AS ST. FRANCIS SAID …

Greetings from Fr. Bob ...

Graymoor is once again a sea of color as the trees start to change and the hills and valleys are covered with a blanket of red and gold. It is a fitting time of year to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. I have to confess that he is my favorite saint. He was a simple man whose life was centered on Christ.

St. Francis has always been known for his love of nature because all of nature reflects the glory of God. He also had a special love for animals and because of this every year at Graymoor people bring their animals and pets to be blessed at a prayer service in honor of St. Francis. Above all, he saw Christ in the poor and outcast. He had a special love for those who the world rejected.

I believe St. Francis would have loved Graymoor, not only because of its natural beauty, but because the poor and destitute are cared for on this “Holy Mountain”. It is a place of healing. And, not only at St. Christopher’s Inn where men are given a fresh start, but also at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center where weekend retreats help to direct and guide many people who come to Graymoor to deepen their relationships with God and their neighbors.

There are thousands of books on the life and teaching of St. Francis, but I think one quote from him that best sums up his whole life is when he says to his friars – “Preach the gospel always but only when necessary use words.” Now that sounds like a great rule of life for every Christian.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Bob Warren

FEAST DAY CELEBRATED WITH BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

It was a beautiful day on Sunday, October 4th when a large crowd of people and their best animal friends assembled at Graymoor for the Annual Procession and Blessing of the Animals in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals.

VIEW A VIDEO OF THIS FUN EVENT >>

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2010 MATERIALS AVAILABLE

Celebrated each year, January 18-25, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which was started by our Founder, Fr. Paul Wattson, invites the entire Christian community throughout the world to pray in communion with the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).

This year’s theme is: You Are Witnesses of These Things (Luke 24:48). Information and materials for this year’s celebration are now available through the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute’s website.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2010 INFORMATION AND MATERIALS >>

St. Francis Chapel, Graymoor

Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

Headquartered at Graymoor in Garrison, NY, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement is a Roman Catholic religious community with social, pastoral and ecumenical ministries in the United States, Canada, England, Italy, and Japan.

Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

In the Franciscan tradition of hospitality, Graymoor Spiritual Life Center welcomes individuals and groups of all faiths for spiritual retreats, meetings, conferences and pilgrimages.

Located on a mountaintop overlooking the Hudson River Valley, facilities include overnight accommodations, large dining room, a library, three chapels, as well as meeting/seminar facilities.

Centro Pro Unione
Christian Unity and
Ecumenical Research

The Centro Pro Unione, founded and directed by the Society of the Atonement, is an ecumenical research and action center. Its purpose is to give space for dialogue, to be a place for study, research and information in ecumenism: theological, pastoral, social and spiritual.

Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute

The Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute promotes Christian unity and interreligious dialogue in North America through their monthly (except August) Journal, Ecumenical Trends, Lecture Series, and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resources.

St. Christopher's Inn
Residential Shelter & Substance Abuse Treatment Center

St. Christopher's Inn is a temporary shelter dedicated to the rehabilitation of men in crisis. Today the Inn shelters over 1,200 men per year, most of whom suffer from alcohol and/or drug addiction.

Our mission is to offer a continuum of quality health care services that facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by providing chemical dependency treatment, primary health care, and temporary housing.

The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement find both challenge and purpose in active service. We direct thriving social, ecumenical and pastoral ministries spanning three continents.

Our name — “At-One-Ment” — reflects the passion to reconcile Christians and their churches; to unite men and women with God and one another, making them
“at-one.”

If you are a man 19 to 40 years of age, who feels God’s
calling to live a life of faithfulness to the church, our
Vocations Director, Bro. John O’Hara, SA can be reached at 1-800-338-2620, ext. 2126.