C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

Jesus 2012

2012-01-19T15:02:00.004-05:00

Whether we like it or not, our country is in full election mode preparing for the presidential election next fall. This time for some is a time of great excitement and anticipation, and for others it is a cause of great frustration and annoyance. I guess it comes with the territory as they say, but upon reflection I would like to propose a lesson that we can learn from this process every four years.

Every couple of years the country has a national conversation about priorities and the direction things are headed. The buzz word that is always used is CHANGE. Different candidates and philosophies, political parties, and movements all share there perspective and plans for particular change dealing with particular sets of issues. Change is good, but as Christians we must see things differently. You see, Jesus called for change too. His first words in the gospel of Mark chapter 1, verse 15 was to repent! There is no need to discern what He wanted, it is quite clear! For those calling for change today seem to be saying that the “other” guys need to change or those who disagree need to come over to their side. These battles that display the mentality that someone else is always to blame are why the election process gets discouraging at times. Wouldn’t it be great if one of the candidates got in front of a camera or a large crowd and said, “I am the one that needs to change!”

The need for Christians to repent of our ways is so necessary and central to every Christian call, but even more so for a religious and those discerning religious life. In his document on religious life, Blessed John Paul II states, “The vocation of consecrated persons to seek first the Kingdom of God is first and foremost a call to complete conversion, in self-renunciation, in order to live fully for the Lord, so that God may be all in all ( #35). Our vocation is to be transformed!

There is no question that there is much to consider in discerning a call to religious life. Contemplative or active, community life or solitude, teaching or serving the poor, and so much more! But when we take a step back, to “reprioritize” if you will, to become holy is the end. Our openness and understanding of this simple reality, that first and foremost the Lord calls us so Himself, to be transformed into a new creation, to live a new life and in a new way is the beginning and end of consecrated life.

Change is needed. Sure, change in the government or the philosophies of the day, but most importantly change in our hearts. This is the key to discernment and the beauty of religious life! No need for slogans and commercials or complicated plans! Just an openness and fidelity to following the Lord as He first desires to bring conversion to our hearts that ultimately transforms the world in which we live. Not to get cheesy or to take someone else’s line, but at the end of the day this is truly change we can believe in and only this kind of change can last.

God bless you,

Br. Angelus Immaculata, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

Check it out ...
+ Man chooses prison over monastery (very funny)
+ Midnight run with the Friars of the Renewal (animated slideshow)
+ Archbishop Dolan named a Cardinal (our Archbishop gets the red hat!)
+ FatherBenedict.com NEW!
Your one stop site for all books, audio and video from Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Skepticism: Enemy of Your Vocation

2011-12-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

A blessed Advent and Merry Christmas to all of you. This is such a beautiful time of the year, filled with memories and moving images of an amazingly humble God. Various TV channels usually run such classics as Dicken's A Christmas Carol (did you see the Disney - Jim Carrey version?), 1983 A Christmas Story, 1964 Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 1969 Frosty the Snowman and the 1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas. Some people like the 2008 movie The Nativity Story. Many churches put on live nativity plays (see ours here). Saint Francis started it all! (read more here).

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus (Luke 1:31)

Christmas and Easter are also times when it is popular for various TV channels to show documentaries on Jesus, etc. Many of these programs this year will focus on anything except the religious aspect of Christmas - or they will be presenting the story from a skeptical point of view using testimonies from various "scholars". Beware!! It is worth noting that we are often bombarded from so many different sources which plant seeds of doubt about our faith. This is the tactic taken by the serpent in the garden. We are all influenced by the secular culture. Beware!! Skepticism is the enemy of your vocation. Littleness of faith is a huge problem when it comes to discerning and answering your call from God. Let's say bah humbug to the sowers of secular skepticism.

Just say no to those skeptical Grinches!

P.S. Remember the Nativity story? It is all true.

May the newborn baby Jesus bless you,

The Friars
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

Interested in learning more? Give us a call!
(212)281-4355 eLetter Archive

Check it out ...

+ Pope Lights World’s Largest Xmas Tree & Shares His 3 Xmas Wishes

+ Ultra Sound Baby Jesus Poster found here

+ Archbishop Carlson sees signs of encouragement for US vocations

+ Padre Pio's Christmas Meditation - from a hand-written notebook

+ GrassrootsFilms Superbowl Doritos Commercial - a must see from our friends

+ The Star of Bethlehem Documentary - really really interesting

+ [Advent Conspiracy] Enter the Story 2011 - a must see - 2:39 video - this Christmas

+ Videos: A Friar Tells His Story + Mother Teresa on Vocation + CFR Sisters 1 + CFR Sisters 2

Protesting

2011-11-17T13:31:00.001-05:00

Upfront, I must be really clear that I am not “in the know” when it comes to what is going on in the world. I hear of news every now and again, but I am certainly not an expert in current events. However, I am aware of those who are currently protesting on Wall Street and around the world. Without objective news it is hard to wrap my mind around the reasons or context by which hundreds of people are gathered, but they certainly have their reasons and they are within in their rights to do so.

Don't hit a wall in your discernment

With that said, this months message on discernment is not going to be about protesting specifically nor am I going to put myself in the middle of what is going on. But upon reflection the notion of protesting has led me to think about discernment. I wonder if there is a tendency for some to make ones vocation all about what is being taken from them or to get stuck on what one has to give up in following a particular way of life. Which ends up being some what like a protest. For example, thinking of celibacy or a vow of chastity as limiting or an injustice, or seeing the gift of obedience as contrary to a person’s freedom or even embracing the vow of poverty or simplicity as inhuman or unnecessary. A lot of times when we find our selves in discernment we are consumed by what we are asked to say no to instead of what we have a grace filled opportunity to say yes to. If a call to the priesthood or religious life is only seen through the rules or limits where is the inspiration in that? Where does the romance of God seeking us and calling us from the very depths of our hearts granting us an invitation to follow him radically come into play when we see our vocations as something that we can just bear or put up with?

Think of the rich young man who sadly walked away from Jesus' invitation

My brothers! While it is good to be aware of what we are saying no to, the grace of a vocational call to religious life or the priesthood is found in what we are asked to say yes to. In embracing poverty we proclaim with our lives that God is the only necessary treasure in our lives. In fully living the vow of chastity we give God our undivided hearts and let the love of Christ live in us. And in living faithfully the vow of obedience, with our Lord, we strive to only do the Father’s will (Pope John Paul II, Vita Consecrata). What grace and freedom the vows bring into our lives! We say yes to these counsels believing that they will lead us to live as Jesus did and that we in a small way will be His presence here on earth again.

If you want to go where I am going, come follow me!

Maybe it will be a good opportunity this week to reexamine our motives and spirit of discernment. If our discernment is more like a protest, it would be good to let the Lord into our hearts to start to see what the invitation is really all bout. Following Him in freedom and joy! Then we start to be for something rather then just against it and that is what the Lord truly wants.

Check it out ...

+ PAPAL REFLECTION ON PRIESTHOOD TO OPEN ACADEMIC YEAR
+ POPE OFFERS PRIESTS 3 TIPS
+ BBC Video, CFR Sisters in England

Br. Angelus Immaculata Montgomery, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

Interested in learning more? Give us a call!
(212)281-4355

October 2011 CFR Vocations eLetter

2011-10-12T13:41:00.000-04:00

Making Room

Do you have any room for us?

