Category Archives: Men’s communities

Men's communities, News

New Direction for Mercedarian Friars USA – 800th Anniversary Sees Anticipated Growth

3 Comments

High on a balcony of the lavish Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy in Lima, Peru, a full-size statue of the Blessed Virgin gazes down at pilgrims and tourists.

The Mercedarian friars there have served the parish for centuries, their white habits a familiar sight in the center of town. But although these priests and brothers are well-recognized in many countries of Latin America, including Mexico, they are practically unknown in the United States.

They plan to change all of that – God willing.

“We’ve done a lot of soul-searching over the last few years, and it seems that the Holy Spirit is asking us to reignite our original charism and make some needed changes,” said Fr. Daniel Bowen, OdeM., the vocation director of the Mercedarian friars in the United States.

“It’s taken years, and a lot of discussion and praying, and now we are taking on new responsibilities and doing things in ways different from the past,” Fr. Daniel said. The Order’s growth will certainly be a helpful factor here. They have expanded from five friars in 1970 to 24 today.

A Charism of Redemption

Fr. Daniel said that the Order, known more formally as the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, has looked anew at the charism of their order, which is to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger of being lost.

The order was founded in 1218 in Spain by St. Peter Nolasco, who saw the plight of his fellow Christians who were taken captive by Muslims and made into slaves.

“St. Peter Nolasco, our founder, would collect money to redeem Christians held as captives in Muslim countries,” Fr. Daniel said. “Today, we rescue Christians from modern forms of captivity, such as social, political, and psychological forms which place their faith in danger.”

New Ministries of Freedom

The Order looked at one form of captivity – that of families trapped in vicious cycles of failed marriages. So, in 2016 they started a ministry for marriage – the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family and Faith. The goal of the group is to promote family life according to Catholic moral principles, under the patronage of St. Raymond Nonnatus, another Mercedarian saint.

Also, the U.S. Mercedarians have been given two parishes in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The order has been in the country for at least one hundred years, with friars from a different province serving there. The order has also been to staff two small rural parishes in Jacksonville, FL. This ministry includes acting as chaplains to the nearby prisons. Prison ministry is fully in line with their charism of redemption.

Formation Program Moves Overseas

Their formation program will be changed from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia to Europe for most of the men’s formation. They will initially live in Philadelphia as postulants learning Spanish, spend their novitiate in Spain, and then study at the University of Salamanca, in Spain. Friars headed for the priesthood will study theology in Rome.

“We are becoming much more international as we should be, and more closely connected to our European and Spanish roots,” Father Daniel said. “We are excited by these new directions. We see a lot of possibilities for fulfilling our charism and helping to bring about the New Evangelization.”

Younger Faces

In recent years, the Order has seen younger faces in their U.S. contingent. “This of course allows us to grow, and we are grateful to God for this blessing,” Fr. Daniel.

Overall, there are signs of hope for men’s religious institutes in the United States, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). In 1970, there were 116 institutes, and by 2015 the new communities outstripped the folded ones by 15, so that there are 131 men’s religious communities today.

While the number of men in religious life in the U.S. has declined by 58 percent in those forty-five years, the ten smallest religious communities of men increased in number by 84%, according to CARA. The Order of Our Lady of Mercy, one of those ten, experienced the second highest gain – 380%.

“We’re riding the wave of the new growth of vocations in the United States,” Fr. Daniel said. “Although we’ve been around since the early part of the twentieth century in America, serving Italian immigrants in Ohio, we definitely have new expectations.”

A Special Fourth Vow

The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy is an international community of priests and brothers who live a life of prayer and communal fraternity. In addition to the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, members take a special fourth vow to give up their own selves for others whose faith is in danger. Their motto is “my life for your freedom.”

Today, friars of the Order of Mercy continue to rescue others from modern types of captivity, such as social, political, and psychological forms which place their faith in danger. They work in jails, marginal neighborhoods, among addicts, and in hospitals. In the United States, the Order of Mercy gives special emphasis to preserving the faith of families through education and parish work. They now serve in the dioceses of Cleveland, Buffalo, Philadelphia and St. Petersburg, FL.

