Friar Gino Piccoli: Working On the Rez without Reservations

“Before we leave,” Father Gino announces, “let’s end the Mass with a Native American blessing. Would that be okay?” Parishioners at the 5:15 Saturday Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Sacramento nod in eager agreement. In the course of the hour-long liturgy, Friar Gino Piccoli—visiting from the San Carlos (Arizona) Apache reservation-- has clearly won them over with his warmth and sincerity:

“Good. Let’s stand and turn to the East—the rising Sun, the sign of God’s faithfulness everyday. Remember, God doesn’t forget us in the night….. Now, to the South: Sister Rain. We depend upon God for Water. Without it, we are dead… Now, the West: Bother Sun goes to bed every night. Causes us to think of our elders, how they and we are preparing for our eternal bed… Finally, let’s turn to the North. Do we have any ice in our hearts? People we have not forgiven? Are we holding any grudges? Let’s let go of all of that before we leave church….”



The following day, I had the chance to chat with Father Gino a bit: “That was a beautiful blessing you gave us, Brother,” I asked. “How do you think Native American spirituality and the Franciscan spirit 'fit'?” “The more I find out about it, “ he answers, “the more it seems that the two are interchangeable. Take the blessing of the four directions. God is all around me. Apache spirituality is so Franciscan since it doesn't see God 'up there' in the heavens...nor 'over there' at a holy place (e.g.,Fatima, Assisi). Rather, God means to envelope you 24 hours a day. So as longa s you remain the middle--surrounded at all times by the presence of the Divine--as symbolized by turning in a circle when we say 'Amen!', God will always be present...Churches, shrines, Sacraments are beautiful--but will not make God more present than the God who wants to be around you at all times."

Father Gino knows what he’s talking about. At age 68, the Chicago native speaks with the frankness of an urban Midwesterner. Physically, he is solidly built, compact, down to earth as well. Gino has been living and working on the San Carlos Apache reservation outside of Phoenix for eleven years now. He knows something of both the beauty of Native American people, their culture, and their spirituality as well as the sometimes brutal harshness of life on the rez.

“Unfortunately, the Indian spirituality is no longer on the reservation in a very clear way,” he continues. “The kids don’t have it; the adults who are drinking don’t have it; and the people who do have it don’t share it much. For myself, after eleven years, I feel like I am just beginning to know the people. And you learn by trial and error here. There are no books; nobody who is an ombudsman for you—nobody who will take you aside and say, “Look Father, we don’t do things here that way.”

“For example, you need to understand the importance of ‘blood’ (relationship). It is said that the Apaches sometimes don’t like to volunteer for things because that would mean that you are putting yourself forward too much. Or if you ask people to do something, they will rarely say ‘no’ but then they may not show up, which is okay, because it allows them to save face. But if it’s about blood relationship —if the whole family or clan decides to get involved-- there’s absolutely no problem. At a bazaar, for example, if we have a booth with fry bread, then 6-8 relatives will all show up to help. It’s no problem at all. It takes a long time for an outsider to ‘get ‘ something like that.”

In addition to being a dedicated pastor, Gino is an accomplished artist—his works grace several of our parishes and friaries—but he would be the first to downplay the fact: “I’ve never been a fine artist; I only do artwork that has a purpose. For me, it’s about community, about involving people. It’s how I get to know them. I don’t have my habit on, for example. We work together side by side and everybody gets dirty.” At the same time, he is quite upfront about the limits of this kind of approach on the reservation.



The Franciscan friars have been in the US Southwest for more than four hundred years now. The presence of men from the St. Barbara Province on the San Carlos reservation dates from around 1918. For the most part, many of these ‘home missionary’ friars have lived alone in the villages, coming together periodically for prayer and community. Gino is part of that tradition; he uses his day off to connect with Friar Eddie Fronske, who has been working among another branch of the Nation—the White River Apaches-- for more than two decades. “ We’ll meet at a restaurant in Globe, have a meal, and just sit for two or three hours talking. What is especially good about it (the fraternal connection) for us is that unless you’ve been there, you don’t really understand. With Eddie I don’t have to explain myself. He knows exactly what I’ve been experiencing and what I feel.” Mutual fraternal support is crucial to the life and work of the friars in this context.

