From November 24 to December 3, 2023, Friar Michael Lasky visited the postulants of the Conventual Franciscan Federation (CFF) at the St. Bonaventure Friary in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The visit was focused on JPIC workshops and events celebrating the Christmas at Greccio.
Friar Michael offered the CFF postulants foundational classes on Franciscanism and the Social Doctrine of the Church. This year, under the direction of Friar Emanuele Rimoli, students in the Christian Anthropology course at the Seraphicum College in Rome developed a set of questions for the postulants to use while visiting the “Steve McCurry Icons” exhibition in downtown Chicago. 
The exhibition featured photographs created by Mr. McCurry while he worked for National Geographic magazine. The questions developed by the Seraphicum students helped the postulants to more deeply consider the photographs in the context of human dignity and culture. This led to an excellent discussion on Franciscan culture.
On November 25, there was an inter-Franciscan gathering at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago for a study day on the Christmas at Greccio with Sister Mary Elizabeth Imler, O.S.F., Vice President of Mission Integration at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. On November 28, Friar Michael Lasky joined Dr. Darleen Pryds, PhD., from the Franciscan School of Theology in San Diego, California, USA, for an online presentation entitled: “The Grace of Greccio: 800 Years of Tradition,” hosted by Franciscan Media.
-Friar Michael Lasky OFM Conv.
(This article originally posted at ofmconv.net – click here to see the post and many more photos.)
