Iggy's Back on the Rez: Please! No photos!

On his deathbed, St. Francis enjoined the friars to “begin again. For until now we have done nothing.” Our brother, Father Ignatius DeGroot, ofm, has done just that. After an absence of twenty-five years-- and a lifetime of pastoral experience—he’s begun again by returning to the Arizona desert to work among the Tohono O’odham people. His experience and insights are of value for anyone who is just beginning in religious life. Or who, like himself, is beginning again. Who is Fr. Iggy and how did he get to where he is today? Well, here, I’ll let him tell you himself. He writes:

I am 69 years old , born in 1938, in Noordwijkerhout, the Netherlands. When I was 13 years old I entered the minor seminary in Holland. I was fascinated by a neighbor who was ordained and sent as a missionary to Brazil. The following year, my parents immigrated to the United States, and so in 1952, I entered the minor seminary in Santa Barbara. I subsequently did all of my studies in this country.

My major assignments as a friar have included being a teacher of religion at St. Elizabeth's High School in Oakland, pastor at the parish of Our Lady of Guadelupe in Delano, and also at a parish by the same name in Guadalupe, Arizona. In addition, I worked on the Tohono O’odham reservation (1978-83), and then at St. Mary's Stockton, St. Elizabeth's Oakland, and St. Anthony's San Francisco. After spending a year and a half as director of our retreat house in Three Rivers, California, I traveled to Guatemala, where I worked for five years. Now I am back with the Tohono O’odham.

Iggy wrote more in an article for our in-house publication, WestFriars:

As most of you (friars) know, I lived on the Tohono O’odham reservation for five years from 1978 to 1983. Coming back to the reservation last February (2006) has been an interesting experience for me.

First of all, it was a good experience to return again to the Sonoran Desert with its open vistas, its rocky mountains, which we call “islands” in the desert, to recognize the ironwood, the palo verde, and the mezquite, trees that fill all the washes. It was a joy this spring to have them bloom and turn green. It has been good to see again the coyote, the roadrunner, the hawks, and to hear the morning doves as I wake up. To live in a place where the sunrise and sunset are free spectacles presented so often. Recently the desert storms also have made their appearance, with their towering clouds, sometimes dark and then brillant white when the sun plays on them. To feel their fury in the winds and slashing rain, to hide from the dust storms that often precede them, is a powerful experience. The desert is beautiful.

But recently also the less desirable aspects of the desert have made their appearance. First of all, the heat. We have had weeks with temperatures over 110 degrees. (I live in Chuichu, where it is hotter than the villages of Covered Wells or Topawa where other friars live.) And with the heat also come the insects. Each night my house is invaded by crickets and other bugs.

It has also been good to meet old friends, both among the people and the staff. It has been good to hear the same old songs that we’d sung before, and to my surprise to have the little of the language that I learned then, come back to me without effort. I did not have to learn the names and places of the villages. I almost naturally remembered the customs and ways of doing things among the people. I did not feel like a stranger, but rather someone who has come back home.

The third natural thing that I did was to compare the present situation on the reservation with the situation 25 years ago. On many levels, things have gotten worse rather than better. The reservation is made up of the small town of Sells, and some forty villages, varying in size. Because of better transportation and other reasons, the cohesion of the communities has deteriorated. Among the people, there is much less participation, less working together. Then there always was the problem of alcohol, but now there has been added the strong presence of drugs, and with both of them violence and suicide are also more present. The drugs have brought gangs to the reservation-- not to the extent that they are in the cities, but they are here.

When I mention to outsiders that the missions here can only survive with outside support, I have been asked about the Indian casinos and the money they produce. Yes the O’odham, as all the other tribes, have casinos. And the money coming from them has been used for many worthwhile projects. Two new high schools, a junior college, a museum and cultural center, preschools, elderly centers, recreation centers, district offices, new tribal buildings, a new police complex: all have been mostly financed through the casinos. But with all the services, the welfare syndrome is still very present. People expect to be taken care of, rather than doing things for themselves. Recently I saw a house that was stripped inside and being rebuilt. The owner complained that the tribal agency was working on it and had not done anything for many months. My reaction (not expressed) was: “Why don't you do it yourself?”