Despite the challenges of the pastoral situation, there are also wonderful blessings that come with living and working on the reservation. Most recently, one of the young men from the Apache nation, Phillip Polk, has been accepted into our postulancy program—a cause for great celebration and joy for both the Franciscans and the people of San Carlos.



How does the future look to Father Gino? Will he continue to work on the rez? “I came here because I was sent here, “ Gino shares. “But it’s the Gospel that has kept me here. Over time I’ve learned to feel helpless with people—looking for the right thing to do to make a difference and rarely finding it. But you just have to keep faithful on the path where there is often very little immediate reward. If I started over again, I wouldn’t live in the rectory. I’d get an old trailer and bring it on the property. Live more like the people here live.”

“Even with the struggles, though, being on the rez has been a blessing. It has brought me back to my dreams about what we friars should be and be about. I would like to continue (my ministry here). I would like to die here if I could. Living and working with the poor, with no status, no security. The lifestyle represents so much for me what I would like to be and become as a friar."

BROTHERS FOR OTHERS: A Franciscan Discernment Retreat

BIG REWARD!
WANTED: Dead or Alive!
(Well, preferably alive)
BROTHERS FOR OTHERS


Every Franciscan has a double vocation: to be a brother for others in community and to minister to the People of God, whether as a lay brother or as a priest. Come and learn more about the rewards of being a Franciscan Friar—a real brother for others. If you’re a single Catholic man 21-40 considering religious life, we’d like to talk with you!

BROTHERS FOR OTHERS
A Franciscan discernment retreat
AUGUST 15-16-17
OLD MISSION SAN LUIS REY
OCEANSIDE CALIFORNIA

FOR DETAILS CONTACT:
FRIAR CHUCK TALLEY, OFM
916/443-2714; 503/757-2984
EMAIL: cstalleyho@ yahoo.com

YOU MUST SHOW UP IN PERSON TO CLAIM YOUR REWARD!

St. Bonaventure (1218-1274)

Okay, here’s a quick Jeopardy quiz for you. If the “answer” is “St. Bonaventure”, which of these 'questions' is correct:

--Who was the thirteenth century Franciscan saint whose writings served as the inspiration for the doctoral studies of our present Pope Benedict XVI?

--What early Franciscan figure is said to have actually received his name from Francis of Assisi himself?

--What medieval Franciscan scholar has left generations of theology students stunned, frustrated and sometimes utterly confused by the density of his thought and frequently inaccessible language?

Right. You’ve got it. All three questions are correct. Meet Bonaventure of Bagnoregio! Today celebrate the feast of this, one of the leading intellectual figures of the Franciscan movement, a foremost proponent of its mystical tradition—and most significantly, perhaps, a man deeply devoted to Christ. It is said that Bonaventure was one of the first scholars to give the spiritual movement inaugurated by St. Francis of Assisi a solid theological and psychological basis: “His spiritual teaching, like his whole system of thought, centers about Christ. In him the tender affective love of Francis for the humanity of Christ -- a stress on love and the part played by will rather than on knowledge and the part played by intellect. He did not hesitate to teach that an idiot might love God as well as the most learned divine. For him the Incarnation and Redemption are the crowning glory of God's work, the supreme purpose of all creation and therefore, necessarily, the focus of all spiritual life. The practical goal of spiritual endeavor for all, according to his teaching, is contemplative prayer directed at union with the divine.” (ref: www.cin.org/saints/bonaventure.htmlhttp://www.cin.org/saints/bonaventure.html).

Born in Tuscany in 1218 and baptized “Giovanni”, it is said that he received the name ‘Bonaventure’ from St. Francis himself. At the request of the infant’s mother, Francis prayed for little Giovanni who was seriously ill. At the child’s healing, he purportedly exclaimed, “Oh buena ventura!—Oh, what good fortune!” (Whether true or not, it's a lovely tale).


As a student at the University of Paris, the young Bonaventure was deeply influenced by the teachings of the English scholar and don, Alexander of Hales. He eventually followed his professor into the Franciscan order and completed his studies, laying the foundations of the Franciscan school of philosophy and theology. During this time, Bonaventure was a contemporary and colleague of the celebrated Dominican friar, St. Thomas Aquinas. Both men were active in the defense of the new mendicant orders’ vision and presence at the University.

