The Wearin' of the Brown!

When Galen Osby, from Howards Grove, WI decided to embark upon the journey of becoming a Franciscan friar, he probably didn't guess the various challenges that lay ahead. He had an unusual postulancy program (the first year when a candidates begins to explore, or "postulate", becoming a friar minor), mostly because he was the only one!

Galen Osby as a postulant to the Franciscan Friars (OFM) of the Assumption BVM Province.

After his varied experiences and ventures -- from Milwaukee, WI to McAllen, TX to Greenwood, MS and then to our senior friar residence of Queen of Peace Friary in Burlington, WI, Galen "took up his cross daily" to follow the Lord Jesus and encountered several surprises along the way.




Last May 2008 Galen applied to and was accepted to be received into the novitiate, when a man entering our brotherhood becomes a novice, or "new man". It is what St. Francis of Assisi calls in our Rule, the "year of probation", or a time of testing. The novice is tested by life in the fraternity to help in the discernment if this is the right life for him; the novice tests the community to ascertain if this is the correct community or way of life for him. That information can be found in a previous blog.




This past 26 September 2008 Galen and his classmates were invested in the "habit of penance", the brown habit of the Franciscan Friars of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM). It consists of a long tunic, a brown habit, or "capuche" and a woolen cord. Novices have no knots in their cords -- that is reserved for their first profession when they make temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.



Bro. Galen Osby, OFM, novice and newly invested with the habit of penance, the Franciscan habit, at San Damiano Friary, Cedar Lake, IN


The novitiate is located in Cedar Lake, IN, south of Hammond and about one hour or so southeast of Chicago, IL. The Assumption BVM Province hosts the novitiate and shares its leadership and membership with two other provinces, Sacred Heart Province (headquartered in St. Louis, MO) and St. John the Baptist Province (headquartered in Cincinnati, OH).



The team for the novitiate is Fr. John Stein, OFM (SJB Province), Fr. Larry Nickels, OFM (SH Province) and Fr. Camillus Janas, OFM (ABVM Province). Fr. John is the Novice Director, Fr. Larry is assistant and Fr. Camillus is the Guardian (local superior).

You might ask, "Why 26 September?" In the calendar of the Catholic Church of the Roman Rite, 26 September is the memorial of the holy brother and doctor martyrs, SS. Cosmas and Damian. It was at the chapel in honor of St. Damian (in Italian, San Damiano) that Francis of Assisi heard the Lord's call to him, "Francis, go repair my Church, which you see is falling into ruins!" And, the house of the novitiate is called San Damiano Friary. So, it's their friary's patron saint's day!

Fr. Camillus Janas, OFM, Guardian of San Damiano Friary (Novitiate) and Bro. Galen Osby, OFM, newly investied novice

Br. Jason Welle, OFM Runs 2008 Chicago Marathon

Beginning of Chicago Marathon 2008 on Sunday, 12 October in Grant Park

by Bro. Jason Welle, OFM

Bro. Jason recently professed solemn vows as a friar minor on the Solemnity of the Assumption, 15 August, in the parish church of Pulaski, WI, Assumption BVM. He is current ly a student at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago

On October 12th, I joined 33,000 other athletes for the 2008 Chicago Marathon, the fourth marathon I have run as a Franciscan friar. Doing a marathon a year is quickly becoming a tradition for my younger brother Scott and I; we have run four together, shoulder to shoulder, start to finish. This year, we completed the 26.2 mile course through twenty-nine Chicago neighborhoods in 3:45.

Chicago Marathoners running through the streets of the City of Chicago, Sunday 12 October 2008

The unusually hot weather slowed down the field on this flat, fast course which starts and ends in Grant Park. Runners weave through the downtown Loop three times total, after jaunts as far north as Lincoln Park and as far south as U.S. Cellular field.

Great crowds in areas like Pilsen and Chinatown lift the runners’ energy, as do playful signs encouraging us that “Oprah did it, you can too!” and to “find your inner Kenyan.” Running for charity also gave me a boost. For the second time, I ran on behalf of St. Coletta’s of Illinois Foundation, an organization founded by Franciscan Sisters to work with developmentally-disabled children and adults.