I am still considered to be somewhat of a new friar. I remember just a few years ago having a cell phone, a Facebook account, a laptop, and being consumed by news and information. There was something attractive about being “plugged in” and “in the know,” which all the technology allowed me to do. But things started to change when I started discerning. Like Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, I noticed there wasn’t much room in my life or my heart for the Lord to speak. I had to make room, and it wasn’t easy.

I can't hear you O Lord!

Whether we know it or not things such as our cell phone use, Facebook time, or time watching movies or listening to our Ipods can often hurt more then help our discernment. One of the goals of discernment, especially at the beginning, is to form a discerning heart, one that is capable of hearing the Lord’s voice and responding to His movements in our lives. When our time and energy are spent worrying about texting, updating our Facebook status, while having our Ipod in our ears wherever we go, it is difficult to hear the Lord. I am of course not talking about a complete fast. The Friars even sometime use the internet and enjoy watching movies. But for all of us a good balance is to be desired and sought.

There's just something wrong about this picture

The end goal is to hear the Lord, to make a place for him in our lives, to speak and to move. A good reality check for all of us and a good question to consider is whether there is room for the Lord to do just that. In the end, we all can make more room. We all can spend less time on the phone, the computer, or engulfing ourselves in noise to make more room for silence, which is where we know the Lord speaks.

What are you plugged into?

Take a moment. Examine how “plugged in” you are. And today make a little more room for Him who in the end is much more exciting and fulfilling then the new updated Facebook Status or the breaking news online. With more room to work in our lives, the Lord will guide us and lead us to what are hearts desire and our ultimate vocation and call.

Br. Angelus Immaculata Montgomery, CFR

Saint Joseph Friary

523 W. 142nd St.

New York, NY 10031

Interested in learning more? Give us a call!

(212)281-4355

Check it out ...
+ Pope warns of "virtuality" overtaking "reality" and says that monasteries clear contaminated air
(October 11, 2011)

+ Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy: A priest must be simultaneously little and great, noble in spirit as a king, simple and natural as a peasant. A hero in overcoming himself, sovereign of his desires, a servant of the little ones and weak ones...
(October 3, 2011)

+ Pope's address to seminarians in Germany (Sept. 26, 2011)

+ Pictures of our new Postulants (Sept. 8, 2011)

Sept. 2011 CFR Vocations eLetter

2011-09-16T15:02:00.000-04:00

New Beginnings
September is a time of new beginnings. The fall brings much anticipation with the start of the new school year, sports seasons, new jobs, and is even a time when some begin their journey in religious life. This week the Friars of the Renewal have welcomed five new postulants to New York to begin their formation and process of discerning with our community. With all the new beginnings there is a real sense of excitement, joy, and of course maybe even a little nervousness! We all face new beginnings. Whether it is a significant life change or just something small, we have to start somewhere and maybe for those who are discerning it would be helpful to learn a little about what it means to “begin discerning.” The following are three areas which one can begin to consider when discerning a religious vocation.

Do not be afraid!

Prayer
Our vocations are a gift given by a God who loves us and has called us. Our vocation is not to be found using Google to look up the nearest community that fits all of my personality requirements or desires. Our vocations are a part of us, found deep within our hearts, and understood in an intimate relationship with the One who created us. Time in prayer with the Lord listening in the quiet of our hearts, coming to know more about the One who has called and learning more about ourselves whom He is calling. Beginning the process of discernment is not necessarily about seeking a particular community or way of life but about seeking the One is who is calling, Jesus, and it is Him who will give us all we need to respond faithfully.

Come on, answer my call!

Conversion
The fulfillment of our vocation doesn’t happen overnight. Those who are living the religious life can tell you that it is a test of daily fidelity to God working and moving in our lives is what is important. So much conversion needs to happen before we can be in a place to say yes to what the Lord is preparing. How easy it would be if our Lord just proposed and we were off to begin! Instead it is important to recognize that there is much purifying that needs to happen with the Lord, in our relationships with others, and within our own selves before we are ready and prepared to take the next step. We must trust in the beautiful process that is preparing us for the next step and embrace the sometimes painful but truly necessary work the Lord is waiting to do in our lives.

Let me mold and shape you.

Perseverance
Discernment takes time. It also takes patience and trust over the course of many months and even years as the Lord is preparing and sowing the seed of a call in our hearts. Don’t be in a rush! Look at discerning as a journey of becoming your true self rather then a stress filled process of “doing” something for the Lord as soon as possible. We all want to reach the fulfillment of our call and vocation but that plan we have for the future might not go as we hope it would. To persevere and trust that the Lord knows what He is doing is a key to discerning, especially during times that might seems dark, or the future might seem unclear. There is not doubt the Lord knows you and wants you to know who He is calling you to be. Persevere to the end and you will be fulfilled!

I'm suppose to be in the convent already!

If the journey of discerning your vocation is new for you, commitment to prayer, openness to conversion and trusting perseverance are all tools that might help in this new beginning. In this time of new beginnings, let us rejoice in the Lord and be grateful for all the things He wants to do in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

God bless you,
Br. Angelus Immaculata Montgomery, CFR

Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

Check it out ...
+ Pope's homily to seminarians in Madrid (Aug. 20, 2011)
+ Pope's address, "no vocation is a private issue" (Sept. 12, 2011)
+ Fr. Timothy Gallagher online video, solid teachings

Interested in learning more? Give us a call!
(212)281-4355

We Remember

2011-09-09T22:44:00.000-04:00

The call came to our friars from the firemen next to our friary on156^th Street in the Bronx. “Please get down to Ground Zero – we need you there.” It was the day after 9/11. The plan was to meet at theBronx firehouse and take a bus with the firemen who would be transported to help at Ground Zero.

So a group of us friars, priests and brothers, waited at the firehouse with the firemen the morning of 9/12 to head across the bridge by bus to Manhattan. The firemen sat in silence while watching the news on the television. Also, a fireman was writing a list of names on a chalkboard, the names of their confreres who had died.

Pain was written on their faces. There were no words that seemed appropriate. We just sat praying silently next to them and waited. The bus was delayed so we were encouraged by the firemen to take the subway to Manhattan as far as could and then to walk the rest of the way. That we did – we passed two barricades at which we simply said, “The firemen asked us to go to Ground Zero.” We were given the OK.

Before we knew it we were at a place that seemed surreal. Somehow we were there, yet it didn’t seem real: skeletons of buildings, broken glass, water pouring down escalators, grey soot up to our ankles, most of all the pained faces of heroes trying their best to do something, anything.

My responsibility was to bless the bodies which were being removed from the rubble. The unmistakable orange body-bags were carried with great dignity. I stood next to a Rabbi and a Protestant Minister. As the bodies were being carried to the first temporary morgue the bearers paused, we prayed, gave a blessing and cried.

Other friars prayed with small groups of firemen, policemen and other responders. Only prayer and simply being present seemed to be appropriate. Some brothers gave out rosaries and offered their shoulders to cry on. Noting Saint Francis’ love for animals we were asked to bless the specially trained dogs which were helping with the search for remains.

On the way back to the Bronx we rode the bus with the firemen. We rode through Manhattan as crowds of people waved and showed signs of support. We sat in silence. Only prayer and simply being present seemed appropriate.

