2024: Celebrating our Jubilarians
and praise our God for the faithfulnees and love shone in their lives.
Read our tributes to them, and join us in prayer for their continued path in the Gospel life.
Colman Studeny, OFM Cap. (1934-2024)
See the end of the article for livestreaming links of our brother's Wake and Funeral Mass are below . . .
Our brother, Colman Studeny, OFM Cap., passed to the Lord’s eternal life on Friday. October 18, 2024, at our motherhouse, St. Augustine Friary, in Pittsburgh, PA, less than a month after celebrating his 90th birthday. He had been in residence there since 2022 when he retired from his work as a missionary in Papua New Guinea.
Born to Leo and Germaine (Koehler) Studeny on September 28, 1934, he was given the name James at his baptism at Resurrection Parish in Pittsburgh and also where he was to attend the parish grade school. In 1948, James entered St. Fidelis High School Seminary in Herman, PA. Sadly, within six weeks of his arrival there, the young freshman suffered the unexpected loss of his older brother Leo, Jr.
When he was ready to move on to the novitiate year after his second year of college and recieve the habit of the Order, this was his highlight in the 1953 edition of the school's Yearbook, the Skullcap . . .
Read more about our brother Colman and his life on a mission . . .
We Capuchins Hope to Serve at the Friars' Table
After almost four years and two previous possible locations, our Capuchin Franciscan Province St. Augustine recently signed a contract with Cleveland's Playhouse Square, the largest theater complex in the country after New York's Lincoln Center, to open The Friars' Table, a training kitchen / restaurant in conjunction with EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute, directed by Brandon Chrostowski. The purpose is to give formerly incarcerated adults a foundation in the hospitality industry. We hope to expand that mission by also welcoming members of Cleveland's immigrant and refugee community as employees.
According to the press release: The Friars’ Table is more than just a restaurant; it’s a beacon of hope for the city of Cleveland. With a mission deeply rooted in the values of simplicity, dignity, and community, the restaurant aims to bring together residents and visitors alike in an environment that nourishes both body and soul.
“The goal of the restaurant is to give the city not only a great restaurant, but hope,” said Brandon Chrostowski, who will be curating the content, menu, and assembling the culinary team. “We want to create a beautiful space where people can come together over good food, and leave feeling inspired and uplifted.”
Br. Phil shared his vision for the restaurant, drawing inspiration from the life and teachings of our brother, Saint Francis of Assisi: “Saint Francis, the first friar, lived in a world of great transition, much like our own. Instead of seeking wealth and power, he found his life's passion by living and sharing the Gospel of Jesus in simplicity, embracing the dignity of the human person, and with a great respect for the gift of all creation.
Our Capuchin Brothers for a Lifetime
Our Capuchin Franciscan brothers Josean Castro Arroyo, Ryan Schmeltzer and Connor Bannon professed their lifetime, solemn vows on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
Our 2024 St. Fidelis Golf & Alumni Fest
Our Capuchin Classic Golf Outing was held on Friday, August 2, 2024, at Birdsfoot Golf Club in Freeport, PA. Since its beginning in 1994, the Outing has been a great supporter of our Capuchin Development Center while also nurturing relationships that have endured throughout the decades.
Although the Outing has been around for 30 years, this is the 10th year that the proceeds from the event have benefitted the Fr. Bill Wiethorn Scholarship Fund which helps to support the education and formation of our friars at the various levels of their lives as Capuchins: our Postulants in Philadelphia, PA; our Novices in Santa Ynez, CA; and our friar students in Washington, DC.
In these last 10 years, because of the hard work of David Schaffner (left, SFS ’81), Gina Pizzonia, Andria DeVit, our office staffs, and the invaluable contributions of volunteers, participants and supporters, we’ve managed to raise $250,000! As Dave says: "None of which could’ve been raised without all of the people that have shown up and donated to the cause.”
Our brother Michael Herlihey, OFM Cap., Ordained as a Priest
Our brother Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap. was the ordaining prelate for the Presbyteral Ordination of our brother Mike Herlihey, OFM Cap., on Saturday, June 15th. See the photos from our Provincial Gallery, and notice that a good number of friars were there for the event, as were numerous men and women from Columbus, OH, Harrisburg, PA, and Washington, DC, where Mike has served.
We congratulate our brother, and we ask that you pray for and with him as he takes on the job of Vocation Director in our Province. He'll be helping men to explore their vocation in life and discern their calling to join us as Capuchin friars.
Our Honorable & Famous Capuchin brother is Honored and Appreciated
It seems as though we weren't the only people remembering our cardinal brother Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap., on Saturday, June 29th? The news of his turn to the still-thriving age of 80 was pretty hard to miss for any who share the algorithms that monitor things on the web. The Crux site for Catholic news saw a glowing acknowledgement of the "event" from the Catholic columnist and alumnus of our St. Thomas More Prep, John Allen. John has been an unconfessedly whole-hearted admirer of our Capuchin vocation and of the friars of the Province of St. Conrad, which he supports from his current home in Rome on the hill above Vatican City.
John had a lot to say about Sean in his descriptive, headlined article, Church’s most classically Capuchin prelate reaches milestone at 80. .
The Brothers Gather for Assembly 2024
From May 28-31, the friars of our Capuchin Province of St. Augustine met for our triennial Assembly. Every three years, we friars are required to meet in “Chapter” to discuss our fidelity to the life of our Capuchin Franciscan Constitutions and to deal with issues that arise in our attempts to be faithful to the Rule and Life of our Order. 
A Chapter is also required by our Constitutions to elect our ministers in leadership for the ensuing three years.
Held a year before our Chapter, an “assembly” is our opportunity to plan for our next Chapter. It also provides us an opportunity to be together and enjoy our brotherhood.
At this year’s Assembly, we had the opportunity to hear from various speakers to animate our discussions. They included Bishop Kevin Woost, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland (above right), who spoke to us about the soon-to-be released revision of guidelines from the American Bishops for Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass that was issued on January 25.
We also had the pleasure to hear from our brother, Tommy Piolata, OFM Cap. (left), on St. Francis of Assisi’s rich spirituality of the Eucharistic Mystery as well as his reflections from St. Bonaventure’s theology of the mystical Body of Christ. His recently published article, which he authored with Conventual confrere Wayne Hellman, OFM Conv., is available in America magazine.
Finally, we had the privilege to welcome and hear from Bishop Edward Malesic, Ordinary of the Cleveland Diocese (right), who led us as celebrant for an Evening Prayer and offered his welcome to the assembled brothers.
You can view all the photos of our time together here.
The photos, taken by our brothers Pablo Lopez, OFM Cap., and Matthew Hindelang, OFM Cap., are also available on our Flickr gallery.
Interview: Our life & work in Philly's Padre Pio Center
Our brother Alex Hostoffer, OFM Cap., and postulant Joseph West of our Padre Pio Prayer Center in Philadelphia, PA, were honored to be interviewed by Andrew Yacoby & Gus for their video series From Kensington, With Love which highlights the work of various ministries within the Kensington neighborhood. As the video highlights, women and men have fallen victim to the opiod crisis there, a plague which remains "one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time."
Andrew writes: "The Capuchin Franciscans have been serving the poor and addicted in Kensington: hear their experience showing human dignity to the least of Christ's body." We thank him and Gus for their time with us, and we ask you to join us in our prayer and work for the women and men who need a helping hand, our warmth and graciousness, and our encouragement and light in the midst of the darkness that sometimes surrounds them.
Show Gus & Andrew some love as well as they engage in Catholic media content! Thanks, guys!
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