Spring 2013, IssuePORTER 154 a newsletter of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America www.capuchins.org Friars Elect Leaders & Discern New Evangelization by Fr. Charles Polifka, O.F.M.Cap. efforts in Denver and for his Outgoing Provincial Minister powerful preaching, shared a concrete demonstration of what "This is a Franciscan moment in the New Evangelization can do. the Church!" proclaimed Bishop Fr. Felix's spirited presentations David Ricken, Bishop of Green offered an insight into what the Bay, WI, and one of the main Church is promoting, as well as presenters at the 12th Ordinary an encounter with Catholic Chapter of the Capuchin evangelization. Province of Mid-America. Bishop Ricken, who chairs the Fr. David Songy facilitated the United States Bishops' presentations on the New Committee on Evangelization Evangelization, presenting and Catechesis, was referring to questions for the friars to openly the thrust that the newly-elected discuss. These discussions Holy Father, Pope Francis, has helped the friars better given to the Church. Pope understand the need and the Francis' desire is to rebuild the nature of what the Church is Church to be a "poor Church for asking in the New Evangelization. the poor." How much more Franciscan can one get as the first Before the presentations on the Jesuit pope? New Evangelization, however, the friars heard from Mid- Bishop Ricken made immediate America's own Br. Mark Schenk, connection with the Mid-America re-elected to the General Council friars. As a graduate of St. Francis this past summer and appointed Seminary, he was speaking to by General Minister Fr. Mauro some of his former teachers: Frs. Johri as president of the 12th Blaine Burkey, Gilmary Tallman, Ordinary Chapter. Mark Harvey Dinkel, Cyrus Gallagher, congratulated the province on its Gene Emrisek, and others. boldness in making major Bishop Ricken was immersed in decisions in the past triennium the Franciscan spirit, as he and also challenged the friars to acknowledged in his time at the look to provinces in Africa and Chapter. His presentations, as India for bringing new friars into well as his homily at Mass, the province. Mark noted that explained the New Evangelization the province has already had very and its history. He challenged us good experiences with accepting to seize this Franciscan moment. Frs. Francis Dondu, Martin Bernard, and Sojan Parappilly A second presenter for the from India. Top photo: The newly elected Provincial Council (clockwise from top left): Fr. Chapter was Fr. Felix Medina, John Lager (4th Definitor), Fr. John Cousins (Vicar Provincial), Fr. David Songy pastor of St. James Church in (2nd Definitor), Fr. Christopher Popravak (Provincial Minister), and Fr. Jeff Ernst (3rd Definitor) Bottom photo: Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, WI The 2010-2013 triennial report Denver and member of the Neo- speaks to the friars about the meaning of New Evangelization and the was presented in PowerPoint by particular role of consecrated religious. Catechumenal Way. Fr. Felix, Provincial Minister Fr. Charles known for his evangelization Polifka. He served as provincial (continued on page 2) P r o v i n c i a l P O R T E R from 1989-1995 and again from 2007-2013, in addition to 1988-1989 as vicar provincial when Archbishop Charles Chaput was taken from the province to be Bishop of Rapid City. Fr. Charles reported on the ministries, fraternities, administration, finances, and direction of the province, noting in his closing remarks that the current "right sizing" of the province is in place and the organization is ready to move forward in evangelizing on all fronts of the province. A straw ballot prior to the Chapter and one at the beginning of the Chapter indicated that the friars were seriously considering Fr. Christopher Popravak, vicar provincial from 2010-2013, to be the new provincial minister. On April 3, the official vote was taken and the friars elected him as the The Capuchins pray together in the Friars’ Chapel. In fraternity, the brothers took time new provincial. After Christopher humbly accepted the throughout the Chapter for common meditation, celebration of the Mass, and the decision, Charles embraced the new provincial and joyfully praying of the Divine Office. handed over the keys to the administration building and provincial office. Christopher. Frs. John Cousins, Jeff Ernst, David Songy, and John Lager were elected to the Council. John Cousins In the following days, interspersed with the presentations on was elected Provincial Vicar. the New Evangelization, a new council was elected to assist Jubilees were celebrated on Thursday evening with a special Mass and a "toasting" of Fr. Michael Suchnicki, celebrating 25 years of priesthood, Gene celebrating 