Memories and morePHOTOS BY FRANK JASPER, OFM

The gathering of the Franciscan Alumni Association at “the Farm” in Mt. Healthy on June 27 was a warm experience for me. Friars and those who shared some of our Franciscan formation were all one, at the liturgy presided by Pat McCloskey with homilist Frank Jasper, Jeff Scheeler and Bill Farris in the pews, and in the “study hall” where sandwiches were ingested and memories surfaced.

The Franciscan spirit was deeply felt throughout the group, who came from California, Michigan, Illinois and points nearby to express the brotherhood which was born in our St. Francis Seminary and Duns Scotus. Although most of the alumni were younger than I – students in the ‘70s and ‘80s – there were some whom I knew well, and others who gathered me in just because I shared their Franciscan outlook.

These folks are really well-organized, and in their history of 20 years they have known how to hang together for the benefit of the spiritual life of their families.

Election of new officers is beautifully Franciscan, and alumni who were not in the hall at election time were likely to belong to the new committee.

— Cyprian Berens, OFM

“Some people are saying they’re setting off firecrackers to send me away,” Joe Hund joked about his July 4 departure for Africa. Saturday, Joe will board a Lufthansa jet in Detroit for the first leg of a two-day trip to Johannesburg, where he plans to spend 11 days before departing for his new assignment in Namibia. “The 17th of July, I will be in my new home,” a four-year-old mission now populated by friars from Ireland, Europe, India and South Africa. The layover in South Africa gives Joe time for a quick immersion experience. He also hopes to meet the new provincial minister – whoever he may be. Earlier this month at the General Chapter in Assisi, current Provincial Minister Vincent Mduduzi Zunga was elected to the General Definitorium. Joe joins Max Langenderfer (now serving in Kenya) and follows in the illustrious footsteps of Larry Landini, Gil Wohler, Howard Hudepohl (South Africa), Giovanni Reid (Zimbabwe), Greg Tjachman (Zaire) and Andre McGrath (Kenya).

The Provincial Council set the date of July 1 as the time for changes to take place this year. Although some friars will move at different times, many friars are moving during these days. We are grateful for their generosity and willingness to serve in different capacities. We all know transi-tions can be tough. We can feel uprooted and a bit more vulnerable during these times. (So let’s be good to brothers in transition, and to every brother!) Transition times can be deeply spiritual times as well. They remind us of the spirit of itiner-ancy and of “beginning again” that are core to our charism. As Francis reminds us, we live not just in a particular place, but “in obedience,” which is the glue that holds our brotherhood together. — Jeff Scheeler, OFM

From Jeff

continued on page 5

SJB NEWS NOTESFRANCISCAN FRIARS O�ce of Communications Province of St. John the Baptist July 2, 2009

FOCUS ON FRIARS

Left, David Turnbull, who received the Christian Life Award; lower right, Bryan Reising, Mike Fritch and Butch Feldhaus at Mass; below, sharing photos and stories at the hotel.

Page 2

Above, Bagnoregio, birthplace of Bonaventure, on a towering hill; above right, a Corpus Christi celebration in Orvieto; lower right, Br. Jose.

Above, Jeff outside the Basilica of St. Francis; right, bustling Assisi.

Left, statue of Francis in prayer overlooks the valley; right, some members of the ESC delegation.

Images of AssisiB Y J E F F S C H E E L E R , O F M

Photos from the General Chapter, 2009

Jeff ’s reflections on the Chapter were e-mailed with News Notes

Page 3

Upper left, Clare and Francis having a picnic at Domus Pacis; above, Tom Washburn, ESC Executive Secretary, at the Carceri; far left, friars prepare to welcome newly elected Br. Jose Carballo; left, marker at the home of Bonaventure.

Left, Francis’ handwritten blessing to Leo (in frame) at the Tomb of St. Francis; above, friars enter St. Mary of the Angels for the opening Mass.

Images of Assisi

Celebration in Bloomington

P H OT O S B Y A N N C H A R B AC K , S F OJune 21, 2009

Page 4

Left, Ric gets a standing ovation; above, greeting parishioners; right, distributing communion with brother Aquinas.

Left, a radio for Ric; below, congratulations from the State of Illinois; right, a gift from the Hispanic community.

Six of Ric’s siblings joined him for his 50th jubilee at St. Mary’s in Bloomington, Ill.

SJB NEWS NOTES

Joel Byrne was pleased to represent the province June 21st at the 60th anniversary celebration of St. Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church in Big Lake, Texas. “I’m at home there,” said Joel, who was 14th pastor of the parish and one of six SJB friars who served there. (Founding Pastor Fidelis Albrecht was followed by Bertram Tiemeyer, Cyril Hermann, Ernest Porsch and Eligius Fuentes.) Joel flew to Texas two weeks early to visit with friends and ended up celebrating Mass daily and revisiting the missions. After Mass on the 21st, Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI, dedicated a newly constructed grotto in honor of Our Lady of Fatima, constructed with donations from parishioners. “It was real joyful,” says Joel, who is held in such high regard by the people of Big Lake that they named a parish center after him.

