TODAYNewsletter of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

Spring 2011 Volume 43, No. 1

www.AtonementFriars.org

Beginning this year, the Franciscan Friars ofthe Atonement will celebrate the centennialof the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony as

they continue in the spirit of their founder, FFrr.. PPaauullWWaattttssoonn, to pray daily and seek the intercession ofSt. Anthony for the benefit of those in need.

It all started in 1912, when Father Paul hadjust installed a large statue of St. Anthony of Paduanear the altar in St. Francis Chapel. As he admiredthe beautiful statue, Fr. Paul was handed a letterfrom a mother begging the Friars to pray for thehealth of her gravely ill baby also named Anthony.

“I immediately knelt before this image of St.Anthony with the Divine Infant in his arms and be-sought the Wonder-Worker of seven centuries tointercede for baby Anthony’s life,” Fr. Paul laterwrote in his journal. He recorded that he and the

Friars prayed to St. Anthony everyevening asking for his inter-

cession.

About two weekslater the motherwrote again, thistime saying herchild had miracu-lously recovered. Ingratitude, she in-cluded a small dona-

tion.

From then on, the Friars prayed everyevening at the statue of St. Anthony. Word spreadof their perpetual prayers and “St. Anthony’s corner”in Graymoor’s St. Francis Chapel began. More andmore petitions arrived. For 100 years, those in needhave sent hundreds of thousands of prayer requeststo the Friars asking for prayers and seeking the in-tercession of St. Anthony on their behalf.

Prayer requests are received in many differ-ent languages covering the gamut of human needs.

continued on page 8

Fr. Paul’s Spiritual Legacy ~PERPETUAL NOVENA TO ST. ANTHONY

GRAYMOOR

SStt.. FFrraanncciiss CChhaappeell aatt GGrraayymmoooorr

SStt.. AAnntthhoonnyy SSttaattuuee iinn SStt.. FFrraanncciiss CChhaappeell

Three Religions One God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3Vatican II 50 Years Later. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4Paul Wattson Lecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5Graymoor Spiritual Life Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6Spirit of Assisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7Week of Prayer for Christian Unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

Centro Pro Unione ReceivesVatican II Photographs

see page 4 . . .

GLAD TIDINGSby FFrr.. BBoobb WWaarrrreenn,, SSAA

Over a hundred yearsago our founders, Fa-ther Paul and Mother

Lurana, looked around theChristian world and saw dis-unity.

They decided thatthey would start a week of prayer—a time when Chris-tians of every denomination could pray together forthe unity that Christ sought the night before He died:That they all may be one. . . so the world may believe.”(John. 17:21)

Over the years Christian churches have recog-nized that the unity for which Christ prayed has notbeen achieved. Perhaps that is because the originalglow has dimmed. The passion that pervaded the be-ginning of the ecumenical movement has been diffi-cult to sustain.

Many years ago I attended the annual PalmSunday celebration of Christian churches in Green-wich Village. Christian congregations from all over theVillage joined their churches in procession. With choirsand clergy in their robes, and banners waving, it wasa splendid sight. The processions merged at Washing-ton Square Park, a place that at the time was home tothe drug culture. Drug addicts and dealers mingledwith the enthusiastic church members. A youngwoman, looking emaciated and cold, was next to me.With the unmistakable signs of drug use, she joinedwholeheartedly in the singing and the prayers.

This particular ecumenical service was uniquein that it was only half of a service. The variouschurches had come together for what Catholics callthe “Liturgy of the Word.” After the homily, everyonedispersed to complete their Sunday worship accord-ing to their own traditions. As they were leaving, theyoung woman asked, “Where are you going? You havenot finished.”

She was right, we had not finished. Our unity asChristians has only gotten so far. And so let us all praythat Christ’s prayer will be fulfilled:

““TThhaatt tthheeyy aallll mmaayy bbee oonnee aass yyoouu FFaatthheerr iinn mmee,, aannddII iinn yyoouu;; II pprraayy tthhaatt tthheeyy mmaayy bbee oonnee iinn uuss,, tthhaatt tthheewwoorrlldd mmaayy bbeelliieevvee tthhaatt yyoouu sseenntt mmee..”” (John 17:21).

That would be GGllaadd TTiiddiinnggss.

Pray with Fr. BobAtonementFriars.org/Pray

In January, I was fortunate to be able to attend Week of Prayer cel-ebrations held at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC. Itwas brutally cold, but a faithful and hardy group of us gathered

during this special time. It was moving to know that the prayers wesaid had been developed by the Christians in Jerusalem as we ob-served this year’s theme (adopted from Acts 2:42): “They devotedthemselves to the Apostle's teaching and fellowship, to the breakingof the bread and to the prayers.”

