If ever the weather portended the mood for a provincial celebration, it was the picture-perfect morning of Aug. 12. Where was the heat? What happened to the humidity? The friars, friends and relatives who gathered at St. Clement’s to celebrate the solemn professions of Bro. Al Mascia and Bro. Chris Meyer were blessed with that rarest of gifts—a mild, dry summer day in Cincinnati.

It was energizing, as was the capacity crowd of friars, as was the liturgy. “We know that St. Francis had his definition of perfect joy,” said celebrant Fr. Fred Link. “Sisters and brothers, this is perfect joy. How God is blessing St. John the Baptist Province!” The list of thank-yous read by Fred started with Chris’s mom, Rebecca, and Al’s mother, Mary. It went on to include friars from most of the American provinces, Poor Clares, SFO’s, parishioners from the Douglas United Church of Christ in Douglas, Mich., where Al once served as pastor, and the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration from Mishawaka, there to support Chris.

The passion generated by lectors Fr. Greg Friedman and Ruth Wright McKitric (reading from the First Book of Kings and the Letter to the Romans) continued through a rousing homily by Fr. Jeff Scheeler. “One of my favorite passages from scripture comes from the Book of Lamentations, of all things,” he said, quoting: “‘I will call this to mind as my reason to have hope: The favors of the Lord are not exhausted; his mercy is not spent; they are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness.’ ” And that reminded Jeff of a passage from I Peter: “You should always be ready to give an example to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”

He explained that the phrase “Walking with Hope,” chosen to describe this year’s pilgrimage process, echoed the province’s mission statement, “Facing Our Future With Hope,” adding, “We’re doing this as the whole Franciscan world remembers and celebrates the beginning of the Franciscan movement.” Eight hundred years ago in 1206, Francis prayed before the San Damiano Cross: “ ‘Enlighten the darkness of my heart.’ And the Lord said to Francis, ‘Go and rebuild my house, which is falling into ruin.’ ” To Chris and Al, ready to accept this challenge and invitation, Jeff said, “Welcome aboard. Welcome to the journey.

“I’m struck by these young men,” he continued. “I was struck by the two men we meet in the Gospel. In the first reading we meet Elijah. He’s walking, but he wasn’t walking with much hope. He journeys into the desert, full of darkness and despair and discouragement.

“Another young man (in the reading from Matthew) was so full of zeal he wanted to do the right thing.” But asked to give up everything to follow the Lord, “He couldn’t respond; he couldn’t let go completely. So he walked away sad and discouraged.”

In our everyday lives, Jeff said, “What reasons do we have to walk in hope, to not give in to sadness and discouragement? Al and Chris, in your lives, you’ve had your share of suffering and pain…” But on this day, “They are taking a life stance: ‘I want to live my Gospel values, to live in the spirit of Francis of Assisi. I want to walk with Jesus. That’s what I want.’” Jeff called their decision “a fundamental ‘yes’ that comes from the depth of our being. It’s an act of trust that God will be there, walking with us every step of the journey.”

The phrase “vows for life” is “a promise you are making that you will live life in a way that is life-giving.” But “how do any of us get there? Without God, all things are impossible. With God, amazing things are possible.” The journey is “a unique and personal process, different for each,” Jeff said. For Elijah and for Francis, “It flowed from an encounter with the Lord” and their willingness to hear “the voice of God whispering in their hearts.” And although that voice is different for each of us, it offers “some form of invitation: to go on pilgrimage, on a journey, to walk with Jesus, to be about what he is about, to walk with hope because of God’s abundant love.”

This world, “a world with all its darkness and violence and sin, is still charged with the grandeur and glory of God,” Jeff said. “It’s OK to trust that voice. Chris and Al, we thank you for saying ‘yes’ today. It gives us an opportunity to listen to what’s happening in our own hearts” and “hear once again the Lord inviting us” on our own journey of faith. In the future, he said, “I will call this to mind as my reason to hope. Chris and Al are two reasons why I have hope that the favors of the Lord are not exhausted.”

As the celebration continued, everywhere was evidence of its emotional impact, as friends and relatives rejoiced and friars remembered their own profession day. Rebecca Meyer had promised herself she would not break down. But after the vows, when Chris left her side to sit with his friar family, the symbolism struck home.

And Fred put those feelings in perspective when he said, “It’s a new day for all of us.”