Fr. Mariusz Koch, CFR
Community Servant
Most Blessed Sacrament Friary, Newark, NJ

Letter from Pope Bendict to US Bishops
Sept. 11, 2011

Prayer of Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero
April 20, 2008

Special prayer request

2011-06-09T07:06:00.000-04:00

In the early days of the order, Saint Francis and the friars would gather for a special meeting (chapter) around the feast of Pentecost. This was a time to pray together as brothers, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit as they discussed various questions concerning the direction of the order. This became a tradition which continues to our day.

In our little community we have our General Chapter every three years. All of the friars in final vows gather to pray and discuss various items. We also elect the leadership for the next three years. This year our General Chapter will be held for one week beginning on June 12, the feast of Pentecost. Please pray for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we gather together.

Giotto fresco of the Pentecost chapter meeting of 1232 in Arles.
Saint Anthony of Padua (l) had an apparition of the recently deceased Saint Francis (r).

God bless you,
Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR
St. Joseph Friary, New York, New York

New Priests!

2011-06-01T13:47:00.001-04:00

First things first, for those interested in joining this September, the two week visit will be from
June 30th to July 13th. Please contact the vocation office at 212-281-4355 if you are interested. We are praying for all of you out there. Have courage!

One of the Capuchin Saints used to begin every one of his sermons with the proclamation, “How beautiful it is to love God!” I am filled with great joy as I see this exclamation manifested in my life as a friar. On Saturday May 14th five of our friars, two of whom I live with, were ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York. For the friars getting ordained this is the beginning of a new journey, as many of them will get missioned to one of our friaries around the world. Fr. Columba and Fr. Sebastian, the brothers that I live with, will be sent to our friaries in Ireland and London.

It has been a great joy over the past few years to serve with these brothers as we have been involved in an apostolate for young adults in the city under the patronage of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (check out the website atfrassatiny.com). Fr. Sebastian had been leading a weekly Bible study and
Fr. Columba had been leading worship at many of the prayer meeting and retreats attend by the young adults. In the last few weeks as they both have been saying their good byes and transitioning into the next chapter of their ministry, the men and women of Frassati Fellowship arranged a going away celebration for our brothers and one by one they shared the impact and presence of Fr. Columba and Fr. Sebastian have had in their life. Many of them have had significant conversions and came to know in a new way or for the first time the person of Jesus Christ and the gift of His Church.

Witnessing the testimonies of these young adults made me realize that the Lord works well beyond my understanding and awareness in the lives of so many who are right in our midst. Their testimonies also encouraged me in my vocation and taught me that discernment is multifaceted. God works in us and prepares us without our knowing. As we set aside time in our life of prayer and look back in time we see our journey and our encounters in this journey are but preparation to fulfill His holy will. In realizing this I have come to certainty that this life is so worth living and sacrificing for. Please pray for Fr. Columba, Fr. Sebastian and myself as we strive to be faithful and generous in what the Lord is asking of us. Take a moment today and look around to be inspired by those who truly love God, and with great gratitude thank the Lord for His many blessings.

Check it out ...
+ Blessed Pope John Paul II USCCB Site
+ 21% of new priests have participated in World Youth Day
+ Pope's message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations (May 15, 2011)

Nine new priests ordained on May 14, 2011
read more here:

Father Columba Maria Jordan, C.F.R.

Father Sebastian Maria Kajko, C.F.R.

Father Jeremiah Myriam Shryock, C.F.R.

Father Giuseppe Maria Siniscalchi, C.F.R.

Father Daniel Williamson, C.F.R.

Great ordination Mass homily by Archbishop Timothy Dolan found here

May the Lord bless you,

Fr. Gabriel Mary Bakkar, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

We need saints!

2011-02-07T14:47:00.004-05:00

May the Lord give you His peace!
In Hebrews 13:7-8 we read, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Take a moment to prayerfully reflect on all the people God has used to model and speak His word to you. Those who help us along our journey of faith are real spiritual heroes. NYPRIEST.COM sponsors vocations advertisements which proclaim the message, "The World Needs Heroes."
Venerable Pope John Paul II is a great hero who continues to inspire many to say yes to Jesus! He will be Beatified on May 1, 2011 (info found here). We need examples who inspire us to follow Jesus. That is why Christians have always held up the saints. Saint John Vianney would read lives of the saints every day. Not only are they inspiring, they also pray for us from heaven. There are many holy people who may never be officially canonized, who never-the-less, help us along our way. Who has helped you in your faith walk, your discernment? Parents, pastors and friends have an important influence on us. May we be inspired to answer God's call in our life.

Check it out ... + VocationBoom.com - great resource!! + Top Ten Vocations Websites + Truth and Life Audio Bible - really well done + Pope's Homily, Feb. 2, 2011, World Day of Consecrated Life + OneBillionStories.com - interesting Catholic site + LiveAction.org - great pro life group _______________________________________________________________________
May the Lord bless you, The Friars Saint Joseph Friary 523 W. 142nd St. New York, NY 10031 For Vocation Inquiries (212)281-4355 eLetter Archive

January 2011 Pro-Life CFR Vocations eLetter

2011-01-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

May the Lord give you His peace!

Recently while spending sometime with a youth group in the area, at a break in the conversation that we were having about facebook, cell phones, and the like, I asked an open ended question which provided a moving answer. “In a word, how would you describe young people today?” Busy, distracted, and bored, were among the highlights and when I thought they were done giving me their thoughts, a quiet young man mumbled, “in a word - ALONE.” Perhaps an answer worth reflecting on.

The pro-life apostolate is significant in the life of our community. Our outreach takes on many forms, but the main focus is prayer and counseling at abortion mills in the cities in which we reside. Living in Newark, NJ, I pray and counsel with three other friars on Saturday mornings in a small town close to our friary. The foundation of our apostolate is prayer as we stand across the street from the women’s choices clinic and pray for women and their babies, and also those who accompany them in their decision. In addition, brothers get the opportunity to counsel women as they are approaching the clinic, hoping to provide a presence of hope and a word of encouragement or challenge before they enter. A few weeks ago, there was a young couple who pulled into the parking lot, and as the young women got out of the car, she noticed that her boyfriend was not willing to go inside with her. As she stood standing all alone, tears falling down her face, my heart was moved with compassion for her. As she was pulling herself together our eyes met and a prayer lifted from my heart and in my gaze back to her I longed to tell her that she was not alone, there were people that cared for her and her child and that God loved her so much and would provide all that she needed to say yes to the life of her child. So many women who find themselves in this similar situation feel hopeless and alone, and they feel like there is not other option than getting an abortion. It seems like the easiest, quickest, and simplest option to take care of their difficult situation... They are afraid, confused, and alone. There is unlikely any support from their spouse or friends, and no life giving encouragement from the doctors or nurses inside. The mask they wear is one that seems harsh, tough, and even portrays confidence in their purpose for being there, but deep down we see and experience someone who is hopeless and alone.

This coming weekend is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and also the annual March For Life in Washington D.C. What an incredible event for people of all ages to gather together to pray and to witness to the dignity of every human person. To proclaim to our nation and those who are challenged with this decision before them, that they are not alone, there are people who care, and a merciful God who wants to abundantly bless them and provide for them. To participate in the pro life apostolate has been a tremendous challenge but a true blessing. God is calling us and all of you to be truly present to those who think they are alone, to bear witness to the mercy, hope and love of Jesus. To those who suffer from abortion and are struggling with the decision to choose life, you are not alone! This message of hope is definitely worth marching for, and most importantly worth living for.