In the days followingthis event, as a vocationminister, I began to makeconnections betweenthese four pillars of earlyChurch life and whattoday’s young men believeare important qualities tobe found in their searchfor a religious life and reli-gious community. It struckme that these qualities arethe authentic marks of a Spirit-filled community.

For those of us called to religious life, the first pillar of Scrip-ture and the Apostles teachings have been a sure guide for under-standing the basics of our vocation. The Word of God comes alivein us. When that Word is heard deep down in our very being, westart knowing and becoming the “new creation in Christ.” Becom-ing a priestly person, a prophetic person, and a shepherding personis our original calling. How we choose to live our calling definesour ‘disciple identity.’ The stories in the Bible are our own stories, ifwe listen to them carefully. We see ourselves in the struggles andjoys of those people. Scripture and the teachings of the Apostlesguide us on our journey.

The second pillar of fellowship and sharing of our resources isanother true sign of a Spirit-filled community. The Word of God canunite us all despite our divisions and empower us to do great thingstogether. We can have a unity of action amidst a plurality of diversereligions. Community life is not meant just for our own enjoymentbut is a call to form a global community.

Reflections on Our Charismby Fr. Dennis Polanco, SA, Vocation Minister

CCoommee aanndd SSeeee WWeeeekkeennddss for men considering the call to thereligious life are hosted by the Friars throughout the year at vari-ous locations including Graymoor, Toronto, Rome/Assisi, and

Manila. The number of participants is limited to ten. Men shouldbe between the ages of 18 and 40 years old, in good health,

psychologically mature, and without major debt. Above: participants at Graymoor.

continued on page 11

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FRIAR VOCATIONS

JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AND MUSLIMS

Frr.. BBoobb LLaannggoonnee,, SSAA,, associate director of the Graymoor Spir-itual Life Center, prepares for Lent by burning palm

branches that were blessed last year. The ashes were then usedto mark the foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday.

All are invited to attend Easter observances at Graymoor.For those wishing to spend Holy Week in prayer and reflection,the Center offers its annual Holy Week retreat (see page 6).

PREPARING FOR LENT

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Judaism, Christianity, and Islamshare a great deal in common.On a very basic level, they be-

lieve in and worship the same God:the God of Abraham, Isaac, andJacob (see Exodus 3:6). Of course,although Jews, Christians, and Mus-lims worship the same God, theyunderstand Him in different ways.

Jews, Christians, and Muslims all have a SacredScripture in which God is revealed to humans and hu-mans are given instruction as to the will of God and themeaning of life. For Jews, that Scripture is called theTanak or the Hebrew Scriptures, which is more or lessidentical with the Christian Old Testament. For Christians,the Sacred Scripture is the Old and New Testaments andfor Muslims it is the Quran. While Muslims revere what iscalled “Torah” and “Gospel,” referring to the Jewish andChristian Scriptures, Muslim belief in the sufficiency ofthe Quran means that extremely few Muslims would read

or be familiar withthe Bible. The no-tion of God’s reve-lations, though

understood quite differently, is important in all three re-ligions.

People who have travelled in Muslim countriesnotice the call to prayer which resounds through Mus-lim cities five times a day. The five daily prayers consti-tute one of the “Pillars of Islam.” The five prayers divideand sanctify the day. Orthodox and Catholic Christians

also divide the day into “hours” forprayer. Jews have prayers whichare geared for specific times ofthe day such as morning, evening,and night. Although each of theseprayer traditions is very differentfrom the other, the rationale issimilar: so that believers remainaware of God’s presence andmajesty, that the work of the daydoes not become a total distrac-

tion, and to sanctify time itself.

As more Muslims emigrate to the West, Christiansare becoming more aware of the Holy Month of Ra-madan in which Muslims fast. Fasting is commonamong Jews and Christians, as well. Jews fast on theYom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and on the an-niversary of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.Christians fast at times during Lent. While the under-standing of the role of fasting may differ among Jews,Christians, and Muslims, all agree that it focuses the be-liever on eternal things and on the Divine.

Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe thatGod has called them to be instruments of peace andjustice in the world. Over the last two thousand yearsrelations among the three religions have often beenpoor with now one and then another engaging in ag-gression towards the other. Today, through interreli-gious dialogue, the hope has been born that these threereligions—and others—can work together for a worldof peace and justice.

FFrriiaarr iinn pprraayyeerr aatt GGrraayymmoooorr

phot

o by

Br.

John

OʼH

ara,

SA

Fr. Elias, a member of the Friars’ general council, is the author ofIslam:What Catholics Need to Know, available from the GGrraayy--mmoooorr BBooookk && GGiifftt CCeenntteerr: 845-424-2100.

