In case you are wondering what the “provincial’s desk” looks like, here it is:

Pretty messy, huh?  It isn’t always that way.  There are times when it is neat and organized, usually before I am gone for a few days.

I returned Thursday night from a quick trip east through the province.  I left early Wednesday morning and stopped in Hays to see Father Gregory who is recovering from all kinds of medical problems.  Fortunately, he should be back in St. Fidelis Friary by Tuesday (June 1).  Then it was on to St. Joseph’s for a discussion on parish matters with Father Gilmary.  While I was there, I showed Father Canice the pictures on the web of the St. Louis gathering, dropped off a few things (provincials are also mail carriers through the province) and then went on to Victoria.  I visited a bit with Fr. Didacus at St. John’s to see how he is getting along. The big news he had for me was the tornado preparations everyone had to make the previous night when all the residents were moved to safety because a twister was sighted southwest of Victoria.  At the friary I met with Fr. Bennett and Fr. Thaddeus to talk about Gregory’s situation and how the friars could help.  And then I sat down with Fr. Simon to talk about all kinds of issues.  Fr. Simon is always a wealth of information on religious life, development work, and Church issues.

On to Lawrence.  I spent some time with friends before arriving at the friary where I was able to visit with Fr. Jim and talk over his new assignment as well as the transition in the friary and at the VA in Topeka.  Fr. John shared some new plans for expansion of the parish facilities in preparation for adding grades to the school. He also needed a new car.  Father Earl and I talked over some issues regarding his new assignment to St. Joseph’s in Hays.  He also had some boxes for me to transport to the friary in Hays.  Father Duane and I discussed the ministry at Haskell Indian Nations University and the upcoming 25^th anniversary of the Catholic Campus Center at Haskell.  After celebrating Mass and Morning Prayer with the friars and continuing some discussions, it was back to Ellis County.  I stopped in again to see Fr. Didacus and to get his blessing on my travels and work.  Fr. Harvey was back from his sister’s funeral in Wichita so we were able to talk over some financial matters that needed to be handled.  The friars are making preparations for the pre-novitiate program which begins this Memorial Day Weekend.  Frs. Frank Grinko, director of the program, and Jim Froehlich, staff member, were also there busily getting things ready.  Then on to Hays to deliver Fr. Earl Meyer’s boxes to St. Joseph’s Friary, visit with Fr. Greg and his doctor and then begin the trip back to Denver.

I arrived back in Denver around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday night and signed checks to pay bills, went through the mail, and responded to email before going over to the friary.  It was a quick but fruitful trip.  It’s always good to see the brothers.  And the car time is a good time to pray the rosary.  I have a CD of all four sets of mysteries and prefer to listen to that rather than the talk shows.  I also use my cell phone to check on Fr. Regis in Phoenix and do other business.

About fifty friends and affiliates of the Capuchins joined several Mid-America Friars at Yakovelli’s Restaurant on Sunday afternoon, May 16. It was the first get-together since the friars left St. Louis on December 31, 2008. Affiliates, volunteer workers from St. Patrick’s Church, devotees of St. John the Evangelist Church, parishioners from St. Joseph’s Shrine, parishioners from Immaculate Conception in Arnold, Secular Franciscans, and parents of friars joined together for a social and meal. Stephanie Pedersen, Director of Development, and I gave an update on the friars. A video of greetings from Father Canice and Fr. Simon capped the event. It was a great time to reconnect. Dr. Albert Huggins, long time physician for the friars as well as an affiliate of the province, and his wife, Dorothy, were there chatting with Stephanie. Other pictures of the gathering follow:

Father Jeff Ernst and his parents, Stan & Barbara, were at the gathering.

Brother Felix chats with Jeff's parents. Other friends from Arnold enjoy the social.

Brother Augustine and Joe Finazzo were there, too.

Kevin Finazzo and wife got there after the 11:00 mass at St. Joseph's Shrine.

Secular Franciscans were well represented, too.

It was a wonderful gathering. Perhaps it can become a yearly event!

I hope all of you who have access to the internet are following our web page as well as the Brown Robe Benefit web page. I know it takes a lot of time and I must confess that I don’t look at it all that often myself. However, there are some great pictures from the evening at the Governor’s Mansion as well as some really fine pictures of the Brown Robe Benefit evening. And there are “blogs” like “Simon Sez” (reflections from Simon Conrad), interesting archival stories from Blaine, and even a blog “From the Provincial’s Desk.” Joseph Mary has the web page set up so that several of us can upload our own information at will.