Check it out ...+ Pro-Life Rally with the Friars!
Sunday, January 22, 2011, St. Bernadette Church, Silversprings, MD, 6:30-10:30 pm
+ MarchForLife.org
+ onemoresoul.com - great resource
+ Must read article (and video) about abortionist in Philadelphia
+ TruthBooth.org - very good

Website of Norma McCorvey, the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade found here

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Angelus Immaculata, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

January 2011 CFR Vocations eLetter

2011-01-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

May the Lord give you His peace!

There is power in the Word of God. Pope Benedict recently released a great document on this important topic (Verbum Domini found here). Among others, the Pope wrote about Saint Francis and Saint Antony of the Desert as examples of people who were greatly blessed by the power of God's Word. These great saints were guided in their discernment by a grace-filled encounter with the Lord through the prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture.

"The most profound interpretation of Scripture comes precisely from those who let themselves be shaped by the word of God through listening, reading and assiduous meditation. It is certainly not by chance that the great currents of spirituality in the Church’s history originated with an explicit reference to Scripture. I am thinking for example of Saint Anthony the Abbot, who was moved by hearing Christ’s words: “if you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mt 19:21). [...] Saint Francis of Assisi – we learn from Thomas of Celano – 'upon hearing that the disciples of Christ must possess neither gold, nor silver nor money, nor carry a bag, nor bread, nor a staff for the journey, nor sandals nor two tunics … exulting in the Holy Spirit, immediately cried out: 'This is what I want, this is what I ask for, this I long to do with all my heart!’".

Along with Pope Benedict, we enthusiastically recommend the practice of Lectio Divina (sacred reading). This could be done at home or during Eucharistic Adoration. Like so many saints in the past, allow the Lord to speak to your heart as you pray with His inspired word.

Check it out ...+ American Bible Society Lectio Divina Page
+ Lectio Divina Manuel - very good
+ Beauty of God's Word - magazine article
+ theporneffect.com - good resource
+ October 2010 Letter to Seminarians from Pope Benedict
+ 24 minute documentary on the CFRs, "Bagage"
+ Garden in Limerick Ireland video

Great Papal Quote: "Those aspiring to the ministerial priesthood are called to a profound personal relationship with God’s word, particularly in lectio divina, so that this relationship will in turn nurture their vocation: it is in the light and strength of God’s word that one’s specific vocation can be discerned and appreciated, loved and followed, and one’s proper mission carried out, by nourishing the heart with thoughts of God, so that faith, as our response to the word, may become a new criterion for judging and evaluating persons and things, events and issues"
(Pope Benedict, Verbum Domini, #82).

May the Lord bless you,
The Friars Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

December 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-12-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

December is a beautiful month. Let us pray for each other as we dive deep into the holy season of Advent while preparing for Christmas. The Nativity of Our Lord was the favorite feast day of Saint Francis. He is known for having invented and popularized the tradition of setting up a living Christmas creche in Greccio, Italy.

Patience is a much needed virtue for those who are trying to discern their vocation, God's will for their life. Advent is the season of waiting. During this awesome season, we recall the ancient expectation of God's people as they awaited the advent (coming) of the Messiah. By the time Jesus had arrived, they had been waiting for some 4,000 years - that takes patience! We now await his second coming in glory at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. Some 2,000 years ago He said that He was "coming soon" (Revelation 22:7)! God's time is not our time, indeed, for Him "a day is like a thousand years gone by, like a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4).

When we are discerning, sometimes we fall into the temptation of impatience. We need to be patient with God, with others and with ourselves. Timing is everything. Trust in Him and let Him lead you on the path of life. Frustration comes when we lack trust. It is part of His mercy that we do not know the future. Sometimes He only gives us enough light to see the next step and no more (like a flash light). Pray for the grace to be led in your spiritual life and for an increase of patience!

+ From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase, but I must decrease (#524)."

  Check it out ...
+ New free eBook by Pope Benedict
    On Advent & Christmas
+ The Human Experience now available on DVD (amazing film by Grassroots Films)
+ DVD The Star of Bethlehem (very interesting)
+ Advent & Christmas with the Church Fathers (book)
+ Video on Religious Sisters (ForYourVocation on Youtube.com)
+ Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR, guest on EWTN Sunday Night Live
with Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR  (a must see found here on Youtube.com)
+ CatholicsComeHome.org (great videos and information)

May the Lord bless you,
The Friars Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

November 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-11-10T13:24:00.000-05:00

November is the month when the road of life leads us through the colorful change of leaves and apparent dying of creation. It is a month which sees nature in an ostensible quiet, contemplation, silence and stillness. It is also a month when we remember to pray for the holy souls in purgatory and make visits to the graves of dear ones who have made the journey to eternal shores. Below is a powerful quote from Pope Benedict on the importance of silence and listening in prayer. The Holy Father reminds us of a key ingredient for discerning our vocation.

"At times, however, we are tempted to close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ’s radiance, to limit the horizon of hope. Take courage! Fix your gaze on our saints. The diversity of their experience of God’s presence prompts us to discover anew the breadth and depth of Christianity [...] Dear friends, the example of the saints invites us, then, to consider four essential aspects of the treasure of our faith: personal prayer and silence, liturgical prayer, charity in action, and vocations [...] There is another aspect of prayer which we need to remember: silent contemplation. Saint John, for example, tells us that to embrace God’s revelation we must first listen, then respond by proclaiming what we have heard and seen (cf. 1 Jn 1:2-3; Dei Verbum, 1). Have we perhaps lost something of the art of listening? Do you leave space to hear God’s whisper, calling you forth into goodness? Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness, listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist. Let his word shape your journey as an unfolding of holiness" (Pope B16, 19 April 2008, Yonkers, New York).
________________________________________________________

Check it out ...

+ The Human Experience now available on DVD (amazing film by Grassroots Films)
+ DVD The Star of Bethlehem (very interesting)
+ Travelers Along the Way (new book by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR)
+ I am With You Always (another new book by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR)
+ Fatima for Today (new book by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR)
________________________________________________________
May the Lord bless you,
The Friars Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

October 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-10-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

The October 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter
can be found here.

August 2010 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2010-08-19T16:09:00.001-04:00

May the Lord give you His peace!

Following Jesus is at the heart of the consecrated vocation. “The Son, who is the way which leads to the Father, calls all those whom the Father has given to Him to make the following of Himself the whole purpose of their lives. But of some, those called to the consecrated life, He asks a total commitment, one which involves leaving everything behind in order to live at His side and to follow Him wherever He goes”
(JPII - Vita Consecrata #18).

At the beginning of this month six of our brothers - following at least five years of preparation - made a total commitment in professing their final vows (photos here). The very next day we were blessed to witness six young women receive the veil and habit as they became novices within our sisters’ community. As each of these brothers laid down their life for Christ and as our new novice sisters heard the snip of their hair, the self-offering of each was made quite tangible.