“We think that these new ministries are fulfilling the needs of modern life, as well as carrying out our original charism” Fr. Daniel said.

Contact the Mercedarian Friars

Read more about the Order of Mercy’s charism on their website, or visit their Facebook page. See the YouTube video of their history, “Redeeming Medieval Captives.”

Think you might have a Mercedarian vocation? Find out about the friars’ next Come and See Discernment Retreat, by emailing Fr. Daniel at vocations@orderofmercy.org. Click also to sign up for the friars’ Vocations Newsletter.

Men's communities, News, Women's Communities

Contemplatives of St. Joseph Add Women’s Branch

Leave a comment

The Contemplatives of St. Joseph, a monastery for men founded in 2010, now have a women’s branch. Over the years, founder Fr. Vito Perrone had to turn women away seeking to join them in their contemplative yet active life. But now, there are 3 women in formation with more to surely come because they seem to be experiencing a boom of sort in vocations and interest!

The COSJs are a Public Clerical Association of the Christian Faithful as decreed by Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco. They take Saint Joseph as their model for his silent, contemplative witness. “He keeps his eyes on Jesus and Mary, as we do,” says Father Perrone. “He is steady, loving, is manly and has a huge influence. That is our model of the contemplative life.”

The community of priests, brothers and sisters commits to eight hours of community and individual prayer. They celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass “to enter into the deep and profound spirituality preserved by the Church and handed down from our western fathers to us today.” Their First Friday Healing Mass draws many. Those in attendance are blessed with the oil of St. Joseph that was used by St. Andre Bessette, the humble servant of St. Joseph.

They also offer retreats; spiritual direction for priests, seminarians, and nuns; parish missions; and will be offering The Catholic Spiritual Life Academy to teach families how they can live a modified contemplative life.

On May 1, Archbishop Cordileone was the principal celebrant at a Solemn High Mass on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker where the Missa Sancti Joseph was premiered, composed by Frank La Rocca. In addition to receiving professions, investitures and bestowing blessings on candidates and postulants, the Archbishop also bestowed a special blessing for the beginning a COSJ Third Order.

“We feel the contemplative life is a very powerful witness within the life of the church,” Father Perrone said. “Basically, you have to die to yourself in order to understand the riches of life with Christ,” He adds: “Religious life, especially with the COSJ, is not for the faint of heart.”  But it is for those with a heart for Jesus and the Church in imitation of the Guardian of the Redeemer―Saint Joseph!

See article in Catholic San Francisco or visit their website: cosjmonastery.com

Men's communities, News

Norbertines Break Ground on New Abbey

Leave a comment

On March 18, 2018, the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, California, broke ground on a new abbey. And why do they need a new abbey?  Because the community, with 51 priests and 36 seminarians, has outgrown their space. Yes, 36 seminarians!

With the completion of a $120 million fundraising campaign St. Micheal’s Abbey can start construction on its new campus in Silverado Canyon. (Courtesy of St. Michael’s Abbey)

The instability of the land at their current site, the lack of space to house all of the priests and the lack of suitable space to expand resulted in the plans to move to the new location.  All they needed to do was raise $120,000,000 dollars. And amazingly enough, they did it.

It all started in 1950 when 7 Norbertine priests fled Communist persecution in Hungary and, at the invitation of James Cardinal McIntyre of Los Angeles, ended up in Orange County California. Today, they run boy’s preparatory school, teach in grade schools, serve as chaplains to the Norbetine canonesses and in hospitals, colleges and prisons, staff a parish and serve in many others. They also have a thriving Lay Order of over 300 members.

The last of the Hungarian Fathers died just before the groundbreaking, so as one generation has passed on the torch, there are many others to reach forward and carry it on into the future.  All this could not be done without strong lay support. Says the St. Michael’s  Foundation board president: “There is such a love for the Norbertines. People give to their mission. They wear a habit, they keep the Hours, they sing…they are embedded in the life of Orange County in a very special way.”

