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Fi News #117 – Dark Nights ( 01min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

We’re in our 4th day without power here in Griswold Connecticut at the Franciscan Friary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s not that bad; we travel about 3 miles to take showers, collect water for drinking and house hold cleaning, we charge the laptops by car battery and read by candle light and a few flashlights. Our Canon 7D is out of battery juice, so I’ll try to get them charged tomorrow. The power was eventually restored on Friday, September 2nd, five days after it went out.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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It is with great sorrow that we announce that Fr. Alphonsus M. Sutton of our New Bedford Friary passed away at the age of 91 years early Saturday morning, May 7.

From Fr. Louis Maximilian, the superior at New Bedford:

Fr. Alphonsus was among the original group of friars when the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate was erected as an Institute of diocesan right in 1990. As many of you know, he suffered from deteriorating health for the past several years. The various ailments, some very serious and at times life-threatening, from which he suffered are too numerous to recount here. It was the joy of the friars at New Bedford to take care of Fr. Alphonsus faithfully day in and day out for as long as he was able to stay at the friary.

His final decline in health began early this year when he contracted a bout of pneumonia which had more serious side effects than previous bouts. From this past January onward he required specialized care that prevented him from ever returning to the friary. During this stay at the hospital the friars, sisters and various lay people who knew Fr. Alphonsus well visited him daily and prayed with him. He did not speak during these last months, but, still very much conscious and alert, he would make the sign of the Cross at the beginning and end of the rosaries we prayed with him, and he would impart his blessing and give us gentle pats of the hand.

After a fairly long period of stability Father Alphonsus contracted one final bout of pneumonia. A group of friars and sisters maintained a vigil at his bedside during the hours prior to his passing away. He expired in peace very early in the morning on Saturday, May 7.

We will certainly miss Fr. Alphonsus, but at the same time we have the confident hope that he is already with Our Lord and His most holy Mother. Of course we ask you to offer up your prayers for the repose of his soul. Without a doubt he has already obtained many blessings for our religious Family and for each one of us individually.

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A wake service will be held for Fr. Alphonsus at Our Lady’s Chapel in New Bedford, Tuesday, May 10, at 6:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, May 11, at 10:00 a.m., at Our Lady’s Chapel, followed by burial at St. Marys Cemetery in nearby North Dartmouth.

Obituary in the Standard Times/SouthCastToday

Fr. Alphonsus, we will miss you.

Ave Maria!

Ave Maria!

Another post for Scotus month. Here are some photos from the recent Newman-Scotus Symposium held at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22-24, 2010. Photos by Fr. Martin Breski, OFM Conv.

Washington Theological Union

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Fr. Edward Ondrako, OFM Conv. organizer par excellance

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The presenters and organizers.

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Face of Pro-Life #121 – Friar Gabriel Cortes and Corinn Dahm ( 30min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Friar Gabriel Cortes continues his story from last episode where he related his conversion story. Now he covers his ministry work in the land down under, Australia. He first fills in the details of his conversion and then relates his experience of being in Toodyay and Perth, Australia for ten years. He covers his ministry with the youth where he uses his skill at skateboarding to break the ice. He has been able to start many conversations with the youth and even win the friendship of whole neighborhoods of kids. His passing out of Miraculous Medals, his trip to World Youth Day in Sidney, his trips to skate parks and many, many encounters with people of all ages.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Face of Pro-Life #120 – Friar Gabriel Cortes and Corinn Dahm ( 30min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Friar Gabriel Cortes of the Franciscans of the Immaculate relates his journey in faith that led to his ministry with youth in Australia. He first talks about his early life, how he started to get serious about his faith and his calling to the Franciscans. He mentions the devotion of his parents, the rosary and Eucharistic adoration as factors in his conversion.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #100517 ( 09min) Play – Today is the Memorial of St. Paschal Baylon who was a humble friar who had an extraordinary focus on God as being the greatest treasure, above and before all else. He especially was know for adoring God in the Eucharist. Fr. Angelo compares this to the useless and even harmful distractions that our high-tech, sensual world submerges us in.
Ave Maria! St. Paschal Baylon – Mass: EF, In Omnia Opera – Readings: 1st: 1co 1:26-31 – Gsp: mat 11:25-30

Audio (MP3)

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Fi News #65 – Construction begins on a new Friary for Our Lady in Bloomington, IN ( 04min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Just when you thought no more exciting news could come from Bloomington we have here the video of the Ground Breaking Ceremony for our new friary which is to hold 35 friars. Thank you to all our benefactors and please keep this project in your prayers.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Fi News #66 – Rare Abominable Snow Friar spotted and video taped at Bloomington, IN ( 03min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Yes, I know another video of sledding friars. Apparently, I was supposed to post this one first and the one I posted first was simply to give the “friar-cam” views that weren’t included in this one. Well, I guess I lost track. Its hard to keep up with these sledding friars from Bloomington, IN! Anyways, this one is done to some rather humerus music and features some classic friar wipe outs and beards full of snow. Enjoy!

Ave Maria!

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Fi News #64 – Fr. Elias with sled on the precipice. ( 03min) >>> Play

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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!!

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Face of Pro-Life #78 – ( 29min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fra Isaac Haas, FI outlines his experience in the battle for marriage while he worked with National Organization for Marriage (NOM) before he became a friar. He covers the reason for NOM being created, how it counters the very well funded machine that is advocating for the radical changes in the definition of marriage which has far ranging consequences in regard to religious freedom and the ill effects on family and children.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

Ave Maria Mediations

Blessed Junipero Serra

Also known as the Apostle of California

FI News #53 – Skateboarding Habit ( 14min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Yes, its Friar Gabriel again – with his particular style of cultivating devotion to Our Lady. A shorter Youtube version is available here.

Mission Down Under #2 – Friar Gabriel at Perth skatepark ( 03min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Here we see a short video of Friar Gabriel at one of Perth’s many skateparks.

Ave Maria!

Homily #090112 ( 08min) Play – Fr. Ignatius preaches on St. Bernard of Corleone who was a shoemaker who then became an adventurer with a love for dueling and led a disordered life. Then after mortally wounding a man, and through his remaining devotions that he had held onto, he gained the grace of conversion and became a very holy Capuchin friar. He died in 1667.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Roving Reporter #3 – Station of the Cross Catholic Radio Station, in Buffalo, NY >>> Play

Ave Maria!

This week Friar Roderic Mary interviews Jim Wright, from the Station of the Cross, at the Doers of the Word Conference in Hamburg, New York, who tells of the exploding Catholic radio station story, sighting that anything is possible with determination and … the Holy Spirit.

Ave Maria!