In 1257, at the age of 35, Bonaventure was elected as minister general of the entire Franciscan Order, a position he almost until his death sixteen years later. The internal situation of the Order at the time was tenuous; the Spirituales or zealots for the literal observance of the Rule were at odds with the Relaxati who sought a less rigorous interpretation. By dint of patience and perserverance, Bonaventure was able to negotiate some kind of modus vivendi between the two movements. For his tact and diligence he was aptly dubbed the 'Second Founder' of the Order. And at the Franciscans’ general chapter (formal corporal gathering) at Narbonne in 1260 he presented the Order with its first constitutions. He also organized the studies of clerics in the Order and encouraged the highly successful apostolate of popular preaching associated with the best of the medieval friars.


Much to his chagrin, Bonaventure was named first a bishop and later, in 1273, a cardinal . According to legend, when the papal legates arrived with the symbolic “red hat” for him, they found him washing the dishes. He asked them to hang the hat on the branch of a tree until he had finished. The last months of his life Bonaventure worked on the Council of Lyons—an effort aimed at achieving rapprochement between Latin and Eastern churches. He died unexpectedly at the Council on July 14th, 1274. Bonaventure was canonized in 1482 , and in 1588 named a doctor of the universal Church.

In the midst of a lifetime filled with demanding administrative responsibilities, Bonaventure nevertheless managed to write extensively on Franciscan history and spirituality, as well as more general treatises on philosophy, theology and scripture. Among them Commentary on the Franciscan Rule, his biography of St. Francis and the celebrated Itinerarium mentis in Deum (The Soul’s Journey into God) stand out as exemplary scholarly works. For a more in-depth introduction to St. Bonaventure’s philosophical work, see: http://www.franciscan-archive.org/bonaventura/index.html
For many young scholars and others, access to Bonaventure’s work has proved, initially at least, a burdensome task. As a contemporary interpreter of Bonaventure, Ilia Delio notes,”his language, rich with symbolism and the numerical patterning of his ideas, all make for difficult reading to the untrained eye. The complex medieval thought patterns that characterize Bonaventure’s writings can be either intimidating and, or frustrating, and the question is often asked, ‘what is he really saying?’”



That having been said, Delio and other contemporary Franciscan scholars, including Timothy Johnson, Charles Carpenter, and others have done a yeoman’s service in making the world of Bonaventure’s thought and prayer more “user-friendly” and accessible to the modern reader and scholar. (See, especially, Simply Bonaventure, The Humility of God, and Franciscan Prayer—all by Ilia Delio—as well as Bonaventure: Mystic of God’s Word, by Timothy Johnson.
As Delio explains, “the pattern of Bonaventure’s thought is ‘circular’—we come from God, we exist in relation to God and we are to return to God.’ (SB, p.13) . And elsewhere: “He viewed Christ less as a remedy for sin and more as the goal and center of the universe. Christ came, he said, to complete the univese as well as to save us from sin.” (Humility, p.11).
This is all just a tiny taste of a man celebrated as much for his personal holiness as for his intellectual rigor and accomplishment. Bonaventure’s writings, Delio reminds us, “reveal a fertile mind, a passionate heart, a generous spirit and a consuming passion for truth.”

The life and work of St. Bonaventure have helped to spark a contemporary revival in Franciscan thought and continue to enrich our heart-centered intellectual tradition. In the United States, St. Bonaventure University in New York state (www.sbu.edu), has served an important role in preserving that tradition since its founding in 1858. And the University’s Franciscan Institute functions as “the preeminent center in North America of teaching, research and publication on the history, spirituality and intellectual life of the Franciscan movement.” (/www.sbu.edu/FranciscanInstitute) Both the University and the Francisan Institute are closely affiliated with the Holy Name Province of our Order: www.hnp.org .
Whether one’s interests are primarily intellectual or not (and most friars, quite frankly, are more pastorally focused), we recognize with a certain amount of pride this intellectual giant in our tradition who was also an exemplar of deep faith, compassion, and humility.

