Fi News #64 – Fr. Elias with sled on the precipice. (03min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Fr. Elias and the other friars and local youth sled down the l-o-o-o-o-ng steep hill at our Bloomington, IN Friary. He even carried a friar cam with him so you can get an on-sled view of the action. So click play and hang on tight!!
Fi News #63 – Team of volunteers set the new altar top in place. (05min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Recently the renovations for the chapel at our friary in Bloomington, IN were completed with a full refurbishment of Sanctuary. It now has an altar rail, stained glass, and a new altar and rererdos suitable for the Traditional Latin Mass. Archbishop Daniel Mark Buechlein, O.S.B. performed the consecration ceremony. The ground breaking for the new friary, which occurred the same day, will be posted as a separate video.
Immaculate Music #28 – Christmas in Bloomington, In (04min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Well today is the last day of Christmas decorations at our friaries in the Franciscans of the Immaculate. Yes, we are slow to take them down, but since we are a Marian order, we extend the Christmas season to the last feastday in the Joyful Mysteries which is today, the Feast of the Presentation. Anyways, here is a beautiful video of the Christmas lights and decorations at our friary in Bloomington, IN. You will also get a good view of their new altar and sanctuary refurbishment. The music is by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate.
Roving Reporter #92 – Steven Gajdosik, at the Radio Cormariae Fund raising Dinner ( 17min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Steven Gajdosik, president of Catholic Radio Association:
The Catholic Radio Association was founded in 1999 to serve as the trade association for Catholic radio. As such, the CRA works to advance the cause of Catholic radio by providing member services, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources, and speaking with one voice for its members. The Association’s membership includes virtually all Catholic radio apostolates in the country, Catholic radio program providers, the USCCB, and several (arch)dioceses.
By uniting all involved in Catholic radio, the CRA provides a forum for those already working in Catholic radio to share with and mentor those that Our Lord has just recently called to the mission of Catholic radio. The CRA also provides a means of networking with, and marketing to, those involved in Catholic radio.
Roving Reporter #89 – Story-time with Friar Anthony in the kitchen (08min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Recently the ‘Italian’ Roving Reporter had a chance to catch up with Friar Anthony M. Servium at Villa Santa Lucia in Italy. Friar Anthony recounted a fascinating story regarding Padre Pio and his prophecy that a new shrine would be built between the town of Pietrelcina and the cave where the Archangel St. Michael appeared many centuries ago. Guess which religious order (apparently) has the privilege of fulfilling this prophecy? We also hope you enjoy some of the beautiful scenes of the friars’ hike to the town of Monte Sant’Angelo.
[Note: Thanks for the encouraging comments from my last report at Villa Santa Lucia with Friar Anthony & Friar Josemaria. It's great to hear from everyone, and be assured of my prayers and sacrifices. (Note to Mr. Dietz: please don't Fed-Ex any burgers...there's already too much food over here!) In the next video, I hope to take you on a brief tour of Bosco ai Frati, a famous Franciscan convent which is now our postulant house in Italy.]
FI News #61 – David putting on the “New Man”. (06min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Here in Griswold CT. a fourth novice was received into the novitiate on the vigil of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Keep David in your prayers that he puts on the “New Man”. From now on David will be known as Friar…
Our Contemplative Sisters in Lanherne, England are featured in an article by Father Joseph M Taylor on New Liturgical Movement complete with a long article and beautiful pictures, a few of which are included below. It focuses on the Sisters use of the complete 1962 Office and Missal. It also mentions the Sisters’ need for donations.
FI News #59 – First ever Eucharistic Procession around the Indiana University campus (04min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
The FIs worked with St Paul the Apostle parish, and the Student Life Team of the Newman Center in Bloomington, IN to conduct the first Eucharistic Procession around the Indiana University campus, ever. Watch this historic event.
FI News #58 – FIs leading the faithful in procession around a Bloomington abortion clinic (03min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
On Oct 22 the Franciscans of the Immaculate conducted a procession around the abortion clinic at Bloomington, IN where the main campus of the University of Indiana is located, 40,000 students in residence. It was a peaceful and prayerful event to honor Our Lady and remember the unborn. The large crowd of the faithful went around the abortion clinic seven times.