““AAlltthhoouugghh JJeewwss,, CChhrriissttiiaannss,, aanndd MMuusslliimmss,, wwoorrsshhiipp tthhee ssaammee GGoodd,, tthheeyyuunnddeerrssttaanndd HHiimm iinn ddiiffffeerreenntt wwaayyss..””

Three Religions, One God. . . by Fr. Elias Mallon, SA

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To understand the Second Vatican Council—whose fifti-eth anniversary is approaching later this year—a briefexplanation of the Council of Trent and Vatican I, which

preceded it, is helpful.

The Council of Trent opened in December of 1545and concluded its work eighteen years later, in December of1563. It spanned the pontificates of three popes. The first,Pope Paul III, noted at the time that the state of “the Churchwas rent and torn asunder by schism, dissension and here-sies.” The Council of Trent, which followed on the heels ofthe Protestant Reformation, is commonly referred to as theCatholic Counter Reformation. It dealt primarily with issuesof reform and doctrine. In an effort, in the pope’s words,“toguide and govern the bark of Peter”— to rescue the Churchfrom future turmoil—the Council all but redefined theChurch. For some, Trent is spoken of as one of the most im-portant councils as it responded with urgency to the negativeforces which sought to undermine fundamental teachings ofthe Roman Catholic Church.

Except for Vatican I (1869-1870), which defined papalinfallibility and dealt with problems of rationalism, liberalism,and materialism, it could be said that little change occurredwithin the Roman Catholic Church until Vatican II, some 450years following the Council of Trent.

Aggiornamento—the hallmark of the Second VaticanCouncil called by Pope John XXIII in 1962—simply meant thatthe Church must be brought up-to-date and adapt itself to meetthe challenging conditions of modern times.

From 1962 to 1966, the Council succeeded inpromulgating sixteen decrees. Perhaps the decree whichmost affected the universal life of the laity was that onthe Liturgy. Introduction of the vernacular into the liturgy,the repositioning of the altar, and the celebrant facingthe people, were among the more notable and morememorable changes that took place. In addition, recog-nition given to the role of the laity dramatically changedthe life of many Roman Catholics.

The decrees which most affected the ministry ofthe Franciscans Friars of the Atonement are the UnitatisRedintegratio (Decree on Ecumenism), and Nostrae Ae-tate (In Our Time). The latter focused its attention onworld religions with a special emphasis on Jews andMuslims, while the former opened new ways of workingwith Protestant, Anglican, and Orthodox Christians forthe primary purpose of promoting the unity of the Chris-tian church. These decrees signaled a new era of inter-faith relations and ecumenical initiatives that continuestoday.

VATICAN II 50 YEARS LATERby Fr. Damian MacPherson, SA, Director for Ecumeni-cal and Interfaith Affairs, Archdiocese of Toronto

FRIARS RECEIVE ARCHIVE OF VATICAN II PHOTOGRAPHS

Centro Pro Unione is the Friars’ ecumenical action, research, and formation cen-ter located on Rome’s historic Piazza Navona. It carries out its mission throughan intensive program of conferences, courses, and dialogues that attract theolo-

gians and academics from around the world.

Foyer Unitas, a ministry of hospitality operated by the Ladies of Bethany, had since1950 collaborated with the Centro in welcoming non-Catholic pilgrims arriving in Rome.During Vatican II, Pope Paul VI asked Foyer Unitas to provide lodging for the ecumeni-cal observers. In 2009, Sister Leideke Galema, who managed Foyer Unitas for manyyears, gave Centro’s library a precious collection of 740 photographs. These are not

only records of the sessions of Vatican II, they also include important ecumenical moments from the pontificate of PopePaul VI, including the historic meeting when he gave his own episcopal ring to the archbishop of Canterbury, MichaelRamsey (above).

Centro Pro Unione is working to make this collection available to the public during the fiftieth anniversary of Vat-ican II’s opening council in Rome later this year. For more information visit AAttoonneemmeennttFFrriiaarrss..oorrgg//CCeennttrrooPPhhoottooss..

AA ggeenneerraall sseessssiioonn ooff VVaattiiccaann IIII iinn SStt.. PPeetteerr’’ss BBaassiilliiccaa..

continued on page 5

Frr.. KKeennnneetthh CCiieenniikk,, SSAA, direc-tor of the Graymoor Spiri-tual Life Center, returned

from a 10-day mission trip with the Missioners of Christ toHonduras in January.

Fr. Ken travelled to the Diocese of Comayagua withyoung adult mission teams. They visited remote mountainvillages where generally Mass and other pastoral duties havenot been celebrated for over a year.

