The Friars' Table Is Open to Serve
A major December event, along with our ministerial outreach at Philadelphia's Annie's Home, was the blessing and opening of The Friars' Table at city of Cleveland's Playhouse Square. Our brothers serve the St. Paul's Shrine and at the parish of St. Malachy's in the city, but Cleveland's Ordinary, Bishop Edward Malesic, posted a special moment on his Instagram page:
Last evening, I was pleased to bless the newly opened The Friar’s Table restaurant at Playhouse Square. The eatery is a collaboration among Cleveland Capuchin Ministries, EDWIN’s Leadership & Restaurant Institute and Playhouse Square, offering training and job opportunities for many people who are trying to build a new life.
Among the guests for the event were our Provincial Minister, Robert Marva, OFM Cap., joining our brothers in Cleveland. The press for the new endeavor has been fast and frequent from various news outlets in the Cleveland area.
This November Article appeared in the Diocese of Cleveland's webpage on November 20th:
The Friars’ Table restaurant plans job fair,
prepares to begin service
See more photos & read more about our unique sponsorship . . .
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.
Puerto Rico & Papua New Guinea: We're on a Mission
Our friar students Josean Castro, OFM Cap, Federico Viquez, OFM Cap., Pablo Lopez, OFM Cap., and Steve Cantwell, OFM Cap. (not picture left) have been spending their summer on assignment to Puerto Rico, and on June 17th, our brother Pablo offered these thoughts and photos about their experience of June's feast of St. Anthony on Facebook:
Living out the Gospel Life is full of great adventures, especially when your sent out by the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that sends us out and it is Christ whom we preach and when they see Christ they see the Father.
We were amazed of how a simple prayer or a simple conversation allowed us see the hearts of the people we encountered in the streets of Puerto Rico. God does not abandone His children, and it is through these encounters that we are reminded of His powerful Love for us.
The feast of Saint Anthony was such a grace filled moment. We were inspired by the great faith of the People of God and their great devotion to St Anthony, always seeking his intercession to draw one ever closer to Christ.
Don’t be afraid to walk in the footsteps of Christ!
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.
Our March Vocation Discernment Weekend
Raf Anguiana, OFM Cap., our brother who works in Vocational Discernment for our Province of Capuchins, sent us a photo from the Vocation Weekend held at Alverno on March 9-10 where there were "12 wonderful men who are looking into our way of life."
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