They Came and They Saw!
Our Lady of the Angels Province held a “Come and See” weekend this past November 10-12, 2017. The friars who reside in the St. Bonaventure Friary in Silver Spring-MD helped with talks, tasks and hospitality. Our Ellicott City-MD friars, those of the Portiuncula Friary of the Provincial House & St. Joseph Cupertino Friary of the Shrine of St. Anthony, opened their homes and facilities to these men who are in the early stages of discernment. We pray that the participants were open to the workings of the Holy Spirit (as St. Francis would call it, the “holy operation of the Spirit”) as they witness our Evangelical and Fraternal life. May God continue to move the hearts of these men, and those of many others so that the mission of sharing Peace and All Goodmight continue through we friars of Our Lady of Angels Province.
Friar Emanuel Ventura Vasconcelos, OFM Conv., aka Friar Manny, was one of the friars on hand who enjoyed the time getting to know some of the November 2017 “Come and See” Weekend participants. Alongside Friar Moises Maximilian Avila, OFM Conv., aka Friar Max, he professed Solemn Vows in August of 2016 and was ordained a Deacon this past June 2017. In January 2018 our province friars plan to celebrate the Diaconate Ordinations of Friar Luis Palacios Rodriguez, OFM Conv. and Friar Milton de Jesus, OFM Conv. Friar Max and Friar Milton were also on hand for this past weekend’s events. July 2018 will be an exciting month for our province as we plan to celebrate the Diaconal Ordination of Friar Christopher Dudek, OFM Conv. (currently in studies in Rome) and the Priestly Ordinations of Friar Manny and Friar Max. We ask you to keep all of these men in your continued prayers.