Not only have Michael Scully and Julian Haas published works recently, but Blaine Burkey has a new book out on Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, “Seelos – The Cumberland Years.” The Seelos Shrine in New Orleans will publish the book in early 2010. Duane Reinert continues to publish, too, in various journals, and our beloved Father Dominic Unger is still selling books from heaven. A check arrives every couple of months from his book sales. And let’s not forget Regis Scanlon! His articles are being published everywhere, it seems, and his web site (which has a link on our province web site) and tapes are coveted commodities.

Another interesting note is that Steve Angrisano, song writer and musician, has a new album out on which he has a song dedicated to our own John Lager. John was quoted in rather large print recently in the Leaven, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

Friars generally keep these things quiet, but so much is happening that it is impossible for these good things not to become public.

We welcome Julian Haas back into the province this Christmas. Julian will spend some time with his family and then come to Denver to go through all his stuff which was put in storage before he went to Rome. We are also welcoming back David Songy. David will finish out this academic year at the Pontifical North American College in Rome and then return to the province this summer. The Council felt that this would be not only good for the province, but also for David, that he would return to Capuchin life within the province. PNAC was not delighted with our decision, but the needs of the province in formation as well as in fraternity make this decision a healthy and necessary one for us.

I will be coming through the province in the first months of the new year to visit individually with each friar as part of what I call a more ”informal” visitation. I sent each fraternity an email to give a “heads up” as to when I will be in the area. From January 11-15 and at the end of the month I plan to visit with each friar in the Denver area. From January 18-22, I’ll be in the Douglas County area to visit with the friars there and also I want to make it a point to visit with Ron in Missouri. From January 25-29 I plan to be in the Colorado Springs area, and finally, from February 1-4, I’ll visit with the friars in Ellis County. I will also plan another visit to the novitiate to see Anthony. If these dates don’t work for one or the other friar, I will set up another time to accommodate those individuals.

Have a great Christmas season. Pray for our men in initial formation and for those who are seriously considering our way of life. Pray for the sisters who will be making some serious decisions in this month of December about their future and who will have elections early in January. Pray for our elderly who have given so much to our province. And let’s pray for one another. Let’s speak highly of one another and praise God for giving us brothers. Jesus is in our midst, in our fraternities. Stop and see Him. Merry Christmas.

It was a wonderful gathering and Advent/Christmas celebration at the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday night, December 2. Being together with all the wonderful supporters of the Capuchins was a priviledge and an Advent joy. The little program was great, too! The present and past first ladies of Colorado — Ms.Ritter and Ms.Owens — were present to honor us, and their words to us were greatly appreciated. I hope my comments and the friars’ singing of our traditional Christmas carols were enjoyable moments for all, too. We have great friars in our province and fantastic friends. The Capuchin fraternity shines like the Bethlehem star on evenings like this one.

I left early on Thursday morning, after the friary Mass, and drove over the many dry creeks to Salina where I met with Bishop Coakley. He’s another great friend of the Capuchins who appreciates the Capuchin charism and the religious presence of the Capuchins in his diocese.

As I was coming out of Bishop Coakley’s office, Sr.Barbara Ellen caught me and showed me an abum by Steve Angrisano which contained a song dedicated to our own Fr. John Lager. The song was entitled, “Amazed by You,” and Mr. Angrisano wrote this: “For Fr. John Lager. Your authentic, gentle spirit ministers to me. Thank you for your faith, your witness and your love for my family. Pray for us, St.Francis of Assisi.” Beautiful! I was so proud of Fr. John. And then to top it off, Sr.Barbara showed me the back page of “The Leaven” (Archdiocesan paper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas) where Fr.John was quoted in large print from an interview at NCYC.

I moved on across the Saline River, Smokey Hill River and Kansas River to Lawrence and to St.Conrad’s Friary. I was able to spend a little more than two days there and to join the friars for part of a recollection day on Friday. We have such good friars! On Saturday night, the friars hosted Stephanie Pedersen and myself and the Board of Directors of the newly formed San Damiano Formation Endowment Corporation. It was a good meeting and the new corporation is off and running with high hopes of providing assistance for the formation programs of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America. It was great to visit some of my good friends in Lawrence, too.

