Newsletter: Divine Mercy Region Secular Franciscan Order Lower Michigan and Toledo, Ohio January 2019 Brothers and Sisters, In this edition: From Our Minister Regional Elections Statement from OFS- USA National Chapter It s All About Relationship Deeper into the Rule Learning, Praying and Living the Rule A Message of Peace Financial Matters Spiritual Assistance Update Contact Us! Local Fraternity Elections 2018 National JPIC Award Please pray for Our Deceased Members Upcoming Events A Blessed and Happy New Year to All! What a great Formation Day we had in October! We had fantastic attendance from the entire Divine Mercy Region. Our Council was so pleased to see everyone there. When we have such a large group, there is so much more opportunity to meet and learn from each other. Also, we were excited to see so many new and fresh faces. May I congratulate and extend my thanks to our Regional Formation Minister Michelle Bryk. She does an amazing job of organizing this event yearly! It continues to grow over the years. Let s try to extend our success! We will be having our Spring Gathering on April 27, 2019 at the Center for Ministry in Saginaw. We are changing a few things. In response to requests from Fraternity Ministers, we will be offering training sessions. If you are a Fraternity Minister, Vice Minister, Treasurer or Secretary we will have training for you. So often people come into a new position without training and sometimes there is no one to help them in their new position. Trial and error become their training. Our breakout training sessions will group you with others in your position. There will also be time for sharing your thoughts, ideas, and successes. Your ideas can help others in similar circumstances. Please plan on attending. Even if you aren t a council member, please make it a point to attend. You can attend any session and provide your input. More information will be coming on this meeting as we get closer to April. I look forward to seeing you! Jim
Regional Chapter of Elections Regional elections were held at the Annual Regional Meeting in August. The elected members of our Regional Executive Council are: Minister: Jim Graczyk OFS Vice Minister: Mike Carsten OFS Secretary: Theresa Brown OFS Treasurer: Mike Okragleski OFS Councilor: Kathleen Carsten OFS Councilor: Kevin Wahr OFS Councilor: Dawn Pulcer OFS Councilor: Jan Kaeding OFS In addition, the new Council has filled additional positions by appointment, listed below, to serve the you in Divine Mercy Region: Regional Formation Director: Michelle Bryk OFS JPIC Animator: Kathleen Carsten OFS IEC/Interfaith Coordinator: Cami Mann OFS SA Program Administrator: Linda Solis OFS Webmaster/Newsletter Editor: Jan Kaeding OFS Our Spiritual Assistants Br. Loren Connell OFM and Linda Solis OFS complete the new Council for 2018. Statement From the OFS-USA 2018 National Chapter We, the members of the National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order - USA, gathered for our annual Chapter at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel in Missouri, October 9-14, 2018. Approximately 90 leaders and observers were present, representing over 12,000 members throughout the United States, including Guam. The recent Grand Jury report in Pennsylvania is a cause of sorrow, pain and agonizing self-scrutiny for the Catholic Church in the United States. We recognize the tragic reality of sinful abuse perpetrated on the most vulnerable. It deeply saddens all of us. We stand firm and make no excuses. The brothers and sisters of the Secular Franciscan Order extend mercy and compassion to the victims of abuse and to their abusers. Trusting in God who allows the good seed and the weeds to grow together (Mt. 13: 24-30), we pray for healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and peace. More than 800 years ago, our Lord asked St. Francis of Assisi to rebuild my Church which is falling into ruin. Francis accomplished this by living a life of penance and sacrifice according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As followers of St. Francis, we commit ourselves to do the same. We call the members of our Order and invite all people of faith to be vigilant for the sake of the vulnerable and to foster strong relationships throughout the Body of Christ. We support the clergy and religious who serve Christ Jesus and His Church. Let us go forth in the Light of Christ to rebuild our Church, that it may be renewed as a beacon of hope and safe refuge, grace and truth. 2