One of the most profound signs of this self-offering comes during the final vows ceremony when those professing prostrate themselves on the floor of the church as the Litany of the Saints is sung. As they lay face-down and barefoot on the cool marble floor, we are reminded of how - for love of Christ - they are dying to themselves and the things of this world in order to rise with Christ in a new life of total freedom and joy. There is a profound freedom and joy in following Jesus.

However, this dying to self & the world did not begin on that day of final vows, but back on the day they first felt God inviting them to a different way of life and chose to follow Him. Isn’t that really what the discernment of a vocation is all about? We begin slowly dying to any plans, expectations, lifestyles, habits and things rooted in ourselves so that God’s plan and will can take over. Ask for God’s grace to release the white-knuckle grip you have on the steering wheel of your life - areas of your discernment that may not be of Him so that you can freely and joyfully take the next step toward whatever commitment He is ultimately asking of you. Be not afraid!

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Xavier Mariae Meiergerd, CFRSaint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

July 2010 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2010-07-12T19:22:00.002-04:00

Peace and greetings from the summer heat of Harlem!

It is with great joy that I introduce myself as the newest member of the C.F.R. Vocation Team here in New York City. This means I’ll be assisting Fr. Gabriel in our Vocation Office throughout the next year and also that you’ll be hearing from me somewhat regularly through these monthly eLetters.

It hasn’t been long since I was in the same position in which many of you may find yourself right now. I entered our community as a Postulant less than two years ago and professed First Vows about four months ago. However, the road that brought me here included many moments of uncertainty. This included time as a missionary in South America after graduating from a university in my home state of Kansas and four years as a diocesan seminarian.

Until my fourth year in seminary, if you would have told me I would one day be wearing a habit, I would never have believed it. During my fourth year of seminary I had a beautifully graced time of prayer in which I was given a deeper understanding of Christ’s love for me in His total gift of self. However, the Lord turned my life upside down when I felt Him ask me what I was holding back in giving myself totally to Him. Immediately, thoughts of living my vocation more as a missionary came to my mind, followed by thoughts of the C.F.R.’s. As much as I tried to negotiate with God to let me continue down the road I was headed, I realized that if it was Christ whom I was seeking, then I had to follow this new path where I felt Him calling me.

As I allowed Him to guide me, I began to see that the religious life, which I never thought would be for me, was something I actually began to desire. This was the work of the Holy Spirit! A few things that helped me the most in the initial part of this process included a very good spiritual director, reading the documents Vita Consecrata (see #19) and the C.F.R. Constitutions, not to mention lots of quiet prayer. This gave me a glimpse of the profound beauty of being totally consecrated to Christ. May you be blessed in your own discernment and be assured of my prayers!

Check it out ...
+ August 5-8, 2010 Walking Pilgrimage
+ Porn-Free Pioneers
(Great Article about Apple and Microsoft against porn)
+ Getting Serious About Porn (Good article)
+ Treasury of Latin Prayers (Great site)
+ Sunday Night Live with Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.
- Youtube.com page.
+ Video: Fr. Groeschel Personal Testimony
+ RomanCatholicVocations.blogspot.com
(Great blog for those discerning)

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Xavier Mariae Meiergerd, C.F.R.

Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

June 2010 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2010-06-04T12:08:00.001-04:00

May the Risen Lord give you His peace! This June is full of special significance!

This month we offer an exclusive quote only found here! There is a powerful movie on Saint Anthony of Padua (Italian with English subtitles - available here). There is a famous scene when the friars are attending an ordination Mass and no one wants to give the sermon. Under obedience, Saint Anthony rises to the occasion and gives a stirring homily on why a young man would give his life to Christ.

Below is the touching sermon taken from the English subtitles - very moving ...

He puts down his written notes and says, "I wrote a sermon but I am not going to read it to you because I have a question to ask you. Why have you come here? What's all this incense? Why have you put on your best clothes? We are here today to celebrate the young men who have embraced the cross of Christ. They have promised to help Him carry it. They have reached this moment coming from different and difficult paths following the light which illuminates the darkness of night. The light of Divine Providence. It is written that the Lord is the light. Each one of us dreams of Him at night and looks for Him in the morning.

The young men you see here today have done this. This is what the men who consecrate their lives to Christ do. They abandon the woman they love, forget their friends, they disappoint their father and abandon their mother. They say goodbye to pride, wealth, comforts, their homeland. Yet, they are not alone. They are no longer alone wherever they go. They take with them their loved ones, their friends, their mother, their father and their homeland because Christ is home and peace, adventure and tranquility. Because the questions are infinite. But there is only one answer: Our Lord Jesus Christ."

Significant Saint Dates in June:
2nd - Saint Felix of Nicosia (capuchin lay brother) + WIKIPEDIA + VATICAN BIOGRAPHY

8th - Bl. Nicolas of Gesturi (capuchin lay brother) + JPII Beatification Homily
11th - Sacred Heart of Jesus (end of the Year for Priests)
12th - Immaculate Heart of Mary
13th - Saint Anthony of Padua + mp3
16th - Bl. Anizet Koplin, presbyter, and companions (Henry Krzystofik, Florian Stepniak,
Fidelis Chojnacki, Symforian Ducki), capuchin martyrs of the Nazi persecution in Poland.
26th - Bl. Andrea Giacinto Longhin (capuchin bishop)

Check it out ...

+ Beautiful article and pictures about our friars in Limerick, Ireland
+ It's Sex O'Clock in America - Interesting article from May 2, 2010, at CNN.com
+ The Cara Study and Vocations - good article from CatholicWorldReport.com
+ Youtube.com clip from the Saint Anthony movie (Italian)

May the Lord bless you,
The Friars

Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries

(212)281-4355

May 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-05-13T18:13:00.000-04:00

May the Risen Lord give you His peace! May is Mary's month.

One of my favorite lines from the Second Vatican Council is: “Man only finds himself in the sincere giving of himself” (cf. Gaudium et Spes 24). This quote contains a key insight into the heart of every human person’s true vocation:loving self-donation. The bottom line of all discernment is the question: “How does God want me to give myself to Him and my neighbor?” It does not matter if we are called to the priesthood, religious life, lay consecration or married life. Every calling will (money-back guaranteed) include a daily dying to ourselves. It is part of the universal call of every Christian to take up the cross and follow Jesus. Every vocation is an invitation to the cross.

Dying to ourselves is not easy to say the least! The crosses that come to us run contrary to our inclination to be comfortable and self-centered. The crosses that meet us are impossible to bear on our own strength. Left to ourselves, we will be crushed under the weight of the cross. But we are not alone! Particularly in this month of May we must remember that Mary stood by the side of Jesus all along the Way of the Cross. She was with Him every step of the way. She gave Him motherly consolation and encouragement by sharing and participating in His saving sacrifice. How much more will Mary help her weak sons and daughters who are striving to follow the footprints of her Son?!

We must often call to mind, especially when times are most difficult, the loving presence of Mary our Mother. She walks along the way with us, guiding us at every step of the journey. When we are weary, one glance towards Her can renew our vigor and help us to give until it hurts. By Our Lady’s prayer and example we will be led out of ourselves and into the Heart of Her Son. There we will find the strength to follow Him, no matter what He asks of us.