Another very notable change here is the overwhelming presence of the Border Patrol. They are everywhere. Having lived in Nazi-occupied Holland when a child, I feel as if I am living in a zone occupied by a military force that has invaded. The border patrol is probably necessary, but it feels very uncomfortable. Recently I was stopped. When I asked the agent why he stopped me, he informed me that he did not have to give a reason. He said that they have the power to stop and search anyone. I guess the Constitution no longer applies.

Then, in the area of church, things have certainly not gotten better. First of all, the participation and attendance is much less then 25 years ago. Chapels which were mostly full then are now half-full. Also, the leadership is not as strong. One of the great problems is that persons with both interest and leadership ability are involved in so many other things that they do not have time to dedicate to the church. Added to this is that the diocese has mandated that all persons involved in any position in the parish go through the abuse training and certification. There has been a real resistance to this, and as a consequence many villages no longer have regular First Communion and Confirmation preparation. Also the uneasy marriage of native culture and European Catholicism causes the people not to fully claim our Catholicism as their own. Added to this is that a number of evangelical churches have come on to the reservation. Before it was just the Catholics and Presbyterians.

My final observation is regarding living alone. I really miss having a community. Living alone here means cooking for yourself, cleaning for yourself, shopping for yourself. They are not my favorite things to do. Also it is a challenge to pray regularly by oneself and to maintain the amenities of civilized life. I often turn on the T.V. simply to have a human voice speaking to me. (He adds: In terms of hobbies, I have always been a handy man, fixing what needs to be fixed, especially carpentry. Growing flowers, hiking are a source of enjoyment. Lately, I have developed a special interest in the immigration situation, so I celebrate Mass at the Eloy Detention Center….. I try to stay balanced, to maintain the discipline of life with a regular schedule of eating sleeping, prayer, work and recreation. I find a great peace in nature, so I make it a point to be in nature as often as I can. I also have made a point to be faithful to community life and especially here on the reservation,I do need to be faithful to prayer. My ministry is not just work.
I also have found it good to let the spiritual dimension of my work be real for me.

October 4: Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

From St. Francis of Assisi, Letter to the Faithful (1215)

Since I am the servant of all I am obliged to serve all and to carry out the fragrant words of my Lord, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word of the Father. I must also bring to your attention the words of the Holy Spirit which are spirit and life. Although all the world’s riches were his, Christ and his blessed mother chose poverty. He subjected his will to the will of his Father saying: Father, your will be done; not as I will but as you will. Now this was the will of his Father that his blessed Son, whom he gave us and who was born for us should offer himself by shedding his blood as a sacrifice and victim on the altar of the cross. This sacrifice was not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins thus leaving us an example that we should follow in his footsteps. He wants us all to be saved through him and to receive him with pure heart and sinless body. How happy and blessed are they who love the Lord and do what he says in the Gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul, and your neighbor as yourself. Let us therefore love God and adore him with pure heart and soul since he says that he is especially seeking authentic worshippers who will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Let us sing his praises and pray day and night because we must pray always without losing heart.

We must also fast and abstain from vices and sins and from excess in food and drink, and be Catholics. We must visit churches frequently and show reverence to clerics not only for their own sake, even though they be sinners, but because of the office they hold and because of the ministry of the holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which they offer on the altar and which they receive and administer to others. Let all firmly believe that no one can be saved except through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord’s holy words which clerics proclaim and administer. Religious, however, who have renounced the world are obliged to do more and greater things while not neglecting these. We must love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. We are to observe the commandments and counsels of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must also deny ourselves and submit our bodies to the yoke of service and of holy obedience just as each one promised the Lord.

We are not to be wise and prudent according to the flesh, but rather simple and humble and pure.

We must never wish to lord it over others but must rather seek to be servants and subject to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon all who have done this and persevered till the end, and this spirit will make his dwelling place and above in them and they shall be children of their Father in heaven whose works they do, and they are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I, friar Francis, your least servant, by the love that is God beg and implore all whom this letter may reach to receive these fragrant words of our Lord Jesus Christ with humility and love and to fulfill them in love and observe them to the letter. May the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bless all who accept them with love and understand the m and persevere to the end in putting them into practice. Amen.