Bonaventure on St. Francis of Assisi: "His attitude towards creation was simple and direct, as simple as the gaze of a dove; as he considered the universe, in his pure, spiritual vision, he referred every created thing to the Creator of all. He saw God in everything, and loved and praised him in all creation. By God's generosity and goodness, he possessed God in everything and everything in God. The realization that everything comes from the same source made him call all created things -- no matter how insignificant -- his brothers and sisters, because they had the same origins as he. --Minor Life of St. Francis

Five (or Six) Franciscan flicks... for your summer viewing

It’s just too darned hot! At first, I thought about writing a brief column on summer reading—basic sources about Sts. Francis & Clare, Franciscan life, spirituality and traditions, and so on. But then it got so to be too much here in Sacramento—over 100 degrees every day this past week and pollution overflowing from nearby forest fires. I thought “Let’s be realistic. Who wouldn’t rather watch a flick instead of read a book under these circumstances?” So, the book list will have to wait a bit—at least until it cools off here.

So, if you would like a more direct, visual experience and encounter with Franciscan life, you may want to consider renting or even buying one of these films. Each provides its own unique portrayal of the lives of the early Franciscan saints. This list is not meant to be representative or exhaustive. For instance, we need more info about films on St. Clare. If you have any other recommendations, responses, or reactions, feel free to share. I’ll be happy to post them in the blog. Meanwhile, stay cool and enjoy!--ct

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) ***
Director: Franco Zefirelli
Actors: Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Leigh Lawson, Kenneth Cranham, Lee Montague
Languge: English, French. Run time: 121 minutes
Format: VHS, DVD.
DVD list price: $14.95. Available through Amazon. com



Call it what you will—romantic, escapist, totally unrealistic. It doesn’t matter. The truth is that, even after more than thirty years, this film continues to inspire and attract people to Franciscan life. Don’t ask me how exactly. But trust me, it does.
Although it echoes in some ways the counterculture of the Sixties and Seventies, Zefirelli’s film adaptation of the lives of Francis and Clare strikes a deeply sympathetic chord with viewers. I know for a fact that more than one friar has received the inspiration for his vocation from this flick. It’s not just the lush photography of the Umbrian landscape or the winning melodies of Donovan—it’s, well, it’s the wonderful combination of passion, youthful idealism, and simplicity that charms and captivates the viewer.



Francesco (1989) ***
Director: Liliana Cavani
Actors: Mickey Rourke, Helen Bonham Carter
Languages: English, Italian. Run time: 119 minutes
Format: dvd, List price: Available through Amazon.com



Mickey Rourke as Saint Francis? Those familiar with Rourke’s ‘bad boy’ image may wince at the suggestion. But in this dramatic, but not overacted representation of the life of Il Poverello, Rourke gives a more than credible performance. Director Cavani has given an honest portrayal of the meaning of suffering and the necessity of the cross in the real sanctification of Francis. This very serious, gritty, and historically accurate portrayal of Francis, Clare, and the early Franciscan men and women provides a satisfying antidote for those who find “Brother Sun/ Sister Moon” more than a bit spacey, and cloying in its romanticism.




The Flowers of St Francis (1950) ***
Director: Roberto Rossellini. Co-writer: Frederico Fellini
Actors: Pino Locchi, Gianfranco Bellini, Arabella Lemaitre, Roberto Sorrentino, Aldo Fabrizi. And unnamed Franciscan friars.
Language: Italian, w/ English subtitles. Run time: 87 min.
Format: b&w, dvd. DVD list price: $29.95



Ingeniously, Rossellini made use of actual Franciscan friars in this portrayal of selected scenes from the Fioretti or Little Flowers of St. Francis—a collection of legends about Francis and his early followers which still enjoys some degree of popularity even today. There is a definite feeling of postwar grittiness to this film in its starkness, the texture of the black&white format, the awkwardness of certain scenes and even much of the acting. But the figure of Francis is sensitively portrayed, and solid and convincing in its ascetic gaze. This is about spareness and austerity, not happy-go-lucky romanticism. A serioius film about a serious subject matter—the deep longing for God that Francis expressed with his life.



