| ESC FALL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2017 |
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 COCHRANE, ALBERTA, CANADA - On September 25-27, a joint meeting of the Definitories of the Province of St. Joseph and the Province of Christ the King was held at the Mt. St. Francis Retreat Centre in Cochrane, Alberta. A wide range of issues associated with the foundation of the new Province were discussed and this meeting proved to be an important step along the road to uniting the two existing Provinces. Reflections and discussion unfolded in a most fraternal and collaborative ambiance. The following are some of the orientations and decisions taken. Following consultations with the friars in August and September, there was agreement that an ordinary form of government (Option 1) with four Definitors would be pursued in structuring the government of the new Province. This option was deemed to support a necessary flexibility during the first three years of the new Province. A number of committees have been initiated to facilitate the work of revitalization and restructuring (and preparations for the Chapter of Union), including an Evangelization and Mission Committee, a Provincial Statutes Committee, a Liturgical Committee, a Name, Seal and Logo Committee, and a Finance Committee. Draft Statutes for the new Province have been prepared and will soon be distributed to the friars for their feedback. Consultations will also begin shortly on the name of the new Province. It was decided that, prior to the Chapter of Union, a Chapter of Mats will be held, April 23-26, 2018, in Loretteville, Québec. This Chapter is intended to be a fraternal gathering, with external animation, and an opportunity for the brothers to share experiences in preparation for the Chapter of Union. The Chapter of Union will be held October 21-25, 2018 beginning on the evening of October 21st, , with the 25th being the day of departure. It is anticipated that the Minister General will be present for the first full-day of this Chapter. The Chapter of Union will take place in Western Canada. Members of the Definitories discussed various aspects of the revitalization and restructuring process, including the way forward on evangelization and mission as well as the various stages of formation. To support the operations of the new Province, a communication strategy was identified as necessary. A Directory of all the friars in the new Province is already being developed for release at the Chapter of Union. The Transition Committee continues its work and is charged with supporting the movement towards union by preparing the Chapter of Mats and the Chapter of Union, liaising with the committees involved with both Chapters, and communicating what is decided by the joint Definitories regarding restructuring and revitalization. “In Him you are also being built together into a dwelling Place of God in the Spirit”: Revitalization and Restructuring as a Movement of Faith Bro. Michael Perry, OFM Minister General and Servant 24 August 2017 “Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.” ― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings  Ephesians 2: 19-21: “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Re-Identifying Evangelical Values for Re-Igniting Our Franciscan Response My dear brothers of the Provinces of Assumption, Holy Name, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart, Saint Barbara, and St. John the Baptist, May the Lord give you peace! It is a great joy for Bro. Caoimhin and me to be with you these days as we reflect together on what it means to be Brothers, ‘fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of God’s household’, members of the one Order of Friars Minor. The reason why we join with you – beyond the invitation we received from the six Provincials – is to demonstrate the ongoing support and commitment of the General Definitory of the Order for the project of revitalization and restructuring upon which you have embarked and to which you continue to demonstrate an ever-deeper engagement. Clearly, the work accomplished over the past year in building greater knowledge and trust of one another has led to the historic decision yesterday morning, that all six Provinces will meet next year in Chapter to vote on the proposal for the creation of one new Franciscan Province in the U.S. There is no way to pre-determine the decision(s) that will come from these Chapter meetings, and how the Spirit of God might move among the brothers, especially if they (we) are open and attentive to His/Her voice. But nothing can distract from what God is accomplishing in the lives of each of the six Provinces, and in the lives each of you gathered here these days! I personally wish to thank the current and former Provincials who, over the course of the past year, working closely with their Provincial Councils, have facilitated a deepening of the central values of our Franciscan way of life presented in the White Paper and also found in the documents of the Order (General Constitutions and General Statues; Five Priorities; Ite, Nuntaites; et alii) that should guide all processes of revitalization and restructuring of the Franciscan life in each of the Provinces in the U.S. This process was begun with the tremendous work of Page, Bill, and Richard and how finds fresh energy and commitment to continue through to the next major point of decision next summer. If this process of revitalization and restructuring reveals anything, it is that living the Franciscan evangelical adventure is a lot of hard work and demands a serious commitment and self/collective sacrifice. Prayer, fraternity, living with and among those who are poor (materially and spiritually) in simplicity of life, development of a sharp sense of missionary identity ‘inter gentes’, commitment to ongoing conversion through permanent formation, engagement with the laity as co-disciples and co-missionaries, a ‘Franciscan’ style of engagement with the Church, and integration of the dimensions of JPIC (as expressed in part IV of GGCC, EG, and LS) into all dimensions of our life and activities. These are the tools, the via