Check it out ...
+ Pope Benedict in Fatima, May 2010
+ New York Times May April 25, 2010, Op-Ed
on the Birth Control Pill (some surprising info)
+ Video: Art Sculpture in the Eye of a Needle (interesting)
+ ALIVE! (online version of a very good Catholic newspaper in Ireland)

+ Olympic speed skater joins our CFR sisters (from Yahoo!Sports)
+ Radio interview with Fr. Luke, Br. Pius and Br. Innocent
+ 3 CFR Friars to be ordained priests
on May 15, 2010 (pics and bios)

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Pius Marie Gagne, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

April 25, 2010 Special World Day of Prayer for Vocations

2010-04-24T22:46:00.001-04:00

May the Risen Lord give you His peace!

Sunday, April 25, 2010, will be the 47th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Our Holy Father has pre-released a beautiful message for this day. He and the priesthood are both under a considerable amount of attack lately. This is a good time to pray for the Pope and for vocations. This year the Pope highlights the importance of witness and example, in other words, we need to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk. Our lives cannot contradict our words - Saint Francis would have said a huge amen to that!

The Holy Father stresses the importance of prayer and friendship with Jesus Christ.Here are some good quotes, "Another aspect of the consecration belonging to the priesthood and the religious life is the complete gift of oneself to God ... In following Jesus, everyone called to a life of special consecration must do his utmost to testify that he has given himself completely to God. This is the source of his ability to give himself in turn to those whom Providence entrusts to him in his pastoral ministry with complete, constant and faithful devotion ... "

+ New Vocations Website from the USCCB: www.ForYourVocation.org
+ Full text of Pope Benedict's Message

May the Lord bless you,
The Friars
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

April 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-04-21T12:57:00.000-04:00

May the Risen Lord give you His peace!

This month I would like to write about one of the most subtle of vices that can effect our discernment, the sin of sloth. Often this sin doesn’t really make its way on to our radar screen when we examine our consciences. This is because unlike many vices which we know so very well attack with violence on our frontline of defense, sloth sneaks in the back door attacking our very will to fight. Sloth can be defined as a sort of sorrow weighing us down, so that we don’t want to do anything or weariness in work, sluggishness in beginning to do any good (St. Thomas defines it this way in The Summa).

We have all been victims of this in little ways, “it’s too late to go pray anyway…” “I can work on this tomorrow…let’s watch another episode of 24 instead” “the Lord cannot possibly expect me to go that far… its too hard for me.” (I must confess to hours of mindless gazing at many-a blank screen in writing e-letters!) Things with little or no actual value for our lives, TV, video games etc. foster a sort of laziness in doing the good we should. When we listen to the voice of sloth, we are stopped before we ever get started standing at the base of a beautiful mountain to climb but never starting because “it’s too high.” Having taken hold of a soul, even the anthills of resistance to sin and growth in virtue seem like Mount Everest!

Sloth can have a terrible effect on our vocational discernment. For many, the whole prospect of what a call from the Lord might ask of me makes us avoid Him altogether, hiding in TV, video games and countless other distractions (often these thoughts are very far from the truth). Another effect can leave us in a sort of “order of perpetual discernment” out of excessive fear of a “mistake.” Everything can point us in a particular direction, spiritual direction can confirm it and yet we are afraid to make a move at all.

We must remember that God will give us the grace to do whatever He asks of us as well as help us all along the way in doing it. We have to trust Him… and after a little effort at the beginning, we will often be surprised at how easily and quickly we finished. Let’s ask for the grace this month to see those ways where we might have let sloth creep in, and begin to fight against this subtle enemy. I would hate to lose the race because I just never showed up!

Check it out ...

+ We are now accepting applications from those who are interested in joining us this September!
Contact us for more info and mark your calendar for the official 2-week visit from June 24 - July 8 .

+ George Weigel in defense of Pope Benedict - 2nd - 3rd by Fr. Raymond J. de Souza

+ April 25, 2010, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (excellent message from Pope Benedict)

+ March 28, 2010, World Youth Day (another excellent message from Pope Benedict)

+ February 2, 2010 World Day of Consecrated Life (yet another excellent message from Pope Benedict)

+ Cardinal Franc Rodé called to attention the need for the Church to place greater emphasis on
the vocation of the religious brother.

+ Virtual Tour of Vatican Churches

+ Salt and Light TV (some really good catholic content)

+ Life (inspiring new series from The Discovery Channel)

+ Tim Hawkins (good christian comedian)

+ Outstanding books by Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

May the Lord bless you,

Br. Pius Marie Gagne, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

March 2010 CFR Vocations eLetter

2010-03-27T13:03:00.000-04:00

May the Lord give you His peace. Sorry for the delay in writing, we have been busy!

On March 1, 2010, our 15 Novices professed first vows at St. Antoninus Church. This beautiful parish is located one block from our novitiate friary in troubled Newark, NJ. Out of the many Masses of profession which I have attended over the years, this one stood out like no other. The beauty of the church, sacred music, large number of professing friars and powerful homily by Fr. Glenn Sudano (Novice Master) all contributed to a very moving experience. Beyond and above all of these factors the public witness of these men saying yes to the Lord was inspiring. There are special graces when you attend events such as baptisms, confirmations, first holy communions, weddings, ordinations and vow professions. It seems that grace just overflows at such public professions of faith. At such events we all have the opportunity to renew our yes to the Lord.

As the Vocation Director I was able to walk with these friars as they made their first steps in religious life. I have known one of them since he was 13 years old. It is a gift to see the hand of God at work in the lives of these brothers, knowing where they had been before and seeing where they are now. Each of them had to persevere through various trials in order to arrive at that day of professing vows. I am so thankful to the Lord for the little role I have played in helping them on the journey.

The discernment God’s will can be challenging. When it comes to vocational discernment it is rare to have absolute clarity. It is a common mistake to wait for such a certainty that never comes. Each yes to the Lord requires a leap of faith. Sometimes what the Lord is doing is clearer when we look back on our past. There is a common saying that “hindsight is 20/20”. Somehow looking in our rear-view mirror makes it easier to connect the dots of God’s guidance. If we have our spiritual eyes and ears open, He does give us glimpses and signs which point us in the right direction. We are called to respond to these glimpses as best we can, trusting in His grace to make up for what we lack in their accomplishment.

Check it out ...

+ We are now accepting applications from those who are interested in joining us this September! Contact us for more info and mark your calendar for the official 2-week visit from June 24 - July 8.
+ Snapfish picture album of the Mass of First Profession (requires a sign-in)
+ Pictures from the investiture of new novices
+ Videos of Fr. Luke's homily in York, PA, parish mission
(March 24, 2010) - part 1 - part 2 - part 3
+ 4 videos of vocation commercials from TestYourCalling.org

as the novices become professed they leave behind the caperone

br. columba leads the choir

while professing vows br. joshua - in a gesture of surrender - places his hands
in the hands of Fr. Mariusz Koch, our new Community Servant

band of brothers

May the Lord bless you,

Fr. Gabriel Mary Bakkar, CFR

Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd St.
New York, NY 10031

For Vocation Inquiries
(212)281-4355

C.F.R. Vocations eLetter Special Message

2010-02-23T10:51:00.001-05:00

Peace and good!

Just a simple message to all of you who have been trying to call us.
Fr. Gabriel has been in England and Ireland for the last 2 weeks. I have been
going to the hospital every day to be with some of our friars who are
sick. Please pray and thank you for your patience. You should be able to
contact us starting on Tuesday, March 2nd at 212.281.4355.

