April 2006
 

May the Lord give you His peace! I apologize that I was not able to send a Vocations eLetter in March. We have been having trouble with the website/internet connection. I also apologize if you got an email "from me" that had attachments containing viruses. Someone hijacked the list, it did not come from me. I will never send you an email with attachments.

I can't believe that the holy season of Lent is here again! This 40 day period in preparation for Easter is a great time to "begin again" in our spiritual life. A most blessed Easter to all of you. The friars do a great job with all the holy week liturgies, we are looking forward to this powerful time of the year.

 
Last time I wrote about the prayer of the Holy Rosary. I feel that the topic of prayer is very important, especially for those who are discerning a possible religious vocation. Therefore, this month I would like to write about the power of the Our Father, also known as The Lord's Prayer. Personally, I will be meditating on this prayer - the only prayer which Jesus gave us - during the entire Lent.
 
Saint Francis had a great love for the Our Father. He often used it as a springboard for spontaneous prayer (example from his writings found here). Although I had been praying the Our Father my whole life, I remember that I was 13 years when I started to ponder the actual meaning of those words for the first time. It is a prayer that we Catholics often rattle-off in the Rosary or at Mass without seriously thinking about what we are saying. I would like to offer a few links concerning the meaning of the Our Father :
  • Understanding "Our Father" by Scott Hahn. An excellent book by an outstanding author (146 pages).
  • The Our Father in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (##2761-2854). A solid resource.
  • The Lord's Prayer in the Catholic Encyclopedia found here.

I will be away on the following dates during April:
  • 20-23 Institute on Religious Life with Fr. Groeschel, Chicago, IL.
  • 27-May 1 Youth Retreat in North Pole, Alaska.
  • May 3-5 EWTN, Life on the Rock on the 4th, Alabama.
  • May 5-7 Wedding in New Orleans (pray for Mary and Clint).

Check it out...
Capuchin Saints in April:
April 21, St. Conrad of Parzham, 2nd.
April 24, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen , 2nd.
April 30, Bl. Benedict of Urbino, 2nd in Italian.
April 23, Divine Mercy Sunday!

Anniversaries in April:
April 2, death of Pope John Paul II the Great
April 19, installation of Pope Benedict XVI
April 28, CFR Founding Day (1987 Marian Year)


The first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, God is Love.
Pope Benedict XVI, Letter for vocations, May 7, 2006.
Excellent Vatican document on homosexuality and the priesthood found here.
A must see - really great new 18 minute film on the priesthood, Fishers of Men. (trailer in 2 more formats)
Powerful movie on Saint Anthony of Padua (Italian with English subtitles).
Inspiring movie on Pope John Paul. produced by Lux Vide.
New show on EWTN, PARABLE (features many of our friars), Thursdays at 9 pm (Eastern Time).
Fr. Luke and Br. Sebastian to be on LIFE ON THE ROCK, EWTN, May 4th at 8 pm (Eastern Time).
April 16,17,23 - God or the Girl, a show about discerning a vocation on A & E - I am told that it is positive.

If you are thinking about joining the friars this September, (you know who you are!)
please note that the official Two Week visit is May 29 - June 12. If you have not talked to me,
let me know as soon as possible so that we can begin seriously discerning. Thank you.


We are praying for you and your discernment everyday, especially on Wednesdays. Let us set our hands to the plow in the Lord's vineyard and not look back! "The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor" (1 Cor 3:8).
Thank you for your patience in contacting us - don't give up,
it is not a sign if you are having trouble getting us on the phone!
God bless you,

Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR 
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
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