Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”

Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others, but it also includes forgiveness and understanding. Matthew sums it up in one golden rule: “In everything, do to
others as you would have them do to you.” Giving and forgiving means reproducing in our lives some small measure of God’s perfection, which gives and forgives superabundantly.

In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the words, “Be merciful even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not so you will not be condemned; forgive and you
will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you… The measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Seeing and acting with mercy: That is holiness.

I wish to share with you some excerpts from a recent letter by Cardinal Dolan on the New York State abortion legislation:

“This chilling law, if you have not heard, insists on the right to an abortion up to the moment of birth; drops all charges against an abortionist who allows an aborted baby, who somehow survived the scissors, scalpel, saline, and dismemberment, to die; mandates that, to make an abortion more convenient and easy, a physician need not perform it; and could be used to suppress the conscience rights of healthcare professionals not to assist in the grisly procedure. All this in a state which already had the most permissive abortion climate, and one of the highest rates of abortion, in the nation…

In the ‘throw-away’ culture that Pope Francis so often decries, we saw actual celebrations at the passage of a bill that makes it even easier to dispose of a life that someone might find inconvenient or troublesome, for any reason at all. Those who told us that abortion had to remain safe, legal, and rare, now have made it dangerous, imposed, and frequent…

I’m a pastor, not a politician, and as a pastor, I am obliged to challenge our political leaders, to urge them to re-examine their priorities, and to respect and protect the unborn baby in the womb as strongly and passionately as we should the undocumented immigrant, the single mom worrying how she will feed her family, our dying grandparents, or the poor struggling to make it.”

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Hunger and thirst are intense experiences since they involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. Jesus says that they will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come…

Jesus offers a justice other than that of the world, so often marred by petty interests and manipulated in various ways. Experience shows how easy it is to become mired in corruption, ensnared in the daily politics of quid pro quo, where everything becomes business…

True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak… (True justice) is
shown especially…toward those who are most vulnerable:

“Seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness: That is holiness.

To the Church of St. Francis Community,

Your warm welcome for Fr. Brian and me, when we came to preach about the Franciscan Challenge, was truly an example of the wonderful Franciscan hospitality for which your community is known.

Your care and support of the Franciscan Friars who serve you now, and those to come in the future, is evidence of the love you have for those who have served you in the past.

Thank you for your participation in our annual Provincial fundraising event. Your gift ensures that the Franciscan spirit will endure in our world and in our church.

Thank you for supporting the Friars and the people that we serve. You make our Love at Work possible for so many in need!

A special thank you to Fr. Andrew and all the friars, who faithfully serve this community, for welcoming us in such a wonderful, fraternal way.

Many blessings,

Fr. David Convertino, OFM

Executive Director
Office of Development
The Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province

Please visit our website for more information or to donate to the Franciscan Challenge at: www.TheFranciscanChallenge.org

When you hear today’s second reading, you may think that you have heard this reading before…and you have – probably at a wedding.

St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is famous for its use at weddings, but it is also very appropriate for our daily lives: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude…” (Read the rest yourself.) Where did St. Paul get this if not from Jesus?

In the Gospel for today, Jesus is in the synagogue and many were amazed at his words and teaching while others could not understand where this came from and even said in an insulting way: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” It is amazing how Jesus does not react to this, but as the Gospel goes on to say: “…Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.” Love is patient, love is kind, it is not rude.

Last weekend our Franciscan brothers spoke to you about the Franciscan Challenge and asked for your assistance in providing funds for the education and training of our friars in formation,
care for our retired and sick and infirm friars and assistance to the charitable works of our ministries. We don’t receive any funds from any Diocese or Archdiocese, and over the years your support has made all these things possible. Thank you and all of our benefactors for your support over the years. I received my seminary education through these funds and in my old age will depend on them for the health care that I may need. Every day at Morning and Evening Prayer in the Friary we pray for our benefactors, living and deceased. May the Lord bless and keep you!

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

The world tells us exactly the opposite. Entertainment, pleasure, diversion and escape make for the good life. The worldly person ignores problems of sickness or sorrow in the family or all around him: he averts his gaze. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations, cover them up or hide them. Much energy is expended on fleeing from situations of suffering in the belief that reality can be concealed. But the cross can never be absent.

A person who sees things as they truly are and sympathizes with pain or sorrow is capable of touching life’s depths and finding authentic happiness. He or she is consoled not by the world but by Jesus. Such persons are unafraid to share in the suffering of others; they do not flee from painful situations. They discover the meaning of life by coming to the aid of those who suffer, understanding their anguish and bringing relief… They feel compassion for others in such a way that all distance vanishes…

Knowing how to mourn with others: That is holiness.

Below is a table comparing December 2017 collections to our current December 2018 collections.

As you can see our collections this year were below last year.

We need everyone to do their part to keep St. Francis on firm financial ground.  The best way to use this is to make your offering using our online giving system.

You can sign up for online giving HERE.

We ask all of our members and visitors to offer the equivalent of ONE HOUR of their weekly salary per week to support the mission of the church.

Thank you to all of you who are already doing your part.

Who are the members of Holy Name Province?

There are 325 Franciscan Friars in Holy Name Province serving people of God in a wide variety of settings – colleges, parishes, ministry centers, and diverse social ministries along the East Coast. Today we continue the mission of Saint Francis to make the message come alive in our contemporary world. We live in , suburbs and rural areas. Our backgrounds are diverse and our ministries are varied; most of us serve in pastoral roles, while others work in education, social ministry, administration, and manual trades.

What is our mission?

The core of Franciscanism is in living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ within the Church according to the Rule of Life proposed and observed by Saint Francis of Assisi to preach this message to every creature. This is our purpose and mission. Our message is very simple: God loves each of us totally and unconditionally.

What makes the Franciscan Friars different?

The Franciscan Friars have always been thought of as “of the people and with the people.” Living in community is a core value and often helps the Friars put things a more “down to earth” perspective. The Friars never see themselves as better than anyone, and therefore they
are not usually judgmental and are very accepting of everyone, those who are in the faith community and those who are not.

All Are Welcome is at the core of Franciscan hospitality.