10 Postulants will be invested in the holy habit on Feb. 27.
15 Novices will profess first temporary vows on March 1. This is a blessed
time for our community. Thank you for your patience and don't give up!

God bless you,

Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 West 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355
www.franciscanfriars.com

January 2010 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2010-01-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

“The Lord guides the steps of a man and makes safe the path of one he loves.
Though he stumble he shall never fall for the Lord holds him by the hand.” Psalm 37

This passage from the psalms surely resonates within everyone. We want to be guided, we want to be kept safe, and we want to know the path to follow. We want the Lord to hold us by the hand. There is another familiar passage in the scriptures to all of us from the Gospel of John chapter 14. The verse we are pondering is verse six, but the context is verses 1-14. Jesus responds to Thomas’ question of knowing who he was by saying: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me."
Consider combining these texts into a meditation:

We want to be guided by the Way,

We want to be kept safe (guarded) by the Truth,

We want to be held by the hand and brought to Life by the Good Shepherd...

In January Fr. Gabriel, Br. Cyril and myself traveled to St. Paul, MN, to visit NET Ministries. Br. Cyril and I had both served on NET Teams before we were Franciscans and in many ways were strengthened in our desire to enter religious life because of the positive experience of serving the Lord and others through the experience of NET. It was a wonderful week of prayer, praise, Eucharistic Adoration and fellowship - as well as a few games of indoor volleyball and ping pong. We had all flown to St. Paul and were planning to return the same way but God’s providence provided (and guided) us another way.

NET Ministries gives thousands of retreats every year all over the USA. A team of five men and five women travel by diocese all over the country for a year. Carrying no more than a suitcase, sleeping bag and back pack. This spring there are eight teams traveling the USA giving dynamic retreats challenging teenagers to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church. We had asked NET, part jokingly, if they had a van to “retire.” To our surprise they offered as a gift a van with 170,000 miles, a perfect friar van.

We drove back on January 11^th, but the day before we actually picked up another driver. When visiting a parish on Sunday we mentioned to a parishioner who is 28 years old that we were driving back to New York and he accepted the invitation to journey with us, to share in the driving and to see the friaries in New York.

The drive back was filled with prayers, music, rosaries and readings from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. At midnight we made it to the grotto at Notre Dame and stopped to sing a few hymns to Our Lady of Lourdes. We pushed onto Maumee, OH, and stayed with relatives. In the morning after going to Mass, a school visit and adoration- we experienced the reality of psalm 37 - the Lord “guiding and guarding” us.

The van would not start and after a failed attempt at a jump start the tow truck was called. Five hour later we were back on the road, we can only trust that all the people we met during that time needed a word of encouragement and prayers.

We pulled up to 156^th street and Melrose Ave. at 2:30am, three weary travelers, yet filled with gratitude for the Lord “guiding and guarding us.” Is there any other way to really live in this world? The more you trust that the Good Shepherd is watching over your vocation, the more you can follow him and even trust that there are no accidents. When you meet certain people, certain religious orders etc., trust that the Lord Jesus is guiding and guarding you in your vocation to a truly abundant life!
What John Paul II said to me I say to you all — Corraggio!

May the Lord bless you,

Br. Simon Marie Dankoski, CFR
Saint Crispin Friary
420 East 156 St.
Bronx, NY 10455

+ Feb. 12-14, 2010 - London C.F.R. Vocation Retreat for men in Europe:
If you are a man in his twenties or thirties living in Europe and are discerning our community,
contact Fr. Emmanuel at St. Fidelis Friary, London, England.

+ Confessions of an anchorman (eye-opening)

+ Pope Considers St. Francis' Role in Christmas (very good)

+ Pope Considers the Franciscans and Dominicans (also very good)

+ New website for our Saint Benedict Joseph Medical Center in Honduras

+ NET Ministries

December 2009 CFR Vocations eLetter

2009-12-04T16:26:00.000-05:00

May the Lord give you His peace! This month we have a reflection from one of our friars stationed in the South Bronx, Br. Simon. A blessed Advent and Christmas to all of you. Let us pray for one another.

Who knew? God knew!

Recently when flying out of La Guardia Airport in New York City, I was surprised by seeing a friar and a friend unexpectedly. Sitting near the gate reading a book, I took my time as the passengers boarded the plane. I was surprised when suddenly one of our own friars came up and gave me a big hello. It was joy to see him. Then all of the sudden a friend from Michigan, a college roommate - now a father of six children and successful business man - came out from the next gate. In those moments we received an unexpected blessing of the gift of friendship. Who would have known?

In our vocation to holiness we need to desire to truly accomplish God’s will for His greater glory, allowing Him to work out the details. When the apostles experienced and encountered Our Lord in the Gospels his response to them simply would be “come and see.” This would have caused the disciples to act with faith. Faith is required in the discerning of a vocation which may seem to be a longer and more difficult decision than responding to the invitation of our Lord. We ask ourselves why it cannot be more simple. On this journey of faith there will be unexpected blessings. We should pray for the grace to be content with the expected trial-of-the-day set before us, trusting that Our Lord is guiding us and those around us in our vocations.

We should be grateful for the gift of friends who pray and intercede for us in our discernment and trust that light and grace is given as a gift from God. Before I was a friar, while visiting one of the missions in California founded by Bl. Junipero, an older man who attended Mass with us approached me to ask if he could pray for my vocation. As he said a prayer he shared with me an image he received in his prayer. It was an image of me taking a detour in my journey which would actually become a catapult of grace. How true that word from the Lord became as the friars in New York asked me to wait and work. I worked in a dynamic program giving retreats for two years. It deepened my faith and friendships with other Catholics and solidified my resolve to enter religious life as a Franciscan. I am grateful for the unexpected detour, but desire that contentment Our Lord gives in being close to Him in prayer, in the sacraments lived out in a community, while experiencing the expected trials-of-the-day. This year I am a friar for nine years and I trust that “He knows the plans he has for me…” Jeremiah.

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Simon Marie Dankoski, CFR
Saint Crispin Friary
420 East 156 St.
Bronx, NY 10455

Check it out ...

+ Advent Meditation in Papal Chapel Contemplates Origins of Priesthood
+ Pope Benedict Invites the Faithful to Confession (Dec. 2, 2009)
+ NFP vs Contraception Videos (similar to the Mac vs PC commercials)
+ Video of Houston Priest Dying of Cancer
+ Made For More (excellent book by Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS)

November 2009 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2009-11-04T15:39:00.002-05:00

May the Lord give you His peace!
This month we write about, The Great Equalizer.

I love to reflect on that passage of scripture where Our Lord speaks about our judgment on the Last Day. He tells us that whatever we do to one of His least brothers, we do to Him. Just think if we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the sick or imprisoned…we do it to Him. Jesus puts an equals sign between Himself and the poor. What radical love! He hides himself in what Bl. Mother Teresa called the “distressing disguise of the poor” and gives us yet another place to meet Him.

