Solemn Profession of Friars Daniel Cavalieri and Jack Sidoti in September. On the Saturday following the Solemn Profession, Friar Jack will be ordained a deacon. These are indeed causes for great rejoicing in our province and ordThe Diocese of Comayagua will also see the ordination and installation of their new bishop, Msgr. Angelo Falzon, who has ministered for so many years in that area. Although the events in Comayagua may be difficult to attend, I hope as many friars as possible can witness the Solemn Profession in Brooklyn and the Diaconate Ordination in Winsted. Certainly, these brothers need to be supported and acclaimed. In addition to this, we are happy to announce the First Order Affiliation of Mary Volpe and Antoinette DeVico on July 27 at St. Anthony’s in New York. These two dedicated women have contributed so much to our province, and we certainly wish to honor them by affiliating them with our order and province.

We also are grateful to those who are celebrating anniversaries of priesthood ordination, temporary and solemn profession, whose names are listed in this edition also.  What this list amounts to many years of dedication to the Rule of St. Francis and ministry in the church. They deserve our congratulations and appreciation.

During these summer months, our student friars from Rome will be joining us at various friaries throughout our province. I know that you will welcome them and give them a good experience, not only of our Franciscan vows and life, but also the uniqueness of our province and fraternal life. Hopefully, it will encourage them in their vocational journey.

Also, the General Definitory has appointed Friar Guillermo Lancaster-Jones Compero, O.F.M., as Visitator General. He is from the Province of Sts. Francis and James in Jalisco, Mexico. We congratulate him and we hope that this visitation and chapter will give us new opportunities for growth in the Order and Church.

With all this, we continue to pray for our deceased friars, for those in nursing facilities, and those who are challenged in dealing with age and health issues. Let us truly be brothers to each other.

Wishing all of you blessings and peace. 

News from the Convento San Francesco

June 15th, 2024.

Convento S. Francesco, Rome

Dear brothers,

Please receive a fraternal greeting of peace and good. For us it is always a joy to share with you the most important fraternal activities of our house. In this past month we had many activities, beginning on May 20 with the birthday of Brother Gabriel Rojas OFM. For Corpus Christi, this past May 30 we were invited to serve in the Holy Mass with His Eminence Monsignor Gambetti in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. On June 2 we also visited our postulant Manuel Chavarria on the family day assigned to him in his formation community in the Convent of the Most Holy Piety in Farneto, Umbria. On June 5 we celebrated the birthday of our confrere Brother Brother Luis Hernández OFM, followed by the birthday of our formator Fr. Pierre Farrugia OFM. On June 8; with the feast of St. Anthony we also celebrated the name day of our Guardian Fr. Antonio Riccio OFM, together with the community of the Spanish friars of Santi Quaranta in Trastevere.

As every year we had the grateful presence and visitation of our Reverend Father Provincial Robert Campagna OFM, we each received our destinations for this summer, we received the news of the solemn profession of our confreres Friar Daniel Cavallieri and Friar Jack Sidoti OFM, and the news of the renewal of our vows which will be June 29. And so we rely on your prayers. We are now at the end of this academic year 2023-2024 with the period of exams, with all our hearts we thank you all for your closeness. 

With all our heart we wish you all the best, may the Lord give you, his peace.           Fraternally Brother Oscar Valle OFM.    

Upcoming Special Formation Events

The Immaculate Conception Province and the family of Fr. Marco Antonio Gomez Garcia have the pleasure of inviting you to his Priestly Ordination, by the laying on of hands and consecratory prayer of Bishop Jose Bonello, O.F.M., Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Comayagua, Honduras, July 13, 10:00 AM.   You are also invited to his First Mass at the Monastery of the Poor Clare Sisters, Immaculate Heart of Mary, July 14, 10:00 AM

The Order of Friars Minor, Immaculate Conception Province of New York julfully announced the Solemn Profession of Br. Daniel Cavalieri, OFM, and Br. Jack Sidoti, OFM in the hands of Fr. Robert Campagna, OFM, Minister Provincial, Saturday, September 14, 2024, 11:00 AM, Our Lady of Peace Church, 522 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215

The Order of Friars Minor, Immaculate Conception Province of New York julfully announces the ordination of Br. Jack Sidot, OFM to the Order of Deacons through the laying on of hands and consecratory prayer of the Most Reverend Bishop George Bugeja, OFM, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, Libya on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 11:00 AM,  Saint Joseph Church, 31 Oak Street, Winsted, Connectiuc 06098.  

