PORTERS' CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our porters volunteer their time and energy to help the friars in many ways; they take turns answering the phone, attending to people coming to the friary for different needs, helping open and close the chapel and also lending a hand in friary special occasions.

To show our appreciation, the friars host them at a local restaurant every year around Christmas time.  Besides a nice meal, games are played for prizes and gifts are given, besides a lot of other fun.  God bless our porters!

 

Father Joseph English, Vice Provincial, speaking with some porters and spouses.

Just some of the prizes and gifts to be won or awarded.

One of the fun games that livened the dinner was to make buildings or structures with little marshmallows and tooth picks!

Merry Christmas!

YOUTH FORUM HOSTED BY SFO

The Secular Franciscans of the Saint Padre Pio Fraternity sponsored a Youth Forum today at the Sister Roberta Center in Oka, Tamuning.  The Missionaries of the Poor were present to participate in giving talks and witnessing to the young people.

The forum was held as an activity of the Year of Faith proclaimed by the Holy Father.

SECULAR FRANCISCAN DAY OF RECOLLECTION

On Saturday, December 15, the Padre Pio fraternity of Secular Franciscans had a Day of Recollection at the Friary, lead by two Missionaries of the Poor.

PILGRIMS FROM JAPAN MEET UP WITH FATHER GORDON

Capuchin Father Gordon Combs welcomes Bishop Tani and the pilgrims from the Diocese of Saitama, Japan to a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu after completing their three day retreat on Kalaupapa, Molokai. The pilgrims also visited the relics of St. Damien and the recently canonized St. Marianne Cope, which are reserved at the Cathedral. Father Gordon was a missionary in Okinawa for many years and is fluent in Japanese.

A PUBLIC INVITATION : FR. PATRICK'S SILVER JUBILEE

OUR LADY OF CAMARIN IN LOS ANGELES

On December 8, Fr Eric Forbes, OFM Cap presided at Mass for the Guam patients at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, CA.  Over 100 Chamorros from Southern California and other locations attended.

A permanent shrine of Our Lady of Camarin's image is in the hospital chapel, as many Guam patients are referred to this hospital.

Some of the many people who enjoyed fellowship at the luncheon after the Mass.

ANNUAL FRIAR RETREAT

Every year, the friars in Hawaii and Guam go on retreat for a week.  A Capuchin friar usually comes in from elsewhere to lead in a Franciscan-themed retreat.

 

 

This year our director was Fr Patrick McSherry, OFM Cap, of the Detroit Province.

 

 

With the postulants and candidates.

Photos courtesy of Will Paulino and Riko Crisostomo.

CHAMORRO WORKSHOP IN SAN DIEGO

Around 200 Chamorros and friends/family of Chamorros in the San Diego area gathered last Saturday for a full-day workshop on Chamorro culture and history presented by Fr Eric Forbes.

The venue for this event was the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, which provides a place and many services for the various ethnic communities of San Diego.

DECEASED FRIARS REMEMBERED ON ALL SOULS DAY

Father Patrick Castro, OFM Cap, blesses the graves of the Capuchins buried at Togcha cemetery.  All the friars who died on Guam since 1966 are buried there.

Father Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap, distributes Holy Communion at the All Souls Day Mass at Togcha Cemetery.

SFO PROFESSION IN HAWAII

Father Gordon Combs, OFM Cap, along with Father Francis Kim, OFM (Holy Name Province), witnessed the profession of five new members of the emerging Secular Franciscan Order fraternity of Saint Clare in Hawaii.  The profession took place at the noon Mass at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu.  Jim Doyle, Minister of the Saint Marianne Cope Fraternity, received their profession.  The five newly-professed, all Korean, are Bernadette Sung, Maria Sung, Clara Kim, Mariana Lee, Helena Chang.  In the same ceremony, Helena Kim and Benedicta Suh became candidates in the Secular Franciscan Order.