Francis of Assisi (1961) no rating
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Bradford Dillman, Dolores Hart
Languages: English
Run time: 105 min.
Format: color, dvd, vhs. List price: $14.95 (but available for less from Amazon.com)
Trailer link: ttp://www.videodetective.com/movies/FRANCIS_OF_ASSISI/trailer/P00180628.htm



Since I haven’t had the chance to see this film myself, I’ll just quote from a few, varied opinions offered online. What do you think?

--“ Earnest, yet so-so rendering bio reinactment, 'Francis of Assisi' doesn't give the troubadour saint the spark he deserves. The film is a product of its times, giving the movie a lot of ceremony, but not much substance. “
-- “This film on the life of one of the Church's greatest Saints was never given the proper credit it deserved. Bradford Dillman shines as the merchant turned Saint….Dolores Hart as Clare,shortly after playing this role ,left Hollywood to become a cloistered nun….Lots of spiritual awakening in this great film."

Saint Anthony: The Miracle Worker of Padua (2004) ****
Director: Umberto Marino
Actors: Daniele Liotti, Enrico Brignano, Jose Sancho
Language: Italian, w/ English subtitles. Run time: 95 min.
Format: dvd. DVD list price: $24.95. Available through Ignatius Press: www.ignatius.com



A surprisingly gripping telling of the life of St. Anthony, tracing his early life and conversion in Lisbon, the discernment of his Franciscan calling, and his life-long struggle for spiritual transformation. This is not a biopic about a plaster saint; Anthony lives, breathes, and struggles mightily with questions of faith. The portrayal is emotionally evocative and believable, even though in a purely physical sense, the leading actor, Daniele Liotti, does not quite cut the ascetic figure of the ‘real’ Anthony.

Anthony: Warrior of God (2006) *
Director: Antonello Belluco
Actors: Jordi Molla, Joe Capalbo, Matt Patresi, Arnoldo Foa
Language: Italian, w/ English subtitles
Format: dvd. Running time: 102 min.
List price: $24.98. Available through Xenon Picures, Inc. www.xenonpictures.com and Amazon.com



In contrast to Umberto Marino’s more panoramic vision of the life of St. Anthony, this film concentrates on the experiences of the mature saint in his ministry to the people of Padua. The subject of usury—the confiscatory interest charged by the city’s moneylenders—is at the heart of Anthony’s struggle here. Jordi Molla’s portrayal of the saint is sympathetic, but lacks the sense of unfolding spiritual development through the course of his life. In a sense, the story here is as much about Padua as it is about Anthony.

Simply... professed!

At the same time the friars were welcoming our new brother novices this past Fourth of July holiday, we also celebrated with four young (okay, young-ish) men who have just completed their novitiate year. The quartet—three from our province of St. Barbara, and a fourth from our sister province of Our Lady of Guadalupe-- made their first, or simple profession of vows. At a Eucharistic liturgy celebrated on the morning of July 4, the new friars made their public profession in the presence of Bishop Richard Garcia of the Diocese of Monterey, California, and before provincial ministers Melvin Jurisich (St. Barbara Province) and Larry Dunham (Our Lady of Guadalupe province.



More than 200 friars, family members, and friends attended the liturgy held in the chapel of the St. Francis Retreat Center, San Juan Bautista, California—including an extraordinary turnout of some 50 friars from the province of St. Barbara. Novice master Brother Regan Chapman was on hand; Friar Ponchie Vasquez served as master of ceremonies.



The newly professed are Friars Eric Pilarcik, Joseph Sury, Robert Valentine and Christopher Kerstiens. Their “simple” or temporary profession represents a public commitment to observe the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience during a period of one year. These vows, then, are renewed annually for a minimum of three years before the man is eligible to make solemn (or lifetime) profession as a full member of the Order. There is tremendous wisdom in this step-by-step process. Although the wait for solemn profession may seem frustrating and even interminable at times, it nevertheless allows both the candidate and the community to continue the process of mutual discernment. After all, the ultimate commitment is ostensibly for one’s lifetime, so thoroughgoing reflection is essential.





