February 2006
 
May the Lord give you His peace! I can't believe that February is here already! Again, I apologize for not being available on the phone due to my busy travel schedule. Please keep trying. It has been great meeting many of you along the way. At the present, there are over 600 men on this list from several different countries. Let us all pray for each other! On February 2, along with consecrated religious throughout the world, our brothers in temporary vows renewed their commitment for one year (four of them in anticipation of final vows this summer - Br. Louis,
Br. Nathaniel, Br. Daniel & Br. Columba - pray for them). Thank you, Jesus!
 
Last month I wrote about the prayer of the Breviary. 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 Holy Rosary.
 
We friars wear the Rosary on our chords and pray it every day. You will find this devotion in many of the canonized saints, especially our beloved Capuchin confreres. Our Lady has been encouraging us to pray her Rosary every day in her various places of apparitions. Pope John Paul II gave us a Year of the Rosary (Oct. 2002-2003) and an amazing Apostolic Letter on the Rosary (Rosarium Virginis Mariae) found here. Please download and read this great teaching! You can also find the full text in Fr. Benedict's book, The Rosary, Chain of Hope, found here. I have no better advice than to encourage you to consecrate your discernment and vocation to our Blessed Mother.

I will be away on the following dates during February:
  • 8-20 In England (see below).
  • 23-26 Vocation Fair at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH.

  • Feb. 8-20 in England at our two friaries, London and Bradford.
We will have a vocation weekend retreat at our friary in London,
St. Fidelis Friary, on the weekend of February 17-19, 2006.
Please pray for the men in Europe who are discerning the C.F.R.
way of life!

If you are in Europe and interested, contact Br. John Paul at
St. Fidelis Friary, London, England.


Check it out:
Capuchin Saints: St. Joseph of Leonessa, Feb. 4, info here.
The first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, God is Love.
Excellent Vatican document on homosexuality and the priesthood found here.

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 haven't 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 me - 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
(212)281-4355                                                         Archive eLetters