This reading is taken from the Office of Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours for the solemnity of Our Holy Father, Francis of Assisi, Deacon, Founder of the Three Orders. (Ed. Quaracchi, 1941). Artwork: Michael D. O'Brien

October 3: The Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi

From: The Major Life of St. Francis by Brother Bonaventure

“When the hour of his passing was approaching, he had all the brothers staying in the place called to him and, comforting them about his death with words of consolation, he exhorted them to divine love with fatherly affection. He spoke at length about preserving poverty and patience and the faith of the holy Roman Church, placing the holy Gospel ahead of other observances.

"As all the brothers sat around him, he stretched his hand over them, crossing his arms in the form of a cross, for he always loved this sign. And he blessed all the brothers, both present and absent, in the name and power of the Crucified. Then he added: 'Goodbye, all my sons, in the fear of the Lord! Remain in Him always! Because a trial and tribulation is coming in the future, happy are thye who will persevere in those things they have begun. I am hurrying to God, to whose grace I entrust all of you.'

"When he finished this gentle admonition, the man most beloved of God ordered the Book of the Gospels brought to him and asked that the Gospel according to John be read to him from the place that begins: ‘Before the feast of Passover.’ He, as best he could, broke out in this psalm: ‘With my voice I cried to the Lord; With my voice I beseeched the Lord;’ and he finished it to the end. ‘The just,’ he said, ‘will await me until you have rewarded me.’” (Chap. XIV)

On the evening of October 3, 1226, Francis of Assisi died at the age of 44. After spending three days in the humble hut that his brothers had built as an infirmary, Francis had himself placed naked on the bare earth, and he died just as the friars were singing the verse of his "Canticle of the Creatures":

"Be praised, my Lord, for our sister Bodily Death, whom no living man can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are those whom she will find doing your holy will, for to them the second death will do no harm".

Each year, members of the Franciscan family around the world gather to remember the passing of Saint Francis: his transitus, into eternal life. This simple service of songs, readings, and prayers is a very poignant experience for all Franciscans. It is a time for all of us to remember our roots, to reflect upon our call, and to give thanks for the great gift of this extraordinary little poor man of Assisi (“Il Poverello”) , whose dream and struggle nearly 800 years ago to become a “living gospel” continue to inform and inspire people everywhere.

Franciscans on the Edge: Sister Ingrid J. Peterson speaks on heroic witnesses

Sister Ingrid Peterson knows her stuff. A Third Order Franciscan sister of Rochester, Minnesota, she is an internationally recognized scholar and has taught and written extensively in the area of Franciscan history and spirituality. She came to our parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Sacramento this past weekend to share some of the fruit of her lifelong reflection before an audience of more than 100 parishioners and guests.

When I heard the topic of her half-day workshop/seminar, I flinched just a little. Franciscans on the edge? The edge of what? Extinction? A nervous breakdown? What? I know we have our problems, but can things be that desperate? Turns out the ‘edge’ Sister Ingrid is referring to is that marginal space of culture, society, and even the Church itself that has been the real central focus of Franciscan contemplation and action for eight hundred years. Among the marginalized, the dispossessed, the despised, and the ignored is where we have always been at our best and frankly, it’s where we oughta be.

Peterson didn’t parade the usual suspects of Franciscan life (Francis, Clare, Anthony of Padua, etc). Instead, she spoke about Franciscan laypeople— Secular Franciscans/Third Order members mostly—who strove to find Christ and to ‘Spirit’ the edges of our world. In doing so, she opened up Franciscan hagiography to a whole new bunch of halos that haven't always been appreciated for their own special glow, including those of Brother Juniper, Elizabeth of Hungary, the married couple Luchesio and Buonadonna , Francis of Rome, and, closer to our own time, Matt Talbot and Carlo Carretto.

These have all been keepers of the Rule, to be sure, but more importantly, lovers of Jesus and the Gospel. “There are always rules coming out of the Church at various times,” Peterson quipped, “and we have to live between these rules.” She then proceeded to demonstrate the way that Franciscan women and men throughout the centuries have been able to thrive in and through the tensions of their own eras, both “on the edge” and “between the rules.”