See article in the National Catholic Register.

College Campus News, Men's communities

A New Community Blooms in the Desert: Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit

Leave a comment

On July 2, 2016, the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit, seven friars in all,  were established as a Public Association of the Faithful in the Diocese of Phoenix in a ceremony at St. Francis Mission on the Ak-Chin Indiana Reservation. Their primary mission is to serve the Native Americans in the diocese from their base at the Gila River Indian Community at St John the Baptist Mission. But they also provide campus ministry support at Grand Canyon University and other schools in the diocese as well as evangelization initiatives through prayers groups, missions and conferences.

“This truly is a momentous occasion. Just over a year ago a group of men felt called by God to form a new Franciscan charismatic community in the Diocese of Phoenix,” said Fr. David Sanfilippo, vicar for priests. “After prayerful discernment, the Church officially recognizes and affirms their decision as an authentic call from God.”

The friars were given an abandoned convent on the Gila River reservation where in the old mission a remnant of the faithful were praying that the Franciscan fathers would one day return. “Once we began offering the Holy Mass in the Mission Church that autumn,” they said, “the people came in crowds, smiling and applauding because, ‘the padres have returned!’ We were similarly greeted at the other nine mission churches that are entrusted by Bishop Olmsted to our care.”

The friars felt called by the Spirit to leave their prior community to begin a Franciscan missionary initiative in the desert. The priests and brothers follow the Rule and tradition of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of Penance. Not surprisingly, they are growing and attracting new members.

“My dear Friar Brothers — and my sons who have become very dear to my heart in the last 14 months — your religious vows today and your fidelity to them each day hereafter draws you into something revolutionary, something that Jesus uses to transform your lives and society.”   

—Bishop Thomas Olmsted

To contact them:

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Friary

5447 West Pecos Road

Laveen AZ, 85339

franciscanfriarshs@gmail.com

 

Men's communities, Women's Communities

Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary

Leave a comment

“Preach the Gospel as you go for the streets!” ―Poor Friars Motto

There is a new community in the diocese of Houma/Thibodaux in Louisiana whose members can be seen hitchhiking around the highways and byways of the diocese.

The Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Poor Friars, were founded in Italy and recognized as a Public Association in 2014. They have the Franciscan spirit of poverty and evangelization, and the Carmelite spirit of contemplation and prayer in their cloisters, but have their own unique Rule of Life.

There are many in the world today who do not give serious thought to the Church because of a perceived worldliness in its members and clergy. Where is the poverty of Christ? There are many shining examples among bishops, priests, religious and the laity. But in our day, when people do not notice simple signs of sanctity and heroism, a sometimes more dramatic image must be revealed. This is what the Poor Friars are: a sign of contradiction in our self-absorbed and self-centered culture; the embodiment of true dependence on God for the basic needs in life, as given freely through strangers and neighbors in encounters that change lives forever.

Father Antonio Maria

They personally cannot accept money at all. They also do not own cars so they hitchhike everywhere. “This is where our Apostolate shines,” says Fr. Antonio Maria Speedy, American Provincial, “as while in the vehicle with the people, we invite them to the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion.”

Women and men make up the community though they live separately. They minister in four Italian dioceses. In 2010, they were invited by the local ordinary to begin the process of establishing a community in Louisiana. Father Antonio Maria is the chaplain to the Diocesan Office of Evangelization and the Administrator of two parishes.

Here is a description from their website for their reason for being (raison d’être), all the more penetrating because of the charm of the language translated from the Italian!

