"How Did You Know, Father?"

Every so often, when they are away from their peers or potential eavesdroppers, young men will ask the question, "Father, how did you know that you wanted to be a Franciscan friar or a priest?" I must admit, it's not an easy question to answer. I suppose it's like a parent trying to answer the question, "How did you know that Mom/Dad was the right one for you?" It seems easy enough, I suppose, but really isn't.

It's not because I don't know exactly -- it's more like, how do you explain a mystery? And a vocation is a mystery! For me, at least, there was no "magic moment" of Aha! It was more gradual. I am very visual, and I think part of my childhood attraction was the Franciscan habit. But the story of St. Francis of Assisi caught my imagination and heart even moreso!

I was fascinated by St. Francis' relationship with the Lord Jesus -- with his deep attraction to prayer, his holy boldness in preaching the Gospel, and his willingness to joyfully love his opponents who, quite frankly, thought he was nuts. I wanted to be like the "Poverello" (little poor man in Italian). I wanted to live for Jesus Christ!

When I was a teenager (way back in the 1970s!) I became involved in an area-wide youth group in metropolitan Pittsburgh, PA. It was led by one of our friars, Fr. Augustin ("Gus") Milon, OFM. And it was through him that I ended up becoming a Franciscan friar myself. I was drawn to prayer, to preaching and eventually to work among the poor.

I guess I just connected with the Franciscan charism (gift of the Holy Spirit), but before I even knew that there was a Franciscan charism! Maybe it grabbed me? See what I mean? It's difficult to explain. It really is a mystery.

But through prayerful discernment with other Franciscans over time it became increasingly obvious to me that this was where I belonged. God works with what attracts us. The Gospel of Jesus, the whole Bible, the Mass and Sacraments of the Church, the life and writings of St. Francis of Assisi, the habit, prayer, preaching -- all these attracted me to the Order of Friars Minor. It was something consistent and persistent in my life.

How about you? What attracts you? What does the Lord use to attract you to himself? To his Church? To ministry?

(In the above photo from August 2006, Bro. Jaime Hernandez, OFM from Guadalajara, Mexico and I are at "The Fest", a vocation event held annually in the Cleveland, OH area.)

Franciscan Friars Installed as Liturgical Ministers at St. Joseph Friary, Chicago, IL

We are pleased that our brother David Kelly was installed as Acolyte and our brothers Jason Welle and Matthew Farrington were installed as Lectors and Acolytes at St. Joseph Friary in Chicago, IL. All three are students of theology at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago's South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park preparing for the Catholic priesthood. On Thursday, 19 April, they were all installed to their respective ministries.


Bro. David is comes from Chippewa Falls, WI, Bro. Jason Welle is from Albany, MN and Bro. Matthew Farrington is originally from Cleveland, OH.


These are official ministries of the Catholic Church, meaning that when they are installed they may serve throughout the entire Catholic Church of the Roman Rite! (Most readers of the Word of God and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are delegated to serve only in their parish, and by exception beyond their parish community.)


Fr. Bernard Kennedy, OFM, Secretary of Formation and Director of Priestly Formation for our province installed them in the name of the Provincial Minister, Fr. Leslie Hoppe, OFM.


In the above photo Fr. Bernard installs Bro. Jason as Lector by presenting him with the Scritpures.



Fr. Bernard installs Bro. David to the Ministry of Acolyte. He holds a chalice and paten which symbolize his role in preparing the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist and distribution of Holy Communion.


The ministries of Lector and Acolyte were formerly known as "minor orders" in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. Since Vatican Council II these have been renamed as "ministries." The difference, as noted above, is that these are official ministries and are universal -- for the whole Church. They are normally conferred on those men preparing for the priesthood, such as our brothers.


The installation took place during the community's Thursday evening Eucharist. The Lector is one who proclaims the Word of God to the assembly. They Acolyte prepares the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist (second major part of the Mass) during the Preparation of the Gifts. In the absence of a deacon he may also help with the distribution of the Eucharist to the faithful at Mass. The Acolyte may take Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. As you may be well aware, this is also what an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist does. According to recent liturgical documents from Rome, the Acolyte may also purify the vessels after Mass.



Bro. Matthew is installed to the Ministry of Lector by Fr. Bernard as he holds the Scriptures.

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.)