crucis, and the way forward for living the Gospel life with focus, clarity, energy, passion, and joy. This I believe also is at the heart of the meaning of reading from Letter to the Ephesians I have chosen for this reflection. The Jewish and Christian members of the newly forming church of the Christ, engaged in a wide variety of struggles, were urged to pursue a common vision together, to engage in the search of a new sense of identity that did not negate their past but rather found in the blood of the cross a unifying force for holding all things together. We Friars Minor are also engaged in the search for our identity, a search to re-discover what it means to be re-born in the Spirit and to become an entirely new creature/creation in Christ Jesus. Like an actual birthing of the child, it comes with much pain, much suffering but also with much joy. It requires that we rededicate ourselves to the central or core values of the Gospel life, the ‘following in the footprints of Christ’, in order that we might enter into a new relationship with God, with ourselves, with one another, and with all of the created universe. It is precisely this process of being built up like living stones into the one household of God, the new temple, the church, reclaiming our identity as members of the one universal brotherhood of the Order of Friars Minor. Recovering what is Authentic and Essential for our Gospel Journey During the month of June 2017, I visited the Franciscan Province of San Felipe de Jesus in the region of Chiapas, Mexico, near the border of Guatemala. I took the opportunity to visit the Franciscan house of welcome, La Setenta y Dos, where I met a family who was fleeing from their home country of El Salvador. Their exile was provoked by a very troubling event: the beating and disappearance of their 15-year old son Emilio who, from the age of 11 had been forced to join the Mara Salvatruce street gang. The father, a welder by trade, and the mother tried to keep the family together. There were three other siblings: a 13-year old daughter; a 9-year old son; and a 4-year old girl. One day, news arrived that the son had been publicly beaten by a rival gang, had several fingers amputated, and then was taken to an unknown location. The parents contacted the police to try to get action but nothing happened. Four months passed with no word about their son. Out of a sense of deep fear and frustration, the father decided he could no longer take the risk of continuing to live in El Salvador. He could not defend his own family. What happened to his oldest son could happen to the second boy. He feared also for his wife and two daughters. With the help of paid traffickers, the family was transported to a small town in Mexico, in the Chiapas region, miles from the border with Guatemala. The family now thought that their nightmare of violence was over, and their dream to go to a place where they could rebuild their lives could become a reality. But the story of violence followed them. During the second week after their arrival in Mexico, members of a Mexican gang pulled the daughter out of a crowd and took her to an abandoned house where they raped her. Three months after the event, the family discovered that was she pregnant and HIV positive. As we listened to the story, tears began to stream down the faces of the father, mother, and daughter. For nearly seven months, the family has been staying at the Franciscan center for hospitality. As the father continued to speak about the life of his family, we did not hear cries of anger, nor did he call for revenge. He asked us to pray for him, for his wife, for their missing son Emilio, for their pregnant and infected daughter, for their two other children, and for extended family members who remained behind in El Salvador. He also asked for prayer, that he and his family could forgive those who had kidnapped their son Emilio, and for those who had raped, impregnated, and infected their daughter with the HIV virus. What came to mind then, and even now, is what happens to us when we are stripped of everything, reduced to absolute existential destitution. The members of the Salvadorian family were left with nowhere to call home and nothing material to cling to for security, for identity. And yet, despite all that has beset their lives, the many different losses they experienced, they were not devoid of any human or spiritual resource. To the contrary, two essential elements of their human and spiritual lives emerged and took front and center stage: (1) their deep and abiding faith in God, the ultimate source of their lives and trust; and (2) their family bonds, the strength of the love and commitment they had made to one another – prior to, during, and now as a consequence of the struggles of the many years they have been together, of the pain of loss of loved ones, of the violent violation of the dignity of their son and daughter, and of the new-found acceptance and welcome they experienced in the hands of the Franciscans and lay collaborators at La Setenta y Dos. And while we can never undervalue the tremendous resource that religious identity and belonging offers, nor can we undervalue the invaluable contribution of what it means to be in a committed relationship as family, what Pope Francis has called the ‘first fraternity’ in the world (cf. Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitiae). These two sources for hope provided them with the necessary courage to continue to believe in human life, a life lived with dignity, hope, and love. But the story does not end there. The closer they moved to God, and the more they held onto one another, the greater their capacity to one again reach out beyond their pain, despair, beyond their trail of tears and suffering encountered along the way of life, seeking to become instruments of peace and forgiveness. They were not seeking to control the future. Rather, they were seeking to name whatever future that might come as something fully spiritual and fully human: the restoration of their friendship in God and the recommitment to work together, loving and holding on to one another, all the while opening their hearts to the mysteries of life and of God’s grace at work in all moments, bitter and sweet. It was precisely because they remembered their personal history of love and peace, suffering and loss, that they were able to be embraced by a new grace and a new spiritual power, one that would liberate them and allow them to reclaim a new hope and a new peace for their lives. They reached deeply within themselves and pulled from the rich trove of God’s mercy and love the in-sight and energy that would be required of them if they were to survive and thrive as individuals and as members of one family. I do not wish to idealize the story of this family’s life and suffering. They did not try to do this so why should I. Rather, what emerges from their flight, their search for peace and forgiveness, and their commitment to open their live to God and to one another is an amazing story of a faith journey of simple, authentic disciples of the risen Lord Jesus. Someone once wrote that ‘It is not by clinging to dreams that the future is created; it is by opening oneself up to the mystery contained within each and every moment of existence, the mystery of the One standing behind and within all of life, present in each of these moments; this is how the future is created’. For those of us who have professed a way of life that pretends to embrace the prophetic option, are we also open to the same mystery at work in our lives and calling us to embrace all that life and history brings to us, placing it before the cross of Christ and the power of his resurrection? Are we constantly preparing ourselves to undertake the daily ‘exodus journey’ that is an essential and inescapable part of our lives? Are we open to allowing God to bring to fruition the divine promise, namely, that “In him [we] also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). Abraham and Sarah, Mary and Joseph, the Emmaus disciples, St. Francis and the early Brothers, St. Clare, and the family from El Salvador have all opened their lives to the invitation of God to allow themselves to become living stones and part of the dwelling place, the new temple, the new body of God’s love and mercy in the world. Have we Friars Minor not been called to enter into this same vocational journey of faith, hope, and love? The Theological Basis for our Franciscan Identity Among the signs of the times that we are facing as a Franciscan brotherhood are found a crisis of identity, fraternity, and mission. I have spoken of these extensively and will continue to do so because of the vital connection between the crises we face and a perceived weakening of the vitality of the Order. The White Paper made specific reference to several challenges that the Friars have identified in the 2012 Questionnaire. Among all of the different challenges, three stand out in bold relief: (1) lack of Trust in God, Self, and Others; (2) increasing inability to commit to the building of interpersonal relationships within the fraternity, and also outside in mission inter gentes; and (3) a closing of the ‘mental, spiritual, and social space’, leading to the creation of ‘gated worlds’ ( the computer is my cloister!), with tremendous consequences for how we are to live our lives and fulfill our commitment to engage in evangelizing mission. I am sure you as Provincials and Councils/Definitories could identity other areas of crisis, including psychological fragility/pathologies, the threat of individualism, new forms of dependence and addiction, etc. It is for these reasons that the process upon which you are deeply engaged is so vital to the life of the Order and to the life of the Brothers, to each and every one of us. There is tremendous good will among you and the Brothers of the six Provinces. There is an increasing sense of the common good and a common identity as Brothers on the Gospel way together. And I sense there also is a growing willingness to step out and take risks together, as members of different Provinces who share one common identity as believers, co-heirs, Brothers committed to the pursuit of the Gospel life and the joy of being members of the one Body of Christ, the Church, the Pilgrim People of God on the way towards a future that God is preparing for each of us and all of us. In an article examining the nature of Franciscan identity, Franciscan sister Ilia Delio, OSF, building upon the work of Michael Blastic, OFM, attempted to outline two sources for the ongoing construction of our ‘Franciscan’ identity. The first of these sources is connected with the theological insights that St. Francis discovered along the way of doing the Gospel life, with specific focus on the incarnational and relational nature of God, the relational nature of the human person, and the relational nature of all of the created universe. There is an innate, spiritual connectedness existing between all that exists, rooted in the Trinitarian nature of a relational God. In the case of the followers of St. Francis, they embraced the theological vision of Francis and placed it within the context of ‘doing’ the Gospel (facere), the ‘doing of theology’. Blastic’s analysis of the early sources, and specifically the work of Thomas of Celano, led him to postulate three specifically Franciscan theological insights that continue to exercise their influence in the theological, philosophical, and ‘praxiological’ experience of the Franciscan movement. Blastic discusses a tri-partite theological intuition that emerged from within the spiritual experience of St. Francis, leading to a specific way of being and doing Christian discipleship in the world. These include: (1) the relationship of Christians to the world; (2) the meaning of the humanity of Christ; and (3) the nature of the human person, as a social, inter-relational being, created from the ‘fraternity’ of the Triune God, and destined for fraternity shared with all of humanity and all of creation. (Cf. Delio, 18). Blastic writes: “Francis looked down on the things of the earth” and recognized “the image of him who make himself poor for us in the world” (quoted in Delio, 18). In the image of the crucified Son of God, Francis saw that “authentic humanness is revealed