Fr. Ken has been to Honduras five times in the lastfour years. This past summer, he studied Spanish at a semi-nary there and did mission work. Prior to returning to Gray-moor in 2010, he was the director of the Pre-TheologateProgram of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

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XXXII PAUL WATTSON LECTURE

His Eminence Cardi-nal Walter Kasper,president emeritus

of the Pontifical Councilfor Promoting ChristianUnity, spoke at the XXXIIPaul Wattson Lecture heldat the University of SanFrancisco on February 21.He lectured on “Hope forthe Future of Ecumenism.”

“It was a delight tohave such a knowledge-able, spiritual, and experi-enced leader be ourspeaker,” said FFrr.. DDaavviiddPPooiirriieerr,, SSAA,, director of theseries. “Cardinal Kasper's

deep commitment to building bridges and continuing thedialogue between faiths is inspiring and relevant.”

“Spirituality in Everyday Life” was the title of the an-nual Paul Wattson Lecture held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, onNovember 22, 2010, at Saint Mary’s University. The guest lec-turer was Brahma Kumari Mohini Panjabi, president of theBrahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization of the USAand representative of the Brahma Kumaris World SpiritualUniversity to the United Nations in New York.

With these lectures, which began in 1974 at CatholicUniversity of America, the Friars honor the memory andwork of their founder and continue their efforts to realizethe prayer of Jesus: “That all may be one. . . so the world maybelieve.” (John 17:21)

CCaarrddiinnaall KKaassppeerr vviissiitteedd GGrraayymmoooorr iinn22000022 wwhheerree hhee cceelleebbrraatteedd MMaassss

aatt PPiillggrriimm HHaallll..

Mission Trip to Honduras

Both decrees were truly prophetic and have sinceoccupied immense amounts of time, energy, and re-sources within the Roman Catholic Church. Each led tothe establishment of a Pontifical Council within the Vati-can, one for Promoting Christian Unity and relations withthe Jews and the other, the Pontifical Council for Interreli-gious Dialogue. Both offices are a significant and impor-tant presence within the Vatican and signal to the worldthat the Church is serious about these matters.

The Friars are well-known for our ecumenical andinterfaith activities. In many ways, Unitatis Redintegratioand Nostrae Aetate validate and give continuing impor-tance to our work. Today, we see a growing importance inboth these areas, especially as we see and hear Pope Bene-dict’s commitment to ecumenism and interfaith dialogue.

The approaching anniversary of Vatican II remindsus that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, great accomplish-ments have occurred and even more, much more, is yet tobe achieved. Your continued prayers remain an essentialcontribution to these goals.

VISIT OUR WEBSITEwww.AtonementFriars.org

Pray With Fr. Bob Warren, SAPray the Lord’s Prayer, St. Anthony's Prayer and

Hail Mary with Fr. Bob.

Listen to the Ave Maria HourFirst brought to the airwaves in 1935 and continuinguntil 1969, the Ave Maria Hour is now webcast.

Request Mass/Healing Cards On-lineAn assortment of Mass cards, healing cards, and

enrollment in the Graymoor Spiritual Union are available.

VVaattiiccaann IIIIcontinued from page 4

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GRAYMOOR SPIRITUAL LIFE CENTER

Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday ofthe Lord’s Passion, is the most sacredweek of the liturgical year. The Graymoor

Spiritual Life Center’s annual Holy Week retreat,begins on the evening of Spy Wednesday with acommunal penance service that attracts neigh-bors as well as retreatants seeking an opportunityfor sacramental reconciliation.

The Holy Week retreat continues on HolyThursday with morning prayer and conferencesleading up to the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Sup-per. After the Mass in Pilgrim Hall, the congrega-tion accompanies the Blessed Sacrament in asolemn candlelight procession to the retreat cen-ter chapel which serves as the altar of repose.

On Good Friday afternoon everyone gath-ers in Pilgrim Hall for the Celebration of theLord’s Passion with its solemn reading of the Pas-sion and Veneration of the Cross. In the eveningthose attending gather once again for the Sta-tions of the Cross, held outdoors by torchlight.

On Holy Saturday night, the Great Vigil ofEaster, all huddle around a blazing fire fromwhich the paschal candle is lighted and carriedtriumphantly into the darkened church. Thereadings recall God’s mighty deeds throughoutsalvation history, beginning with the Book ofGenesis. Easter Sunday is celebrated with a sun-rise service near St. Francis Chapel and the regu-lar Sunday Eucharist in Pilgrim Hall.

For those wishing to spend Holy Week inprayer and reflection, the Graymoor Spiritual LifeCenter is your destination.

