From left to right: Deacons, TSA, Thomas Malone, Thomas Rich, Gary Swane and James Flannery
On Saturday, January 25, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor welcomed four deacons from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y., as Tertiaries of the Society of the Atonement at a Mass at St. Anthony Chapel presided over by the Most Rev. John O. Barres, S.T.D., J.C.L., D.D., Bishop of Rockville Centre, and the Very Rev. Brian F. Terry, SA, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Marking the conclusion of the 2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the mass, which commemorated the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, was attended by Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, clergy from the Rockville Center Diocese and family and friends of the four new Tertiary members.
Donning Franciscan habits, Deacons James Flannery, Thomas Malone, Thomas Rich and Gary Swane promised to follow in the footsteps of Christ more closely through the observance of poverty, chastity and obedience according to the rule and life of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and the Constitution of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement for a period of one year, and were welcomed as Tertiaries of the Society of the Atonement (TSA) ad experimentum.
Deacons Flannery, Malone, Rich and Swane are now part of the Fraternity of the Society of the Atonement and will participate in the Society’s apostolate, ministry of prayer and its charism of At-One-Ment.
“You unite with Paul in saying you have chosen to be a witness to God’s glory in your lives and to make room for other people to find God’s glory, and we as Friars join that,” said Fr. Brian F. Terry, SA, in his homily welcoming the new Tertiaries. “We thank you for your commitment that you have brought forth.”
Congratulations. I know this is the work of the Holy Spirit and the Will of God for you. You have come full circle in your life with Christ as a Franciscan. Please pray for me that His will be done in my life too.