in Jesus Christ, that is, the human person like Christ is fragile, limited, and vulnerable” (Blastic, examining Celano, quoted in Delio, 18). This tri-partite theological intuition served as an “architectonics of Franciscan identity” (cf. Delio, 18). The specific and necessary context in which both Francis and the brothers engaged in the ‘theological endeavor’ was the living, thriving, struggling, hope-filled fraternity. “What ultimately distinguished his [St. Francis’s] way of life was the realization of a new set of relationships – a community of relationships that he described as ‘brother and sister’” (Delia, 18-19). And the specific form of fraternity – the theological model – for St. Francis was grounded in an absolute and unconditional interdependence, an absolute form of solidarity, that welded the lives of the brothers into one single unit, the fraternity. “Let each one love and care for his brother as a mother loves and cares for her son” (cf. Regis J. Armstrong, W. Hellmann, and W. Short, 1999, Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, vol. 1, The Saint). Thus, the theological project of St. Francis was not simply to create conditions for the realization of the Kingdom, nor to imitate some previous saints in the conduct of a life of holiness and asceticism. Rather, “The identity of Francis and his followers in the context of community (fraternity) was marked by ‘creating together’ the reality of Incarnation, the goodness of God in creation and the dignity of the human person, especially among the poor and the sick. This new way of relating to God in the world gave birth to an ever-expanding fraternal way of life,…an Incarnational Franciscan culture” (cf. Delia, 19-20). All of this is prelude to our lives as Friars and Lesser Brothers living in the post-modern world. Not only have we inherited a very rich theological tradition, and the attending ‘Franciscan’ culture it has generated, we also have inherited the responsibility to take up the same challenges as St. Francis and each generation of Friars Minor. We must draw upon our rich heritage with all of its diverse expressions – i.e. the different cultures of the six Provinces represented at this assembly – and embark in a manner that is theologically and fraternally responsible upon the arduous task of reconstructing a Franciscan identity that is ours to offer to the world today. “That is why the renewal of Franciscan identity must begin with community (fraternity), with sharing values and vision and with listening to the challenges that each one faces in trying to live out these values today. Only through the values of common purpose, mutual care and shared capacity for suffering can we regain a sense of identity that moves beyond apathy or indifference,” thus “recovering the art of doing theology” (Cf. Delio, 28). We must be willing to enter into an open an honest dialogue between that which we hold sacred and sacrosanct (‘sacred canons’ of our Franciscan way of life), allowing them to be challenged and critiqued “in the light of the present moment” so that they – and we – might be reborn of the Spirit (Cf. Delio 30). The advent of the first Pope to take the name of Francis adds a sense of urgency and opportunity to this vital mission. A Return to the Essentials of our Franciscan Evangelical Life The journey upon which all of us Lesser Brothers have embarked, -beginning with our response to the call, confirmed through our profession to the Gospel life proposed by Francis and ratified by the Church – provides us with an opportunity of a lifetime to experience the intimate communion, which is at the heart of the writer’s intention in his letter to the Ephesians. Some scholars argue that the enduring tensions between Jew and Gentile, especially as the Gentile presence in the new faith of Jesus expanded numerically and geographically, was the chief motive for the writing of the letter to the Ephesians. Other scholar suggest that it was, rather, the tension between tendencies to domesticate the new community of Jesus, succumbing to the inevitable transformation of the movement into structure and order. Still other exegetes suggest that the letter was meant to serve as a type of lex orandi, the praying of a specifically Christ-centered identity and way of being, transmitting the way of Christian discipleship to catechumens and the newly-baptized in the faith communities where the letter might have been read and studied. There also were concerns within the early communities about how to balance the needs to establish structures for the faithful transmission of the faith, on the one hand, and the urgency to continue the Pauline apostolic ministry of missionary evangelization, with all of its insecurities and challenges. My personal take on the latter is that it addressed all of these concerns and was used in different ways in different Christian communities to help them move beyond mere ritual and outside ‘performance’ of faith, moving to an inner experience of encounter with the living Lord of history, Jesus. Moreover, they too were challenged not simply to repeat or duplicate the practices of the faith in some static, controlled, manner. They like us were challenged to find ways to bring the central values of the Gospel life alive for their generation. Some Thoughts about Emerging Themes, Dynamics, and Challenges I would like to call particular attention to the ‘White Paper’, entitled Making Fraternity our Mission: Revitalization and Restructuring the Order of Friars Minor in the U.S.A. (April 2017). The document zeroes in on the central values that guide our lives as Friars Minor – i.e. the Five Priorities, restated in the small document on renewal of life and mission, Ite, Nuntiates, and taking the form of eight central priorities or instruments for evaluating and re-igniting our passion to live the evangelical life. I also would like to briefly comment what I perceive has transpired to a greater or lesser degree in the lives of the Friars of your respective Provinces, as they have reflected upon their own living out of the Gospel life and as they confront their hopes and fears related to the future restructuring of the six existing Provinces. I will state these in terms of themes/dynamics/processes.