Diaconate Ordination and Solemn Profession:  At the request of the candidates, all concelebrating friars are requested to wear the “Provincial Chasuble.” These are the white chasubles with the province logo on them. Please bring yours if you have one. 

It has been announced that, during the Tempo Forte meeting held from May 6-9, 2024 at the General Curia, the General Definitory of the Order has appointed:

Br. Guillermo Lancaster Jones Campero, O.F.M. of the Province of Saints Francis and James, Mexico, as General Visitator to the Province of the Immaculate Conception, New York. Br. Guillermo was born February 2, 1959, received into the Order on August 14, 1985, professed temporary vows on August 15, 1986, solemn vows on August 12, 1992, and ordained a priest on July 2, 1994. Br. Antonio Maria lacona, O.F.M., Secretary General of the Order, in communicating the appointment, wrote In the name of the Minister General and his Definitory: "I wish to express, to you and to the entire Province, my best wishes and the hope that the time of the Visitation and Chapter will be a propitious occasion for a review of life, for giving thanks to the Lord for His benefits bestowed and for planning the future."

Friar Vincent de Paul Ciaravino is now at Mary Manning Walsh Home, New York City.

Friar John-Michael Pinto is now at Mary Manning Walsh Home, New York City.

Friar Octavio Salinas is now at the Rusk Rehabilitation Center, NYU Langone Hospital, New York City.

Bishop-Elect Angelo Falzon, O.F.M. will be ordained a Bishop and installed as Bishop of Comayagua, Honduras on June 29, 2024 by Bishop Jose Bonello, O.F.M. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate conception, Comayagua, Honduras. 

First Order affiliation of Mary Volpe and Antoinette DeVico for July 27, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Saint Anthony Church, New York.

From Health Care:  A reminder to each house that during the Guardians’ Workshop it was encouraged that copies of health care proxies, a medication list, and any advanced directives, be put in an envelope and tacked near the bedroom door of the friar. This will facilitate the process for paramedics or other emergency responders

ATTENTION: MEDICAL CLAIMS CHANGE REMINDER:  All Medical Claims mail should be sent to 125 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012 and all calls should also go to the main office at 212-674-4388.  Anne Devico is still directing our Medical Claims office but is working from home.  Michael is also assisting in the office and can help to respond to your request. The email remains the same: medclaims33@gmail.com

OUTDOOR STATUARY AT SAINT ANTHONY'S NYC

Fr. Patrick Boyle, OFM

In 1976 we closed our seminary in Troy, New York, and there were numerous statues throughout the property that were offered to any of our friaries and/or parishes. Fr. Felician Napoli was the pastor at that time (he only served one three year term, 1976 to 1979) He was responsible for bringing ‘several’ statues down to Saint Anthony’s. 

The ‘Fatima’ collection that was in the center of the garden ( which stood at the front entrance of our seminary grounds) along with statues of the Sacred Heart, Saint Anthony and Saint Francis, were all moved down from the seminary grounds and given a new home in the side garden.

The Sacred Heart and Saint Francis (which were life size) were on their own stone pedestal to the left and to the right of the Fatima grouping. St. Anthony, which was much smaller, stood just behind the fence at the corner of the garden.

Fr. Paul Rotondi became pastor in 1979 (I moved in as a newly ordained deacon in January of 1980) In early in 1980, he had St. Francis, St. Anthony and the Sacred Heart removed, and the pedestals that they stood on were all demolished and hauled away as well.   