Today all the world or many, many people in effect have the need to see real poor of the Lord in the Church, because they no longer understand the Benign Mystery of its Glorious Richness; instead of esteeming it they accuse it!, and not only, they also accuse unjustly its Ministers that represent it.. , . instead of becoming nearer they go further ! For this was immediately born the urgency to make ourselves truly poor, so the confused people, in regards to the so called wealth of the Church, no longer having the possibility to point the finger at us, given that they see us extremely poor, they stop, and finally listen to the demonstrated Truth and the simple answer as to why Jesus was poor while now the Church is (rightly ) Rich, and  etc.. etc.. ; and like this in fact many, begin to take up again the esteem for their Mother Church and for her Ministers, returning like this to the Holy Confession and to the Holy Communion, and therefore concretely: be on the way towards  the Blessed Eternal Life. Amen !   

Cloistered life, General interest, Liturgical Year, Men's communities, News, Papal Address, Reflection, Resources, Women's Communities

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 – World Day of Cloistered Life

Leave a comment

On November 21 (the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple), the Church will celebrate World Day of Cloistered Life, also known as “Pro Orantibus” Day, which is a Latin phrase meaning “for those who pray.” This is an important ecclesial event for all Catholics worldwide to commemorate the hidden lives of consecrated religious in cloisters and monasteries.

We celebrate this day because the contemplative life is a gift from Almighty God to us all — all the world benefits spiritually from the prayer and sacrifice of these dedicated and faithful souls, even when we may not know it. On this day, the faithful are encouraged to reach out to the cloistered and contemplative communities in their diocese, through prayer, encouragement, and material support.

Please click at the link for more info and for resources: //www.cloisteredlife.com/news/pro-orantibus-day/

College Campus News, Men's communities, News, Vocations

“The one who has Hope lives differently” says Pope Benedict XVI

Leave a comment

Saint Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews writes that the Christian virtue of “Hope” is set before us as “an anchor of the soul, sure and firm.” (cf. Heb 6:19) The anchor of a ship is that substantial piece of equipment that when thrown down, grabs hold of the solid sea bed below.  The winds may blow and the waves crash about, but the anchor provides security and stability until the skies clear and the waves calm.

The community of religious brothers called the Brotherhood of Hope was founded in 1980 by Father Philip Merdinger.  With their motto as “Primum Deus, Deus Solum”, Latin for “God First, God alone”, this community  based in Boston, MA wears on their habit the Anchor.

With 18 young men in Brotherhood formation as of this writing, these serious, yet joyful men prepare to labor in the harvest of the Lord with a zeal for the “lost sheep”, particularly college students and young adults who are especially vulnerable to being lost in the storms of the increasingly secularized and hostile culture with its many allurements and distractions.

From the earliest days of the Church, the Anchor has served as a powerful symbol of Hope in Christ our Resurrected Savior and His promise of eternal salvation, with countless examples found on the epitaphs of the faithful departed within the catacombs in Rome.

The important work of the Brothers is that in their apostolate, in their fidelity to Christ and to the Church and their works of mercy, they inspire Hope and demonstrate the “freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom 8:21)

//brotherhoodofhope.org/

Men's communities

Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter Take on New Apostolate

2 Comments

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a clerical society of apostolic life of pontifical right (a community of Roman Catholic priests who do not take religious vows, but who work together for a common mission in the world) has been invited to take on a new apostolate in Archdiocese of Baltimore.

St. Alphonsus Church

They have been entrusted with St. Alphonsus Church, their first entree in the Baltimore/Washington, DC, area. And what an historic church it is! St. John Neumann served as pastor from 1848-1849, and Bl. Francis Seelos, C.Ss.R., was pastor from 1854-1857. It is also the National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Ligouri.

The particular charism and mission of the Fraternity is to offer the Sacred Liturgy, including the Holy Mass and the Divine Office, as well as the sacraments, in all of their traditional solemnity, according to the Latin liturgical books of 1962.

The Fraternity is excited to be in this new mission field “for the promotion of our liturgical heritage for the glory of God and the sanctification of souls.”

 

 

Discernment, Men's communities, Resources, Vocations

5 Common Fears As You Discern Your Vocation

Leave a comment

This post, helpful for everyone in the process of discernment, comes from Conception Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery  in Conception, MO . For the complete blog post, visit:  https://www.conceptionabbey.org/discernment-fears/

5 Common Fears with Discerning your Vocation

Many men and women who are discerning a religious vocation hesitate in taking the next step because they are restrained by any number of fears. Listed below are five fears common to men and women discerning religious life and some helpful advice to banish the fear and draw near to the Risen Christ who offers you peace.