Friar Eric Pilarcik, 41, was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and received his BA degree from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, before moving to southern California. Prior to entering the Franciscans, Eric worked in real estate in both Michigan and California. Most recently, he worked as a location scout for tv and film companies in the LA area. Upon the profession of simple vows, Eric has been assigned to St. Elizabeth Friary, Oakland, California, and will begin studies toward the M.Div. (Master of Divinity) degree at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley.



“The past year was difficult to begin with-- adusting to things-- being in the middle of nowhere in a hyper-remote area and getting used to the community of friars at San Miguel. (The novitiate is located at the Old Mission in San Miguel, California.—ed.) The program was intense, but it ended up being just excellent. It was never what I expected. I learned to see God in so many things-- by stopping and noticing God throughout my life: in the past, in the present, in others, and in myself.



“I feel very happy to have been accepted by the friars. Entering later in life-- with past careers-- I worried about where I would start, how I would fit in. But I learned that it was just perfect. I would not have been ready one day sooner. I was amazed. Things fell right into place. I look forward to the next year-- to classes, to exploring things, and to having the opportunity to learn more about theology. And I am looking forward to the St. Elizabeth community. And to leaving the door open to new discoveries.”


Friar Joseph (Joe) Sury, 38, is a native Demotte, Indiana, and moved to the Phoenix, Arizona area with his parents while he was still in high school. Joe worked as an accountant before joining the friars. Upon the profession of simple vows, he has been assigned to St. Elizabeth Friary, Oakland, California. Like his classmate, Eric, he will be studying for the M.Div. degree at the Franciscan School of Theology, Berkeley.



“I have a deeper awareness today of my life than I did prior to entering the Franciscans. I've had the gift of a year to reflect-- not only for today-- but for the rest of my life. I've been able to see the moments where hod has been in my life.
I have grown in self-esteem and confidence. I've been able to do things I felt afraid to do in the past. I've been able to grow in community w/ the friars already at Old Mission San Miguel as well as with my classmates. I'm beginning to realize the special bond we've had and will have for the rest of our lives. And.... I am looking forward to pasing the dishrag on to the incoming novices!”



Friar Robert J (Bob) Valentine, 52, was born in Dearborn, Michigan, and brought up in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Bob studied Regina Cleri seminary high school in Tucson, Arizona. Bob subsequently entered our formation program first in 1975. After nearly eight years with the Franciscans, Bob left for more than twenty years, during which time he completed his training as a physician assistant at the University of California, Davis. Prior to his most recent entry into postulancy, Bob worked as emergency room coordinator for hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Upon the profession of simple vows, he has been assigned to St. Boniface Friary in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. He will be working as physician assistant for hospitals in the Berkeley/ Oakland area.



“It has been most important for me to see myself as loved-- to understand that I am loved and loveable. I've come to understand that my 'loveability' has absolutely nothing to do with with what I do, but who I am, and Who created me. It is very much a manifestation of the Incarnation. My life as a friar will be about living that life-- not about doing 'the work'. I have learned that my weaknesses and failures are also my gratest strengths. And the greatest gift I have to offer my community . Because of my weaknesses I am now more fully human.”

Friar Christopher (Chris) Kerstiens is a native of Torrance, California, and is a member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Upon his first profession, he will be assigned to the formation community in San Antonio and will begin studies at the OMI (Order of Mary Immaculate) School of Theology in that city.



“I have learned so much about myself and about the friars during my novitiate year. But now, I’m ready for the next step in my formation and am really looking forward to starting studies.”

Congratulations, Brothers! Now, get to work!

Investiture: Our New Novices Receive the Habit

This Fourth of July holiday, the friars of the Province of Saint Barbara had two very special celebrations. The first, held at the time of community evening prayer (5:15pm) on July 3, marked the “investiture” or formal reception of the Franciscan habit by our three incoming novices: Eric Burke, Javier Diaz, and Victor Vega. The event was attended by approximately 75 friars, family members, and friends at the chapel of the St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista, California (about 100 miles south of the San Francisco Bay area.



