A Franciscan Artist

Chapter 5. The manner of working

The friars to whom God has given the grace of working should work in a

spirit of faith and devotion and avoid idleness, which is the enemy of

the soul, without however extinguishing the spirit of prayer and

devotion, to which every temporal consideration must be subordinate.  As

wages for their labour they may accept anything necessary for their

temporal needs, for themselves or their brethren, except money in any

form.  And they should accept it humbly as is expected of those who

serve God and strive after the highest poverty. (Rule of 1223, OFM)

Quite a few years ago, I was discerning if I had a vocation, a calling to become a Franciscan Friar.  I joined the formation program of the Friars of Holy Name Province, OFM.  One of my fellow postulants was David Haack; a very nice fellow, and a very talented artist.  Half way through our novitiate year, I felt that the Holy Spirit was calling me elsewhere, and I left the formation program.  David went on to become a professed Brother in the Order.

Up until recently he was involved in art education at St. Bonaventure University.  He has since retired, but as reported in Holy Name Province's e-newsletter, he found retirement somewhat boring.  So he founded Haack Studiolo, a place where he can create and sell works of art; often with a Franciscan theme.  May his efforts be successful and fulfilling!

Controversy Over World Trade Center Cross - A Franciscan Connection

 

On NBC’s Today’s show website, Today.com, was a story concerning a group called American Atheists, and their attempts to prevent the “World Trade Center cross” from being displayed in the “9/11” museum.  The WTC cross is a section of crossbeams, shaped like the Christian cross, which was discovered in the rubble of World Trade Center.  Many of the workers on the site, first responders, and visitors to site said they received comfort from seeing the WTC cross on the site.  The American Atheists filed suit, claiming that although the “9/11” museum is a private organization; is being located on land being leased from the government.  The group believes displaying the cross will violate the constitutional separation of Church and State.  A federal judge has ruled against their suit, but the group is appealing.

There is a Franciscan connection to this story.  Father Brian Jordan, OFM, a Franciscan Friar of Holy Name Province, was one of the many members of the clergy helping those working on the WTC site.  It was Father Jordan who blessed the WTC cross before it was moved to the 9/11 museum.  There is a story of that event on the Holy Name Province website.

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!