It s About Relationships You must deepen the true foundation of the world-wide Fraternity and create everywhere the spirit of welcome and the atmosphere of brotherliness. Commit yourselves firmly against all forms of exploitation, discrimination, and marginalization and against all attitudes of indifference toward others (Pope St. John Paul II to the 10 th General Chapter of the OFS in 2002). This year we ve been celebrating how we as Secular Franciscans have been gifted with the Pauline Rule of 1978. It s the 40 th Anniversary of our Rule. But it s also really the 40 th anniversary of how we are seeking to respond to the Pope s challenge. How many of us really give thought to this on our journey? Back in 2015, Msgr. Todd J. Lajiness, Rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, wrote an introductory article about revelation and how God speaks to us. He said, Faith Is Person to Person. Faith is established with a living relationship -- person to person. Thus, through revelation, God comes toward us, and through faith we turn toward God and give ourselves to God in friendship. Is this not what our Rule of 1978 says? Our Rule is person to person. We cannot live as followers of Jesus Christ in imitation of Saints Francis and Clare, and at the same time, live just within ourselves. Living our Rule requires going out and being involved in the world around us. As Pope St. John Paul II said, You are called to give your own contribution inspired by the message and person of Francis of Assisi. This is what our Rule of 1978 calls us to do. It s about relationships -- it tells us to start with Jesus and Mary, then all of creation, especially our sisters and brothers, and then our Fraternity. Is this not what Francis and Clare did? I would suggest that all Fraternities, and all Secular Franciscans, take time to reflect and give thanks for how God has spoken to us collectively and personally. Is the OFS Rule easy? No! Why? It is because the Rule calls for us to go out from ourselves and take a chance. St. Benedict, when asked about his Rule, said the following: At first the brothers find it hard and difficult, but as time goes on, they grow in love for it, so that they always want it with them, even in death. May you have such a love affair, as we continue to celebrate this 40 th anniversary of our Rule, which tells us to go from Gospel to Life and Life to Gospel. Dcn. Richard Hulan OFS, Minister St. Thomas More Fraternity, Rochester Hills It s All About Relationship 3
Deeper into the Rule Do you ever find yourself pondering certain aspects of faith and our Franciscan spirituality? I do. I have been thinking a lot about obedience lately. Obedience is not my best gift. To some people it comes so easily, but many of us can really struggle with it. I see other Franciscans in this struggle and know that I am not alone. We struggle against change. We struggle against learning new things. We struggle against being challenged in our Franciscan journey. You know what I mean. Someone opens up a new facet of our Franciscan calling to you and you look and say, No! That is not for me, that is for someone else. Yet often at these times of struggle and challenge we hear that voice deep within us saying, Yes, my child, I mean you too! God speaks and we have the choice to obey, or we have the choice to turn our back on this gift of opportunity that God is placing before us. This is a gift. It is God saying to us that we must continue to learn, to be faithful to the Franciscan journey, and to ultimately draw closer to Him. We miss so much if we stay inside our comfort zones. I was reading through Article 19 of our Rule and had a small personal epiphany that I want to share in this spirit. Article 19 says: Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon. Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others. Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father. When I read Article 19 this time, I saw a deeper meaning in it than I had seen before. What I read it, it hit my spirit something like this: You have a big responsibility here -- you must bring My peace, My unity to all those you encounter, especially your Franciscan brothers and sisters. Be quick to forgive, love when it is hard, and remember to laugh and be joyful. Most of all, don t be afraid to die those little deaths of obedience to Me. When you do this, you begin to embrace eternity with Me. I read it again, and have continued to come back to it and reflect on it in the days that have followed. It still reaches me in the same way. There is power in the conforming of our wills to that of our Lord. Heaven begins here on earth if we choose it and help Jesus bring it into the world. That is our call. Take some time to immerse yourself in our Rule and see what new insight, what change and challenge, that God wants to bring to you. Michelle Bryk OFS Formation Minister, Divine Mercy Region 4
