"Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you. This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome – the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.

Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace. Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel. To the Church of Rome, a special greeting: We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our

presence, dialogue, love. Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.”

-Pope Leo XIV (Urbi et Orbi Blessing, May 8, 2025)

News from the Convento San Francesco

Greetings from the Friary of St. Francis in Rome. We are at the end of the semester and have started preparing for exams. We are happy because, thank God, another academic year is coming to an end. During this time we received a visit from our Minister Provincial Father Robert Campagna and our Vicar Father Patrick Boyle. It was a time to express our gratitude for the work they have done for our Province over the years.

We also had the opportunity to celebrate Father Robert Campagna's 48th anniversary of priestly life with a festive luncheon and Mass of thanksgiving at which he presided.

As we all know, May is the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and as a fraternity we were invited to participate in the procession with the icon of Mary Mater Ecclesia, which takes place every Saturday in May in St. Peter's Square.

On May 10, we participated in the celebration of the feast of St. Mary Mediatrix, patroness of the church of the General Curia of the Friars Minor. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Brother Massimo, the Minister General. In his homily he highlighted the figure of Mary as mediatrix. She is a Mother always attentive to the needs of her children. At the same time, he entrusted the new pontificate of His Holiness Leo XIV to Mary's protection.

We thank all of you for your continued prayers as we assure you of our own.

Bro. Gabriel Rojas M. OFM

Above photo on right: Fr. Provincial with our three novices at San Damiano, Assisi

HABEMUS PAPAM

CONVENTO BROTHERS EXPERIENCE FIRST HAND EVENTS OF A LIFETIME

Peace and all good to all of you, my brothers and sisters. I would like to share with you our experience of how we lived through these important events for our beloved Church.

On April 21st—Angel Monday, as it is known in Italy—Oscar and I were returning from the Parish of Santa Maria Assunta in Lacchiarella, a small town near Milan, where we experienced Holy Week, this time celebrated in the Ambrosian rite. An hour before arriving in Rome, we learned through the media of Pope Francis's death. This news surprised us because hours earlier we had seen photos of him blessing the people in St. Peter's Square during Easter Mass. I won't deny that it was very moving for me personally, because a year ago I had an audience with him, and I carry that encounter, his words, his greeting, and his fatherly gaze, in my heart. Since February, most of the friars in our convent attended the rosary held in the Piazza praying for the Holy Father's health. We prayed for his recovery alongside the Church, and thus were close to him through prayer.

On Wednesday, April 23rd, everyone was summoned for the transfer of the Pope's body from Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica. We were there from 7:00 a.m. Later, the procession of priests, religious, canons, bishops, and cardinals arrived in the Square—full of people—and behind them the body, which everyone could see and bid farewell. The sound of the bells announcing the Church's mourning was quite moving. Many people mourned their close pastor, the Holy Father. Once the funeral rites were over, the basilica opened so we could all see him up close. The lines were endless, a crowd arriving to bid farewell to Pope Francis, faithful to the Church until the very end of his life—on that day, people had to wait up to two hours to get in.

The funeral Mass was on Saturday the 26th; we got tickets in an area with an optimal view. The atmosphere was one of vivid nostalgia, a joy that gave hope for the Pope who lived his easter passover, values that the Holy Father had transmitted during his life. After the Novemdiales—the nine Masses before the Conclave—we arrived at the days of the Conclave, full of anticipation and excitement. The streets of Rome were filled with journalists, cardinals were seen everywhere heading to the Vatican for the cardinals' meetings, and the movement of pilgrims to the Jubilee. The conclave began on Wednesday, May 7th. From our home, we went to the Piazza to watch the cardinals' swearing-in and the first smoke, which was black.

On Thursday morning, the 8th, it was announced that there would be two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon. In our case, we were at the Antonianum—as we continued our classes—but we were aware that if the smoke was white, we would run to St. Peter's Square. That time of day, the smoke was black, just like the night before. Taking as a reference the way recent Popes were elected, we thought there would be a white smoke in the afternoon, so we went to the Square at 5:00 to wait. Once there, we were gathered together before the chimney, talking and waiting expectantly, when suddenly, white smoke began to rise, and everyone's excitement was evident. Without knowing who the Pope was, we shouted: "Long live the Pope!" An hour and a half later, Cardinal Mamberti emerged onto the loggia balcony and said: "I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope! The most eminent and reverend Robertum Franciscum, Cardinal Prevost of the Holy Roman Church, who has given himself the name Leo XIV."

Honestly, it was a great surprise, as there were other papal candidates and Cardinal Prevost appeared only on some lists. Many people wondered who he was; some searched for the photo on Google. Others of us recognized him: "It's the Augustinian!" "Oh, he's American! From Chicago!" Others said: "He was a missionary! He's Peruvian!" Moments later, he came out onto the balcony to greet everyone with his first written speech, in which he called for peace and his message directed toward the centrality of Christ, a continuation of Pope Francis's message, with a personal tone of his Augustinian spirituality, as he mentioned St. Augustine, as well as his missionary experience in Peru—whom he greeted in Spanish—and the call to a Church that welcomes all. From the very first moment, shouts could be heard in the Piazza saying: "Long live Pope Leo!"

Finally, I bid you farewell, brothers, with a phrase from the speech Pope Leo gave alongside the Urbi et Orbe blessing:

"God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! All of us are in God's hands."

