Our New Ministers
(L-R) Brs. Jim Mungovan, Tom Betz (Provincial).
Bob Marva (Vicar), Paul Dressler & Brian Stacy
We give praise & thanks to the Lord for the brothers chosen to lead the St. Augustine Capuchin Province for the next 3 years. At our triennial Provincial Chapter, held in Villa Maria, PA, from May 27-31, the friars gathered to discuss our lives in fraternity and to elect our leadership team.
Provincial Tom Betz, OFM Cap., was re-elected to a second three-year term, while Brs. Jim Mungovan, OFM Cap. (on the staff of our Postulancy program in Philadelphia, PA), and Bob Marva, OFM Cap. (pastor of St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Cleveland, OH), were re-elected as Council members. New to the Council team are our brothers Paul Dressler, OFM Cap. (currently Guardian and Director of our post-Novitiate formation team in Washington, DC), and Brian Stacy, OFM Cap., (Staff member of our College Formation Program in Wickliffe, OH).
We thank the Lord for his blessings to our Province, and we ask the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit in our life of "following the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ," in the spirit and direction of our founder, St. Francis of Assisi. Pray for us -- and our new ministers.
Moments with the Friars
Have you seen these events?
Our brother Matt Hindelang, OFM Cap., checked in with updates of the pictures he's been taking in these months. In his Gallery, you can now find the photos of these events:
January's gathering of the DC area Franciscans
DC's 2019 March for Life
Louis Petruha, OFM Cap., 1939-2019
Date of birth: February 20, 1939
Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, PA
Investiture: July 13, 1959
Temporary Profession: July 14, 1960
Perpetual Profession: July 14, 1961
Ordination: October 24, 1965
Date of death: March 31, 2019
Burial: St. Augustine Cemetery, Millvale, PA
You know, Lou, the cupcakes and the tigers are all grown up now, and we all have gotten a little older along the way. But the buildings still have your mark and your memories in them. And I tell you that today it's really hard to keep our socks up. We will try not to be sad because it's ended but happy because it was. But for now, my friend, it's time to go. – Karen Roenigk, Funeral Eulogy, April 2019
A Capuchin Falls Victim to Violence
We grieve the devastating loss of our Capuchin brother Toussaint Zoumaldé, a friar of the Capuchin custody of Chad/Central African Republic (CAR). He had been leading a course for priests and friars in Cameroon and was returning to his fraternity in Baibokoum, Chad, when he was killed in Ngaoundéré, Cameroon. He had celebrated his 47th birthday last November 2nd.
On March 19th, traveling by bus, Toussint had stopped in Ngaoundéré to rest and find lodging with some local authorities. He had told the guard at the gate that he was going to look for something to eat before nightfall, but he never returned. They found him slain on the ground the next day with many wounds, including defensive ones. Left on the ground a few meters from the body was his emptied wallet.His Capuchin superior, Jean Miguina, OFM Cap., went with other friars to collect the body and brought it back to Bouar, where the celebration of his life and his burial took place on Friday, March 22nd.
The Pope Travels to Arabia & the Capuchins
The historic visit of Pope Francis to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates from February 3-5, 2019 falls when we Francisans are marking the 800th anniversary of the visit of St. Francis of Assisi to the Sultan of Egypt, and a former Capuchin Council Member and present bishop, Paul Hinder, OFM Cap., is the Vicar Apostolic of Southern Arabia & Yemen plays host to our Holy Father. Bishop Paul has quite a few Capuchin confreres ministering with him.
WYD 2019: In Panamá & DC!
World Youth Day 2019:
Panamá
Our Capuchin brothers Raf Anguiano (Vocation Director), Juan Antonio Ortiz and Tage Danielson traveled to Panamá City for the celebration of World Youth Day 2019. They were there from January 21-29 and with them were 7 candidates from different parts of the USA. They got a chance to meet up with our brother Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap., for breakfast on one of those days.
During each day of the event, the friars had a period of catechesis with the English speakers, followed by Mass. They also had the opportunity to visit some "beautiful places from Panamá." The evening showcased concerts until midnight. Finally, on Saturday evening, the group kept vigil in a Eucaristic Adoration with Pope Francis. At that vigil, they "met and danced with people from France, Mexico and Germany." Raf wrote that "it was truly an amazing experience."
The theme for this WYD was “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38). The original statue of Our Lady of Fatima made the trip from Portugal for the event: the Holy Father announced at the closing Mass that the next WYD (in 2022) will be hosted there.
Happy New Year 2019!
Rejoice with us as we celebrate the milestones
of God's grace and faithfulness
in the lives of our brothers . . .
Franciscans Gather Together at Graymoor
From November 6-9, our brothers Kip Ledger, OFM Cap., and Jim Mungovan, OFM Cap., led our Postulants to the Atonement Spirituality Center in Graymoor, NY, for the semi-annual gathering of the Inter-Franciscan Formation Program. Br. John Petrikovic, OFM Cap., one of our friars in the Province's Ministry of Preaching, was invited to lead the participants in the days of reflection on Francis & Clare: Finding the Incarnation's Face.
Celebrating Fidelity and Grace
Every year, our Province fraternities take time in October to celebrate the friars whose commitment and faithfulness mark an impotant milestone. Our "Provincial Jubilees" recognize the men who have been faithful in following the Lord's call to life and ministry in his name.
This year's celebrationg took place in Allison Park, PA's St. Catherine of Sweden parish, while our own "home" church in Lawrenceville, is undergoing renovation and expansion of our mother house property. John Daya, OFM Cap., pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Philadelphia, PA, celebrating 40 years of life as a priest friar, served as homilist, while Bob Herrick, OFM Cap., celebrated his 40th anniversary of life as a Capuchin by leading the gathering in prayerful song. Our Provincial Minister, Tom Betz, OFM Cap., served as celebrant.
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