Peterson systematically examined the biographies and legends of these holy people in order to dig deeper into the substratum of their real spiritual lives, and then in turn, to try to make these ‘lives of the saints’ accessible and relevant to ourselves. Elizabeth of Hungary, for example, when confronted by her husband about the bread she was sneaking to the poor, opened her food basket only to reveal a bouquet of roses instead. Angela of Foligno, while on pilgrimage to Assisi, received a deeply transforming experience of the love of God “in which she heard the Holy Spirit tell her how much she was loved.”

So why doesn’t that happen to us? “My bread never turned to roses,” someone once complained to Peterson. (We all nodded in silent agreement.) So, in the absence of roses, “How do I know what God wants of me?” Peterson asked. She emphasized that for most of us, our call does not arise through some extraordinary private revelation, but rather in the context of community and in the circumstances of our daily living. She then told us about Richard Rohr, the celebrated contemporary Franciscan writer and speaker. How Rohr had decided at one point to give up his successful preaching and writing ministry in order to become a missionary only to discover that God was not actually asking him to do so. “In this case, the call to be a missionary couldn’t be from God,” she explained, “because nobody else knew about it.” Reflecting more on the experience from that perspective himself, Rohr subsequently decided to stay put after all.

Peterson then spoke about her own vocation. “ How did I know I wanted to be a religious sister? I didn’t want to be one, actually. I went to public schools, and then in college—I was a college student, after all-- I saw the sisters and thought, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ But you know, it was just like the poem 'The Hound of Heaven'. Our God can be a real nag and in my case, just wouldn’t let go of me. Finally, I gave in and became a sister, and as they say (smiling) “I lived happily ever after.”

The real point of our Christian vocation, whether lay or religious, Sister Ingrid reflected, is to look to the example of Jesus and try to live it. “Jesus is the visible sign of the invisible God. Jesus teaches us that the way to God is through the Beatitudes. . . . The saints-- all the saints—have given their lives to follow Jesus in this way,” (no matter where it has led them). . . . And that’s what life at the edge is all about for all of us, isn’t it.

Some reflections questions, courtesy of Sister Ingrid J. Peterson:
What do you do for the love of God that others might consider foolish? What are some of the ways in which you feel called to bring peace instead of violence? In what ways has God broken into your life to set things right? Can you recall times in which service to others has brought you closer to God?

Some further reading by Ingrid J. Peterson:
Clare of Assisi: A Biographical Study
Praying with Clare of Assisi: Companions for the Journey (w/ Ramona Miller).

How to Talk Pretty Good Franciscan:Lesson 1

“Our new postulants will be joining local friars from the Ascension Friary on October 3 for the Feast of the Transitus of St. Francis. The local fraternity will host the event, with haustus and dinner following evening prayer.”

Hmm. Do you understand any of that? Sometimes we friars (there I go again) talk to ourselves entirely too much. Just like anyone else focused in a particular vocation (oops) or profession. We can get so intensely involved in our own world that we forget everyone else and just chirp along in our own lingo.

Well, here are a few terms to help you to understand the Franciscan dialect. This is not an exhaustive word list (or even alphabetically arranged), but it will give you a decent start. Stick with us and, little by little, you’ll be able to talk pretty good Franciscan, too. The descriptions and definitions are informal and meant only to give you a general idea of what the heck we’re talking about (we’re not always 100% sure ourselves).

Franciscan (noun). A person (male or female) who identifies with and follows Jesus Christ inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi (and don’t forget St. Clare of Assisi) as a member of a religious community or lay affiliate (e.g,, Secular Franciscans).

Friar (noun) A male religious, either priest (ordained) or brother (not ordained), who is a formal member of a Franciscan community.

Friary (noun) A residence for a particular group of Franciscan men (friars). Also called a “fraternity” among ourselves (or should I say, “in house.”). In some places in Europe or Latin America, this residence is also called a “convent.” Confused? So am I.

OFM. Initials which stand for the Latin “Orden fratris minores” or “Order of Friars Minor” or (loosely translated, “The order of little brothers”). Placed after a person’s name, it indicates his membership in the order: e.g., Carlos Diaz, ofm.

Observant (OFM), Capuchin (Ofm cap) , Conventual, (Ofm conv) ,Third Order Regular (TOR) Terms applied to the four major groupings of Franciscan men in the world. Taken together, we are known as the Franciscan family. Their origins and historical development would require a separate blogsite, but suffice it to say that each and every group follows the Rule of St. Francis. And yes, even though each group is different, we are all fully Franciscan. Do people ever get us confused? You bet.