I think I’m a little different than many of last Sunday’s fitness gurus. I own neither an i-pod nor an mp3 player. When I train, I usually don’t even wear a watch. I just go out and run, to breathe fresh air and immerse myself in the world around me. I’m often struck by how many people ceaselessly try to escape from their surroundings, hiding behind a cell phone, headphones, a newspaper, or any other means they can find to insulate themselves from the world. I find the true value of aerobic exercise in re-connecting with the world, attentively looking at the trees, listening to the birds, and becoming more conscious of how I interact with it all, through my steps, my heartbeat, my breathing, etc.

Our house of studies is just two blocks from Lake Michigan, so I do most of my training out on the lakefront running/cycling trail, where many Chicagoans come for a bit of peace. Getting out into this world for a time clears my head and refreshes me for our other daily tasks: prayer, housework, ministry at different sites around Chicago, and the perennial tasks of reading and paper-writing that mark a house of studies. In time, I have come to see running as a form of prayer, because it renews me, leaves me in better touch with who I am, and better able to face the challenges of each day.

Of course, running a marathon is a quite different from a daily jog by the lake…and I wouldn’t continue to do it if these rather painful days hadn’t taught me an additional, different lesson about myself. People often tell me that they’re impressed with the determination it takes to complete a marathon, that they don’t think they could do it themselves.

It obviously does require discipline, building up one’s mileage over the course of months to prepare oneself for race day. But honestly, running three marathons in Chicago and one in Austin, Texas, has taught me more about relaxing my discipline than how to build it up.

Many people, especially endurance athletes, seek out new and bigger challenges for the sake of having a new challenge, and can’t live with themselves if they fail to complete these challenges, to meet their self-imposed goals. I hear many runners say with pride that they couldn’t imagine not finishing the race. No matter what happens, they have to finish. Marathoning has taught me that my goals for myself are not God’s goals for me. If I miss my goal time or drop out, God still loves me. That might seem obvious, but the way we often fixate on our goals in school, in work, in athletics, in our finances, or other things demonstrates that many people don’t internalize it.

I entered Sunday’s race intending to finish but knowing that if I failed to, God and my ego could accept it. This gave me the freedom to run hard, to do the best I could, and enjoy the race for the graced moment that it was. Even though we ran our best (I’m still rather stiff and sore…), this was the first race when Scott and I missed our goal time, and that was fine on a very hot Sunday morning.

Right: An obviously relieved and rejoicing Bro. Jason after having completed the 2008 Chicago Marathon -- "thumbs up!"

Left: Bro. Jason (R) with his brother, Scott, after having ocmpleted the 2008 Chicago Marathon!

We did what was ours to do, we ran the good race, and we did it together. And God willing, we’ll probably do it again somewhere next year!

Dear Jason Welle, Congratulations from Bank of America for finishing the2008 Bank of AmericaChicago Marathon! Your recorded finish time was3:45:43 and you placed 3925out of 31,401 finishers.

A New Franciscan Priest Is Ordianed!

Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Schott, OFM (middle) intones God's blessings on the congregation at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy for the priesthood ordination of Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM. (Please notice that Fr. Jerome (on the right) is vested as deacon and served in the capacity of deacon until his ordination later on duirng the Divine Liturgy.)

Saturday, September 20, 2008, beautiful and memorable day! It happened in Homer Glen, IL. At Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church.


His Eminence, Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Schott, OFM, the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Arcbishop of Pittsburgh, ordained our brother, Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM to the priesthood! What a blessed celebration and prayerful event.


Fr. Jerome's family was represented by his parents, Jerome, Sr. and Judy Wolbert, his brother and sister-in-law and their sons, his sister, and several uncles, aunts and cousins.

Fr. Jerome's Dad -- Jerome Wolbert, Sr. and Mom -- Judy Wolbert -- and a nephew, at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, IL before the Divine Liturgy.



Many of his Franciscan brothers celebrated with him, including friars from St. John the Baptist and Sacred Heart Provinces. Our novice, Bro. Galen Osby, OFM was also present. Guests came from Pittsburgh, from Cleveland, from Chicago, from Cedar Lake and Munster, IN and from the Milwaukee, WI area.