This title of “the distressing disguise” is, I think, very accurate. The poor whom we encounter in our everyday lives bring us in close contact with terrible suffering often times. The challenges present in the lives of those we are called to serve such as homelessness, hunger, addiction, and terminal illness to name a few bring us face to face with Jesus Crucified. I often think of the work done by St. Francis or someone like the recently canonized St. Damien of Molokai who poured themselves out in service to lepers. The terrible suffering of physical deformity and the other things that go along with the disease of leprosy, which made lepers outcasts, make us deeply aware of the great love, courage and penetrating vision of St. Damien to see Christ in them and ultimately give his life for them. Ultimately, it is in this concrete love of neighbor that we find the measure of our love for God (See 1 John 3-4).

In our life as friars we are most blessed to have the privilege to live among and serve Jesus in His “least brethren.” It can be difficult at times, however, to find Jesus in His disguise. Our neighbor can be inconvenient, annoying, gruff or even out rightly unkind even when we are trying to help. We must constantly remind ourselves that Jesus Himself drew the equal sign between Himself and the “least brethren” and seek Him with the eyes of faith. Let us all beg the Lord in this month to give us a heart of love for Jesus in our neighbor, particularly the poor.

Check it out ...
+ stoptheabortionmandate.com
+ truthbooth.org
+ US Vocations Choosing Traditional Orders (Aug. 20, 2009)
+ realdouayrheims.com
+ Modern society has become 'allergic' to sacrifice, warns Vatican official (July 6, 2009)
+ Planned Parenthood Director has a change of heart
+ Epic by John Eldredge (very good small book)
+ The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity by Taylor Marshall (great)

May the Lord bless you,
Br. Pius Marie Gagne, CFR
Assistant Vocation Director
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355

October 2009 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2009-10-10T14:43:00.000-04:00

Grace and peace to you! I pray this letter finds you well.

You’ll be happy to know that our new postulants are settling in nicely and are already on the move, especially preparing for our annual dramatization of the life of St. Francis in anticipation of his feast on October 4th. The guys are a great group - very kind, generous, joyful, and eager to learn and grow. As they begin to learn more about themselves through trials and errors, they make light of their own shortcomings and quirks, which provide little humiliations for the postulant himself but lots of laughs for the rest of us!

When we are seeking the Lord and his will for our lives, we too want to be on the move and are quick to act. But we need to be careful because we may want to say, “I will follow you wherever you go” only to receive a response too challenging for us to accept. Or we can say, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” and proclaim our own victory and say, “Even though [the other disciples] all fall away, I will not” but we have only to keep reading to see that the famous author or those one-liners did not do so well…on his own. Furthermore, how do we consider our desire to follow the Lord when we hear something like, “My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for temptation.” In the words of one our friars, “Mercy, bro!”

Brothers, be at peace and hear the Father say to you “not by your might, nor by your power, but by my Spirit” will you discover his will. We can be so anxious about the future that we are completely missing the graces present to us in the sacrament of the moment. C.S. Lewis wrote that time (you and me) touches eternity (God) in the present. We are in the greatest communion with the Father in the here and now! God is waiting to pour out upon us his abundant goodness, but if we’re so preoccupied with the who, what, where, why, and how of the future, we are completely missing what he’s trying to do for us right now! God is trying to tell us, “Be still and know that I am God.” He is trying to love us right where we are, but we are running in every other direction then where he’s trying to meet us. We need to “be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him” and “trust in him that he will act” because “God is faithful” and “he will fight for us, we have only to be still.”

So where do we need to be to encounter the Father and learn about what he’s trying to do for us in the “now?” That “where” is with Jesus his Son. Thankfully, we can be with Jesus in his physical presence, body, heart, soul and divinity, in his Body and Blood, the Eucharist. When we receive him at Mass, when we receive him in the Word, when we rest with him in our Eucharistic adoration, and when his Mother takes us by the hand and draws us to him. Friends become friends through a shared encounter, and they come to know one another by spending more time with one another. Are we spending quality time with the Lord? If we want to know better his will, we should probably come to know more about his very self. Otherwise, we might find it rather difficult to know the heart of the one whose love we're seeking. Like John and Andrew, we must ask Jesus, “Lord, where are you staying?” We need to “be” with Jesus and then we can “follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” As you know, God is not going to come down in the burning bush; if he did, we’d probably freak out. Instead, he draw us to himself using ordinary means – bread and wine, and through that bread and wine, we’re encountering him all day each day we make the time to receive them. We need to “taste and see that the Lord his good” and “find refuge in him.” Brothers, do not be discouraged, but place your trust in God’s care for you…a care with which he surrounds you at every moment, a care in which he is leading you and guiding you to make you more faithfully his own.

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord” (Ps 31:24).

(Lk 9:57; Lk 22:33; Mk 14:29; Sir 2:1; Zech 4:6; Ps 46:10; Ps 37:5-7; 1 Cor 10:13; Ex 14:4; Jn 1:38; Rev 14:4; Ps 34:8)

Br. Aloysius Marie Mazzone, CFR

St. Joseph Friary
Harlem, NY

Must check it out:
+ Video: Dominican Sisters of Mary
+ Video: C.F.R. Postulants get heckled for praying the rosary outside an abortion mill
+ stoptheabortionmandate.com
+ truthbooth.org
+ US Vocations Choosing Traditional Orders (Aug. 20, 2009)
+ realdouayrheims.com
+ Modern society has become 'allergic' to sacrifice, warns Vatican official (July 6, 2009)

August 2009 Check It Out

2009-08-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

+ August 13 Feast of Blessed Mark of Aviano, OFM Cap

+ New Encyclical from Pope Benedict: Caritas in Veritate - On Human Development in Charity and Truth

+ Primer on the new encyclical by Don Clemmer at the USCCB

+ Some interesting highlights from Americanpapist.com/blog.html

+ 2004 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

+ Pope Considers Two Facets of Vocations Work, July 5, 2009

+ Great website by Colleen Carroll Campbell, "Faith and Culture" on EWTN

+ Great author Dinesh D'Souza, must read book, "What's So Great About Christianity"

+ August 2009 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter - Webpage format click here

God bless,
Fr. Gabriel Bakkar, CFR
Vocation Director
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355

August 2009 C.F.R. Vocations eLetter

2009-08-07T13:26:00.010-04:00

May the Lord give you His peace!

Well, we are now offering our monthly Vocations eLetter in blog format. This may make it easier to access and adds an element of interaction with the ability to post comments. We plan on continuing the old webpage format as well.

As you may know, we have two basic elements to our apostolates: at home and abroad. It has been quite a summer for the friars. In terms of travels and missions the friars are like monks on the move. We have sent mission teams to Sudan and Kenya, Bosnia, Australia, South Africa, Lebanon, France, England and Ireland - not to mention our regular missionary work from our friaries! Our foundations in Honduras and Nicaragua are doing well despite political instability. We certainly have a deeper appreciation that He has the whole world in His hands...

There have been many blessings in the Bronx this summer as well. Our Bronx youth Summer Life program went well as usual. The Padre Pio and Saint Anthony homeless shelters are both moving forward in some new directions. Four of our brothers professed perpetual vows on August 2nd. To cap it all off, it looks like around 10 men will be joining us as Postulants on September 8th!

We look forward to reaping the fruits of the Year For Priests, more on this as the year unfolds. As the summer comes to a close and the new school year begins, let us pray for each other. Pray also for the men and women who will be joining various communities and seminaries - it takes a lot of courage!

God bless,

Fr. Gabriel & Br. Pius