ALLEGANY — Four postulants from Holy Name Province spent their first months in the Province at St. Bonaventure University participating in the summer program of the Franciscan Institute and experiencing varied aspects of Franciscan life.
John Aherne, Father Pedro Corces, Frank Souza and Jeffrey Upshaw began their studies in late June, according to postulant director Father Ronald Pecci, OFM. The program, which focuses on the life of St. Francis and early Franciscan history, included workshops given by friars specifically for the postulants.
From June 28 to July 9, three of the postulants, Aherne, Souza and Upshaw, audited Mary Meany’s two-week introductory graduate course, “Francis: Life and Charism,” in the School of Franciscan Studies, the Franciscan Institute. Following Meany’s course, they took informal ‘in-house’ courses that met in the Bonaventure friary. “These courses are solely for the postulants,” said Father Dominic Monti, OFM, HNP’s provincial vicar and secretary for formation and studies.
The men learned about basic Catholic beliefs from Father Gabriel Scarfia, OFM, of Buffalo, who led a one-week workshop on using the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and about liturgy from Father Daniel Grigassy, OFM, of Paterson, N.J. During their final week at
St. Bonaventure, July 23 to 30, Father Gary Maciag, OFM, of Boston, gave a workshop on oral interpretation and proclamation of the Scriptures, Father Pecci said.
Because Father Corces already had a background in much of this material, he audited a graduate course that Father Monti taught in the Franciscan Institute: “Franciscan Movement I,” which explores the history of the Franciscan movement from Francis up to the 16th century, said Father Monti. This five-week course ran from June 28 to July 30.
The postulants arrived on the St. Bonaventure campus June 26. As the Province’s men in formation have done for several years when the they came to Bona’s as part of the novitiate program, Father Monti said, the postulants shared on-campus housing with a number of Franciscan sisters in formation, a practice begun by Father Thomas Gallagher, OFM. They had some of their prayers and meals together in the townhouse, sharing the cooking and chores; the other prayers and meals they joined with the other Franciscan Institute students in the University Chapel and Hickey Dining Hall.
In between their studies, Aherne, Father Corces, Souza, Upshaw had opportunities to visit and participate in events at nearby Holy Name Province ministries. Father Pecci said the postulants traveled to Buffalo to visit St. Patrick’s Friary. They also participated in a 5K walk/run sponsored by St. Bonaventure Parish in Allegany in conjunction with parish’s Bonafest, held July 10 and 11.
“This proves to be a very good experience for the postulants,” said Father Monti. “They meet a lot of people, and from day one, (they) come to see they are part of a large, international, multicultural Franciscan movement of friars, sisters and lay people.”
The backgrounds of the postulants add to the diversity of the community. Each man hails from a different state: Aherne is a native of New York City; Father Corces is from Miami, Fla.; Souza from Philadelphia; and Upshaw is from Central New Jersey. Prior to returning to Wilmington, Del., to prepare for a formal ceremony welcoming them into the Province on Aug. 26 at St. Paul Friary, the four spent Aug. 2 to 8 on retreat at Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Mountain Retreat in nearby West Clarksville.
About Holy Name Province
Holy Name Province is one of seven provinces in the United States that belong to the Order of Friars Minor. Holy Name is the largest U.S. province, with ministries in 12 states along the East Coast. Its more than 350 Catholic priests and brothers serve in colleges, parishes, urban ministry centers and a wide variety of social ministries, as well as in overseas missions. The Order, founded in 1209 by St. Francis of Assisi, commemorated its 800th anniversary in 2009. Today, St. Francis — whose feast day is Oct. 4 — remains one of the most widely-known saints, revered for his affection for nature and care for creation. Information about Holy Name Province can be found at www.HNP.org.