The joy of Easter is extended throughout theSpring with other events—such as the blessing andplanting of wildflower seeds inaugurating NationalWildflower Week, this year on Sunday, May 1.

Springtime at Graymoor

TThhee ttoopp ooff tthhee HHoollyy MMoouunnttaaiinn

SStt.. JJoosseepphh’’ss GGaarrddeenn oouuttssiiddee SStt.. PPaauull’’ss FFrriiaarryy

BBlloossssoommss nneeaarr SStt.. FFrraanncciiss CChhaappeell

AtonementFriars.org/Retreats845-424-3671, ext. 2111

THE SPIRIT OF ASSISI AT GRAYMOOR

On October 27, 1986, Pope John Paul II met in Assisi with leaders from Christian Churches—Orthodox, An-glican, and Protestant— and from many other religious traditions—Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist—to prayfor world peace. In his closing address to the assembled leaders, he thanked them for coming and he en-

couraged them to keep alive what he called “the spirit of Assisi.”

Because of the widespread violence, poverty, and environmental degradation that we see around us today,the Minister Generals of six Franciscan orders have called on all Franciscans to celebrate the 25th anniversary ofPope John Paul II’s meeting at Assisi. “We would like,” they write, “to reinforce our commitment to peace and dia-logue by encouraging the entire Franciscan Family to celebrate thisimportant anniversary. . . New conditions have emerged thatthreaten the unity of the human race, its well-being, and its very ex-istence.” These conditions, they explain, “challenge the ability of theChurch and of our Franciscan family to be effective signs of unity.”

Pope Benedict XVI announced in his New Year’s address to the world that he will be going to Assisi on Oc-tober 27 to mark this historic anniversary and to meet with Christian leaders and those from other religions to pro-mote world peace.

After praying the first Angelus of the year in St. Peter’s Square, the pope highlighted how “the great religionscan represent an important factor for the unity and peace of the human family.” The Holy Father invited “Christ-ian brethren of various denominations, the leaders of the world’s religious traditions. . . and all men and womenof good will” to join him on this journey in order “to commemorate the historical action desired by my prede-cessor and to solemnly renew the commitment of believers of every religion to live their own religious faith as aservice to the cause of peace.”

In his concluding remarks, the pope invited the crowd “even now, to support this initiative with your prayers.”

The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement will heed his call and follow his example. On October 27, we areinviting leaders from the Christian Churches and other religious traditions to Graymoor for a round-table discus-sion on how interreligious understanding and cooperation can foster world peace.

May the joyous Spirit of Assisi fill our hearts and souls with peace and hope for all future generations!

AAtt tthhee IInntteerrffaaiitthh DDaayy ooff PPrraayyeerrffoorr PPeeaaccee,, AAssssiissii,, 11998866,, tthheeppooppee ssttaannddss wwiitthh,, ffrroomm lleefftt::BBiisshhoopp GGaabbrriieell ooff PPaallmmyyrraa,, rreepp--rreesseennttaattiivvee ooff tthhee GGrreeeekk OOrrtthhoo--ddooxx PPaattrriiaarrcchh ooff AAnnttiioocchh,,AArrcchhbbiisshhoopp ooff CCaanntteerrbbuurryyRRoobbeerrtt RRuunncciiee,, AArrcchhbbiisshhooppMMeetthhooddiiooss ooff TThhyyaatteerriiaa//GGrreeaattBBrriittaaiinn aanndd rreepprreesseennttaattiivvee oofftthhee EEccuummeenniiccaall PPaattrriiaarrcchh ooffCCoonnssttaannttiinnooppllee,, tthhee DDaallaaiiLLaammaa,, tthhee VVeenneerraabbllee MMaahhaaGGhhoossaannaannddaa,, tthhee VVeenneerraabblleeEEuuii--HHyyuunn SSeeoo ooff KKoorreeaa,, aanndd tthheeVVeenneerraabbllee EEttaaii YYaammaaddaa ooffJJaappaann.. PPhhoottoo ©© LL''OOsssseerrvvaattoorreeRRoommaannoo..

by Fr. John Keane, SA

““.. .. ..tthhee ggrreeaatt rreelliiggiioonnss ccaann rreepprreesseennttaann iimmppoorrttaanntt ffaaccttoorr ffoorr tthhee uunniittyy aanndd

ppeeaaccee ooff tthhee hhuummaann ffaammiillyy..””~ PPooppee BBeenneeddiicctt XXVVII

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WWW.STCHRISTOPHERSINN-GRAYMOOR.ORG

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continued from page 1

TThhee FFrriiaarrss ccoonnttiinnuuee ttoo pprraayy ffoorr tthhee SSaaiinntt’’ss iinntteerrcceessssiioonn oonn bbeehhaallffooff tthhoossee iinn nneeeedd.. AAbboovvee iiss FFrr.. BBoobb WWaarrrreenn,, SSAA.. AAtt lleefftt iiss FFaatthheerr

PPaauull,, tthhee FFrriiaarrss’’ ffoouunnddeerr..

One found tucked behind the statue of St.Anthony in St. Francis Chapel read, “Dear Lord,please help my husband and me develop a loving,sober relationship.” Another said, “Cure my wife ofbreast cancer, help my aching back, and bring uscloser to You.” One asked, “Dear God, please guideme with my parenting. I want to teach my girls howto have faith and spirituality. I love them with allmy heart.” Another read, “Lord, I pray for my brotherin the Army. Watch over him.” Still another pleadsfor employment: “Lord, I love you. I'm desperate fora job. Come to my rescue.”

Remembering that over 2,000 years agoJesus told a crowd of needy people, “Ask and youwill receive; search, and you will find; knock, and it

will be opened to you,”(Luke 11:9),the Friars gather for the Liturgy of

the Hours every evening, afterwhich they remember the pe-titions received at Graymoor.

Aware that people inneed are always around andthat a most loving God is still

taking care of them, the Friarsare here for you and your loved

ones and welcome your petitions.

SStt.. AAnntthhoonnyy’’ss SSttaattuuee iiss ttoo tthhee lleefftt ooff tthhee aallttaarr iinn SStt.. FFrraanncciiss CChhaappeell..

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S INN WWW.STCHRISTOPHERSINN-GRAYMOOR.ORG

More Room at the Inn

After maintaining anywhere from a two-week to one-month waiting list for admission the past two years, St.Christopher’s Inn has added approximately 20 new

beds. The renovations were completed in February.

Founded by Father Paul in 1909 to provide shelter forthe “pilgrims of the road” whom he called Brothers Christopher,by the 1960s, the Inn was at the forefront of providing AAmeetings and recovery retreats. In the early 1970s, with the in-crease of drug use in society, men arrived with dual addic-tions. During the 1990s, the Inn received licensing to provideOutpatient Alcoholism Counseling, Substance Abuse Outpa-tient Treatment and an Article 28 license as a Diagnostic andTreatment Center. Today, recognizing the importance of tak-ing a holistic approach to treating the diseases of alcoholism

TThhee IInnnn’’ss CChhooiirr ppeerrffoorrmmss aatt rreelliiggiioouuss sseerrvviicceess aanndd ccoommmmuunniittyyeevveennttss tthhrroouugghhoouutt tthhee yyeeaarr..

and drug addiction, the Inn addresses the physical, spiritualand emotional impact of addiction, thereby realizing betteroutcomes for the Brothers Christopher.

Chris

She

ridan

/Cat

holic

New

Yor

k

FATHER PAUL’S LEGACY CONTINUES

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Following the dream of their founders, Mother Lurana and Father Paul,the Franciscan Sisters and Friars of the Atonement gathered for eightdays from January 18 to 25, 2011 at Graymoor to pray for the unity of

Christians. During this octave of prayer known as the Week of Prayer forChristian Unity, they used readings from Holy Scriptures and meditationsdeveloped by the Christian churches in Jerusalem. These helped them tofocus upon a passage from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles (2:42)which indicates the fourpillars of ChristianUnity—namely, Fellow-ship; the Teachings of theApostles (the Bible); theBreaking of the Bread(the Eucharist), andPrayers.

Special, joyous services celebrating the Wordof God were held in three Graymoor locations—atSt. Christopher’s Inn for homeless men, addicted toalcohol and drugs, whose choir was the highlight ofthe evening; at the Sisters’ St. Francis Convent Chapel,where Msgr. Patrick Keenan, pastor emeritus of St. Colum-banus Parish in Cortlandt Manor, NY, preached, and at Little Flower Chapel, with the Rev. Paul Johnsen,pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Yorktown Heights, NY.

On the fifth day, FFrr.. EEmmmmaannuueell SSuulllliivvaann,, SSAA, spoke of the meditations and readings saying: “Wecannot underestimate the importance of what we are doing during this Week of Prayer. We make itpart of our daily prayer for peace and justice; for Church Unity and for interfaith understanding. TheFriars and Sisters of the Atonement have made this prayer an expression of their corporate call to

make the prayer of Christ a prayer for all of us. Thiswas the vision shared by the founders of the Gray-moor community to be shared by the Church forthe life of the World.”

In Washington, DC, the Week of Prayer for Chris-tian Unity was inaugurated at the FranciscanMonastery of the Holy Land, known to many as the“Holy Land of America,” with Evening Prayer onJanuary 18. FFrr.. JJaammeess GGaarrddiinneerr,, SSAA,, who is on sab-batical this year at the monastery, organized theservice. FFrr.. DDeennnniiss PPoollaannccoo,, SSAA,, the Friars’ vocationminister, participated.