Fr. Blane Grein stopped by recently to update us on the progress of fund-raising efforts for the new community center at Our Lady of Fatima parish in Chinle, Ariz. “We’re kicking into high gear,” with $200,000 obtained toward the construction of a two-story metal building behind the church hall that will accommodate the food bank, storage and emergency accommodations now housed in the old stone church. Cost is estimated at $430,000. “The diocese demands that we have 90% in hand” before construction can begin, Blane says. The parish is working to have the 96-year-old stone church declared a historic building so restoration can begin. Originally known as Annunciation Mission, “It is the symbol of the Catholic Church in Chinle.”

Bro. Mark Ligett passed along a few details from the Aug. 2 celebration of the Solemnity of the Portiuncola in Ava, Mo., “during which we pay our annual rent to the Trappists for our building. The monks joined us for the Office of None at 3:30 p.m. in our chapel” at St. Mary of the Angels Friary. “That was followed by a grand tour of our newly completed guest house and cord machine house. Then we gathered in the dining room for a light supper together. You will recall the story of Francis paying the Benedictines a basket of fish for the use of St. Mary of the Angels (the Portiuncola). Well, we have a similar tradition. Our annual rent is $1 per year, but we give that buck to the monks in a basket of fresh fish---in this case, trout from our nearby trout ranch!”

Fr. Nick Lohkamp explored the challenges of living out our baptismal calling in “Our Lifelong Call,” written for the July issue of Catholic Update. “Over my long life—I was born in 1925—little by little, by grace and experience, I have come to believe in the depth and wonder of the mystery of my baptismal calling,” Nick wrote. “It is a mystery that defines me, marks me, purges me, penetrates me, and transforms me to the depth of my being.”

Last month Fr. Fred Link received a thank-you note from Marjorie Grieshop, MA, Parish Life Director at Holy Trinity Church in Harlan, Ky. It read in part: “It is with deep appreciation that we recognize the continued service of both Fr. Ed and Fr. Maynard. We are blessed to have the Franciscan Friars and the spirit of St. Francis ever present among us. As we reflect back on the 13 years that Bro. Mark (Ligget) gave, we see the multitude of gifts that we enjoyed. The Franciscan model is a natural fit for the Harlan community. In a special way, Fr. Ed, who has been with us for 19 years, has been a continual gift to our community. His lived example of simplicity and peace sustains us through these years of transition. God has truly blessed our community. Thank you and all the Friars of St. John the Baptist Province. May God bless you and grant you peace.”

A story by Fr. Jack Wintz was featured in the June/July issue of St. Anthony Brief, the missionary magazine of the Irish Franciscans. In “St. Anthony: Seeking the Face of God,” Jack examined Anthony’s search for God and recalled his own childhood fascination with the saint.

The August issue of St. Anthony Messenger includes a terrific article by John Feister on the rebuilding of St. Mary of the Angels Parish in New Orleans. Titled “Waiting with Fr. Bart,” it’s a story of the hope and frustration experienced by Pastor Bart Pax in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. After commuting from Houma almost daily for six months, Bart became one of the first residents to return to the wasteland of the Ninth Ward, settling into a FEMA trailer on parish grounds. “What does it mean to wait?” John asks in the story. “That’s the question, named or unnamed, of every Christian. For Fr. Bart, it’s a question of faith. ‘One thing we understand is the Lord has blessed us in many and wondrous ways, not necessarily in the hurricane, but in our lives. So, therefore, we continue on,’ ” Bart said in the article.

This year’s Corpus Christi procession through Oldenburg, Ind. (on June 11), was captured for posterity by a reporter and photographer from Catholic News Service. The Criterion picked up the story (almost a full page in its June 16 issue) on the mile-long procession, a 160-year tradition in the “Village of Spires.” The annual ceremony, which drew several hundred faithful praying the rosary along the route, is commemorated by a historic marker in downtown Oldenburg. Fr. Frank Jasper, concluding his ministry as temporary administrator at Holy Family, presided during Benediction and the Eucharistic procession.

The intricate and painstaking work going into the renovation of Sacred Heart Church in Peoria is reflected in a two-page photo spread and story in the July 16 issue of the Peoria Journal Star. As Pastor Larry Zurek told reporter Clare Howard, “This is a beautiful building. Our goal is to recapture some of the beauty of the original church (built in 1905). Not to be gaudy or frivolous, but to enable the architecture to lead us to a greater understanding of God. This is a powerful place.” Re-dedication of the church is scheduled for Oct. 29.