FR ERIC'S CHAMORRO WORKSHOP IN LOS ANGELES

On November 3rd, about 100 Chamorros from the Los Angeles area gathered for a workshop presented by Fr Eric Forbes, OFM Cap on the Chamorro culture.  A panoramic review of the history of the people was given from the first evidence of human settlement 3700 years ago till the present.

PEACE MEMORIAL

Back in the 1960s, a Catholic monsignor who lived through the Japanese occupation of Guam during World War II, and Japanese Buddhist associations collaborated in the building of a Peace Memorial so that we never have to suffer what they went through in the war.  The site chosen was the last battle ground on Guam of World War II, in Mataguac, Yigo.  Every year, both Buddhist monks and Catholic clergy take turns praying for the war dead at this annual occasion.

This year, Fr Raphael Iannone, a Capuchin visiting from New York, went out of personal interest to the annual ceremony.  He is seated in between a Buddhist monk on the left and the Lieutenant Governor of Guam on the right.

The Peace Prayer of St Francis was said in Japanese by almost everyone, lead by Fr Santiago, a Japanese-speaking Catholic priest on Guam.

SAINT FRANCIS FIESTA IN YOÑA

The ever-popular Saint Francis of Assisi always draws a large crowd to his annual fiesta in Yoña. 

The congregation was augmented with members of the Secular Franciscan Order.

Pale' Eric Forbes presided and preached.

Pale' Jose Villagomez, pastor, had the relic of Saint Francis available for public veneration.

The procession with the statue of Saint Francis.

FR. RAPHAEL HELPS ON GUAM

With Father Gus Gumataotao still on the mend in California, Father Raphael Iannone, Capuchin from New York, has graciously agreed to come help us out and cover Saint Jude parish.  It is a delight to have him with us.

HAPPY FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS

Father Jose Villagomez presided and preached at the festal Mass at the Friary.

Brother Ryan Charfauros read the readings.

The friars renewed their vows after Mass.

The postulants and candidates received a blessing at the hands of Father Patrick Castro.

In the evening, after dinner, at the Transitus, the lighting of a candle for each deceased friar of our fraternity.

PALE' ERIC IN MANILA'S PADRE PIO CENTER

With Mr. Ramon Rodriguez, director of the National Center of Padre Pio in Manila.

PADRE PIO FEAST A GREAT SUCCESS

On Sunday, September 23, 300 or more people converged on Saint Fidelis Friary on Guam to celebrate the Feast of Saint Padre Pio.  The theme this year was "Padre Pio and the Sacred Heart."  Starting on September 15 and ending on the 23rd, Fr. Eric Forbes, OFM Cap preached every night on this theme during the Mass following the novena.

An hour before Mass, the chapel was full and people had to start sitting outside.

For the benefit of those sitting outside, the liturgy was filmed and shown live on the tower wall.

The candlelight procession.

Procession with the image of Padre Pio.

Veneration of the Relic.

Devotees all brought something to share at the dinner after the Mass.

FATHER JOSE HONORED IN SAIPAN

Twenty-five years ago, a new, modern hospital was opened on Saipan to serve the Northern Marianas called the Commonwealth Health Center (CHC).  Years before it opened, a board was founded to plan for the design and building of that hospital - the Commonwealth Health Coordinating Council.  From 1980 till 1986, a Capuchin from Saipan, Father Jose G. Villagomez, was chairman of that Council.

Last Friday, August 31, Fr. Jose was honored by the Commonwealth for his service many years ago.  The Acting Governor and the CEO of the hospital were in attendance, and a joint resolution commending Fr. Jose was presented by the 17th Commonwealth Legislature.

Father Jose, who now serves as pastor of Saint Francis Church in Yona, Guam, said he was "humbled and appreciative" of this recognition.

 

Father Jose was joined at the ceremony by members of his family.

MINISTER GENERAL RE-ELECTED

Fr. Mauro Johri of Switzerland was re-elected to another six-year term as Minister General of the Order.  The Vice Provincial of Guam and Hawaii, Fr. Joseph English, embraces Fr. Mauro in the pic above.