LLiittttllee FFlloowweerr CChhaappeell,, GGrraayymmoooorr

FFrraanncciissccaann MMoonnaasstteerryy ooff tthhee HHoollyy LLaanndd,, WWaasshhiinnggttoonn DDCC

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2011

GEII.org/WeekofPrayer

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BELL TOWER NOTES

FFrr.. RRoobbeerrtt LLaannggoonnee,, SSAA,, has been named associate director of the Gray-moor Spiritual Life Center where he had been a retreat director. Fr. Bobis from Brockton, MA, and has been a member of the Franciscan Friarsof the Atonement since 1982. He was ordained in 1989.

FFrr.. JJaammeess LLoouugghhrraann,, SSAA, director of Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute,was invited by the Diocese of Sacramento to spend the Week of Prayer for ChristianUnity 2011 giving talks, homilies, and presentations throughout the diocese. He alsoappeared on the Bishop’s radio hour in Sacramento and taught classes to parochialhigh school students.

FFrr.. JJaammeess GGaarrddiinneerr,, SSAA,, who is on sabbatical this year at the Franciscan Monasteryof the Holy Land in Washington, DC, led the 22nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Paradethrough the streets of Peekskill in Westchester County on March 12. Fr. Jim, theimmediate past director of the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, was selected inrecognition of his many years ofservice to Westchester and Put-nam Counties.

Br. Kevin Goss, SA1951~2011

May He Rest in Peace

LLeett uuss aallssoo rreemmeemmbbeerr aanndd pprraayy ffoorroouurr bbeenneeffaaccttoorrss wwhhoo hhaavvee ppaasssseedd.

“OUR COMMON SEARCH FOR PEACE”BUDDHIST/CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE AT GRAYMOOR

MAY 13 ~ 15, 2011

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April 14Benefactor Appreciation Day

(dedication of new visitor entrance)Graymoor, Garrison, New York

April 20 - April 24Holy Week Retreat

Graymoor Spiritual Life Center(see page 6)

May 1Blessing and Planting of Wildflower Seeds

Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

May 12Sunset on the Hudson Cocktail Party

X2O Xaviers on the HudsonYonkers, New York

June 612th Annual Graymoor Golf Classic

Mount Kisco Country ClubMount Kisco, New York

June 10Heritage Day

(Mass at St. Anthony Shrine)Graymoor, Garrison, New York

June 25 Jubilee Celebration

Graymoor, Garrison, New York

September 9 Benefactor Appreciation/Sponsor Day

Graymoor, Garrison, New York

September 30Sharing Hope Celebration Dinner

The Pierre, New York City

For more information800-338-2620

AtonementFriars.org

EVENTSAs Franciscan Friars of the Atonement we engage

in works for peace and justice. Oftentimes, we discover adeeper calling from God as a result of service to others. Wefind that our whole life is deserving of this call. It is both ex-hilarating and frightening all at once. Yet, God leads us onthe way.

In the third pillar, the sharing of bread, early Christianssaw the sign of friendship, forgiveness, and dedication toone another. In the breaking of bread, we are formed anew

for the propheticmessage of hope forall humankind. TheEucharist is thesource and summit

in our life path search. Yet, as joyful as the Eucharist is for us,it also is a painful reminder to us of our divisions as Chris-tians. This reality among us as Christians inspires the Friarsand Sisters of the Atonement to the unique call of our ownFranciscan community: to reconciliation and at-one-ment.

Finally, the fourth pillar of prayer is listening and talk-ing to God. We pray in order to discover our life path andmission to the world. It is humbly coming before God asJesus taught us in the Our Father. We pray to seek God’s will.We pray for the building up of the Kingdom of God here onearth. Prayer is essential in searching for our life path. Godspeaks to us in His Word and in the Eucharist. God speaksin the events of our lives and those in the world. God speaksto us through persons in our life and world.

We may even discover a ‘touchstone’ experiencethrough prayer. This may be a story or word that comesback over and over and has great meaning to us. It is theway God speaks to us. Francis of Assisi had this experiencewhen he heard God say: “Francis, rebuild my Church whichis falling down.” At first, he took it literally and began re-building the small church of San Damiano. Later, thesesame words took on an entirely different meaning as his lifepath changed. The same can happen to us. For all of us, thefour pillars: One in the Apostles’ teaching, Fellowship, Break-ing the Bread, and Prayer (Acts 2:42) are the building blocksof our Baptismal vocation as Christians.

