In July, we welcomed our new postulants at the House of Studies in Chicago, while six men entered the post-novitiate phase of their formation after professing their first vows. The men professed these vows (also known as simple or temporary) in their home provinces.
On July 15, Friar Maximilian Anselm Rewa professed temporary vows at Marytown, Libertyville, IL (St. Bonaventure Province.) In his homily, Friar Jim Ciaramitaro said:
"Today, we are not just hoping for something in Maximilian’s future – rather, we are seeing now a remarkable realization of hope because Maximilian is dedicating himself to be a powerful reflection of Jesus’ own life and love. He is professing to be a living sign for all to see, of Jesus emptying Himself, which He did in obedience to the Father so that we could all be filled with the very life of God."
Friars Robert Moynihan, André Miller, and Colden Fell professed their first vows on July 19th at Mount St. Francis, Mt. St. Francis, IN (Our Lady of Consolation Province.)
On July 21, Friars Vincent Mary Ouly and Marvin Paul Fernandez professed their Simple Vows at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, MD (Our Lady of the Angels Province.)
On July 7th, we celebrated the Welcoming Ceremony for our postulants. The Rite of Beginning Fraternity was held at the Conventual Franciscan Federation House of Studies in Chicago. Paulo Moonjeli and Ross Vito Caruso were officially welcomed into the Postulancy Program and postulants James Muzzey and César Victor Cruz Pérez III were welcomed back for their second year of postulancy and first year of studies. You can read more about these men at St. Joseph of Cupertino Province website.