“Every once in a while in life, something very unusual takes place,” Fr. Roch Farland wrote in a note in June. “Such happened to me, as I celebrated my 79th birthday.” Thirty years ago the parish where Roch was stationed (Corpus Christi in New Burlington, Ohio) sponsored the immigration of a Vietnamese family of 11. “I was among several people who looked after the family in their various and sundry needs,” he wrote. “Now, all the family members are doing very well. In fact, four of the girls, now ladies, came from Texas and California to join in the celebration of my 79th birthday (June 16). They stayed in our parish house for three nights and visited with us. All the community loved them and their joyful attitude.”

The Courier in Houma, La., featured the friars’ departure Mass as the lead story in its June 5 edition. Fr. Joe Rigali, Fr. Fred Link and Fr. Reynolds Garland were pictured in the article.

An hour after the dedication, a line of people waited patiently to pay for purchases at St. Francis Bookshop. The rush of business could be partly explained by the star power of Bishop Carl Moeddel, who lingered awhile to shop and chat after he blessed the building.

There was also the attraction of free food and the expanded inventory, invitingly displayed at the roomy new location on Winton Road in Cincinnati. The move to Finneytown was admittedly a gamble for the venerable bookshop. But based on the success of the grand opening on July 29 and its ensuing publicity in the Catholic Telegraph (on Aug. 11), the gamble seems to be paying off.

“It’s spacious,” said out-of-town visitor Fr. Blane Grein, one of a dozen friars who came to celebrate the new store, situated in a mini mall north of Brentwood Plaza. “The old store was so narrow. There’s a lot more room to display things,” like the line of food gifts from religious communities showcased in a homey cupboard to one side, and the expanded section (five shelves each) of videos and audio books. Bishop Moeddel, a staffer at the old bookshop in his seminary days, joked that it would be “a lot easier” to do inventory at the original store in Over-the-Rhine. His verdict on the new location? “It’s wonderful,” he said.

“It’s more accessible,” said OLG friar Paul Juniet, stopping by while he was in town for his 40th jubilee celebration. “Downtown is hard to get to.”

Whatever guests did—linger to listen to a musical trio, nibble their way through a spread of snacks or catch up with fellow religious—they did cautiously, working their way through an elbow-to-elbow crowd. At the appointed time, Provincial Minister Fred Link greeted visitors. “It’s so good for us to be together in this beautiful place, the finest Catholic bookshop maybe in the Midwest. For 56 years St. Francis Bookshop has been serving folks of this area. Your appreciation, your support is what has kept us alive, and for this we say, ‘Thank you.’ ” Fred congratulated the bookshop staff, including retired manager Mary Schroeder, “a woman who for a lifetime was the face of St. Francis Bookshop,” and singled out Fr. Jeremy Harrington as “the prime mover” in the new endeavor.

Introducing the bishop, Fred explained that Carl Moeddel “worked in the bookshop long before he wore red and carried a big stick.” And the Bishop responded with, “One of my few claims to fame is that I worked here before Mary did.” After incensing the aisles he offered his seal of approval: “Congratulations to the Franciscans and staff on this wonderful move from the place where I worked so hard, to this place.” And he requested assistance in spreading the word. “I’m aware that stand-alone stores are not thriving because of competition from malls and other places. I would ask you to tell your friends about this place. You can make a contribution by sending people here.”

His blessing bestowed, the bishop stayed on to browse and kibitz before heading to his next appointment. Business was brisk even after his departure, with a few intrepid shoppers hanging around past closing time. No one tallying the purchases behind the counter was complaining.

(Check out the new bookshop’s website at: www.stfrancisonline.com.)

If accreditation were easy, every religious office in the world would have a certificate like the one hanging in the second-floor hallway of St. Francis Seraph Friary in Cincinnati. This one, issued by Praesidium, Inc., the national leader in abuse risk management, was the result of a process that was “long, difficult and thorough,” says Jim Van Vurst, Provincial Delegate for Child Protection.

Since 2004, SJB Province has worked with the Texas-based Praesidium to become an Accredited Institute, one committed to the highest standards of child protection. At this writing, only 31 of 210 male religious institutes in the country can make that claim. “We wanted to make ourselves accountable to an outside, highly trained group that had a history of working with this issue,” says Jim, explaining the rationale behind the province’s involvement in this time-intensive process. The impetus for accreditation was a statement on child protection from the 2002 assembly of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. At that meeting, CMSM members voted unanimously to:

• Develop mechanisms to respond to abuse victims;
• Establish independent review boards;
• Design a system of public accountability;
• Seek education for members about child protection;
• Create programs for healing and reconciliation for those who have experienced abuse;
• Create a system of care and supervision for those who have abused.

If that sounds challenging, it is. SJB Province spent months educating friars about the moral, psychological and social aspects of child abuse. Policies and procedures were reviewed and rewritten, then explained to friars in another series of workshops. “Friars in administration attended multiple workshops with other religious superiors to learn all the aspects of child protection,” Jim says. “We also established an outside review board (six lay people and two friars) that meets regularly and assists the Provincial in the areas of prevention, response and supervision.” Three members of the Praesidium staff spent a week in the province studying records and interviewing friars about what they had learned in the workshops.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the protection of children, “The idea of being accredited was extremely important to us,” says Jim. “This has been an invaluable learning experience. We are pleased to be, along with other men’s religious communities, instruments of hope and healing in society and the Church.”

On a day so sweltering that the congregation arrived at St. Clement’s gasping for breathable air, Bro. Tom Gerchak seemed like the only person who was dressed appropriately for the occasion. Attired in missionary whites, he looked and acted as cool as a cucumber.

In fact, in the annals of missioning ceremonies, it’s hard to remember anyone looking as happy and relaxed as Tom, whose departure from Cincinnati for Jamaica was imminent. The crowd that braved the sticky, 90-degree heat on July 2 could tell that he was more than content with the course he had chosen.

Celebrant Fr. Fred Link welcomed them all to a “great festive occasion,” in particular, Tom’s look-alike younger brother, David, from Oklahoma. Most missioning homilies are a call to service, as was this one, but the readings and preaching dovetailed so effectively they seemed tailor-made for Tom’s new ministry. Fred began his homily by recounting a visit he made to the Holy Land in 2000 when Fr. Malachy Brogan was stationed in Jaffa, Israel. One highlight of the trip (he accompanied Malachy on a pilgrimage) was time spent at the Sea of Galilee.

“So much of a pilgrimage is, ‘Here it is believed that,’ ” Fred said, referring to locations cited in the Bible. “But the Sea of Galilee hasn’t moved in 2,000 years. It’s real, not just surmise.” The background of the story in the Gospel Tom selected (from Mark) was the Sea of Galilee, and it wasn’t just coincidence. “Tom is embarking to a beautiful place by another sea,” Fred said. “The Caribbean Sea surrounds the entire island of Jamaica and plays a significant role in the lives of the people.” In the Bible, “Many of Jesus’ disciples made their living by fishing the Sea of Galilee.”

The Gospel reading has Jesus being called to revive the daughter of Jairus. “I know that Tom, just like Jesus, will respond when he hears an urgent call from one in need,” Fred said. The operative slogan in Jamaica is “no problem,” but “problems abound. God’s people live there and God’s people suffer.” When Tom spent time there last year, “He encountered people suffering loss from the ravages of AIDS.” And he was inspired by the work of Food for the Poor to alleviate hunger.

Another parallel to the Gospel: While in Jamaica, Tom was moved by the outpouring of love following the death of a young handicapped girl. “Tom, in your short career as a Friar Minor, you have demonstrated a great capacity for compassion,” Fred said. “You have touched others by your gentle, unassuming, very Franciscan presence to all you meet” in service at Michael’s Place, in his ministry to prisoners and his dedication to the food pantry at St. John Vianney Parish. “I know that Tom, just like Jesus, will respond when he hears the urgent call of one in need. Your beautiful heart and caring spirit will be food for the heart for those you encounter.”

After he’d been to Jamaica, Tom wrote to Fred, “It was wonderful to see our world through the eyes of another people.” His attitude reflected Fred’s counsel “to go among the Jamaican people humbly, aware that they will be your first and best teachers. Love them unconditionally and the Gospel you preach will become incarnate.”

A passage from the OFM Madrid document (from 1973) seemed especially well-suited for missionary service in Jamaica, Fred said. “Aware of our obligation to be witnesses to the Gospel everywhere….we wish simply to be peacemakers without any pretensions. We must bear witness…to the irreplaceable value of each person.’

“Tom, I speak for all who know you when I say, there is no doubt you will be such a witness by sea or wherever the Lord leads you.”

Using the missioning booklets as fans, the congregation filed out the door and into the Jamaica-like heat for the short walk to the reception. The only one who didn’t seem to mind the temperature was Tom.