On Sunday morning I moved back across the rivers to St.Fidelis in Victoria where I spent a couple of days with the friars in Victoria and Hays. Again, it’s impressive and inspiring to be with these friars in the joy and sacredness of the Advent season. I marveled at Fr. Greg’s exquisite Advent decorations in the friary chapel in Victoria as well as Fr. Earl’s equally exquisite decorations in the friars’ recreation room at St. Joseph’s.

This has been one of those visits through the province that I love: visiting the friars and being present without attending to a lot of personnel business. This is the high point of my Advent season — just being with the friars. Hopefully, I can continue to do that in the coming days and spend time being with the friars in Denver and Colorado Springs.

Everyone here in Ellis County is waiting and wondering about whether or not we will get hit by a gigantic snow storm this evening and tomorrow. Oh well, I’ve always felt secure in a friary. It’s a good place to find Jesus.

Written December 7, 2009

It’s always inspiring to read the minutes of House Chapters from the friaries in our province. A “House Chapter” is a meeting of the friars which takes place at least once a month in which the friars discuss what is happening in their lives and what kinds of things can be done to improve the ways in which they are living the Gospel.
Each friary always sends the minutes of their House Chapters to the provincial office and I have the privilege of reading about what is happening in the fraternities in our province. For most of our friaries, Advent means a renewed commitment to quiet prayer and community activities which center on the symbols of the season.
It seems that every friary finds an evening or even a whole day to set aside for decorating. The friaries also seem to set aside special time for their Christmas gathering. Both of these – decorating and gathering – are integral parts of the Capuchin fraternal life.
Days of recollection and prayer are special Advent customs, too. Hospitality seems to be a value also as some to the friaries are scheduling times for inviting brothers from surrounding fraternities to join them for meals or prayerful evenings.
In a world where Black Friday and Cyber Monday seem to be overshadowing the peace and hope of the season, it is good to know that there are places where Advent is not a commercial season but rather a season to prepare the way of the Lord and renew our sense of “waiting” for Jesus. God really does come, to those who wait faithfully and prayerfully.
Happy Advent!

It’s always inspiring to read the minutes of House Chapters from the friaries in our province. A “House Chapter” is a meeting of the friars which takes place at least once a month in which the friars discuss what is happening in their lives and what kinds of things can be done to improve the ways in which they are living the Gospel.
Each friary always sends the minutes of their House Chapters to the provincial office and I have the privilege of reading about what is happening in the fraternities in our province. For most of our friaries, Advent means a renewed commitment to quiet prayer and community activities which center on the symbols of the season.
It seems that every friary finds an evening or even a whole day to set aside for decorating. The friaries also seem to set aside special time for their Christmas gathering. Both of these – decorating and gathering – are integral parts of the Capuchin fraternal life.
Days of recollection and prayer are special Advent customs, too. Hospitality seems to be a value also as some to the friaries are scheduling times for inviting brothers from surrounding fraternities to join them for meals or prayerful evenings.
In a world where Black Friday and Cyber Monday seem to be overshadowing the peace and hope of the season, it is good to know that there are places where Advent is not a commercial season but rather a season to prepare the way of the Lord and renew our sense of “waiting” for Jesus. God really does come, to those who wait faithfully and prayerfully.
Happy Advent!

It’s been a while since we have had this many postulants enter at one time.  In fact, I believe that this is the largest postulant class we have had in the thirty-two year history of our Capuchin Province of Mid-America.  They are five great men beginning a journey with us which will hopefully lead to a perpetual commitment to the Capuchin life.

I really am proud of the men we have who are in various stages of formation.  Five are postulants; one is a novice; three are in what we call “post-novitiate”  formation, a time when they continue to discern their life with us and also are involved in studies and ministry training.  One of these three, Brother Christopher Gama, has now been accepted for a perpetual commitment as a Capuchin and will make Solemn Vows in November.  Two others, Barnabas Eichor and Joseph Mary Elder, have made Solemn Vows and are studying theology and preparing ministerially for ordination to priesthood.

The rest of us are in formation, too.  We call it “ongoing formation.”  Our life demands that we continue to form ourselves both spiritually and academically in the Gospel Way, in living our Capuchin values, and in keeping up to date in the areas in which we minister.

All of this is part of focusing on our future.  Realistically speaking, our numbers have dwindled since 1977 when we became a province of Capuchins separate from the Province of St. Augustine.  We have had to move out of ministries and out of places.  Some would call it downsizing.  It is all a part of becoming what God intends for us to be as a province.  Discovery is part of the journey.  We have also moved “into” new ministries and new places.  That is the prophetic part of the journey and the prophetic part of “becoming what God intends for us to be.” While we aren’t finished with our “downsizing,” we are also not finished with our moving into new ministries and places.

