February 2008         

May the Lord give you His peace!

This is a short and dreary month. For the next few months I would like to write about a topic which will be very helpful as you discern your vocation: Human Formation. Grace builds on nature. Human formation encompasses how we are built (like Frankenstein) in order to develop our character, the soil - if you will - that receives the seed of God's grace. The Lord can only work with the materials we give Him so to speak. There are things which help or hurt our human character. Because of our fallen human nature we all need healing. Pray for poor Britney Spears, she is an example of what I am writing about.

Formation of men for the Priesthood of Jesus Christ can be compared to the four legs of a table. Formation is described in Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992 Pope John Paul II on Priestly Formation) – as human, spiritual, intellectual and academic. Of these four legs, Pope John Paul stressed that human formation is the "necessary foundation" of the formation process of a candidate. Human formation looks to address aspects and elements of what it means to be fully human as exemplified in Jesus Christ himself, the Word made flesh.

I will be away on the following dates during February (Fr. Gabriel should be available at the friary):
  • 11-25 Visiting our friars in England and Ireland...
                 Vocation retreat at St. Fidelis Friary, London, for men in Europe: Feb. 15-17, 2008.
                 Those interested Contact Br. John Paul, CFR [info].
                 Youth 2000 Retreat at Harrogate, Feb. 22-24 [info].

Check it out ...

CAPUCHIN SAINTS (ETC.) IN FEBRUARY:
2nd
- Presentation of the Lord a.k.a. Candlemas - MP3
  12th World Day of Consecrated Life - Vatican Audio
4th
- St. Joseph of Leonessa (the friar killer)- MP3
6th
- Ash Wednesday, Lent begins
11th
 - Our Lady of Lourdes - Special Indulgence - MP3
17th
- Bl. Luke Belludi (companion of St. Anthony of Padua) - MP3
 
+ Pope Benedict to visit Washington D.C. and New York in April, 2008 [info].
+ Pope Benedict: 2008 Message for Lent [more].
+ Vatican Decree: Plenary indulgence on the 150th anniversary of Lourdes this February [info].
+ 2008 A year of vocations in Ireland [more].
+ Interest in Priesthood on Upswing, CNS [more].
+ Vatican Radio in English on the Internet [here].
+ CFR Articles: Ireland - Friar blesses President of Ireland
+ Vocation retreat at St. Fidelis Friary, London, for men in Europe: Feb. 15-17, 2008.
   Contact Br. John Paul, CFR [info].
+ Official 2-week visit (for those wanting to join the CFR's in Sept. '08) will be June 14-28, 2008.
+ NYPriest.com theatrical trailer [here].

Wisdom quote: "If we are intended for great ends, we are called to great hazards." "God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission ... Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his"
John Henry Cardinal Newman (soon to be Beatified).

May the Lord bless you,

Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR 
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355
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