NEWS

A group of Friars – some living, some who have gone before us in faith – have had the honor of serving in the noblest of ways during their lives and ministries, as members of the military. Each year on November 11, we honor and recognize all military veterans across the country.

Father Francis “Frank” Eldridge, SA, received the honor 10 years ago, for his service to the poor and marginalized. Throughout his ministry, Father Frank carried out many pastoral ministries, served as Founding Guardian of the Friars’ new Friary and managed the transfer of property gifted to the Friars in Manati, Puerto Rico.

As we prepare for the celebration of our Lord’s birth in the coming weeks, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement will again be part of the annual Ecumenical Advent and Vespers Series. Each Sunday during Advent, at different churches in the area, ecumenical services will be offered as “an opportunity to experience the spirit of ecumenism.”

The holy men and women who have gone before us, indeed, never relinquished continuous prayer or their faith in God. Each year on November 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. The occasion commemorates all known and unknown holy men and women who have attained Beatific Vision in Heaven.

Join us in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 16, 2022 for the inaugural event in our Fr. Drew Christiansen Holy Land Lecture Series. The first talk, "Being Church in The Land Called Holy," will feature Sami El-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The Francsican Friars at the Francsican Monastery of the Holy Land in America have been hosting musical concerts for seven years. The Friars’ own Fr. Jim Gardiner, SA, played an important role in the genesis of the concerts, as noted in an earlier blog.

Music came alive at Graymoor on October 16 during a new event called “Blues on the Mountain.” The blues band The 3B’s performed for the Friars and their guests at St. Anthony’s shrine.

The annual Father Paul Lecture took place on Monday, October 10 at the James and Catherine Denny Center at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. The theme of this year’s lecture was “The Intersection Between Ecumenism and Justice.”

Father Dan Callahan, SA, celebrated his regular Sunday Mass at Our Lady of the Atonement Chapel at 11 a.m., before blessing around four dozen dogs and two dozen cats at St. Anthony’s Shrine. Father Dan first gave a blessing and then sprinkled the animals with holy water – many of them instinctively recoiling while getting spritzed – before each pet peacefully received an individual blessing.