Br. Saúl Soriano, 1986-2018
Our brother Saúl Antonio Soriano Rodriguez, OFM Cap., a perpetually professed friar of the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine, Pittsburgh, PA, died early Monday morning, May 7, 2018, while in surgery at the Washington Hospital Center in DC. His death was the result of catastrophic blood loss resulting from a congenital arterial weakness. He was 31 years of age.
Saúl was born in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, on August 18, 1986, the youngest child and only son of Maria Fredis Rodriguez Fernandez and the late Antonio Soriano Amaya. Having attended the Institute Emiliani Catholic School in El Salvador before emigrating to the US with his family when he was 18, he completed his high school education at Thomas Edison High School, Alexandria, VA, in 2007. In 2008, Saúl entered the Capuchin Formation Program at Borromeo College Seminary in Wickliffe, OH, graduating from John Carroll University Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Philosophy in 2012.
Religious Brothers Day: Tuesday, May 1
thank you for the extraordinary life, witness, and ministry
of Religious Brothers in our Church."
Nurturing our Bonds with Secular Franciscans
On Easter Friday and Saturday, April 6-7, Secular Franciscan (OFS) representatives from fraternities for which our Province is bound to provide Spiritual Assisitance gathered in New Baltimore, PA. Led by our brother Andrew McCarty, OFM Cap., Provincial Spiritual Assistant, a number of Spiritual Assisitants, both local and regional, were also present for the overnight.
Padre Pio Center Lives It & Shares It
#SpringBreakOutreach2018
Our brothers in the Frankford area of Philadelphia are trying to bring the living spirit of our confrere Padre Pio into their work for the people here. In the week of March 12th, the friars of Padre Pio Friary and Prayer Center were blessed with a group of university students from Connecticut. The students made the decision (like many others throughout the country #Spring Break Outreach 2018) to spend their Spring break with our friars and postulants, serving in the Frankford community and deepening their relationships with each other and the Lord. Brs. 
Andrew McCarty, OFM Cap., and Ross Henley, OFM Cap., spent some time filling the students in about the area and its needs, and how the Gospel challenge to address those needs is a compassionate focus of their service. Kip Ledger, OFM Cap., Guardian and Director of our Candidacy (Postulancy) Program there, also got a chance to take the visitors on a visit to the city featuring a look at our urban impact through the Capuchin ministry at St. John the Evangelist Church downtown.
Celebrating Jubilees 2018
Let the celebrations begin! Two of our 2018 Jubilarians have already taken time this year to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their priesthood Ordinations in January. Our brothers Bill Henn, OFM Cap., and John Pavlik, OFM Cap., celebrated their January 28th date, one publicly and another privately with classmate Fr. Dale DeNinno of the Pittsburgh Diocese. They were ordained on a very snowy weekend in 1978, and some friars may remember their torturous trips to first Masses on the following day.
Our Brothers in Papua New Guinea Need Your Help
On Monday, February 26th, a massive earthquake hit our missions in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. In fact, the 7.5 quake was centered right in the Diocese of Mendi where our Capuchin missionaries live and work. Everything shook violently for almost five minutes, causing landslides, toppling towers, shaking buildings off their moorings, splitting homes in two. Reports are still scarce, but the ones we are receiving and the photos we are getting make it clear that this is catastrophic. One government official stated this is the worst natural disaster to ever hit Papua New Guinea.
Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy, 1929-2018
Our confrere Angelus M. Shaughnessy, OFM Cap., passed to the Lord's eternal life on Friday, March 2, 2018, in his 89th year, after more than 67 years in vows as a Capuchin friar and 62 years a priest. He was preceded in death by sisters Mary Elizabeth (Roth), Sr. Mary Cecilia (Anna Mae) CDP, Irene (Murray), Pauline (Adams Cucinelli) and Josephine (Laman), and by brothers Fr. Sigmund (John Joseph) OFM Cap., Paul and Joseph. He is survived by sisters Regina (Sykes) and Bernadette (Higgins), and brother Bernard.
Matthew Edmund Shaughnessy, fourth son and ninth child of John and Anna (Spang) Shaughnessy, was born on November 16, 1929, in Rochester, PA, and baptized at St. Cecilia Church by Capuchin pastor Fr. Hugh Rauwolf, OFM Cap., on November 24th. After attending St. Cecilia Grade School, he entered St. Fidelis College and Seminary in Herman, PA in 1947.
Province gathers for December Ordinations
Our brothers Roshan Anthonypillai, OFM Cap., and Reynaldo FrÃas-Santana, OFM Cap. (above) were ordained as friar-priests in Pittsburgh, PA, by Bishop David Zubik who shepherds the diocese there. of Pittsburgh, PA. The celebration took place on Saturday, December 9. Both men will be headed to our Custodies: Fr. Reynaldo will minister in Utuado, PR, to assist one of the areas most damaged by the recent hurricane, and Fr. Roshan will be serving in Papua New Guinea.
A BIG Thanks to our Golfers & Friends!
      Our annual Capuchin Golf Outing continues to grow as a successful fund raiser to support our life and work as Capuchin Franciscan friars. Luckily, the rain held out on Friday, August 4th. There were a whopping 102 golfers who came out for the day at River Forest Country Club in Freeport, PA, and many others joined the golfers to have lunch and enjoy the day of family and friendship. The golfers and sponsors graciously raised over $34,000 for the Father Bill Wiethorn Scholarship Fund which supports the education and formation of our Capuchin Friar students (tuition, room and board just doesn't get cheaper, does it?) . . .
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