The Rule. Every religious community has a foundational document which describes its purpose, mission, and standards of conduct. The Rule of St. Francis was written in 1209, then revised and approved by Pope Honorius in 1223. That same Rule is observed by Franciscans today.

Vow A promise or commitment. Franciscans make public vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as an indication of one’s total commitment to following the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Initial, or “simple” vows are made for a period of one year and are renewable annually. “Solemn” vows are made for life. In either case, the vows are made only after a period of careful study, prayer, and preparation.

Habit A garment worn by a man or woman belonging to a particular religious community to signify his/her membership in that community. The habit worn today by Franciscan men in the OFM tradition represents a particular style of dress decreed by Pope Leo XIII in 1893. Consisting of a tunic, a capuche (or hood) and a rope cord with three knots in it (representing each of the three vows a friar makes), our habit is a visual reminder of the kind of clothing worn by working men in the 13th century, the time of St. Francis of Assisi. Sandals, by the way, are optional.

Inquirer/ Aspirant/ Candidate. An inquirer is someone who is interested in and , quite literally, wants to ask some questions about our way of life. Inquirers may read literature, attend retreats and ongoing discernment groups, etc, but don’t make any specific commitment to entering the community. Aspirants are folks who are a little further along in the process. An aspirant has indicated that he would like to learn more about our community and is more focused and serious in his process. Typically, he has become familiar with the Franciscan spirit and lifestyle and may even know a few friars personally. Furthermore, he may be a participant in one of our preparatory programs, such as the House of Welcome and Discernment. A candidate is a man who has made the decision to apply for formal acceptance into the first stage of entry into community life called postulancy (see below).

Postulancy/ postulant (noun). The postulancy is a formal period of initial entry into community life. A postulant is a man who, having made formal application for acceptance and been approved by our community, enters an initial program of studies and preparation for religious life. In our province, the postulancy consists of a nine-month period of residency at a specific house we have established in Portland, Oregon. Men learn to live together in a regular schedule (horarium) of activites which structure prayer, work, household chores, and recreation. This is a “hands on” experience of religious life. Face it, you can read every book in the world about it, but unless you actually try it yourself, you won’t really know if it is for you. More—much much more—on postulancy in upcoming blogs.

Province. A particular entity, usually defined geographically, comprising a specific group of friars living and working under the direction of an elected leader known as the provincial minister. The Province of St. Barbara, for example, includes the entire West Coast of the United States, as well as Arizona, Nevada, and part of New Mexico.

Okay, had enough for now? These terms will give you a head start in understanding the structure of religious life in general and Franciscan life in particular. Stay turned for a future installment where we’ll explore such terms as Transitus, haustus (above) , charism, guardian, and – one of my personal favorites-- syndic (not to be confused with “cynic.”).

Father Tommy King ofm: Navigating a Missionary Vocation

August 23. The Feast of St. Rose of Lima-- an auspicious date for our interview. Here in Sacramento, Father Tommy King is at the tail end of his fourth annual visit from Tierra Blanca, Peru (population 4,500). During his month-long stay, he’s been able to spend time with friends, family, friars, and dentists. He leaves the day after tomorrow, so this is a good time to sit down and have a relaxed conversation. No mean feat when it concerns Tommy. At age 51, he is still a ball of energy, only part of which is fueled by caffeine. The rest is pure Tommy: alive, alert, full of Irish wit (his puns are deadly), and in a state of constant, cheerful commotion.

So I asked Tommy: "What does it take to be an effective missionary, especially a Franciscan missionary in Latin America?" He and Brother Gerard Saunders, for example, live and minister together in the Peruvian Amazon (an hour northeast of the capital city of Lima as the jet flies, but in reality, sometimes up to a week away via boat, bus, and prop plane). Tommy becomes uncharacteristically quiet when the question is posed: “Well, I guess it’s something in the heart that attracts you to working with another culture…. Plus, if (like myself) you’ve enjoyed a simple apartment, enjoy camping—being outdoors. The contact with nature that is so conducive to contemplative prayer…the tremendous freedom to love people who would normally be left out of the reach of God’s love. All that comes into play.”

