GUAM NOVICES KEEP UP BELEN TRADITION

The novitiate community in front of the outdoor Belen

Ever since Guam novices started entering the program at San Lorenzo Friary in Santa Ynez, California, they have lead the efforts year after year to build a large, outdoor nativity scene or creche, called a Belen in Chamorro.

This year, Brothers Cody Lizama and Sean Rodriguez oversaw the building of the Belen.

Notice the windmill in the Belen, a tribute to nearby Solvang's Danish heritage.

The Belen was completed in time for the Hispanic community in the area to come to the Friary to celebrate the Posadas tradition, commemorating Joseph and Mary's pilgrimage from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

LIFE IN THE NOVITIATE

Four novices from Guam now live at San Lorenzo Friary in Santa Ynez, California. Novitiate is the first formal year of training in Capuchin life. Novices from all over the U.S., English-speaking Canada, Australia, Guam and sometimes from England or Ireland come to this novitiate.

From left to right : Brothers Lawrence Borja (Chalan Pago), Sean Rodriguez (Tamuning), Cody Lizama (Sta Rita) and Nicholas Martinez (Yona).

A Life of Prayer and Worship

...of Work

...and Fraternity

FOUR NOVICES FROM GUAM INVESTED

On July 20, four young men from Guam were invested as novices of the Capuchin Order. The novitiate is a year of intense prayer and study of the Capuchin life. The novitiate for the U.S., which includes Guam, and also Australia and English-speaking Canada, is now based in the quiet, peaceful countryside of Santa Ynez, California. At times, England and Ireland send their novices to Santa Ynez.

The four from Guam pictured above are : Lawrence Borja, Cody Lizama, Sean Rodriguez and Nicholas Martinez. Father Michel Dalton represented the Guam and Hawaii friars.

For some years now, the United States, Guam and Canada have been graced with a couple dozen novices or more. Here is the entire class for the novitiate year 2014-2015.

Congratulations and our prayerful best wishes!

GUAM NOVICES CONTINUE TRADITION

Ever since the friary in Santa Ynez, California became the novitiate for the US and other English-speaking countries, the Guam novices have taken the leadership in building the Christmas crèche (or belen), an old and venerable Franciscan tradition going back to Saint Francis himself.

This year, the coordinator for setting up the belen was Guam novice Brother William Paulino.  Many other novices lent a hand in many ways, including carpentry and painting.

Brother William (right) with Brother Jason Chargualaf, also from Guam, who helped build the belen.

NOVICES INVESTED

The Vice Province is blessed to have two young men from Guam invested in the habit of the Capuchin Order this past weekend.

Brother William Paulino is from Saint Joseph parish in Inarajan.  Brother Jason Chargualaf is from Saint Jude parish in Sinajana.

The novitiate is one full year of initiation into the Capuchin way of life.  Novices live in community - praying, studying, working and sharing life as brothers.

Some years ago, it was decided to have all the novices from the U.S., including the Vice Province of Guam/Hawaii, English-speaking Canada and Australia do their novitiate year together.  After some time in Pennsylvania, the novitiate program moved to Southern California.  The novitiate is in a quiet, ranch area of Santa Ynez, a town near Solvang, which is about half an hour from Santa Barbara.

Father Patrick Castro from Guam flew to the investiture ceremony to represent the friars of Guam and Hawaii.

NOVICES ON RETREAT

Brother Gavin Diego (back row, 3rd from right) and his fellow novices just completed their retreat in preparation for their first profession of vows which will take place in July.

BR. GAVIN DIEGO IS INVESTED

Brother Gavin Diego, of Inarajan, Guam was invested with the habit of probation along with novices from other parts of the U.S., Canada and Australia.  Novitiate takes place at San Lorenzo Friary in Santa Ynez, CA, not far from Santa Barbara.

The moment of investiture, assisted by Fr. Michel Dalton, Capuchin pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Ewa, Hawaii. 

Br. Gavin is seated in the upper left corner.

With Father Mike

With some fellow novices on the grounds of the novitiate

The novitiate class of 2012-2013

GUAM NOVICES SPEARHEAD BELEN IN CALIFORNIA

A large outdoor Christmas creche (Belen, in Chamorro and Spanish) was put up by some novices and friars at the novitiate in California, spearheaded by former novice Bryan Quinata and present novice Ryan Charfauros.  Bryan had done a similar project in 2010 when he was a postulant in Berkeley, California.

To build the creche, spare, discarded materials were recycled and used, yet one would never know from the beautiful and artistic result!

Brother Ryan Charfauros from Guam

Bryan Quinata

OUR NOVICES IN CALIFORNIA

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BROTHERS BRYAN QUINATA AND RYAN CHARFAUROS FROM GUAM

are novices at San Lorenzo Novitiate, Santa Ynez, California

Brother Bryan Quinata gives a brief tour of the Novitiate friary

Brother Ryan Charfauros courageously plants Guam chili pepper trees and a coconut tree at the Novitiate

The novices and friars at morning Mass

Brother Ryan Charfauros

Brother Bryan Quinata

BROTHERS BRYAN AND RYAN INVESTED

On July 24, two novices from Guam, Bryan Quinata and Ryan Charfauros, were invested with the Capuchin habit.  They joined 20 other novices from all over the U.S., Canada, Australia and England at the novitiate in San Lorenzo Friary, Santa Ynez, California.

Santa Ynez is near Solvang, CA and about a half hour from Santa Barbara. 

Bryan is invested by Father Joseph English, Vice Provincial of Guam and Hawaii

Father Joseph also assists Ryan receive the Capuchin habit

The entire class of novices for the year 2011-2012

Ryan and Bryan

Our two novices from the

Vice Province of Star of the Sea

Guam - Hawaii