Let Us Begin There are three words that Francis offered to his Brothers once they had advanced numerically and in holiness of life and apostolic/missionary engagement. “Let us begin.” These three words point to the constant need to open our lives anew to the mystery of grace, to the beauty of God’s image, and to the uncontrollable actions of the Spirit of God at work in our lives, in the lives of our brothers in the Order(s), to all people who are brother and sister, and to all of creation. For this, I turn to two texts to serve as commentary on what I have tried to convey to you in this spiritual reflection. The first is a text from our General Constitutions and General Statutes, Article 1.2: The friars, as followers of St. Francis, are bound to lead a radically evangelical life, namely: to live in a spirit of prayer and devotion and in fraternal fellowship; they are to offer a witness of penance and minority; and, in charity towards all mankind, they are to announce the Gospel throughout the whole world and to preach reconciliation, peace and justice by their deeds; and to show respect for creation. The second is found in the third chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians (3:14-21): “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” St. Francis recognized that Jesus Christ was – and is – at the center of all of existence. His life, teachings, suffering, death, and resurrection serve as a vortex, pulling each of us disciples and Friars Minor into the center of the Triune love of God. Francis also recognized that even as each of us are caught up in this loving act of God, expressed most clearly and definitively in the Incarnation, our mission is to grab hold of one another so that together – we brothers of the Gospel, all human beings, and all of creation (Laudato Si’) - might find ourselves living in and nourished by God who is love and who calls us to become love with and in Him. In this way, the promise of God expressed by the author of the Letter to the Ephesians might be realized, namely, “that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:17-19).   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2017 As leaders and members of the Franciscan Order in the United States, we object in strenuous terms to the decision of President Donald Trump to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). This decision constitutes a rejection of the 2012 executive order by President Barack Obama that allowed young immigrants, who were brought to the United States by their parents, to seek the opportunity to realize their full potential. President Obama’s executive order was not only moral, it also responded to the highest ideals of our nation. The 780,000 “dreamers” (those who have received deferred action) are good, generous, talented and hard-working individuals. Many of them we know personally in and through our various Franciscan ministries. We have celebrated the DACA program with them as a modern response to the Biblical imperative to “welcome the stranger.” Now, after President Trump’s decision to end the executive action, we commit ourselves to stand in support of and solidarity with “dreamers.” We urge all members of the communities we serve to condemn this unnecessary and harmful order by President Trump. Furthermore, we call upon all to contact their members of Congress and urge them to pass legislation that will fully welcome “dreamers” to our nation, remove the permanent shadow of their temporary status and make it illegal to deport or harm them. We join the U.S. Catholic Bishops in advocating for the bi-partisan “Dream Act of 2017,” H.R.3440 and S. 1615. This legislation can help “dreamers” receive a piece of the security and human dignity they and all people deserve. Unless a permanent legislative solution is enacted that welcomes and fully incorporates the young men and women “dreamers” who are already a vibrant part of our communities, our society will take yet another step on the path of moral and social decline. Provincial Ministers of the United States of America Very Rev. Robert Campagna, OFM Immaculate Conception Province New York, New York Very Rev. David Gaa, OFM St. Barbara Province Oakland, California Very Rev. James Gannon, OFM Assumption BVM Province Franklin, Wisconsin Very Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM Holy Name Province New York, New York Very Rev. Thomas Nairn, OFM Sacred Heart Province St. Louis, Missouri Very Rev. Jack Clark Robinson, OFM Our Lady of Guadalupe Province Albuquerque, New Mexico Very Rev. Mark Soehner, OFM St. John the Baptist Province Cincinnati, Ohio
  By Pierre Ducharme, OFM This summer, thirteen “able bodied” missionaries, Canadian Franciscans, made a historical, and transformative, pilgrimage along Quebec’s Saint Lawrence River from Montreal to Percé (Perce Rock) and back. Led by Fr. Guylain Prince, OFM, of Trois-Rivières, the “young friars” (four of these men have not yet made their Solemn Vows) delved deep into their Religious Order’s history, rediscovering the heroic stories documented by Canadas’ pioneers of the Christian faith. While camping, hiking, prayer and fraternal fellowship, were essential to the pilgrim experience, it was the humbly promulgated history of the Récollets, known since 1893 as the Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor), that would have the profoundest impact on these servants of the Word for today, tasked as was St. Francis of Assisi, to renew God’s Church in their own time and place. Most Canadians, especially Canadian Catholics, have a sense of the significance of the Jesuit contribution, which has been anything but small, to the shaping of the Church and social fabric of Canada over the last four hundred years, but few have the slightest idea of what Franciscans have done. The first priests and brothers to venture into the continent, on board with Samuel du Chaplain in 1615, Franciscan Friars (then known as Récollets) have served God and Canada in noteworthy and inspirational ways. Primary sources paint a picture of adventurous and dedicated labourers of