Another, and perhaps the major, part of focusing on our future, is our vocation and recruitment program.  Our way of life is as attractive and relevant today as it was fifty, a hundred, and five hundred years ago.  The Franciscan family numbers over 30,000 and dates back to the 1200’s when, as Francis says in his Testament, “The Lord gave me brothers.” The “Capuchin” family, within that Franciscan family, numbers over 11,000.  Men are still being called to the First Order, the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin.  It has to be our job to notice those vocations, invite them, give the men called the best formation possible in our way of life, and then put their talents to work in a province that is “becoming what God intends for us to be.”

Each day, in every friary of our province, the friars pray two important prayers in addition to our usual prayer for the deceased, for our benefactors, and for special needs brought to our attention.  The first of these prayers is a “Prayer for the Province,” which prays for God’s guidance as we renew and re-envision our province (as we “become what God intends for us to be”).  The second is a prayer to St. Conrad of Parzham (patron of our province) asking him to intercede to “open the doors of our friaries to more and more candidate for our Capuchin way of life.” Both prayers are being answered and will continue to be answered.

A primary job of the Capuchins in the Mid-America Province is to focus on the future and prepare for new vocations and for “becoming what God intends for us to be.”  May the Lord give us peace and all good things along with the courage and wisdom to focus on the future.

After Brother Peter Rogers completed his visitation of the friars and ministries in our Mid-America Province, he remarked to me about the large number of vocations from Ellis County in Kansas. Being from Hays myself, I was glad to talk about the presence and influence of the Capuchins in western Kansas. I told him that I was baptized at St. Joseph’s Parish, received my first communion at St. Joseph’s, was confirmed there, and was ordained by Capuchin Bishop Firmin Schmidt at St. Joseph’s. I went to St. Joseph’s Military Academy and later to St. Francis Seminary, and all I knew when I grew up was “Capuchins.”

Brother Peter, who hales from Ireland and who was an official representative of our Minister General in Rome, was impressed. St. Joseph’s, St. Catherine’s in Catherine, KS; St. Fidelis in Victoria, KS, and so many surrounding parishes have been wonderful sources of vocations to the Capuchins as well as to the Secular Franciscans and the Sisters of St. Agnes who in their own way live the spirit of St. Francis. From Fr. Fidelis Meier (professed as a Capuchin in 1893) and Brother Wendelyn Wiesner (professed in 1896) to Frs. John Schmeidler (1990) and John Toepfer (1993), the Capuchin parishes and schools have been a wonderful sources of Capuchin vocations.

Why? I can think of a lot of reasons. Certainly the Capuchin presence over the years has inspired young people to listen for a calling. Frs. Fidelis McManus and Paulinus Karlin vigorously promoted vocations with their vocation clubs. If you grew up in Ellis County it was hard to “not” think about a vocation to be a Capuchin. If one of the Capuchins didn’t call you to think about it, then one of the Sisters of St. Agnes would make sure you were called. Parents, by and large, were open to having their child called. They encouraged their child to listen to the call.

The words of Jesus make so much sense to me in view of the fewer numbers that are entering the religious life and priesthood. Jesus said: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” When fewer numbers are “called,” it stands to reason that there is a smaller pool of people to be “chosen.” All of us – Capuchins and other religious, Secular Franciscans, and lay people in our parishes and schools and other ministries – are the reason why fewer are called today. We’re just not “calling.”

The Capuchin Province of Mid-America has opened a full time Vocation Office. Our brother, Fr. John Lager, is not only “beating the bushes” and “calling” young men, but he is also working with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) to put our Capuchin way of life into the minds and thoughts of college-age men. His efforts are bearing fruit already. Five young men are accepted for postulancy this August. This is the largest number that we have ever accepted into one class since the beginning of our province in 1977. Coupled with the six we have in formation right now, this almost doubles our number of students. I’ve challenged Fr. John to double that number again for next year. It’s a reasonable challenge, IF people who know the Capuchins and our way of life are also willing to give the call and put Fr. John in touch with those they call. Then we can once again identify the “many,” so that the “few” may be chosen from the many.