On that cold and snowy January night, we prayedtogether so that Christians everywhere might be a sign andinstrument for the healing of divisions and injustices andfor the growing in understanding between people of allfaiths. Today, I pray that God continues to favor us Friars aswe strive to be effective disciples of at-one-ment and thatHe may favor us with plentiful vocations to continue our ef-forts to realize the prayer of Jesus: “That all may be one …so the world may believe.” (John 17:21).

AtonementFriars.org/Vocations800-338-2620, ext. 2126

continued from page 2Reflections on Our Charism

““BBeeccoommiinngg aa pprriieessttllyy ppeerrssoonn,, aapprroopphheettiicc ppeerrssoonn,, aanndd aa sshheepphheerrddiinnggppeerrssoonn iiss oouurr oorriiggiinnaall ccaalllliinngg..””

-- 1111 --

Graymoor Today • P.O. Box 301 • Garrison, NY 10524-0301 • 11--880000--333388--22662200, ext. 33551199 • wwwwww..AAttoonneemmeennttFFrriiaarrss..oorrgg

GRAYMOOR CONTACTS:Benefactor Services 845-424-3671 ext 3519 Book & Gift Center 845-424-2100GEII 212-870-2330

St. Christopher’s Inn 845-335-1000Spiritual Life Center 845-424-2111Vocations 845-424-2126

GRAYMOOR TODAYPublisher: Friars of the AtonementGraymoor Today is a publication of the Franciscan Fri-ars of the Atonement, a Roman Catholic religiouscommunity with social, ecumenical and pastoral min-istries in the United States,Canada,England, Italyand Japan. Since 1898,they have worked for the rec-onciliation of men and women with God and eachother as well as serving those in need.

Privacy Promise Statement: From time to time we make information about our lapsed or inactive donors available to otherCatholic Charities. If you do not wish your name shared, contact us and we will respect your wishes. If you no longer wishto receive requests for support from the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, please call 800-338-2620, ext. 3519.

“It was Truly a Miracle!”

St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your lovefor God and charity for his creatures,made you worthy, when on earth, topossess miraculous powers. Miracleswaited on your word, which you wereready to offer on behalf of those inneed. Encouraged by this, I ask you tohear my prayers.

“St. Anthony Helped Me!”

“I couldn’t believe it when I received my lovelySt. Anthony medal and prayer card in the mail. It hasbeen many years since I have been at Graymoor. Iused to come there when I was a child, but moved tothe West Coast as a teen.

The medal arrived when I was going through aparticularly difficult time—facing risky surgery thatcould potentially save my sight—or potentially makeme blind. I didn’t know what to do!

I remembered reading about the special Gray-moor Shrine to St. Anthony and the Friars nightlyprayers to St. Anthony. The day I went for surgery Imade sure I had your medal with me and made sure torepeat his prayer several times. I am happy to reportthat the surgery went fine.

Thank you St. Anthony and Friars!”

IIff yyoouu wwoouulldd lliikkee ttoo rreecceeiivvee aaddddiittiioonnaall pprraayyeerr ccaarrddss,, mmeeddaallss,, oorr hheeaalliinngg eennrroollllmmeenntt ccaarrddss,, pplleeaassee ccoonnttaacctt uuss..

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ST. ANTHONY’S CORNER

���� YES, send me a free Will Information Kit

����Send to Fr. Emil Tomaskovic, Graymoor, PO Box 301, Garrison, NY 10524

WHEN THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS.... A Record of Your Wishes - Making a will makes you think about the future.It sets down your wishes and plans for your estate, whatever its size. Without one,state law dictates who and what your relatives receive. Plus, naming an executorputs someone you trust in charge.

A Way to Continue Your Good Works - You can establish endowments tosupport your favorite charities knowing the work they do will continue, in part, be-cause of you. Remembering the Friars of the Atonement in your will ensuresthat our work will continue.

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On April 14, the new Visitors Welcome Entranceof the Pius X building will open at Graymoor.For many years, guests arriving at the Gray-

moor Spiritual Life Center for Mass, retreats, confer-ences, or evening recovery meetings would enterthrough the loading dock—or walk up a three-storyflight of stairs.

The new reception area has been made pos-sible through a generous estate gift, the hard work ofthe Graymoor maintenance staff, and leadershipfrom the Graymoor Redevelopment Committee. Aspecial ribbon cutting and blessing will occur dur-ing April’s Benefactor Appreciation Day, followed byMass and luncheon.

880000--333388--22662200,, eexxtt.. 22113377AAttoonneemmeennttFFrriiaarrss..oorrgg//VViissiittoorrEEnnttrraannccee

NEW VISITOR ENTRANCEAT GRAYMOOR