Learning, Praying and Living the Rule! Annual Day of Formation 2018 Formation Days Formation Days are held every October. These wonderful days are like a mini-retreat days of formation, contemplation and fellowship with an entire roomful of gracious, loving Franciscans. Formation Days are open to all Franciscans, including all professed members and anyone at any level of formation in the Order. There are inexpensive, but cheerful and comfortable, Fridaynight accommodations for those who travel from other parts of the state. Please consider joining us this October 26th for Formation Day 2019! Registration forms will be posted on the website, and available from your local fraternity minister in September 2019. 5
A Message of Peace On Saturday, last October 27th at 9:53 AM, an armed man shot and killed eleven people and injured six at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. On that same morning, over seventy members of our region were gathered for our annual formation day, where we were formed in learning, praying and living our Rule. We had gathered on that morning in fraternal charity and community, no differently than those who gathered at the synagogue. As members of the human family created in God s image, our hearts break for those who have experienced such hatred and violence, and as a result, have lost their lives or have a long road of recovery to travel. As we grieve the loss of life, we are reminded we are not immune to this hatred. While it may happen to someone else, somewhere else, the hatred that propelled a man to enter a synagogue and kill people, is strengthened by the hatred of others; hatred is not an isolated or individual emotion. It is taught, fostered and nurtured. As Secular Franciscans, following Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis, we turn to our Rule to offer wisdom and comfort. Article 13 encourages us: As the Father sees in every person the features of his Son, the firstborn of many brothers and sisters, so the Secular Franciscans with a gentle and courteous spirit accept all people as a gift of the Lord and an image of Christ. A sense of community will make them joyful and ready to place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ. As we offer our thoughts and prayers for Tree of Life Synagogue and the families of those killed and injured, I would encourage us to add an action step. I encourage you to pray and reflect on Article 13 as a roadmap for your action. Some possible action steps you and/or your fraternity can take are: Make peace with those in your fraternity who you may find challenging, or with whom you have an outright contentious relationship. I would also offer this for those within the region you may harbor ill-will toward. Create opportunities for understanding and acceptance among family disputes. Seek out the sacrament of reconciliation for the times you have harbored anger or hatred in your heart, even when you felt it was righteous. Send a card of condolence to Tree of Life Synagogue 5898 Wilkins Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Send a card of condolence to the synagogue nearest you. Let them know this grieves you. If you need some help connecting with a local synagogue, please contact me and I can offer assistance. Peace and prayers, Cami Mann, OFS Divine Mercy Region Ecumenical Interfaith Coordinator 6
Financial Matters Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is a pleasure and an honor to be working with you, serving you as the new Treasurer for Divine Mercy Region. As our year comes to an end, it is time to plan for Fair Share contributions. After an in-depth review of our current financial status, where we found that the Fair Share contribution had not changed in 10 years, the Regional Fraternity Council approved an increase of $10 per person. The new Fair Share rate is $52 per person due this March 1 st. Annual report forms have been sent to local Fraternity Ministers, and an extra copy is on the website. As you know, the National Fraternity also asks for a Fair Share contribution from each region. The Fair Share