9/11 - Remembering

Today is a day to remember the terrible events that happened thirteen years ago.  St. Anthony Shrine in downtown Boston, has created a banner listing the names of the all the victims.  The Franciscan Friars have it hung in front of the Shrine, making    It a wall of rememberance.  I have watched people stop, read the names; some stop at a particular name, and offer a prayer.  I have gone up and touched the wall, and feel different; feel the presence of the Spirit, as I offer my prayer for the victims and their families.

"Enternal rest unto them all, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them."

HNP Franciscans Help Youth To Challenge City Hall

The National Catholic Reporter has a story on their website, concerning a group of seventh and eight grade students who lobbied the local government of Camden, NJ, to clean up and repair a local park.  They are students at St. Anthony of Padua School, which is attached to St. Anthony Church, staffed by Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province, OFM.  It is an inspiring little story of how the friars helped these young people take an interest in their community; and how to go about improving it, one step at a time.

Texting For Prayers

St. Francis of Assisi took a new approach in reaching out to the common people of his age.  Where Sunday sermons of that time had developed into intellectual dissertations, often spoken in Latin.  Francis preached very simply, in the language of the people.  His friar sons continued that approach, even into our Internet driven era.  The National Catholic Reporter's website is carrying a CNS story about Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province, accepting prayer requests via text.  Cool!