Bro. Deacon Jerome Wolbert, OFM is ordained to the priesthood by the laying on of hands of Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Schott, OFM according to the Byzantine Rite.









Prior to the ordination, Fr. Jerome stayed with two of our friars who serve in pastoral ministry at the campus of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago in Lemont, IL (close to Homer Glen).




Four members of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago (OSF) came as guests to Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM's priesthood ordination. They live at their Motherhouse in Lemont, IL and graciously hosted our brother overnight. Two of our friars, Bro. Mark Zapczynski, OFM and Fr. Warren Rector, OFM serve the Sisters and the residents at Franciscan Village in Lemont in pastoral ministry.




"The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago graciously hosted me--two of our friars work with them in Lemont, not far from Annunciation Church. I was moved by their request for blessings. Even the staff at their convent lined up for a blessing from this "new priest." Also, many of the parishioners were glad and honored that they would be able to host an ordination nine years after the first Divine Liturgy in their church. I feel invigorated in my own faith, seeing the graciousness and awe of others who were able to be part of the celebration." --Newly ordained Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM

Bro. Jason Welle, OFM Professes Solemn Vows

Congratulations, Bro. Jason! Welcome to our brotherhood!

Bro. Jason Welle, OFM, prostrate befor e the Lord's altar, during the Litany of the Saints prior to profession his solemn vows

Assumption BVM Parish Church, Pulaski, WI

(Photo courtesy of Jose Martinez)

Bro. Jason Welle, OFM professed his solemn vows as a friar minor in the hands of our Provincial Minister, Fr. Leslie Hoppe, OFM on Friday, 15 August 2008 at Assumption BVM Parish in Pulaski, WI.



His mother and father, his brother and other relatives from his hometown of Albany, MN along with long-time friends from his college days (St. Olaf in Minnesota and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana) joined the Franciscan Friars of the Assumption BVM Province (plus some other Franciscan Friars from the provinces of St. Barbara in CA, Sacred Heart in St. Louis, MO, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Albuquerque, NM and St. John the Baptist in Cincinnati, OH).




Bro. Jason Welle, OFM with the "Li'l Bros" club from St. Stanislaus Parish in Cleveland, OH at Assumption BVM Parish Church in Pulaski, WI (Photo courtesy of Jose Martinez)


The friars who joined in the festivities included our men from throughout the Midwest, from as far away as Cleveland, OH, Cedar Lake, IN, Chicago, IL, Franklin and Milwaukee, WI. His Vocation Director, Fr. Linus Kopczewski, OFM and his Novice Director, Fr. Edward Tlucek, OFM we gathered with the other friars to see this part of Jason's vocation story brought to completion.







The Solemnity of Mary's Assumption, body and soul, into heaven is not only a Holy Day of Obligation among Catholics, it is also the patronal feastday of our Franciscan province! So, it was with great joy that we joined our brother and welcomed him with great warmth and genuine affection to full membership in our provincial brotherhood as Franciscan friars.



Bro. Jason Welle, OFM, newly solemnly professed Franciscan in the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) signs the sheet of his vow formula (wrtiten by his own hand) in the presence of our Provincial Minister, Fr. Leslie Hoppe, OFM (left) and the Secretary of Formation, Fr. Bernard Kennedy, OFM (right) who is also his Post-Novitiate Formation Director (Photo courtesy of Jose Martinez)


It was quite a diverse event -- friars who were originally from Mexico and Vietnam, as well as US-born Franciscan friars, Roman and Byzantine Catholic Rite, parishioners from St. Stanislaus Parish in Cleveland, OH and Sacred Heart Parish in McAllen, TX (both of which hosted Bro. Jason during his post-novitiate formation), plus his family and friends from Minnesota and other parts of the USA -- all joined to celebrate what God has accomplished in the life of our brother -- so far! There is more to come.

World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia -- remembering and celebrating

And, next time (2011) in Madrid, Spain!


"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses "(Acts 1:8) was the theme of this year's WYD 08 in Sydney, Australia.