The investiture is quite a moving ceremony in which the newly received members of the community symbolically “shed” their former identity in the world and begin their new life as religious. Father Mel Jurisich ofm, our minister provincial, and Brother Regan Chapman, ofm, the novice master formally received the new novices by literally “clothing” them in the characteristic brown robe, capuche (hood), and cord belt of the Order of Friars Minor. The version of the habit presently worn by the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) actually dates from modifications made in 1894 and is reminiscent of the garb of laborers in 13th century Italy, the time of St. Francis of Assisi.



In decades past, candidates would enter the sanctuary formally dressed in suit and tie. At the moment of receiving the habit, their jackets would be removed and exuberantly thrown onto the sanctuary floor—much to the delight of most of the friars-- and to the consternation of some of the mothers. We’ve really toned things down a bit since that day.



By taking on the habit, the new brothers publicly declare their intention to live the life of the Friars Minor “in poverty, chastity, and with nothing of their own” for the requisite probationary year. Much of that year will be spent learning the significance of the trio of vows Franciscans take: poverty, chastity, and obedience. In addition, our new brothers will spend time learning more about Franciscan spirituality, deepening their prayer life, developing community living skills, engaging in limited ministry and manual labor, and growing in their identity as Franciscan friars. Upon the conclusion of their successful novitiate year, the men will make their first, or “simple” profession, renewed annually for a minimum of three years.

So, meet our new novices, and read what they have to say about their hopes and expectations for this important new stage of their commitment to religious life. Keep in mind that each of these men has already completed a rigorous trial or “postulancy” program—in this case, a nine-month residency in Portland, Oregon, under the direction of Brother Robert Rodrigues, along with the help of Father John dePaemelaere.



Brother Eric Burke, 27, was born at Jemez Pueblo, Jemez, New Mexico, and brought up in the Chino Hills area of southern California. Eric holds a BA in Human Services from California State University, Fullerton, and was involved in full-time parish work as a youth minister at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Chino Hills before entering our postulancy program in September, 2007.



“The more I think over how I got to this moment, the more I realize the grace of God in my life. This postulancy year leaves me feeling excited and overwhelmed at the same time. So, we'll see what comes of it.”

Brother Javier Diaz, 24, was born in Santa Ana, California, and brought up in Corona. He received a BS degree in Business from the University of California, Riverside, and worked in retail sales at a Smart & Final outlet before joining our postulancy program.



“The postulancy year has been extremely exciting. I am open to the seeing what the coming year will be. I am praying that I can grow in the spiritual life and in community with the brothers I will be entering with as well as the brothers already there. I will be learning to balance my life with the friars along with my life with family and friends."

Brother Victor M. Vega Solorio, 33, is a native of Michoacán, Mexico. After immigrating to the United States, he lived in the Salinas, California area where he was an agricultural laborer before entering our postulancy program. Previously, Victor successfully completed the ACE (Accelerated College English) program at Mount Angel (Oregon) Seminary while in residence at our House of Welcome & Discernment/ Casa de Bienvenida y Discernimiento in Portland, Oregon:



"I feel very happy to come to novitiate. I feel excited about religious life, about Franciscan life. Now that I am receiving the habit I feel more part of the Franciscans and part of Franciscan spirituality and style of life. I hope I can continue to grow in my relationship with God, grow as a human being, and grow in a community with other novices and friars. I want to continue discerning my vocation, preparing myself for the next step."

Welcome, Brothers! Felicidades! Congratulations and good luck! Our prayers are with you.//

Blessed Junipero Serra, ofm (1713-84)

July 1. On this day in the year 1769, Fray Junipero Serra, ofm, arrived at the port of what is now the city of San Diego. Later that month, he established the first of what was eventually to become a veritablel rosary of twenty-one missions extending a distance of 700 miles along the length of the Spanish colony which is now the state of California. By virtue of his passion, leadership, and tenacity, Serra played a seminal role in the establishment of the Catholic faith, as well as European presence and culture in this part of the world.

It is in recognition of this dual role, that Junipero Serra is regarded as a pivotal figure in both religious and secular arenas. As the late Pope John Paul II stated on his visit to Serra’s burial place at Carmel Mission (Mission San Carlos Borromeo) in 1987, “Very often at crucial moments in human affairs God raises up men and women whom he thrusts into roles of decisive importance for the future development of both society and the Church…. So it is with Junipero Serra, who in the providence of God was destined to be the apostle of California and to have a permanent influence over the spiritual patrimony of the land and its people.” The following year, 1988, Serra was beatified, or declared ‘blessed’, a stage in the canonization of saints in the Roman Catholic Church.