Roving Reporter #87 – Friar Terrance visits Friar Anthony and Friar Josemaria (10min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Friar Terrance goes “on assignment” (from his Mother) to Italy in preparation for philosophy and theology studies. Before reaching his destiny at Campocavallo, Italy – a stones’ throw away from the House of Loreto – he had a chance to sit down with Friar Anthony Servium and Friar Josemaria who are beginning philosophy studies at Villa Santa Lucia. What have these two friars been doing since their departure from the states, and what’s it like in the place that they’re now in? Listen now and here about their adventures and also what priestly formation is like as a Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate. (We hope you enjoy the scenes from Southern Italy.)
Roving Reporter #88 – Friar Terrence and Fr. Dominic in Dartmouth, MA. (08min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Fra. Terrence grabs an interview with Fr. Dominic, the Superior of “Our Lady’s Chapel” in downtown New Bedford, and asks some questions about the radio station the friars and tertiaries are setting up.
On the birthday of Our Lady, four young friars made their first profession of vows, after completing their one-year novitiate. The professions took place at the motherhouse of the American mission, in Griswold, CT.
FI News #55 – Marian Devotions on the Assumption at Bloomington (06min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
On the feast of the Assumption of Mary, August 15th, the friars and folks at Bloomington, IN celebrated in grand and reverent style with solemn vespers, procession, benediction and a spectacular fireworks display of professional caliber.
This slide show is set to music and has several photos of each house of our order. The text is in Italian. It is a bit long because we had about 46 houses in 2008 when this video was made, and several more opened since. Many of these houses are immense spiritual, historical and artistic treasures of the Catholic Church. Since we are one of the few orders that are growing in Italy and elsewhere, bishops are begging us to take over these sanctuaries. And since we had over 150 young men enter our order this year alone, we will be accepting many more of these offers in the future. Deo Gratias!
“It is through our union with the heart of Mary, that she brings us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” —Archbishop Raymond Burke
In a latest Newsflash by Inside the Vatican Magazine an excellent interview titled “The Overseer of Justice” was featured by their correspondent Andrew Rabel of Archbishop Raymond Burke who heads the Apostolic Signatura in Rome. Not only were many interesting subjects covered, ranging from Pope Benedict, to the Obama-Notre Dame fiasco, to His Excellency’s role as head of the Church’s ‘Supreme Court’ – but also he mentioned many projects and events with which the FIs have had mutual involvement and in the process we were mentioned a few times. These include the recent Ordinations by Abp. Burke of six FI priests in Tarquinia, Italy according to the extraordinary form (old Rite), the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, WI and the fact that we help staff it, the promotion of Kolbian Marian Spirituality and the Marian Dogmas of Coredemptrix and Mediatrix, and the promotion of Our Lady of America. Here is an excerpt:
Recently you participated in an ordination to the priesthood of some Franciscans of the Immaculate at Tarquinia, north of Rome, according to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite (the old rite). It is not very often that one sees a senior Churchman celebrating so solemn a ceremony according to the extraordinary form. What was your reason for doing this?
Burke: First of all, I have celebrated a number of priesthood ordinations according to the extraordinary form. One very beautiful one took place in Saint Louis in June of 2007, on the feast of the Sacred Heart. When the Friars of the Immaculate requested that I celebrate the ordinations according to the extraordinary form, I was happy to accept because I have known them for a long time, and they staff the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at La Crosse.
To put it another way, I have never tried to downplay or hide in any way my strong support of what Pope Benedict XVI has asked the Church to do in Summorum Pontificum, and what his predecessor, the servant of God John Paul II asked us to do in Ecclesia Dei adflicta, but rather to accept their liturgical direction fully and wholeheartedly.
In responding to a request like this from the Franciscans of the Immaculate, do you have any sympathy with the Kolbean Marian theology which is their charism, and its current manifestation, in pushing for a final Marian dogma of Our Lady as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix?
Burke: I certainly am very sympathetic to the Kolbean theology by which I have been enriched for many years. The first papal ceremony that I ever attended, as a first-year seminarian at the Pontifical North American College, was the beatification of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and I have had the blessing over the years to get to know his writings and to visit the sacred places of his heroic life and death in Poland. I am certainly very steeped in the whole spirituality of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as the way to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is through our union of heart with Mary, and our striving to imitate her, that is, our making our hearts like hers, that she brings us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
With regard to the fifth Marian dogma as it is often called, for my part, I believe it to be part of the ordinary teaching of the Church. Although I have no special competence in the area, I certainly am supportive of such a declaration. The teaching is part of my faith. (… read more here)