Guy Sebastian and Paulini, Catholic recording artists from Australia, sang the theme song, You Will Receive Power (echoing the above text). This was apparently popular among the pilgrims as evidenced by its rather extensive use throughout World Youth Day and, by looking at the cameras sweeping the crowd, the number of people (at least attempting in English) singing its refrain.


Pope Benedict XVI seemed to emphasize to the participants that all the baptized are missionaries, and encouraged all the youth present physically and virtually to be missionaries of Jesus' Gospel.


The Franciscans, of many stripes, were well represented at this year's events. Our General Minister, Fr. Jose Carballo Rodriguez, OFM (originally from Spain) was present with a delegation of OFMs from around the world, including Australia itself.



The Holy Father exhorted all the participants to let their light shine, and that light is Jesus Christ! I was deeply impressed by the missionary emphasis given. Our own General Minister has been likewise encouraging us Franciscan Friars to remember our missionary charism, whether we work in our native lands (like me!) or far from our respective homes in lands abroad.




The prospect of being Christ's witnesses (martyrs! -- from the Greek) to all the world is a fundamental and radical invitation and call, don't you think? What do you think about witnessing for Jesus -- at home, at work, at school? It can be pretty scary! And, pretty exciting!


And yet, the promise of the Risen Lord, preceeding Pentecost, is that we will receive the very power of God, the Holy Spirit! And we have received him at our Baptism and were sealed with the same gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. So, we can be witnesses, effective witnesses, even if others reject us (remember Jesus!).

Hope you get a chance to see the video footage and to hear the song, You Will Receive Power. Both are very encouraging and uplifting. I felt so blessed to be a Catholic Christian, as well as a Franciscan Friar and priest!

So, Spain is going to be the sight for new pilgrims and repeat pilgrims in 2011 for WYD! And the Franciscans will be there -- again -- as pilgrims and participants!

A New Franciscan Deacon is Ordained!

Bro. Jerome Wolbert, OFM, was ordained to the Order of Deacon by the hands of Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Schott, OFM at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday, 17 March 2007.

Congratulations, Bro. Jerome! And may God richly bless you, your family, our Franciscan brotherhood and the Byzantine Catholic Church.

Bro. Jerome is originally from eastern Michigan where he grew up and earned his PhD in mathematics and taught for a while. As a young man he joined the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), having been inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

He wanted, though, to give his life more fully to the Lord and to the Church as a religious. Bro. Jerome discussed this with then-Bishop Basil of Parma, OH (now the Archbishop of Pittsburgh), who helped guide the young man to consider becoming a Franciscan friar. And Jerome follwed that suggestion. Praise God!

Bro. Jerome has completed his seminary studies and expects to complete his MA in theology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh this coming fall 2007. From there he will be assigned pastoral ministry within the Byzantine Catholic Church to complete his preparation for ordination to the priesthood.

(In the above photo, Bro. Jerome Wolbert, OFM is located next to Abp. Basil Schott, OFM [with Byzantine Rite miter] on your right. Franciscan friars, diocesan clergy and seminarians surround him.)

World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Sunday 29 April 2007

Pope Benedict XVI has given his theme for this year's World Day of Prayer for Vocations (tomorrow, Sunday 29 April 2007), The Vocation to the Service of the Church as Communion. Our provincial minister, Fr. Leslie Hoppe, OFM, has encouraged us Franciscan friars to remember that "(w)e are a community of brothers whose commitments to each other are cemented by minority, i.e. by thinking of others as better than ourselves."

Simply put, our Franciscan witness is to mirror Jesus in his self-giving on the Cross. The pope points out that this communion is manifest best in our celebration of the Eucharist. This is when the Church is most visibly in communion -- we partake of the Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ; we are in communion with one another. This is what is most important for our fraternal life as Franciscan friars, too.

As Franciscan friars, however imperfect we are, we try to live this communion both in our brotherhood and in our pastoral ministries. We hope that other men are inspired by the Lord through our witness to join us as friars minor (i.e. lesser brothers) to live for Jesus Christ after the example of St. Francis of Assisi.