amount is calculated based on the number of active members in each region. We almost certainly have people in our region who are not active, for whatever reason, in the National Fraternity s database. Theresa Brown, Regional Secretary, maintains the database for our region. The region requests your assistance in validating the number of active members in your fraternity. If we can align our active membership count with the National Fraternity s count, we hope to help keep our budget in balance by paying only for truly active members. Lastly, if anyone is in need of assistance with Fraternity financials, please let me know. I will gladly give you my assistance. I can be reached by phone at 586-945-3380, or you can email me at mokragleski@gmail.com Yours in Christ with Francis and Clare, Michael Okragleski OFS Treasurer, Divine Mercy Region Spiritual Assistant Training at Divine Mercy Region Congratulations to these incredible five people who finished their course work and will be placed in internship in the near future! We thank God and Francis for your love and commitment to the Order. They are: Mary Angeles OFS Marianne Danks OFS Marilyn Webb OFS Kathleen & Mike Carsten OFS (Pictured with the SA Team: Marie Amore OFS, Linda Solis OFS & Patti Reynolds OFS) Are you being called to this vocation within a vocation? The principal task of a Spiritual Assistant is to foster a deeper insight into Franciscan spirituality, and to cooperate in the initial and continuing formation of Secular Franciscans. (From the Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance.) We also serve as pastoral visitors during fraternity visitations, as ecclesial witnesses during fraternity elections, and we serve as spiritual assistants to fraternities and to their councils. Spiritual Assistants serve as a member of the formation Continued on the next page 7
Continued from previous page team as a resource person, as an educator, and as an evaluator. We serve in vital cooperation with Franciscan Religious to make present the charism of our common Seraphic Father in the life and mission of the Church and society. We serve and plan with a desire to embrace personal ongoing formation and enrichment. If you are interested in learning more about our Regional Spiritual Assistant training program, please contact Linda Solis OFS, Divine Mercy Regional Spiritual Assistant and Spiritual Assistant Program Administrator, at lsolisofs@gmail.com. You can also visit our website at: dmrsa.com A new course of study is beginning this month. Please contact us for more information if you re interested. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Patti Reynolds OFS Divine Mercy Regional Fraternity Spiritual Assistant Training Program "Above all the grace and gifts that Christ gives to His beloved is that of overcoming self." ~ St. Francis of Assisi ~ Contact Us! Jim Graczyk OFS Minister jgraczykdivinemercy@aol.com Mike Carsten OFS V. Minister mikecars10gmail.com Theresa Brown OFS Secretary divinemercy.region@gmail.com Mike Okragleski OFS Treasurer mokragleski@gmail.com Dawn Pulcer OFS Councilor dpulcerofs@gmail.com Kevin Wahr OFS Councilor kevinwahr1@gmail.com Kathleen Carsten OFS Councilor parish.nurse@ameritech.net JPIC Animator Jan Kaeding OFS Councilor divineprovidencefraternity@gmail.com Webmaster/Editor Michelle Bryk OFS Regional Formation michellebofs@gmail.com Cami Mann OFS Ecumenical Interfaith cmann1897@gmail.com Coordinator Linda Solis OFS SA Program Administrator lsolisofs@gmail.com Regional Spiritual Assistant Br. Loren Connell OFM Regional Spiritual Assistant brolocon@gmail.com 8
Fraternity Elections St. Louis the King Fraternity [56-108]: Minister - Anne Marie Burns OFS Vice Minister - Leonard Poplaskie OFS Secretary - John Brioso OFS Treasurer - Eileen Bednard OFS Formation Minister - David Seitz OFS St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity [56-123] Minister - June McRae OFS Vice Minister - Cynthia Grabowski OFS Secretary - Kimberly Kenson OFS Treasurer - Carmen MeConi OFS Councilor - Lynne Baron OFS Lumen Christi Fraternity [56-145] Minister - Linda Solis OFS Vice Minister - Joe Iaqunta OFS Secretary - Amber Scudder OFS Treasurer - Carolyn Dusik OFS Councilor - Sylvia Jagielski OFS Councilor - Marilyn Webb OFS Formation Minister - David Fry OFS JPIC Animator - Joe Iaquinta OFS Solanus Casey [56-141] Minister - Sandra Harrington OFS Vice Minister - Carol Golec OFS Secretary - Mary Angeles OFS Treasurer - Christine Neumann OFS Formation Minister - Theresa Brown OFS St. Bonaventure [56-112] Minister - Eileen M. Smith OFS Vice Minister - Brittany Walendzik OFS Secretary - Doris Allen OFS Treasurer - Stephen M. Garcia OFS Formation Minister Maryann Kummer OFS Councilor - Ron Kessler OFS Councilor - Ona Moore OFS Councilor - Sharon Krill OFS Councilor - Melissa Lindow OFS 9