Summer 2009

After Brother Peter Rogers completed his visitation of the friars and ministries in our Mid-America Province, he remarked to me about the large number of vocations from Ellis County in Kansas. Being from Hays myself, I was glad to talk about the presence and influence of the Capuchins in western Kansas. I told him that I was baptized at St. Joseph’s Pariish, received my first communion at St. Joseph’s, was confirmed there, and was ordained by Capuchin Bishop Firmin Schmidt at St. Joseph’s. I went to St. Joseph’s Military Academy and later to St. Francis Seminary, and all I knew when I grew up was “Capuchins.”

Brother Peter, who hales from Ireland and who was an official representative of our Minister General in Rome, was impressed. St. Joseph’s, St. Catherine’s in Catherine, KS; St. Fidelis in Victoria, KS, and so many surrounding parishes have been wonderful sources of vocations to the Capuchins as well as to the Secular Franciscans and the Sisters of St. Agnes who in their own way live the spirit of St. Francis. From Fr. Fidelis Meier (professed as a Capuchin in 1893) and Brother Wendelyn Wiesner (professed in 1896) to Frs. John Schmeidler (1990) and John Toepfer (1993), the Capuchin parishes and schools have been a wonderful sources of Capuchin vocations.

Why? I can think of a lot of reasons. Certainly the Capuchin presence over the years has inspired young people to listen for a calling. Frs. Fidelis McManus and Paulinus Karlin vigorously promoted vocations with their vocation clubs. If you grew up in Ellis County it was hard to “not” think about a vocation to be a Capuchin. If one of the Capuchins didn’t call you to think about it, then one of the Sisters of St. Agnes would make sure you were called. Parents, by and large, were open to having their child called. They encouraged their child to listen to the call.

The words of Jesus make so much sense to me in view of the fewer numbers that are entering the religious life and priesthood. Jesus said: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” When fewer numbers are “called,” it stands to reason that there is a smaller pool of people to be “chosen.” All of us – Capuchins and other religious, Secular Franciscans, and lay people in our parishes and schools and other ministries – are the reason why fewer are called today. We’re just not “calling.”

The Capuchin Province of Mid-America has opened a full time Vocation Office. Our brother, Fr. John Lager, is not only “beating the bushes” and “calling” young men, but he is also working with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) to put our Capuchin way of life into the minds and thoughts of college-age men. His efforts are bearing fruit already. Five young men are accepted for postulancy this August. This is the largest number that we have ever accepted into one class since the beginning of our province in 1977. Coupled with the six we have in formation right now, this almost doubles our number of students. I’ve challenged Fr. John to double that number again for next year. It’s a reasonable challenge, IF people who know the Capuchins and our way of life are also willing to give the call and put Fr. John in touch with those they call. Then we can once again identify the “many,” so that the “few” may be chosen from the many.

Dear Friends:

We welcome Fr. Simon Conrad to the website. “Simon Sez” will be updated weekly with a new reflection – a spiritual vitamin – from one of the most talented writers in our province.

While looking at Fr. Simon’s reflection I noticed how out-of-date this column is. So I was prompted to commit myself to a more regular updating. Much has passed over my desk since January 2009. But rather than reminisce, let me fast forward to the current moment, a moment when Swine Flu has suddenly overtaken the economic news.

Yesterday morning Brother Felix Shinsky stopped in my office and shared with me some reflections that the friars at Our Lady of Angels Friary in Colorado Springs were talking about earlier in the day. The very first Capuchins immersed themselves in taking care of plague victims back in the early 1500’s. They comforted, consoled, prayed with and for those who were stricken and their families. They had no fear of the disease itself. Their focus was on the suffering they saw. Brother Felix felt that this example of the first Capuchin friars was a challenge to the friars today to reach out to those afflicted by the pandemic. But how? Certainly we have friars in hospital ministry and friars who because of their parish ministry regularly visit hospitals. But not everyone has this access to those who are suffering. So the friars at Our Lady of the Angels decided that the least they could do was to pray and to offer sacrifices for those stricken with the flu and for a quick ending to the pandemic.

Many are anxious about the virus. Even Archbishop Chaput here in Denver issued a letter about it to the archdiocese. Concerns of the people are concerns of the Capuchins. You may not find us in the streets searching for flu-stricken people, but you will find us doing everything we can to reach out to those who are suffering. Most of all, we will embrace those who are suffering in our prayers, Masses, and sacrifices. It’s the Capuchin thing to do. We’ve always done it.