Become a Friar - Come and See Weekend at Graymoor, May 17 - 19 Website Feature: Sites at Graymoor Interactive Map Video: The Story of the Friars of the Atonement Novena to St. Anthony Join Us! Sunset on the Hudson - an Extraordinary Evening, Thursday, May 9th Friars to celebrate Mother's Day Mass, Sunday, May 12th Spiritual Union Enrollment Card of the Month: Perpetual Mass Enrollment

A MOTHER'S LOVE IS LIKE NONE OTHER

Greetings from Fr. Bob ...

I always call the month of May the gentle month. I suppose because it is dedicated to our Blessed Mother and because Graymoor is so beautiful this time of year. The forsythias are blooming and the trees are green and, of course, we celebrate Mother's Day. What can I say about Mother's Day that has already not been said?

Perhaps, one daughter said it best when she described how she had to help her mother tie a bow on her dress because her hands were crippled with arthritis. The daughter said, "I recalled that they were the loving hands that fed me, bathed me, dressed me and tied my shoelaces. Those were the hands that caressed and comforted me and, most of all, prayed for me."

Jesus tells us, "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." Behind every Mother's Day there is a deeper religious meaning. We honor mothers because in almost all cases her love is the first to touch us. Truly, a Mother's Love is like none other. As we celebrate Mother's Day we give thanks for the one who nourished and cherished us, and most of all, taught us the meaning of love.

And of course, as one grown man wrote to his mother, "You are still the first person I think of when I fall down and go boom."

Happy Mother's Day!

                                  Yours in Christ,
                              
                                  Fr. Bob Warren, SA

BECOME A FRIAR — COME AND SEE WEEKEND MAY 17, 18, AND 19TH

Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19 the Friars will welcome men to our home at Graymoor for a Come & See Weekend. This will be a time to rest and relax, visit the birthplace of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and pray in St. Francis Chapel where it all began.

The weekend will provide a special opportunity to greet, meet and eat with Friars who have served God's people worldwide.

There will be opportunity to walk and meditate on the beautiful grounds of the Holy Mountain as well as spend quality time with the Lord and the Bread of Life in the Chapels.

If you or someone you know would like to join us for a time for all to open themselves to the calling of the Holy Spirit, please visit the link below for further details.

WEBSITE FEATURE: SITES AT GRAYMOOR INTERACTIVE MAP

One of the most popular pages on our website is the one that features: "Sites at Graymoor". Here you can have an "interactive" experience by learning about more than two dozen of the many special places, buildings, shrines and statues on the grounds of Graymoor, the Holy Mountain. We hope it inspires you to plan a visit this summer. In fact, Graymoor is a beautiful place to visit any time of year.

Be sure to pick up a printed copy of the map and informational brochure available at both our Visitor's Center and at the Graymoor Book and Gift Center.

VIDEO: THE STORY OF THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE ATONEMENT PERPETUAL NOVENA TO ST. ANTHONY

For over 100 years, those in need have sent hundreds of thousands of prayer requests to Graymoor asking the friars to pray and seek the intercession of St. Anthony on their behalf.

It all started in 1912, when our founder, Father Paul Wattson, had just installed a large statue of St. Anthony of Padua near the altar of St. Francis chapel, Graymoor in preparation for the next day's dedication of the new chapel. As he stood to admire the beautiful statue, Fr. Paul was handed a letter from a mother begging the friars to pray for the health of her gravely ill baby named Anthony.

Watch the video and learn what happened next.

JOIN US! 4TH ANNUAL SUNSET ON THE HUDSON COCKTAIL PARTY

Join us Thursday, May 9, 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM for an extraordinary evening of fun, fine dining and conversation with Master of Ceremonies: Kacey Moribito, DJ WHUD Radio, live Jazz Trio, Silent Auction and more. All proceeds benefit the Ministries of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement.

Individual Tickets $175.

SUNSET ON THE HUDSON
AT: FAMED CHEF PETER X. KELLEY'S
XAVIARS ON THE HUDSON RESTAURANT
71 Water Grant Street, Yonkers, NY 10701

MOTHER'S DAY MASS TO BE HELD AT GRAYMOOR, SUNDAY, MAY 12TH

May is the month we celebrate Mary and every Mother — not just our own Mother, but all those women in our lives who follow in the footsteps of Mary to give freely and selflessly of themselves for their sons and daughters.

We will be celebrating a special Mother's Day Mass on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12th, 11:00 a.m., Our Lady of the Atonement Chapel, Graymoor. Please send us the name(s) of your Mother, or any special Mother in your life to be included in the Friars prayers at this special Mass.

ENROLLMENT CARD OF THE MONTH

St. Francis Chapel, Graymoor

2013 Special
Events Calendar

Sunset on The Hudson
Thursday, May 9

St. Anthony Sunday at Graymoor
Sunday, June 9

Franciscan Friars of the Atonement & St. Christopher's Inn 2013 Annual Golf Classic
Westchester Hills Golf Club
Monday, June 10

Heritage Day at Graymoor
Thursday, June 13

Sponsor Appreciation Day at Graymoor
Thursday, September 5

Sharing Hope Celebration Dinner
Friday, October 11

Thanksgiving Benefactor Appreciation Day at Graymoor
Friday, November 1

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

Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute promotes Christian unity and interreligious dialogue in North America through its 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.

Parish Ministries /
Atonement Centers

The Friars of the Atonement serve in parish ministries throughout the world.  To visit parish websites, click on the link below:

St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, Apex, NC

Christ the Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, Sterling, VA

Chapel of Our Savior, Brockton, Massachusetts

St. Odilia Catholic Church, Los Angeles CA

St. Joan of Arc Parish, Toronto Ontario, Canada

St. Joseph the Worker, Richmond British Columbia, Canada

St. Joseph’s Church, Tsurumi-ku Yokohama, Japan