  1. What if I am making the wrong (or a bad) decision?

If you are praying daily, striving to live a virtuous life, and remaining close to the Sacraments, you will know if you are making the wrong decision. Religious formation is a process where you continue to discover and realize God’s call in your life. When you enter a religious community, there is a period of one to two years (or longer) that you experience before you profess vows or make any further commitment. Additionally, religious communities are wise in the discernment process and only want candidates who have an authentic call to commit themselves to the way of life, and this call is most fully realized when it is tested over a period of time.

  1. The fear of what others will think, especially parents or friends

Sometimes friends and family members may not understand or completely accept your decision to enter religious life. It is important for friends or family to visit the religious community to meet and interact with its members. If you decide to enter a community and find peace and fulfillment, it often alleviates the pressure that comes from friends or family members, because their opposition diminishes when they see your joy.

  1. Focusing too much on the sacrifices

Jesus assured St. Peter, “Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life” (Mt 19:29). Do not be afraid to live no longer for yourselves, but for Christ. There are many joys and blessings in following Christ in religious life, and many times you find yourself surprised by how good and generous God truly is!

  1. I’m afraid that I’m following my own voice and not Jesus’ voice

If you truly desire to hear God, the call will not remain hidden, nor will it be presented as a puzzle that you have to ‘figure out.’ Gather all the information necessary to make a well-informed and prudent decision, pray as if it all depends on God, but when it is time to act, place your trust entirely in God. If your decision was made peacefully and with a desire to please God, then you can move forward with confidence. Since it is a real challenge not to be guided by self-will, it is most important to find a priest or spiritual director to listen and guide you throughout the process.

  1. I’m not worthy or holy enough

Religious life is not for the perfect, but for those who desire holiness and strive to call themselves to conversion each and every day. Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners“ (Mark 2:17). Most religious men and women seek community life because they are aware of and readily admit their need for the support and encouragement of others to persevere on the path that leads to God. The call to holiness requires that you embrace your humanity, with both your strengths and weaknesses, to become the man or the woman that God desires you to be.

I encourage you to visit the Conception Abbey website/blog posts for more information on discernment.

https://www.conceptionabbey.org/monastery/getting-started/

 

 

Men's communities, News

Son of Poland’s Prime Prime Minister Ordained FSSP Priest!

Leave a comment

On May 29th, the Prime Minister of Poland, Beata Szydlo, and her husband, Edward, had the unique privilege of attending the first Mass of her newly ordained son, Fr. Tymoteusz Szydlo, at their home parish of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Przecieszyn in southern Poland. Father Szydlo is a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, an order founded in 1988 and known for celebrating Mass in the Extraordinary Form. “Human words are unable to express the gratitude I owe You, my God,” Father said. “Therefore, I humbly ask You to keep me in Your holy service.”

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter was founded at the Abbey of Hauterive in Switzerland by a dozen priests and a score of seminarians. Their mission is the formation and sanctification of their priests, using the traditional liturgy of the Roman Rite to worship Our Lord and to serve the Church across the world. Shortly after their foundation, they moved to Germany, which is now the location of their European seminary. They also have a house of formation in Denton, Nebraska. Currently, there are 270 priests and 132 seminarians in the Fraternity serving in 124 dioceses including 34 in the United States.

“This is not an easy road,” the Prime Minister said. “especially these days I think young people like them have an extremely important mission to fulfill. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for … all of my son’s fellow seminarians and for my son. I hope they will persevere and do a lot of good for everyone, for all of us. They are wonderful young people.”

Visit the FSSP website for more information.

Using the ancient liturgy as our well-spring, we form our priests in the traditions of the Church to serve at the altar and in the parish so that the fullness of Christ might enter the emptiness of the world.