Noel William and Valens Waldschmidt will be the center of attention on Sunday, Aug. 2, when St. Paul’s Archbishop Leibold Home in Cincinnati hosts a double jubilee celebration. Mass at 4:30 p.m. will be followed by a reception and dinner at 6 p.m. Please RSVP to David Crank at 513-368-7055 by July 24.

Carl Hawver sends greetings from Juneau, Alaska, his home base through July. He’s serving in various missions “at the discretion of the Most Rev. Edward Burns, Juneau’s new bishop, who began his ministry in Alaska’s capital on April 1.” Carl spent part of last week helping friends paint a home in Tenakee Springs, “where the temperatures ‘sizzled’ at 55 degrees. I’m doing Alaska missions here – Yakutat, Wrangell, Tenakee Springs, Juneau, Haines, Skagway – helping people pray, celebrate and doing Sacraments. This experience helps keep alive my sense of mission in the broader Church.”

Today was the last day at work for Jo-Anne Schwaegerle, who is retiring after faithfully serving the friars through the Finance Office for 12 years. For the next few years she’ll probably spend a lot of time serving her two cute grandchildren. If you’d like to keep in touch, Jo-Anne’s e-mail address is: jschwaegerle@cinci.rr.com.

The province has 15 tickets available to friars for the Cincinnati Reds’ home game against the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday, July 19 (parking passes included). If you’d like to attend, contact the Finance Office, 513-721-4700, ext. 3211.

“I can’t wait to have this done,” Dan Anderson says of the bilateral knee surgery (double replacement) he’s having July 9 at Bethesda North Hospital in Cincinnati. After a few days in the hospital and a week or more of rehab, Dan will recuperate at St. Francis Seraph Friary. Prayers are appreciated.

“Schools of Thought,” a celebration of SJB’s education ministries, is Part 7 of our year-long anniversary website series. Find it online at: http://franciscan.org/who/July_150Anniversary.asp

Page 5

On the WEB

June 21, Don Miller uploaded a nine-minute video of highlights from the First Profession (June 15) at Cedar Lake, Ind. He writes: “In the past 10 days the video has received 115 hits from all over the USA and a few from Europe. It can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9GEUsnUZGM.

SJB NEWS NOTES

Pictures from our friar-pilgrims’ walk across Virginia are now posted at:http://franciscan.org/gallery/default.asp. You can also access the photos by clicking on the Friar Photos icon at the top of the blog page at: www.friarwalk.com. An interview the friars gave the Roanoke Times is posted on the newspaper website at: http://www.roanoke.com/community/virginia/religion/wb/209845. Follow a link to a photo gallery.

The closing of the Kolin Avenue Friary in Chicago leaves Charlie Smiech and Andrew Stettler with furnishings that need a new home. If you’re interested in any of the items below, please call Charlie at 312-520-5164 and pick them up by the end of July. Available are:

• Four standing lamps and six table lamps• Two glass display units• One small (wood) kitchen dining set with four chairs

and a “very nice” dining room table with six chairs, two leaves, table pads and tablecloths

• One two-drawer file cabinet• Three six-feet-tall wooden bookcases• Two desks (one is antique), each with desk chair and

desk lamp• One space heater• Three dressers and three wardrobes• One gas grill• One freestanding kitchen cupboard unit• Two small wall mirrors• Two recliners with footrests• One big-screen TV in a cabinet with DVD player,

VCR and speakers• One fish tank with stand and fish food (but no fish)• Six bed stands• Several small area rugs• Small religious statues and wall hangings

New phone extensions for St. Clement Friary are:—Vincent Delorenzo: room ext. #27, office ext. #46—Fred Link: room ext. #49, office ext. #48—Steve Richter: room ext. #50—Kevin Schroeder: room ext. #18Marcel Groth has moved to Transfiguration Friary in

Southfield, Mich.Bruno Kremp has moved to St. John the Baptist

Friary in Sharonville.

Page 6

DIRECTORY UPDATES

LET US REMEMBER

Agnes who?In a thank-you note for the story on icons, Mark

Ligett pointed out “one small error that was a hoot. You mentioned that Clare wrote letters to Agnes of God. She actually wrote to Agnes of Prague. (Sounds like God!) I doubt if she wrote to Agnes of God, the nun in the 1985 movie by the same name (huge grin)!”

Mary Boland, librarian at Roger Bacon High School from 1976-1983, died June 21 at the age of 93 in Cincinnati. Funeral services were at St. Gabriel in Glendale; Ann was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Price Hill.