the Gospel who were unpretentious and consistently aligned with the faithful, while so often at odds with both Ecclessial and Civil authorities of a Colony. Several notable events make the case for recognizing the Franciscans as Canadas “first Missionaries”. Franciscan, or Récollet, Priests presided at the first documented Eucharastic Celebrations, the first baptisms, and the first marriages – all between 1615 and 1629 – in New France. It was a Récollet, Joseph LeCaron, who in 1624 first announced to the world that Saint Joseph had been chosen as Patron of Canada. And, the Récollets claim the first martyr, Nicolas Veil, drowned by the Huron in 1625. While this latter event would indicate some initial tension between the friars (or Europeans in general) and Canada’s first peoples (particularly the Hurons), a reading of Gabriel Sagard (Le grand voyage au pays des Hurons, 1632), Nicolas Viel’s companion, paints a harmonious vision for mutual evangelisation between the French and Native Peoples. In Sagard, one finds a deep respect for not only first nations culture but their religion, as well as a call for integration, which includes intermarriage between natives and settlers. The Récollets, along with Champlain, had a dream that would, unfortunately, be stifled by forces contrary to the authentic mission of disciples. Rooting and renewing their own missionary identity, our pilgrim friars for today were graced to rediscover legends of a once emerging French Canadian Church. The learned about Brother Didace Pelletier and Emmanuel Creshel, for example. Long considered the Saint of Saint Ann de Beaupre, Pelletier, a Récollet carpenter, was believed to be responsible for the miraculous healing of Quebec City’s second Bishop, Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Vallier. For his part, Emmanuel Crespel, is known less for his piety and more for his leadership. The once provincial Superior of the friars in the Colony, Crespel spent the winter of 1736-37 playing not only chaplain but nurse and doctor to 54 fellow shipwrecks on the Island of Anticosti, in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Less than half of the stranded would survive to see their families or friends again. Driven out twice, and finally forbidden, by the British Royal Government, to recruit vocations, Canada’s last living Récollet would die in 1813, but the fruits of their labours would endure. For nearly 70 years, the Franciscan third order, also known as the Secular Franciscans, kept a the hope of Saint Francis alive and regularly pleaded with their bishops to bring the friars back to Canada. Finally in 1881, the Abbé Leon Provencher of Cape Rouge, invited the Flemish Franciscan Friar Fredéric Jansoone, OFM, to preach missions throughout Quebec, and the next (and still ongoing) chapter of Franciscan missions to Canada would begin.  The Provincial Ministers and members of the six Provincial Councils of the Franciscan Provinces of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Name, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart, Saint Barbara and St. John the Baptist - over 40 friars in all - met at Mt. Alvernia Retreat in Wappingers Falls, New York from August 21-25, 2017. They continued their work planning the revitalization and restructuring of their six Provinces. This work has been on-going since they met as a group for the first time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2012. Last year at a similar meeting in Techny, Illinois, the Provincial Councils decided to prepare, with the help of friar experts, a document entitled “Making Fraternity our Mission” to examine how to pursue the revitalization of their fraternal life and mission. Besides leading extensive discussion of that paper throughout their provinces, the Provincial Ministers asked several existing groups of friars and lay cooperators engaged in the same administrative and internal ministries of the Provinces, such as communicators, vocation and formation directors, and JPIC animation to come together to explore how to take a national approach to their work. Among the groups reporting to the friars were their provincial treasurers and chief financial officers, who concluded that each of the provinces is individually financially stable, while also having the funds to support any collective action they wish to take. They also explored demographic and actuarial information which showed all of the Provinces facing the same critical challenges with regard to the aging of their membership over the next five to twenty years. After careful consideration, the six Provincial Ministers, in the midst of prayer and ritual on Wednesday morning, voted unanimously to place before simultaneous chapters of their six Provinces late next May a resolution requesting that the General Minister and his definitorium restructure their fraternal governance so as to create one new province from the six provinces engaged in this process. As they voted, the Provincial Ministers each made simple statements of why they voted as they did: Kevin Mullen, of Holy Name Province, said, “One new Province provides us with the opportunity to have a vital fraternal experience. With regard to mission, one new Province allows us to take the core values of Franciscan life and implement them in a unified way, and with regard to the Church and the Kingdom, to make us more responsible to the promptings of the Spirit in the world and in the Church.” David Gaa, of Saint Barbara Province, stated, “True revitalization requires a critical mass of younger brothers which one new Province will make possible.” Tom Nairn, of Sacred Heart Province, explained how listening to members of other provinces and the quality of the input on the first day of the Wappingers Falls meeting led several members of his Provincial Council to change their minds to favor one new Province rather than two. James Gannon, of Assumption BVM Province, added that voting for one new province acknowledges what is already happening as, “Our initial formation programs are united and that lines us up to move this way.” Mark Soehner, of St. John the Baptist Province, remarked, “One new province will