Perpetual Vows for Brs. Steve & Rigo
On August 17th, our brothers Rigo Azanwi, OFM Cap., and Stephen Wright, OFM Cap., made their perpetual vows as Capuchin Franciscans in ceremonies held at our mother-church of St. Augustine's in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, PA.
The friars, having completed their three years of temporary profession, will continue to live at Capuchin College (St. Francis Friary) in Washington, DC. Br. Steve has taken on the assignment of fraternity service and has been spending time training as our Provincial tailor, an indispensible ministry to the friars (you just can't order habits on Amazon!). Br. Rigo was ordained a deacon on Saturday, September 8, in Washington, DC, and will take on his diaconate internship after finishing up his studies.
Borromeo CFP Begins Again
The Academic Year 2019-20 began in earnest on Tuesday, September 2, at John Carroll University in Cleveland. Six young men resumed their classes as they forge another year of studies, prayer and community - all the while discerning the Lord's path for them and their futures. All of them are residents at Borromeo Seminary in Wickliffe, OH, where our Capuchin Formation Program (CFP) allows them the opportunity to live in community and discern their vocations as Capuchin Franciscan friars.
Introducing the Postulants 2019
(back row) Ryan Schmeltzer, Inaky Russo, Sam Hadjis, Jack Lampton, Alex Hostoffer, OFM Cap. (Assistant Director)
(middle row) José Castro-Arroyo, Isaac García, Connor Bannon,
(front) Daniel Sullivan, Tom Betz, OFM Cap. (Provincial Minister) & Kip Ledger, OFM Cap. (Director)
Eight men have begun their journeys of discernment with our Capuchin Franciscan community. In mid-July, they arrived at our Padre Pio Friary, Philadelphia, PA, to take their first steps in our life in prayer, brotherhood and ministry.They'll be taking on ministries in service to those most in need, especially the poor and disadvantaged. All the while, they'll be praying together and learning the skills needed to be part of a family of brothers dedicated to life in the Lord Jesus.
Capuchin Golf Outing 2019 - Our ReCAP
Thanks to the sponsors and golfers who supported us at the annual Capuchin golf outing held on Friday, August 2nd! The event raised over $34,000 for the Fr. Bill Wiethorn Scholarship Fund which benefits our young friars in formation for our Capuchin-Franciscan way of life. There were 105 golfers attending the outing and many others who joined in for lunch and a chance to re-connect and celebrate friendships formed during their years at St. Fidelis Seminary.
Investiture 2019
Our newest novices were invested in their Capuchin habits in July, the official beginning of their Novitiate year of discernment before making their vows of poverty, chastity and obediience.
Brothers from our Province of St. Augustine were on hand for the occasion. Brs. Jim Froehlich (Director of the Interprovincial Pre-Novitiate Program) and Br. Bill Gillum (Assistant Director, and on the formation team at Capuchin College in DC) accompanied the group to their new home in Santa Ynez, CA, to join the friars from all the Provinces of the NAPPCC (the Capuchin Conference of North America & the Pacific) who have novices present this year. Other Provincial friars included Br. Phil Bernier (Assistant Novice Director), Br.Bill Talentino (Novitiate team member) and Br. Raf Anguiano (Vocation Director).
Prayers and blessings go out to our novices Matt Lontz, Mehari Worku, Sebastian Rojas, Tony Rivera, Simon Falk, Steve Cantwell, Carl Schulz and to Alexander Santana from the Capuchin Stigmata Province who joined the group for the Postulancy year in Philly. You'll see each of them in the photos below . . . .
Br. Akolla Ordained to the Priesthood
Our Akolla Etuge, OFM Cap., was ordained a priest in our Provincial celebration held on June 15, 2019. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFMCap., now the Cardinal Archbishop of Boston was on hand as the ordaining prelate. St. Catherine of Sweden Church in Allison Park, PA, hosted the even since our own motherhouse church, St. Augustine's in Pittsburgh, PA, is undergoing the construction of our additions to the current friary.
A choir of singers and musicians animated the Mass and Ordination Ritual. They traveled from the parishes of Holy Spirit and St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima in Cleveland, OH, where Br. Akolla served as deacon and will now serve as parochial assistant.
Postulants Gather to Make the Move
The NAPCC (North America Pacific Capuchin Conference) Postulancy Program is an 8-week experience of living Capuchin life... not just as a member of one's own Province... but also as a member of the larger Capuchin Order. The NAPCC Postulancy Program provides this year’s Postulants with a unique and challenging experience of what it would be like for them to be living closely with one another, in this particular fraternity, while developing the foundations of a deeper and richer spiritual life. It's especially helpful to those Postulants who, in their own Provinces, have not had the opportunity to discern their Capuchin vocation within the context of a strong, fraternal community with their peers.
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
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