Daniel Luna OFM

FUTURE FORMATION EVENTS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

May 23, 2025

Ordination to the Diaconate

Friar Leonardo Morles Gonzalez, OFM

Orfanato Valle de Los Angeles, Guatemala

Bishop Angelo Falzon, OFM, Bishop of Comayagua

September 29, 2025 (Updated)

Solemn Profession of Vows

Friars Daniel Luna, Luis Hernandez, Oscar Valle, and Kevin Gabriel Gonzalez, OFM

Basilica of St. Anthony (Antonianum), Rome, Italy

October 5, 2025

Ordination to the Diaconate

Friars Daniel Luna, Luis Ernandez, Oscar Valle, and Kevin Gabriel Gonzalez, OFM

Saint Peter Basilica, Vatican City

His Eminence Mauro Cardinal Gambetti, OFM Conv. Archpriest of the Basilica

Pope's Personal Trainer Shocked at Revelation

An Italian personal trainer has spoken of his shock after learning that his client for two years had been elected to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics as Pope.

“Here in the gym, no one knew that Robert, now Pope Leo XIV, was a cardinal, least of all me who trained him,” Valerio Masella, 26, told the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

The Pope, then Cardinal Robert Prevost, trained regularly in the gym near the Vatican, often working out multiple times a week. Masella had suspected the reserved ‘Robert’ from the gym was a professor or an academic. The clergyman certainly wasn’t turning up for a session dressed in his cardinal cassock, the trainer explained.

“He came in informal clothes. However, he was always kind, never nervous or irritated. A truly serene and balanced person,” Masella said.

It wasn’t until Prevost stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV that the penny dropped.

“Seeing him on TV, I recognized him immediately. I couldn’t believe it,” Masella said. “Basically, I trained the future pontiff: it’s incredible, but for me, he was a client like any other, and he behaved like all the clients of this gym,” he added.

As for his physical condition? “For a man of his age…exceptional,” Masella told the Italian paper. “Typical of someone who has never stopped playing sports, with an excellent ratio of muscle mass, bone mass, and fat mass.”

Pope Leo is an avid sports fan and plays tennis on a regular basis.  The friars at the Augustinian generalate in Rome are waiting to see if he will be returning soon to utilize their tennis courts.  He is also a Chicago White Sox Fan. Photos below: Chicago White Sox celebrated their greatest fan- Pope Leo. Lower photo: He is pictured at the White Sox World Series game in 2005.

Fr. Christopher Gaffrey, O.F.M., has been assigned as Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church, Brooklyn, effective May 5

PROVINCIAL CHAPTER NEWS 2025

REMINDER: Ballots for Provincial Minister were due by May 15. The ballots will be counted at the Provincial Chapter.

All friars of the province should have received the Official Convocation of the Provincial Chapter by the Visitator General, as well as information on Provincial Norms and Statutes.

May 30- Straw Ballot for Vicar Provincial and Definitors due at 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

Straw Ballots for the Offices of Vicar Provincial and Provincial Definitors are due to be returned to the Provincial Curia by May 30, 2025.  These are addressed to “Secretary of the Province” with an orange colored label.  These will be opened and counted after the deadline and the results will be sent out to all the friars of the province immediately.  This is not an “official” election but is intended to give the friars some indication of future leadership in the province.  The elections of Vicar Provincial and Provincial Definitors will be done at the chapter by the Chapter Delegates.  

Chapter Appointments:

The Pre-Chapter Steering Committee at its meeting of February 21, 2025, appointed the following:

Secretary of the Chapter-  Br. Joseph Lorenzo

Assistant Secretaries- Brs. Alvin Te, Michael Ledoux

Legislation Committee: Brs. Michael Corcione, Antonio Riccio, Marco Antonio Gomez

Hospitality Committee: Brs. Anthonio Nardoianni, Daniel Cavalieri, Marco Antonio Gomez

Liturgy Committee: Brs. Jack Sidoti, Joshua Critchley, Bruce Czapla

Candidates for Moderators of Plenary Sessions: (Five chosen, three will be elected at Chapter) Brs. Richard Martignetti, Michael Della Penna, John Bucchino, Pierre Farrugia, Mario Julian.

Election Teller: Br. Jack Sidoti (One other will be appointed at Chapter)

"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER"

Fr. John Vincent (JACK) SIDOTI

ORDAINED A PRIEST

On a beautiful spring morning, Saturday, May 10, 2025, our brother, Fr. John Vincent (Jack) Sidoti was ordained a priest at Our Lady of Peace Church, Brooklyn, New York by Bishop Sandro Overend Rigillo, O.F.M., Apostolic Vicar of Benghazi, Libya. Gathered together for the ordinatioon Mass were many friars, family, friends, and parishioners, participating in the festive Mass. A reception was held at the parish hall, where Fr. Jack bestowed his first blessings. Fr. Jack is currently stationed at Saint Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Toronto. He had first Masses at Saint Jane Frances, Saint Joseph in Winsted (his home parish), and Saint Thomas Aquinas in Derry, New Hampshire, where he had a summer assignment. We wish Fr. Jack many happy and fruitful years of service to the church and order. Ad multos annos.

Take time to wish our brothers a Happy Birthday!

Luis Hernandez- June 5- 39

Pierre Farrugia - June 8 - 52

John-Michael Pinto - June 9 - 69

Thomas Garone - June 15 - 81

Antonio Nardoianni - June 16 - 76

James Welch II - June 19 – 66

Andre Cirino- June 19- 85

Michael Travaglione - June 30 - 87