 510-704-3011; Eric, epilarcik@aol.com or 408-903-3422.  

Photo: Friars with Discerners. (Front row)  Friars Sebastian Sandoval (in habit) with Friar David Paz to his right. (Back row)  Friars Eric Pilarcik, Ponchie Vasquez.
Photo: SB Vocations Team.
From Our Postulant Brothers
Silver Spring, Maryland

Adolfo Mercado, one of our postulants - from Sacramento-- was invited recently to serve a Mass with Archbishop José Trinidad Fernández Angulo of the Archdiocese of Caracas, Venezuela along with two brother postulants: Jesús Osornio from Our Lady of Guadalupe Province and Joshua Richter from St. John the Baptist Province. The Mass was celebrated in the crypt of the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Postulant brother Zachary Zeman of Assumption Province was the photographer. 
(l to r) Postulants Joshua Richter, SJB; Jesús Osornio, OLG; and
Adolfo Mercado, SB
Postulants with
Archbishop Angulo, Caracas, Venezuela, at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC
Friar Abraham Joseph:
HNP Friar Held By Immigration Authorities

As we go to press with this issue of OFM.FYI , we have learned that, happily, our brother Abraham Joseph has been released from custody.--ct

Our brothers in the Holy Name Province ask our prayers for Friar Abraham Joseph. He is a Solemnly Professed friar, finishing his theological studies at the Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago, where he had been living at Blessed Giles friary. He is currently being detained by immigration authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin as a result of complications with his immigrations status. He will be in detention until the time of his hearing where it will be decided if he will be deported or not. He is originally from Haiti. He has a lawyer and we are hoping he will not face deportation. He was supposed to be ordained deacon April 27. Please keep him in prayer as he is in detention and pray that the mixup over his status might be resolved.

Photo: Friar Abraham Joseph. Photo: Courtesy, Holy Name Province.
Hunger on Campus
St. Francis Center, Los Angeles Helps Out:
USC Satellite Pantry

Friar Brian Trawick writes:  Not only does this show the good work that St. Francis Center is doing, but talks about a type of poverty most people don’t even know about.
Antonio is currently a senior at USC, studying business administration with a minor in Applied Computer Security, a first-generation college student, and a recipient of the satellite pantry service we provide at USC. Antonio came to USC with only $400 and a suitcase. With all the expenses he had from moving and starting school, he was not able to afford a blanket for his bed until a month or two into the semester. There were many times where he wasn't able to pay for basic things, such as laundry.

"Many times I felt very tied between spending more time studying or spending time trying to figure out how to get money so I can stay enrolled in the classes I wanted to take."

According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, there are potentially millions of college students at risk of being food insecure across the U.S. SFC launched a satellite pantry at University of Southern California last year to help provide food security for students in our community. The Trojan Food Pantry provides free, nutritious groceries for USC students, including low-income students, international students, and graduate students, some with families.

Antonio is thankful for the satellite pantry at USC because it has provided him with fresh produce and food as a supplemental resource.

The USC satellite pantry is open four days a week and students can visit weekly to get fresh, nutritious groceries. On average, over 650 students visit the pantry a month!
Retired Bishop Francis A. Quinn of Sacramento, Calif., the oldest Catholic bishop in the United States, died at age 97 March 21, 2019, at Mercy McMahon Terrace assisted living center in Sacramento. The Diocese has released this letter by Bishop Quinn to members of the religious communities working there.  Click hereThanks to Friar Mark Schroeder for sending this information.
IN MEMORIAM

Friar Capistran (Lawrence) Polgar, OFM, (78), member of the Immaculate Conception Province, passed into eternal life April 26.. At the time of his passing, Father Capistran was affiliated with the community of Padua Friary, New York City. 
Holy Week / Easter Around the Province
Friar Warren Rouse, preaching at Warren at Corpus Christi Parish, Pacific Palisades, CA. (Photo: courtesy, Jane Slavin Richardson)
Friar Alberto Villafan, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Guadalupe, AZ
Friar Vince Mesi, San Luis Rey Parish, Oceanside, CA
From Friar Bob Brady
San Xavier Mission Church:
Repair My Church!

Dome and roof of San Xavier Mission Church being updated, with tall, Ocotillo blossoms on the left. Date: April 25, 2019. Photo: Bob Brady OFM
Friar Joe Schwab Lectures 
Blessed John Duns Scotus Library
New York, New York
August 15, 2019

"Loving Over Knowing: A Heart-centered Approach to Understanding God" a talk by Fr. Joe Schwab, OFM, Executive Director of the Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, Arizona. This event will take place at 1:00 PM. on Thursday, August 15, 2019. The Library is located at the IC Provincial Curia on Thompson Street. RSVP to Siobhan O'Dwyer, OFS at smdfranciscanlibrary@gmail.com

Photo: Joe Schwab OFM. Photo: c. Peter Jordan
BIRTHDAYS:
May 1 - Roy Rivas           
May 2 - Rene Juarez          
May 4 - Joseph Baur          
May 8 - Jeff Shackleton        
May 8 - Michael Higgins       
May 10 - Maximillian Hottle    
May 15 - Ignatius DeGroot
May 15 - Michael Lomas
May 19 - Evan Howard 
May 19 - William Short
May 23 - Javier Garcia
May 25 - Bradley Tuel
May 29 - Arturo Noyes
May 29 - Kenan Osborne 
FEAST DAYS:
May 1 - Roy Rivas
May 3 - Phillip Polk
May 14 - Matthias Tumulty
May 19 - Ivo Toneck
May 26 - Philip Garcia
May 29 - Raymond Bucher
2019 Calendar
~ From Lara Hansen ~
~ UPCOMING EVENTS ~

Renewal of Profession Day
April 16

Definitorium Meeting
May 20-24 ~ Old Mission San Luis Rey, CA

Chapter 2019
June 23–28, 2019 ~ Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, AZ

Rite of Reception Novitiate
July 16 ~ Old Mission Santa Barbara

Definitorium Retreat
July 22-26 

Definitorium Meeting
September 23-27 ~ Old Mission San Luis Rey
OFM.FYI, the bi-weekly newsletter of the Franciscan Friars Province of Saint Barbara, is published on the 1st and 15th of each month. Editor: Charles Talley, ofm. 
Relevant submissions of texts, photos, etc., are welcome at any time 
and will be placed in the next appropriate issue
 Send submissions to: ofm.fyi@gmail.com
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