In Tommy’s case, the call began as an attraction—“a churning”— he calls it, that he experienced while still in his twenties: “Before I became a (Franciscan) postulant, I was thinking about priesthood and language study.” This San Francisco Bay Area native—eighth in an Irish-German family of nine kids— soon found himself working among people from Latin America. He followed language studies in college with an intensive immersion experience in Spanish in Cuernevaca, Mexico. This, in turn, led him to dive into ministry as a Franciscan student friar and subsequently as an ordained priest ministering among Latinos in California. His present stint in Peru, where he has been stationed since 2003, is his second tour as a missionary. Previously, Tommy spent four years as a formation director of Franciscan students from our province and was based in El Mezquital, a marginal area of Guatemala City, Guatemala.

While Fr. Tommy mentions interest and passion as elements essential to a missionary vocation, there are other components which, though unnamed, are very much a part of his own story and life. Physical and spiritual stamina, for one thing. Fr. Tommy’s “parish” extends over an area of 3400 square miles, most of which is accessible only by motor boat (in this case, the Grenada, purchased with the help of American benefactors) or ferry. While Brother Gerard focuses his energies in teaching—he is principal of the high school in Tierra Blanca—Tommy spends much of his year visiting the 60-odd villages scattered throughout this part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Requeña, one of three such dioceses in Peru entrusted to the care of the Franciscan order. The present bishop, Monsignor Juan Oliver Climent ofm, is a native of Valencia, Spain, and has been in Peru just two years.

Fr. Tommy describes a typical experience in an email to family and friends: “In a wonderful fraternal gesture of support, (Fr) Ed Shea (a friar from the Sacred Heart province in the US Midwest) came... to help me with the last three weeks of the gira pastoral (pastoral visitation)… Because we often baptized in two villages each day, we are able to visit 23 villages in 21 days. We often registered the children and gave pre-Baptismal talks at 3 and 5 in the afternoon and then baptized… the following morning. We had lunch… then proceeded to another two villages in the afternoon to repeat the routine...."

Back home in Tierra Blanca, Fr. Tommy has time for some r&r and contact with community life. He and Brother Gerard have regular morning prayer and lunch together most days. Wednesday evenings are for social time, which sometimes includes the viewing of a dvd, thanks to the house generator. Most evenings—there is electricity from 7-9pm, there is Internet access at the school: “After years of empty promises, “ Tommy writes, “(Brother Gerard) finally got the Peruvian Ministry of Education to install a satellite dish in the local high school!” An inveterate soccer fan, Tommy is also an active member of the veteranos, one of two soccer teams in town for men over 50. Town and village fiestas—with processions, music, food, and dance—provide the indispensable accent of Latino exuberance and joy!

Although they live in a remote area, Tommy and Gerard are not isolated in their Franciscan identity. Tommy looks as the Mision franciscana in Tierra Blanca as an “umbrella”: Gerard helps in the parish, but is full-time in the school. Three Franciscan Sisters of the Nativity of Mary —all Peruvian natives— minster in the town. Sisters Gloria, Guadalupe, and Esther are busy with the medical diapensary, a vocational training center, religious education, and youth ministry. Collaboration with the laity is promoted through the training of animators throughout the parish, who are authorized to assist in faith formation and in the administration of the sacramento of baptism. “I am trying to give a sense of ministry broader than that of the priest, “Tommy stresses. He presently teaches four formation courses per year for animators from both the southern and northern regions of the parish. Training sessions are offered in Tierra Blanca over a three-day period. Happily, the Parish Center is able to accommodate upwards of 30 participants during that time.

So how does it feel working in such an intense and demanding environment? “I’m excited. As a friar, I’ve never done anything for more than four years. It feels great to have established some relationships. People trust me a bit more (now)…. I know their names and the names of their dogs, too!.... Gerard and I have a shared conviction that this is where we belong. We Franciscans do our best work among marginalized people…. My hope for the future would be that the Church would affirm the dignity of all people as sons and daughter of God. That people will...push for better schools, health centers, etc. This comes from a sense of faith and joy, not of burden.”