Coincidentally, as Paul was removing statues, St. Alphonsus Church was closed and amalgamated into the parish of Saint Anthony’s. The church was actually sinking, so it needed to be demolished, and the parishioners from St. Alphonsus asked if they could move the statue of St. Alphonse to our garden area. The statue, very much like the statue of Saint Anthony, was placed high on the facade of the Church. (As the plaque on the fence reads, the last mass celebrated at St. Alphonsus was in June of 1980.) Fr. Paul did not think this was a good idea, so the statue was taken by a parishioner, John Pepe, who had an auto mechanic shop on Canal Street, close to where the church stood, and he kept it in his garage until I became pastor in 1996.  

Shortly after the statues were removed, Fr. Paul had a circle cut out of the asphalt to form a planting area and had an evergreen tree planted in both. Those trees were in place when I left in 1992, and then Fr. Dan Morey who became pastor in 1992, had them dug up and removed and filled in the two circles with asphalt.

I became pastor in 1996, and in August of 1997, I was responsible for moving the statue of St. Alphonsus from John Pepe’s garage to the side garden. The plaque that is on the fence was installed at the same time. Con Edison was instrumental in moving the statue and used a crane to lift it over the fence and onto the new pedestal that was erected for its placement. 

I left Saint Anthony’s in 1992 and at that time the side garden consisted of the ‘Fatima’ collection in the center, St. Alphonsus to the left (closer to the church) and the two evergreen trees.

Editor's Note: The statue of Padre Pio was donated to the parish and placed on the right side of the garden when Fr. Joe Lorenzo was pastor. Through the years there has been vandalism to the statuary, in particular the Fatima statues. Currently, new ones are being procured and more protection will be added.

Our brother, Bishop Maurus Muldoon, O.F.M., passed to eternal life on June 14, 2024 at Framingham Union Hospital at the age of 85. At the time of his death, Bishop Maurus was a resident of St. Patrick Manor, Framingham, Massachusetts, and had lived in his retirement at St. Christopher Friary, Boston.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 8, 1938, son of Thomas and Gertrude McNamara. He was baptized Thomas Andrew. He was received into the novitiate on August 15, 1958; made his temporary profession of vows on August 16,1959; professed solemn vows on August 16, 1962; was ordained a priest on June 11, 1966; and ordained a bishop on October 8, 1984.

Bishop Maurus ministered from 1966 to 1981 in Central America, serving at our parishes in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as well as the Instituto San Francisco. In 1982 he returned to the United States, serving as Director of the Hispanic Center, New Bedford, Massachusetts while residing at St. Joseph Friary, Onset. On February 2, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed him Prelate of Olancho, Honduras. He was ordained a bishop on October 8, 1984, and in 1987 was named Bishop of Juticalpa, Honduras, a position he held until his retirement in 2012. His wake and funeral were held at St. Joseph Church, Holbrook, Massachusetts. The wake was held on Tuesday, June 18 from 4 to 8 PM. The funeral Mass on une 19 was celebrated by Bishop Jose Bonello, O.F.M., Bishop of Juticalpa, Honduras. The homily was given by Fr. Albert Gauci, O.F.M. Fr. Richard Martignetti, O.F.M., Provincial Definitor, conveyed the condolences of Fr. Provincial and the Province. Music was provided by the Hispanic Choir of St. Patrick Church, Brockton. Bishop Maurus was buried at St. Francis Cemetery in Andover. He was survived by a brother and many nieces and nephews, many of whom took part in the funeral liturgy.

Take time to wish our brothers a Happy Birthday!

JULY BIRTHDAYS

John Bucchino - July 2nd - (79)

Albert Gauci - July 7th - (77)

Joseph LaGressa - July 10th - (76)

Francis Walter- July 13th- (74)

Kevin Leonel Flores Godoy - July 22 (29)

Michael Corcione - July 23rd - (63)

Jose Alvin Te - July 25th - (50)

Primo Piscitello - July 27th - (90)

Claude Scrima - July 28th - (90)