increase opportunities for strong guardians and dynamic communities, broaden our perspective as a national group, and finally we do this because God is inviting us to become more of a ‘joyful band of missionary disciples,’ as Pope Francis has invited all Christians to be." Finally, Jack Clark Robinson, of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, said, “As John David Vaughn (first-elected U.S. General Minister) once said to me, ‘Friars do not exist to serve structures. Franciscan structures – such as they are – exist to support Franciscan life and ministry. It is time for the least structure to serve the most friars.” The day after the vote, friars were still talking about the power of the voting and attendant prayer ritual which concluded with friars, most often of different provinces, blessing and fraternally embracing one another, after praying, “Lord, You have given us the gift of Your call to Franciscan life, to Franciscan community and to Franciscan ministry. This day, You have called us to a great work as brothers. So we ask Your help to strengthen one another, that our work may be a good work, that it may truly be Your work.” The friars were encouraged to pursue on-going renewal by taking time for prayer and reflection by Michael A. Perry, the General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor who came from Rome in order to be a part of the meeting. Caoimhin O'Laoide, the English-speaking General Definitor of the Order spent the entire week with the friars and reflected powerfully for them at Thursday celebration of the Eucharist. The General Minister led a morning of recollection Thursday after the vote. He shared his joy and excitement at seeing the leadership teams of the six Provinces coming together. “Your work is important for the future of the world-wide Order as a demonstration of our ability to build bridges and cross boundaries in a world which seems too often divided,” he said. Later Fr. Michael went through the mechanics of the process which will follow the votes at the Provincial Chapters next May. As he outlined it, that process will include the appointment of an official Delegate of the General Minister who will conduct at least two visitations of the friars and those with whom they work in various ways. Those visitations will result in reports to be considered by the General Definitorium. After consideration of those reports, the General Minister and Definitorium will name an initial administration and set the time for the formal establishment of the new province, probably no earlier than the fall of 2022. One of the next steps to advance the conversation will be a national survey of every friar in the six provinces regarding what they see as necessary to move the process forward. Before the vote of the six provinces next May, the Provincial Ministers will also invite their friars to attend one of two large regional gatherings of friars, as well as numerous other face-to-face gatherings of smaller groups, to participate in numerous local discussions of the proposal with materials prepared for use across the country. They will also make use of videos, YouTube, Facebook and other social media, to include friars who are unable to attend. The 900 friars of the six provinces will also have various possibilities to discuss the revitalization of their life and ministries in smaller groups. These small groups will talk about our internal life, but also about ways to go to the peripheries and margins where friars are not currently engaged. The leadership of the six provinces left Wappingers Falls with a clear, agreed-upon plan of action for the next nine months. After the vote in May, the Ministers are already looking forward to gathering next summer to continue what everyone gathered in Wappingers Falls this year found to be an exciting and life-giving fresh start to Franciscan life in the United States. As one friar reflected, “Ignatius Brady (a very distinguished late Franciscan scholar) once said that ‘Every novice must refound the Franciscan Order in his own heart.’ What we are doing now is our own refounding of the Order all over again in our time and place, but with lots of years of experience and lots of brothers to help us!” August 28, 2017  WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY - The Provincial Administrations of the six U.S. Franciscan Provinces participating in the effort to reconfigure and renew Franciscan life in the United States met this week at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls. During their meeting, they decided unanimously to propose to reconfigure the six provinces into one province. The official statement from the administrations reads: The OFM Provincial Ministers of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Name, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart, Saint Barbara and Saint John the Baptist provinces gathered with their Provincial Councils at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls, NY from August 21-25, 2017 to further the discernment of renewal and revitalization of the life and ministry of their friars. This week's meeting is part of the ongoing process that began in 2012 as the friars in the U.S. continue to consider efforts to reconfigure and renews Franciscan life here. If successfully approved next May, that would leave two Provinces in the United States, the newly created one, and the Immaculate Conception Province (New York) which withdrew from the process in February.