A Journey of Faith & Fraternity
My Good Friends,
This Sunday, Fr. Mike, Fr. Steve, and I will be joining nearly 300 (maybe more) of our Franciscan brothers in the newly reconfigured Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. as we gather for our Provincial Chapter in St Louis and return back to the parish sometime on Friday July 17th. These gatherings are one of the most important moments in the life of our fraternity. As we prepare to pack and make the journey, we find ourselves looking forward to much more than a week of meetings. We will be anticipating a time of prayer, reflection, discernment, and, above all, fraternity.
A Chapter is a unique opportunity in the life of a friar, as it affords us the opportunity for us to step away from the daily rhythm of ministry and come together as brothers. We serve in parishes, schools, retreat centers, hospitals, campus ministries, and many other places, separated by hundreds of miles since the forming of this new Province. For many of us, the Chapter is the one occasion when we can gather under one roof, reconnect with friends, meet friars we know only by name, and renew the bonds that unite us as sons of St. Francis.
While there will be important business before us, including election of new leadership on the Provincial level, various reports, discussions, decisions and possible reassignments that will help shape the future of our province, our hope is that we never lose sight of why we gather. Our Chapter is first and foremost a spiritual event. Together we will celebrate the Eucharist, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and listen carefully to one another. Every conversation, every vote, and every decision should be rooted in our shared desire to live the Gospel more faithfully. There is something deeply Franciscan about listening to one another with openness and respect, recognizing that God often speaks through the voices of our brothers.
A gathering of a Province is also a visible reminder that our fraternity is larger than any one local community or ministry. Together we represent generations of Franciscan life, from those celebrating decades of profession to friars who have only recently begun their journey. Together we all bring unique gifts that reflect the richness of our vocations.
As our Chapter begins this Sunday, we ask for your prayers for safe travel there and back home again. Pray that we will be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, courageous in our discernment, wise in our decisions, and generous in our service to one another. Pray that our time together will strengthen our fraternity, renew our commitment to follow Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis, and return refreshed back to our parish community of Sacred Heart.
We arrive with gratitude for the brothers who have gone before us, appreciation for those who serve alongside us today, and hope for the future that God continues to unfold. May this Chapter be a time of renewal, joy, and faithful discernment as we seek to embrace the mission entrusted to us with humility, simplicity, and peace.
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack
