Congratulations to newly elected Regional Executive Council

Our new Regional Executive Council members were elected on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016 at our ARG.

Congrats to all as they begin their servant leadership! Please remember us in your prayers.

Minister – DorothyAnn Rowland

Vice Minister- Carmen Madero

Secretary – Barbara Garrison

Treasurer – Ken Brooke

Formation Director – Dianne Ambrose

Area 1 Councilors – Lannie Newman  and  Lori Moran

Area 2 Councilors – Sara Nell Boggs and Janet Holshuf

Area 3 Councilors – Bob Pearson and Carolyn Peduzzi

Priestly Ordination of friar Gabriel Scasino, OFM Conv.

On February 14, 2015,  friar Gabriel Mary Scasino, OFM Conv. was ordained to priesthood.  St Philip Benezi Catholic Church in Jonesboro, Ga. had the honored to host this joyous and historic event. Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv. (former Pastor of St. Philip’s and St John Vianney and now Bishop of Savannah) was the Ordaining Bishop.  Father James McCurry, OFM Conv., minister provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province of the Conventual Franciscans, also participated in the ordination.

For more details please see the Georgia Bulletin article by Nichole Golden.

HHS Mandate Response – Deacon Tom Bello, OFS, National Minister

Beloved National Family,

A Blessed First Friday and First Saturday in February to all of you. May our Lord's Sacred Heart and our Mother's Immaculate Heart intercede for all of us!

 

Please permit me to make the three following requests.

First, it doesn't take a great deal of attention to notice that we live in an increasingly pluralistic and irreligious society, and democratically elected governments may increasingly reflect that reality. My first request from all of you and your fraternities is that we pray for this great land and its elected officials that we all may serve as instruments of the Lord's peace and justice, doing the Lord's will as best we can. "Pray without ceasing," as St. Paul urged (1 Thessalonians 5: 17).

My second request is that all of you not only support, as many of our Regional Ministers and National Executive Council have already done, but also share, publicize and distribute the following statement drafted by our JPIC Chair Kent Ferris:

“The National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order of the United States of America joins the United States Catholic bishops in their strong condemnation of the “Preventive Services” mandate of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.   All thirty national regions, representing over 13,000 individual members, support that condemnation.

Catholic organizations that provide health care insurance to their members will have their long established conscience rights violated by the mandate to make available, and use organizational funds to procure insurance plans covering sterilization and contraceptive drugs, including those which are abortifacient.   This mandate preempts individual and organizational choices in conformance with the Church’s sanctity of life teachings.

 It is an abuse of religious freedom, as it subordinates traditional religious beliefs of Catholics and many others to the will of the State.  While the Church has a responsibility to participate in society, that participation must be conditioned by the beliefs and practices of the Church.   We live in a pluralistic society in which only when the rights of all members are respected is the common good attained.  The Church’s beliefs in the sanctity of life permeate its charitable works, its outreach to the world.  These beliefs make many contributions to our society, helping, nursing, feeding and caring, all without trampling on the religious rights of others.

 

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