My private phone line rang. It was 5:30 in the morning. Although I was already up nursing my first cup of coffee, I cannot say that I was in a state of full consciousness! It was still thirty minutes before the friars would gather for the first Office of prayers in the chapel. When the phone rings that early, it is either a friar in desperate need to get me before I am gone for the day or a wrong number. This time it was neither. It was the priest secretary of the Bishop of Limerick, Ireland.

Br. Martin de Porres Ervin joins in a crowd of lively Irish youth at the dedication of the new St. Patrick Friary in Limerick, Ireland.

I had been in Ireland the previous month meeting with various Ordinaries concerning a possible foundation of friars in their dioceses. The brothers had narrowed down the possibilities to two locations, one in Northern Ireland and the other in the Republic. It was not certain as yet where we would land, for both had good possibilities for ministry.

The priest began his remarks with innumerable apologies for calling so early. I assured him that I was already up (even if I was not really awake). He wanted to inform us of the recent happenings in his diocese. There was an active feud in Limerick City between two rival “families.” It was suggested by many that it was related to drug territories. The previous day a young mother parked her car for a brief moment to visit a friend. She left her two children in the auto. While she was inside, someone fire-bombed her car. Thankfully, the children within were not killed, but they were badly burned.

The confrontation between the two “families” escalated immediately and the streets of Moyross, Limerick, were filled with unrest. It was to this neighborhood that the bishop, a month earlier, had expressed hope that the friars might come. Now he wanted to express his concern for our safety and to acknowledge that he would understand if we declined his offer to come.

I suspect that the priest secretary surmised my extended pause to be a polite hesitation so that I might formulate my gracious response not to come to Limerick. Quite the contrary. I was trying to determine how I might say that we would accept the bishop’s offer without sounding overly excited! As soon as the priest secretary had related his account of the situation, I knew that this was exactly where we should be.

Four years earlier several friars, including Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, and Fr. Bob Lombardo, had the privilege of conducting a preaching tour of Ireland. We were in seventeen locales in twenty-two days. Although we had been cautioned by some Church authorities not to be discouraged by the potential poor turnout for the mission, we were astounded at the positive response everywhere. Numbers were no lower than three hundred. Some places had well over a thousand participants! In every place we preached, the response was the same: gratitude and a strong encouragement to come to Ireland. The land of scholars and saints with missionaries to the world was calling for renewal. And we felt invited, indeed compelled, to help.

Although my response to the priest secretary may have seemed unduly delayed, in my heart I knew that our “Yes!” was to be immediate.

The reaction by the Church and the city to our response to come was also immediate and overwhelming. The city council began a process of finding suitable housing. They offered to refurbish three town houses, which were in need of considerable repair. The abandoned structures had been burned out. The city council proposed to remodel the structures into a single unit to be utilized as a friary in the midst of the people. Work began in haste to prepare an appropriate dwelling for religious. A chapel, an enclosure, and a suitable place to receive guests were all factored into the architectural designs. Carpenters and plumbers, plasterers and landscapers – all competed to fulfill their part of the project. All worked day and night to prepare a home for our friars.

Saint Francis always sought the blessing of the Bishop before beginning to work in any diocese. So the Community was grateful for the invitation and blessing of Bishop Donal Murray, shown here with (left) Fr. Sylvester Mann, who is stationed at the friary in Ireland, and Fr. Bernard Murphy, Community Servant.

It was within this whirl of activity that perhaps the most amazing work began to take place. The people in the neighborhood slowly began to come over and assist with the preparations. Children who were initially antagonistic to the friars were roped into service. Cleaning, moving debris, and even some painting was accomplished by the neighborhood lads. Mothers came and scrubbed floors, cleaned windows, and planted flowers. Fathers came to offer their trades: building furniture for the chapel, putting up light fixtures, and at times disciplining the overactive young ones. It was a thorough buzz of activity.

Then the businessmen and accountants from the “nicer sections” of town came to help. People from every walk of life and financial status came to be a part of this new foundation. People who would not normally mix were now working side by side to prepare the friars’ first foundation in Ireland. It was a gathering of which ol’ Saint Patrick would be proud!

Finally, the day of the blessing came. A bagpipe-and-drum corps from the neighborhood led the procession of the bishop, priests, and religious who marched from the parish school to the overcrowded church. Members of the local and national media, both television and newspapers, sought to get their “scoop.” The Franciscans of the Bronx had come to Moyross. And as Br. Shawn, the new Local Servant at St. Patrick Friary, said, “We are here to stay!”

After the Mass of Thanksgiving and a delightful reception provided by the women of the parish, the crowd wandered over to the new friary for its formal blessing by the bishop. Hundreds gathered for the inauguration of the “Friary in the neighborhood.” All who had helped to make these town houses a home for the friars gathered with great pride to see their work now solemnly blessed. People from the neighborhood and those from upscale sections of Limerick, Church officials and city council leaders were all smiling from ear to ear for a task well done!

When the friars consider a place to establish a new foundation, there are several factors that must be considered. The first, of course, is that we be invited by the local Ordinary. It is our desire not only to be present to a diocese but also to be of real assistance to the bishop in his vision for his flock. Second, we must be in places noted for poverty. As Franciscans, we are moved to meet the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters. We wish not merely to serve them, but to be among them. And finally, we desire to be in a place where we can actually make a difference. It is with this conviction that we embrace with delight our work in Moyross.

The bishop has been most gracious. The neighborhood has some real needs. But most of all, the friars feel that they are able to make a real difference for good – for God. We long to be a presence of God’s love and a catalyst for forgiveness. It is our desire to live and witness to a pattern of peace and gracious coexistence. We want to be the presence of Jesus to all those we meet, and see the presence of Jesus in all those we serve. The smiles on the faces of all assure us that we are in the right place. In just a few short months in Ireland, the friars have come to appreciate the old saying, “When Irish eyes are smiling!”

	Community events are a joyful reminder of the growth of the community, hopefully in holiness as well as in numbers. As with any family, mealtimes provide fraternal time and often entertainment as well! The friars and sisters rely on Divine Providence for their food, but there always seems to be enough pasta for a growing family.
Br. Charles Benoît Rèche was one of eight friars who made final vows in July, including three from France and one from England. Fr. Raphaël, Br. John Bosco, and Br. Séraphim returned to our friaries in England and Ireland, while Br. Philip, Br. Giuseppe, Br. Charles, Br. Bonaventure, and Br. Jeremiah remain in the New York area. Fr. Bernard received their lifetime vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, while Fr. Benedict and Fr. Richard witnessed the vows.

Fr. Bernard stands with his mother and two brothers and their families on the occasion of the blessing of the choir chapel at Most Blessed Sacrament Friary. The Murphy family sponsored the renovation of this chapel in memory of Fr. Bernard’s deceased father, John, and brother, Brendan. The work was accomplished through the expertise of Br. Crispin Rinaldi. The friars and sisters are grateful for the support of their families in so many ways and remember them daily in our prayers, as well as our Associates and benefactors.

Br. Juanmaría Arroyo Acevedo was grateful to help with a parish mission in his native Loquillo, Puerto Rico along with Fr. Herald Brock and Br. José Maria DeJesús. Br. Juanmaría’s parents, shown here, were also grateful to be able to prayerfully join in this time of spiritual renewal which has been part of the friars’ work of evangelization since the earliest days of the community.