50 years of religious life and Archbishop Chaput who celebrates 25 years as a bishop on July 26. The Chapter closed with Mass on Friday morning in which Fr. Joseph Mary Elder proclaimed the elections. The newly elected provincial minister and council were installed by Mark. While no official proposals were passed by the Chapter, the friars left with a new understanding of the New Evangelization. The newly elected administration went to work immediately on relevant matters of a new and exciting triennium. Former Provincial Minister, Fr. Charles Polifka, congratulates newly elected Provincial Minister, Fr. Christopher Popravak, handing him the keys to the provincial office in Denver. PORTER The Provincial Porter is a publication of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America, Inc. Publisher: Fr. Christopher Popravak, O.F.M.Cap. Editorial Board: Deacon Jim Blume, O.F.S., Stephanie Pedersen, Fr. Blaine Burkey, O.F.M.Cap. Send correspondence to: Provincial Porter The new council took the oath of fidelity during the celebration of Mass on Friday 3613 Wyandot St., Denver, CO 80211 morning. or email: [email protected] 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 N e w s l e t t e r Provincial Prayer Ministry Provincial Prayer Ministry A Life Dedicated to Prayer by Fr. Charles Polifka, O.F.M.Cap. When Pope Benedict XVI announced his retirement, he also announced his intention to spend retirement in intense prayer. In his last public praying of the Angelus, he said to the crowds in St. Peter's Square, tying his thoughts to the Transfiguration Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent: "The Lord is calling me to go on top of the hill, to dedicate myself once Fr. Canice Froehlich, O.F.M.Cap. more to prayer and meditation," he said. "But this does not mean to abandon the church." I have no doubt that Benedict's prayer will have a profound effect on the Catholic Church in the years to come. I can only imagine what that prayer will be, but I am sure that through Benedict the Church will have a closer tie to God. The beauty of this prayer is that it happens now, in his retirement, and will continue into his eternal life after his death. Retirement is an arbitrary stage in the life of the Capuchin Friar Minor. Arbitrary means that a Capuchin never retires from living according to the Rule of St. Francis and the Fr. Simon Conrad, O.F.M.Cap. Constitutions of the Capuchin Friars Minor. His ministry, however, focuses on the fraternity and on the interior life and also very intentionally on the needs of his brothers, his family, his friends, and those who request prayer. Requests for prayer abound, and the men assigned to our Provincial Prayer Ministry are the dynamos that power these requests. “Our entire life of prayer will be imbued with an apostolic spirit while all our apostolic activity will be fashioned by the spirit of prayer.” Fr. Felix Petrovsky, O.F.M.Cap. - Capuchin Constitutions Benedict's prayer will be special for the Church, even though the Church is at prayer everywhere in the world. The same is true for the Capuchin Province of Mid-America; prayer is a daily and steadfast practice in all our friaries. We rely especially on the prayers of those friars who cannot actively embrace full schedules of ministries to embrace those persons who depend on us for prayer. I have found it edifying to see memorial cards of people who have died, lying on the chair next to one of these “prayer warriors.” They pray daily for the Fr. Bennett Colucci, O.F.M.Cap. deceased and rotate a stack of memorial cards to remember someone new each day. Others have the Provincial Prayergram at their chairs, listing the special petitions to be prayed for each month. Still others have notes with names and petitions written on them tucked into their breviaries. And in the provincial friary of St. Francis of Assisi, a basket rests near our chapel altar. It contains hundreds of prayer petitions sent to the province. All the friars across the province and in our missions in Papua New Guinea, remember these requests in prayer, at daily Mass, and in our daily sacrifices. The Capuchins are bound to pray the Divine Office daily together with the community of Fr. Myron Flax, O.F.M.Cap. friars where we live. We are also bound to two substantial periods of meditation, each at least a half hour, daily. Provincial Prayer Ministers are able to spend much more time in prayer, both petitioning God for requests and contemplating God's presence and grandeur. As one friar who is assigned to this ministry told me during our visitation in February, "My life now is a life of prayer." Prayer is what drives the lives of our friars, as well as our ministries. Without it, we lack the lifeline to God which keeps us connected and grounded.