THE FRIARS WELCOME TWO POSTULANTS

Austin, Fr Andre and Dereck

Postulancy in the Capuchin Order is the beginning of a young man's experience of Capuchin life. It is a period of discernment, lasting around nine months.

During that time, the postulant lives in community so that he can experience first-hand the life of a Capuchin friar. Both he and the friars look for signs that the Lord is calling them to the Capuchin way of life.

A postulant does not profess vows or wears the habit (the Capuchin brown robe), but otherwise experiences Capuchin life by attending all community prayers, working around the Friary and taking different classes in religious and Capuchin life.

This past August, Austin Usar and Dereck Delgado entered the postulancy program to start discerning their vocation. Father Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap is their director.

God bless them and enlighten them!

OUR POSTULANTS MINISTER

Our postulants on Guam take classes and follow the friary prayer and work schedule, but they also minister once a week for several hours.  Their ministry focuses on the elderly.  One week they visit the elderly Sisters of Mercy at their convent in Oka.  On this particular occasion, they were present for the 96th birthday of Sister Thecla.

They alternate the following week with a visit to Saint Dominic's Senior Care Home where they visit clients individually or in group activities.  Here, postulant Nicholas Martinez dances with one of the clients during a group dance session.

FOUR POSTULANTS WELCOMED INTO PROGRAM

 

Sean Rodriguez, Cody Lizama, Fr Andre, Nicholas Martinez, Lawrence Borja

Yesterday, four young men started their program as postulants of the Vice Province.  Postulancy is the first formal introduction of the Capuchin way of life to those seriously discerning a vocation.

As postulants, these young men are not friars yet.  But they live in the fraternity, take classes, pray with the friars and participate in most of the activities of the friars so that they can truly get to know our way of life through experience, and the friars can also get to know them.  This way they can better discern God's will.

Their director is Father Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap.

The postulants were given the Tau cross, a symbol of conversion adopted by Saint Francis.

 

The friars welcome the postulants with an embrace.

 

 

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR POSTULANTS

 

and

 

PRAY FOR VOCATIONS!

LIFE IN KANSAS

 

Our postulants, Will Paulino and Jason Chargualaf, are having quite an experience in Kansas.  Here they stand, with two classmates, in a wheat field, ready for the harvest.

 

Riding a harvester!

Jason ministers at a senior care residence called Via Christi.

 

Chamorros can be found in every state of the Union, including Kansas, where Jason has relatives.

William is pictured here at a church in Kansas where he and some classmates went for Sunday Mass.

 

The excitement builds!  The name tags are ready!

POSTULANTS IN KANSAS

Our postulants from Guam, William Paulino (standing on far left) and Jason Chargualaf (kneeling in the front row), are doing well in Kansas, where all the postulants gather in the summer to prepare for the novitiate which begins in July at our friary in Santa Ynez in California.

 

Jason Chargualaf at the ordination of a Capuchin in Denver, Colorado

William Paulino working at Dream, Inc., a center for substance abusers, people fighting addictions and those dealing with related family issues.

VICE PROVINCE WELCOMES TWO NEW POSTULANTS

The Vice Province rejoices in the reception of two new postulants in the community.  The event was celebrated today at Saint Fidelis Friary.

William Paulino

from Saint Joseph Parish, Inarajan

Jason Chargualaf

from Saint Jude Parish, Sinajana

Fr. Joseph English, Vice Provincial, hands the Bible to William and Jason.

The postulants receive the Tau Cross.

The friars welcome the new postulants.

GAVIN DIEGO IN KANSAS

Gavin Diego joined the Capuchin postulant program last year and is preparing to become a Capuchin novice in a few months.  Novices from all over the US, English-speaking Canada, Australia, England and Ireland, and Guam, prepare for this in Victoria, Kansas during the summer before they move to the novitiate in Santa Ynez, California.

Gavin's class. He is 1st on the left in the 2nd row from the top.

In the church of the friary where he resides.

ADIOS GAVIN!

Postulant Gavin Diego (standing) is leaving this Sunday to begin a new phase of his Capuchin formation.  He will be one of around two dozen men from the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia who will form the new novitiate class 2012-2013.  The first few months are spent in a friary in Kansas continuing the postulancy program; then off to Santa Ynez, California for the full-year of novitiate.

Before long, Gavin will be wearing the brown habit of a Capuchin novice!  Safe trip Gavin!  God go with you!

CATHOLIC MENS CONFERENCE

Postulants Gavin, Emil and Junee were in attendance at this year's Catholic Mens' Conference.  It is held annually and several hundred men attended this year.

The Conference was held this year at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Toto.

POSTULANTS DAY OF PRAYER

The postulants (Joe, Junee, Emil and Gavin) spent much of today in prayer and reflection.  Father Kenneth Hezel, a long-time Jesuit missionary in Micronesia and former superior of this region, lead them on the Day of Prayer.  Father Ken lives on Guam.

Father Ken stayed with key Scripture passages to flesh out three themes for the day : Holy Desires, Holy Unworthiness and Holy Boldness.  After each conference, the postulants spent time reflecting on these biblical passages related to the themes.  At the day's end, the postulants, with Father Ken, shared the day's reflections with each other to put them all together.

Joe Ogo reflects on Scripture

FOUR POSTULANTS BEGIN PROGRAM

From Left to Right

Gavin Diego, Junee Valencia, Emil Escalera, Joseph Ogo

Their Director, Fr. Andre Eduvala, is on the far left

At a simple ceremony on September 1 during the Eucharistic Liturgy at Saint Fidelis Friary, four postulants began their program in the Vice Province.  Fr. Joseph English, Vice Provincial, presided and preached at the Liturgy.  He spoke about the fear that is natural to us when we think about doing something new.  Drawing on the day's Gospel, Fr. Joe pointed to Christ's words in the passage, "Do not be afraid."  He continued, today we hear the story of Christ and the Apostles because the Apostles eventually were not afraid, and continued to preach the Gospel of faith and love."

The Gospel affirms the decision of the four postulants to say "yes" to the invitation to experience life in the fraternity and continue discerning God's call, despite the natural apprehensions that come with almost any new adventure.

Fr. Andre, Postulant Director, welcomes Emil into the program

The Postulants receive a Bible, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Tau Cross

POSTULANTS HOST FR JOSE AND BR JOE

Our four postulants Junee, Gavin, Joe and Emil live with their director, Father Andre, in the parish of Saint Francis in Yona.  In their first weeks at the new house, the postulants hosted lunch for the pastor of the parish, fellow Capuchin Father Jose Villagomez, and Brother Joe Meno who lives in the parish rectory.

Junee, Joe and Gavin in the kitchen.  Emil also helped prepare lunch.