Any words of wisdom for men in discernment? “If this is your call, it’s a tremendous freedom to love people who would normally be left out of the reach of God’s love. The freedom of Franciscan celibacy allows you to go to those places. If you feel the draw, the churning, pray with it and see what surfaces.”

Fr. Tommy King welcomes contact with anyone who would like more information about the Franciscan presence in Tierra Blanca. You can reach him at: tommykofm@yahoo.com

Vietnamese Marian Days in Carthage, Missouri (August 2-5, 2007)

“Mot, hai, ba”—“One, two, three”! “Cheeezzz”! As the shutter snaps, the row of rumpled Franciscans begins to stand at ease and breathe again. It’s been a hot and humid day in Carthage, Missouri at the 30th Annual Marian Day celebrations / Ngay Thành Mau XXX (August 2-5). Ninety-five in the shade and 90% humidity. Sweating and sweltering in our habits, we friars are trying to put a happy face on things. Liters of bottled water splashing down parched throats; hand fans waving furiously in the still heat. Here in the Ozarks we’re far from the California shore, but trying not to think of it. Besides, it’s worth it.

Since 1978, the Vietnamese Congregation of the Mother Coredemptrix (CMC) has sponsored this annual event which now draws upwards of 75,000 Vietnamese American Catholics from the South and Southeast for a four-day festival of faith and culture. The town of Carthage (population 12,000) swells with tents pitched throughout the congregation’s 28-acre campus and spilling over to the front and backyards of accommodating neighbors. This is the event of the year, a real Catholic Woodstock.

When the Marian Days first started in 1978, just three years after the fall of Saigon, fewer than 2,000 people attended. Townspeople in this Bible Belt region were initially hesitant to permit the event, not knowing quite what to expect. But after the organizers proved that they would be no trouble or nuisance, but on the contrary, a real boon to the area and it’s summer tourist economy, minds and hearts began to change. These days, everyone in southwest Missouri knows about Marian Days; visitors are universally accorded a gracious welcome. Local families and churches have joined forces to assist in accommodations and services in a truly ecumenical spirit.

We Franciscans came in full force this year—two of us (Brother Nghia Phan and myself) from California—and a half-dozen friars from our Midwestern province of the Sacred Heart, including friars Mike Fowler and Duc Phan. Father Hung Nguyen, the Capuchin Franciscan vocations director from Berkeley, made our entourage complete. We set up tables and manned tent booths offering vocations literature, holy cards, badges and smiles to everyone who passed by. The place was jammed with thousands of Vietnamese-American youth, to be sure. But most folks were more interested in checking out the food and music (and each other, of course!) than in asking about religious life.

No matter. We knew the score from past experience. This time we came, along with representatives of more than a dozen men and women’s religious congregations, to offer a ministry of presence and support. Many young people had never seen a sister or male religious before and were curious. Others just wanted someone to chat with about what was going on in their lives: (“How do I tell my mom I’m dating someone who’s not Vietnamese?” ….“I work in a nail salon in Flint, Michigan, and send all my money to my family in Vietnam. I feel so lost and depressed here sometimes What can I do?.”…. “At first I came here because my parents insisted. Now that I have a family of my own, I want my kids to know about their Vietnamese culture and be proud of their faith.”)

All of it—the food, the music, presentations, the liturgies, the splendid procession of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima through the neighborhood streets—was more than worth it. Marian Days was and is living proof of the vitality and durability of the Catholic faith among the Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Americans. (Vietnamese now number about 1.5 million in the US. About one-third of them are Catholics).

When we weren’t talking with folks who strolled by in a steady stream, we took some time for fraternal check-in and fun among ourselves, catching up on each other’s lives and asking about the different brothers we knew from each other’s provinces. During meal breaks, we headed off to the cafeteria where the CMC (Chi Dong Dong Cong) brothers and an army of volunteers provided complimentary food (pho!) and beverages in air-conditioned comfort!

The culminating event of the four-day celebration of faith was the Saturday evening procession followed by fireworks and balloons and an outdoor Mass with an ocean of attentive and devout faces of all generations. Here one felt: yes, the Church is vibrant and strong. And the faith these people have brought with them, following decades of struggle, social displacement, and personal suffering is a true gift to the Catholic community in the United States and the world. //