We’re Off

Jun 2

Letter from the Pastor
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
June 4, 2023

We’re Off

After the Masses this weekend all of the friars will be heading to Siena College just outside of Albany, NY. As many of you know, 6 provinces of the Order of Friars Minor [OFM] in the United States have been working to become one united province. usfranciscans.org For about 10 years we have been in discussions, had meetings, voted, had more discussions and more meetings. As we are approaching the October 2023 timeline for the merging of the 6 provinces into one, the new U.S. Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Holy Name Province will gather for what will be our last Chapter [meeting] as an independent province.

Holy Name Province was founded in 1901. We trace our roots back to the Franciscan missionaries who came to the U.S. in the mid-1800s. Some came to minister to the enormous amount European immigrants looking for a better way of life. Others came because of the political conflicts in Europe taking place from 1872 to 1878 [kulturkampf] mainly between Pope Pius IX and Otto von Bismarck, the leader of the Prussian government.

In 1855, Fr. Pamfilo da Magliano, OFM, and three other Italian friars went to Western New York where they founded St. Bonaventure College, now St. Bonaventure University. Twenty years later, friars from Germany, led by Fr. Francis Koch, OFM, settled in Paterson, N.J. In 1901, these early foundations were regrouped and Holy Name Province was established. Our ministries primarily remained along the eastern seaboard, but we did have many missionaries, at one time, in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Japan, and China, with a few missionaries even venturing off to Africa. At our peak we were well over 1,000 friars.

In New Jersey, many Catholic parishes within a 30-mile radius of Paterson, NJ were founded by our friars who lived at St. Bonaventure Church and Friary in Paterson. They would follow the “mission circuit” every weekend and then return to the friary in Paterson.

The early days of our parish on Long Beach Island began in 1885 with the help of diocesan priests from Camden, Philadelphia, Lakewood, and for a brief time, the Conventual friars in Seaside Park. The care of the parish was transferred to the friars of Holy Name Province on June 7, 1928. Similar to the friars in Paterson, the friars living in Beach Haven served the two missions on Long Beach Island, St. Thomas Aquinas in Beach Haven, and St. Thomas of Villanova, in Surf City, and for almost 20 years served the year-round missions in Barnegat and Tuckerton. On Nov. 7, 1947, the charges of those two missions, St. Mary’s and St. Theresa’s, were transferred to the diocesan priests assigned to serve the people of Barnegat and Tuckerton.

History is fascinating. I find it enriching to see where we came from and to look at where we are now. Creating history, however, does have its challenges. I will confess, it is not easy to say good-bye to Holy Name Province. It is difficult to see things pass. This realignment of provinces makes sense intellectually but emotionally it does pull at our hearts. But with confidence in Divine Providence, and knowing the history that has brought us to where we are now, we know that something beautiful will emerge.

Please keep all of our friars in your prayer. May we always focus on the proclamation of the Gospel and let God take care of the rest.

Peace and All Good!