Fraternity Elections, continued St. Anthony [56-102] Minister - Kevin Wahr OFS Vice Minister- Susan Hoin OFS Secretary - Muriel Pekrul OFS Treasurer - Marcia DePauw OFS Formation Minister - Jim Hegenauer OFS Councilor - Steve Krall OFS Councilor - Jack Martin OFS St. Clare [56-140] Minister - Michael Carsten OFS Vice Minister - Jerry Alderman OFS Treasurer - Barbara Jur OFS Secretary - Kim Spaniola OFS Formation Minister - Kathleen Carsten OFS St. Elizabeth of Hungary [56-122] Minister - David Wright OFS Vice Minister - Christopher Pyrkosz OFS Secretary - John Tobin OFS Treasurer Gregory O Neil Davis OFS Formation Minister Sue Hayosh OFS Councilor Christine Pyrkosz OFS Councilor Linda Totty OFS Councilor Kathleen Heimiller OFS Councilor Peter Valente OFS 2018 National JPIC Award Kathleen Carsten OFS has been awarded the 2018 National JPIC Award for her work with the dislocated poor and elderly residents of Detroit. See the video on YouTube! https://youtu.be/tgbaj9yftam You will be able to find out more about Kathleen s work in the next issue of this Newsletter. 10
Divine Mercy Regional Fraternity Deceased Aug. 2017 Aug. 2018 25 Active Fraternities, 1 Deactivated +, 1 Disbanded* Reporting Decedents Name Fraternity Date of Death David Sutter OFS Queen of Angels/Saginaw #107 03/26/2018 Jane Gross OFS St. Louis the King/White Lake #108 08/22/2017 Patricia Kimmel OFS 09/16/2017 Joan Copenhaver OFS St. Joseph/Ann Arbor #111 09/30/2017 Joseph Boland OFS St. Bonaventure/Detroit #112 06/20/2018 Donna Marie Johnston OFS 02/19/2018 Joseph Marra OFS 01/22/2018 Robert Peckham OFS 02/20/2018 Carol Kanouse OFS Immaculate Heart of Mary/Hart + 03/27/2018 Susan Huntley OFS St. Joseph/Monroe* 02/05/2018 Rosalie Sejat OFS Mother of Sorrows/Grand Rapids #113 12/02/2017 Mickey Drollinger OFS 08/26/2018 Mary Anna Zelvys OFS St. Elizabeth of Hungary/Southfield #122 01/00/2018 Graciela Sommer OFS St. Paschal/Toledo #125 07/06/2018 Dorothy McKiever OFS St. Isidore/Grand Rapids #127 12/13/2017 John Patrick Walter OFS San Damiano/Brighton #128 06/04/2018 Marie Levasseur OFS St. Francis/Sterling Heights #133 12/05/2017 Arlene Gregorich OFS St. Francis/Jackson #135 09/16/2018 Raymond Mandzuik OFS St. David/Washington #142 09/12/2017 Silvia Maldonado OFS Lumen Christi/Wyandotte #145 08/27/2018 No deaths reported in 12 Fraternities reported: St. Anthony/Indian River #102, Immaculate Conception/Detroit #103, Divine Providence/Kalamazoo #110, St. Joseph/Grand Blanc #115, St. Anthony/Dearborn #123, Queen of Angels/Detroit#124, Mt. Carmel/Allen Park #130, Our Lady Mt. Carmel/Gaylord #131, St. Bonaventure/ Lansing #134, St. Clare/St Clair Shores #140, Solanus Casey/Roseville #141, St. Thomas More/Rochester Hills #143. 11
To obtain the latest issue of the Divine Mercy Region Newsletter Newsletters are posted on the Divine Mercy Region website as soon as they are completed. In addition, they are emailed directly to each Local Fraternity Minister by the Regional Secretary. To find the latest issue, please visit the Divine Mercy Region website to find the latest one posted there, or ask your Local Fraternity Minister. Here is the address for the page of the website that has the latest newsletters: https://divinemercyregion.com/recent-newsletters/ To submit pictures, events or articles for the newsletter... Please attach them to an email, place the words Newsletter Item in the subject line of the email, and then send the email to Jan at the following email address: divineprovidencefraternity@gmail.com The submission deadline for the next issue is March 31, 2019. Items not received by that date will be considered for a later issue. At the start of a New Year, we re reminded to begin anew daily--dying to self, rising interiorly fed, enkindled by the fire of God s love, continuing the Savior s life--like Francis, to set hearts afire! Formation Forum Solanus Casey Fraternity Upcoming Events Spring Gathering April 27, 2019 Center for Ministry, Saginaw August Ministers Meeting Formation Day August 2-4, 2019 St. Francis Retreat Center, Dewitt October 26, 2019 Center for Ministry, Saginaw Everyone is Welcome! Please see your Fraternity Minister for more information! 12