Franciscans in the Marketplace

What made St. Francis of Assisi, and the early Franciscan friars different from the other religious orders of their day, was that unlike the monks who remained in their monasteries, Francis, and his friars were walking the streets and marketplaces.

Recently, the Catholic News Service website posted a story about two Conventual Franciscan friars (Black robes), who are carrying on the tradition.  During the summer days in Rome, along the shore of the River Tiber, during the annual Summer Festival, they set up an information stall, amongst the other stalls, restaurants, and shops.  There, they pass out information about the Franciscans missions and services, to the residents, and tourists who come for the festival.  Amidst all hustle and bustle of the festival, they bring a touch of Franciscan joy to all they come in contact with.

Again, Another Sad Story Involving a Priest and Children

On the air waves, and local news websites; came the news of the arrest of a priest in South Boston, MA.  He is being charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.  And the saddest part of this story, for me anyway, is that the priest is a Franciscan.

The Boston Globe is reporting the details of this investigation and arrest.  The priest is a Franciscan Conventual from a Polish province, sent to Boston to serve the Polish community there.

Having been in different periods of vocational discernment in the Church, I know how psychological screening in the seminaries has changed over the years.  In the '70's, it was a multiple choice test.  When I was considering a vocation to the Franciscan friars in the U.S., it was a day long series of tests and interviews; same when I entered the Permanent Diaconate formation program for the Archdiocese of Boston.

I know that it is becoming popular for dioceses to import clergy from overseas to fill the needs of their parishes.  But do we really know how carefully the dioceses of other countries screen their own candidates for priesthood?