NEWS

You guys really made me feel special. That’s what one of the Brother’s Christopher told me at dinner on Friday night after myself and one of the other Brothers Christopher had helped him pick out a suit to wear to his separation in a few weeks.

The annual Assembly of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) was held August 1-4, 2017, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Minister General Fr. Brian F. Terry, SA, serves as President of the Conference and spoke at the Assembly, encouraging both their personal walk in religious life, but also their fraternal commitment to the mission of the Church.

On Saturday, August 19, the Friars welcomed Fr. Martin Wendell as an Affiliate of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Fr. Wendell has known the Friars for most of his life, returning regularly to Graymoor for retreats, staying in touch with many of the Friars and fostering an active devotion to Servant of God, Fr. Paul Wattson, SA.

Alas, the epic Rome Summer Course finally comes to a conclusion! At the last hour, we seated all of our desks in a circle and faced each other. Three weeks ago we were just strangers, but now we could laugh or talk about our deepest insights with one another.

The Annual Do Not Fear To Hope Retreat occurred over Labor Day weekend and was an opportunity for those with HIV and AIDS to reflect, focus, and develop a closer relationship with God. Led by Fr. Bob Warren, S.A., the retreat welcomed over 100 participants and was a unique opportunity for those struggling with HIV and AIDS to develop a community and learn from one another about how to cope with this often misjudged disease.

New York feels good. The pace and structure of the city feels very familiar to me, and I am more comfortable traveling around on the subway, then on the Roman buses.

September is National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month in the United States, a national observance held annually to celebrate the personal gains made by those in recovery as well as further awareness and education about the addiction crisis in America.

In my regular life, I’m a student at Regis College, the Jesuit theological college at the University of Toronto. For those unfamiliar with the Jesuits, a major part of their spirituality is “finding God in all things.”

"Hey Andrew, do you see that little town on top of that mountain? That's Assisi." said Father Jim. I slid onto the edge of my seat of the train to get a better view. That's it!