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 2017 As followers of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of peace, we, the Franciscans Friars of the United States join with the many public and religious leaders and fellow-citizens who have condemned the recent violence in Charlottesville, VA. We hold that all forms of racism, white supremacy, neo-nazism, xenophobia and hatred are wrong. Because we believe that every person is created by God in love, we also hold that disrespect or diminishment of—or violence against--anyone offends not only that person but also the One who created that person. As Franciscans, we strive to be bridge-builders. To avoid future instances of the tragic violence that tore not only the community of Charlottesville but also the fabric of our nation, we call for a renewed commitment to respectful dialogue by all, whereby our opinions and differences can be shared in constructive and illuminating ways that lead to the possibility of growth and conversion for all. Such dialogue might lead us beyond the overt displays of violence and intolerance into an understanding of the subtler and even unconscious forms of discrimination and intolerance that may still inhabit our hearts as well as our society. We commit ourselves to the responsibility of respect for and dialogue with all who seem “other” than ourselves. And we pray that all the citizens of our nation will join in striving to attain respect and peace in our communities. Provincial Ministers of the United States of America Very Rev. David Gaa, OFM St. Barbara Province Oakland, California Very Rev. James Gannon, OFM Assumption BVM Province Franklin, Wisconsin Very Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM Holy Name Province New York, New York Very Rev. Robert Campagna, OFM Immaculate Conception Province New York, New York Very Rev. Jack Clark Robinson, OFM Our Lady of Guadalupe Province Albuquerque, New Mexico Very Rev. Mark Soehner, OFM St. John the Baptist Province Cincinnati, Ohio Very Rev. Thomas Nairn, OFM Sacred Heart Province St. Louis, Missouri  By Andrew Ehrkamp | CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF EDMONTON News Editor It’s been a long and winding road for Rev. Joseph Glaab – who, at 56, is often years older than some of his fellow priests who have just been ordained – but his destination is the same. “It’s been a long journey, but I can see God’s hand in what has occurred over the years,” said Glaab, who was ordained to the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor on July 15 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Sherwood Park. “I’ve learned from things, even from making less than good choices. It’s been a blessed experience. I’ve met a lot of good people and I’ve been blessed at every turn.” Glaab was born in Guelph, Ont., and grew up with six brothers and sisters. He studied forestry at the University of Toronto, but also took philosophy courses and the thought of the priesthood was never really far behind. “The ordained priesthood was always in the back of my mind, but I was in forestry and wanted to pursue it in an environmentally sensitive way,” Glaab said. “Forestry was a Canadian thing to do.” After five years working in northern Ontario, Glaab moved to the Diocese of Prince George to work with the Frontier Apostles, volunteering in parishes and schools in exchange for room and board. “We hear in the Church the need for missions, and this was my way of contributing,” said Glaab, who was assigned to work with the Church of the Resurrection Parish and in schools in Fort St. John. The Frontier Apostles program ended in 1993 and Glaab joined the B.C. Forest Service, but the Church of the Resurrection Parish wanted him to continue. Instead of taking overtime pay, Glaab would use his time off to continue to work with the parish on evenings and weekends. The Diocese of Prince George had a lasting impact on Glaab, so much so that Bishop Emeritus Gerald Wiesner offered the Imposition of Hands and the Prayer of Ordination at Glaab’s ordination Mass. In 1994 Glaab studied at Newman Theological College, and he entered St. Joseph’s Seminary intending to explore ordination to the priesthood. But after three years, he withdrew. “It was a good experience, but I felt I wasn’t called to go further. At the time I was honest as to my relationship with God.” Glaab returned to Prince George for a youth ministry position, working with schools and as the chaplain at the University of Northern B.C. He continued his studies at Newman Theological College and, with the passage of time, the call to the priesthood “evolved along the way.” The Franciscan Friars became the perfect fit. “Some my professors were Franciscans and they had a big impact on me. It was their simplicity of life and the connection between St. Francis and care for the environment, being stewards of Creation.” Glaab started his formation with the Franciscans in 2010. For his brothers and sisters, the initial surprise gave way to understanding. For his parents, his decision required some explanation. They thought he was becoming a cloistered monk. “My parents asked if they would be able to see me!” Glaab was initially assigned to St. Alphonsus Parish in Edmonton and – for the past four years – he’s been in Sherwood Park, ministering in schools and later at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. Glaab said he knows that he is older than other newly ordained priests, but he accepts that. “I sense it’s OK in the community and I’m OK with it too. My goal is to be a Franciscan and to contribute where I can,” he said. “It’s a continuation of the journey. Each step is by God’s grace and I’m here because of that.” Father Glaab is now serving as associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Provincial Minister Aidan McGrath, OFM GORMANSTON, IRELAND - During their Provincial Chapter this week, the friars of the Province of Ireland elected Br. Aidan McGrath, OFM, to serve as their new Provincial Minister. Br. McGrath was serving as General Secretary of the Order at the time of his election, a role he has held for the last eight years. Also elected were:
The Irish Provincial Chapter took place from June 26-30 and was held at Franciscan College, Gormanston, a secondary education school operated by the friars since 1956. General Minister Michael Perry, OFM, offered words of congratulations to Br. Aidan on his election, "It is with great joy that I write to send you a note of congratulations on your being elected the new Provincial of the Province of Ireland...There is also a small note of sadness as you leave the fraternity of the General Definitory and the work of the office of the General Secretary." Congratulations to our brothers as they take up the ministry of leadership. |
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