It is as a man of faith, ardent missionary, and witness to the Gospel that Junipero Serra is respected among Catholic Christians today as the virtual ‘apostle of California.’ At the same time, his life and work have become a flashpoint in the controversy over the role of missionaries in the context of colonial conquest and oppression.


Blessed Junipero Serra

In terms of a brief biographical sketch, Miguel José Serra was born on the island of Mallorca, Spain, in 1713 and entered the Franicscan order at the age of seventeen, taking the name of ‘Junípero’, in honor of one of the first companions of St. Francis. He studied at the Lullian University in the city of Parma (Mallorca) and subsequently taught philosophy and theology there for some twelve years. In 1749, at the age of 37, Serra was sent to Mexico, and for an additional 15 years, was associated with the College of San Fernando in Mexico City. Consequently, it was late in life (at age 54) and only after a long academic career that Serra actually became an active missionary.



In 1768, upon the expulsion of Jesuit missionaries from New Spain, Serra was given leadership as presidente over the fourteen missions of Baja (Lower) California. In 1769, after founding the mission of Santa Maria de los Angeles, Serra focused his energies on Alta (Upper) California—a region the Spaniards were eager to secure for the Crown in the face of threatened expansion by both Russian and British interests. It is here, we are told, that Serra worked tirelessly for the conversion of indigenous peoples to Christianity. Eventually, he would found a total of nine missions in California. Biographers are quick to point out, not only Serra’s exceptional gifts of organization and administration, but also his extraordinary faith, perseverance, and asceticism: “His Herculean efforts subjected him to near-starvation, afflictions of scurvy, and hundreds of miles of walking and horse riding through dangerous terrain. Moreover, he was notorious for his mortifications of the flesh.” Serra accomplished much of his work on foot; a chronically ulcerated leg provided an additional physical challenge to the intrepid missioner. He died at Mission San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel), California in 1784.

In our own time, Serra, and by extension, missionaries in general have been criticized for their alleged cooperation and complicity in the extension of colonial rule over native peoples. Nevertheless, most historians would concur in the intrinsic danger posed by projecting our twenty-first century values and understanding upon the vastly different social and cultural landscape of 18th century colonial rule in America. That said, the biography of Junipero Serra speaks of a man who was frequently at odds with the political and military" powers that be" in his active defense of the rights of of natives. While the entire system of colonization is rightly challenged, Serra was no mere pawn of that system; he was known to be a frequent and outspoken critic of the abuse of political and military power.


In today’s world, missionary presence and witness have taken on an entirely different aspect from the time of Junipero Serra. While the proclamation of the Gospel remains central and consistent to all missionary endeavors, the voice of the Christian church has in many circumstances become increasingly independent of and even critical of political and economic power when such power deprives people of basic dignity and justice. We are not called to imitate Serra’s way of being a missionary; we are challenged to be inspired as he was to be more deeply committed to living and sharing our Christian faith with our entire being.


We Franciscans take pride in the faith and witness of Blessed Junipero Serra. Here in the province of St. Barbara, we take special pride in the several restored missions that have been entrusted to our care: Mission Santa Barbara, Old Mission San Luis Rey (Oceanside), and Mission San Miguel (San Miguel). A fourth mission, Santa Inez, is in the care of our Capuchin Franciscan brothers. We join with our Mexican conferes of the Province of Blessed Juipero Serra/ la provincia de Beato Junipero Serra, in Baja California, Mexico, in celebrating their patronal feast. http://www.ofmjuniperoserra.org/modules/news/.
We are also deeply appreciative of the efforts of Serra International, an organization of Catholic women and men who dedicate themselves to the promotion and support of vocations to religious life, the diaconate, and priesthood in the Church: http://www.serra.org/. Together, all of us continue in our commitment to live and share the Gospel, inspired by the words of Serra himself: Siempre adelante! Nunca para atrás! Always forward! Never turn back!//