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Copyright © 2008, Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, All Rights Reserved.
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Click on a Friar's name to view his Bio. Brother Joe Buettner, SA Father Joseph Di Mauro, SA
Father
John J. Keane, SA
Brother
Charles Kenney, SA
Brother
Gregory Lucrezia, SA
Father
Elias D Mallon, SA
Father
Malcolm Martin, SA
Brother
Savio McNeice, SA
Father
Paul Ojibway, SA
Father
Dan Sylvain, SA
Brother Liam Young, SA
After graduating, I entered the Community on July 1, 1957. I made my First Vows on July 26, 1960 and Final Vows on July 26, 1965. I was ordained on September 2, 1978. I have a double B.A. from Fordham University, and an M.A. from Catholic University of America. I earned an honors MA degree in Ecumenical Theology and Spirituality from The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. My graduate studies were in spirituality and pastoral counseling. I recently celebrated my Golden Jubilee as a Friar of the Atonement. My prior assignments have been at Graymoor, Garrison, NY; the Novitiate in Rhode Island; our Prep School at Montour Falls, NY; Rome, Italy; London, England; Lumberton, NC and Brockton, MA. Since I was a young child, I knew that I would become a Franciscan Friar. St. Francis was very much a part of life in my family since there was always a Francis in each Generation. We celebrated his feast day, October 4, as a family festival. I was very much attracted to the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement because of their Franciscan character and ecumenical ministry. My vision for the future is very much tied into the reality of today. Most people seem to show signs of being lost and not grounded. I firmly believe the Friars of the Atonement have a way to be at-one with God, one's self, and all people. The Atonement of Christ lived out in the Spirit of St. Francis is the foundation for healthy, happy, satisfied living. I can be reached at: jdimauro@atonementfriars.org.
We refer to the residents as Brothers Christopher, because the name means "Christ Bearer" and I am fortunate to be part of the dedicated and loving staff that welcomes Christ in our midst through all of these men. I was a latecomer to religious life, entering the community in 1994 at the age of 42. Since a very young age I had felt a call to become a priest and a follower of St. Francis, but I became distracted as a teenager and managed to put it off for many years, keeping myself busy with a lot of different jobs, the longest of which was 15 years in the printing business. After my novitiate year at Graymoor, I professed First Vows in 1996. Then it was off to Toronto to complete my studies for ordination. I attended the Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto from 1996, where I studied Philosophy and Theology. I professed final vows in 1999 and received my Master of Divinity in 2000. I was first assigned to St. Odilia's parish in south central LA, where I was ordained deacon in September 2000 and a priest in May 2001. Appointed as Vocation Director in 2002, I took up residence at our parish in Brooklyn, Our Lady of Victory. I served in this capacity for almost 4 years, after which I was assigned to St. Christopher's. Because of our unique history, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement are a unique community. I am very blessed to be a member of it. I don't regret waiting so long to join religious life, since I feel very strongly that God led me to this community at the right time for me. I'm very excited about our ministries - the one I am involved in now, which is a powerful ministry for reconciliation, and especially our ministry for the unity of Christians, which has borne much fruit over the years, and which continues to be an important need for our Church and will be for many years to come. You can contact me at dsylvain@atonementfriars.org.
During the two years he trained as a Religious at the novitiate in Cumberland, RI, he also trained as a chef and most of the first part of his ministry as a Friar of the Atonement was spent preparing meals for friars and guests as well as teaching other friars how to cook. During this part of his ministerial life, Bro. Savio spent 10 years at Graymoor, NY; 5 years at St. Joseph's Novitiate in Saranac Lake, NY; and finally 7 years at the seminary in Washington, D.C. A big change in ministry came when Bro. Savio was assigned to help the Sisters of the Atonement in downtown Vancouver, B.C. in their ministry with the poor and homeless. He spent 18 years in this ministry and all during that time was able to show his great love for the poor. If ever you want to bring a tear to Bro. Savio's eyes ask him about the cat, "Gussie" whom he lived with in Vancouver. For the past to and a half years Bro. Savio has been the one-man welcoming committee for the Chapel at the Westgate Mall. In his ministry here he has touched the lives of many people who are grateful for his ministry.
At present, he serves as Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer for the Friars of the Atonement. Father Keane was born August 1, 1935 in Philadelphia, PA. After completing studies at S. Pius X Seminary (affiliated with New York State University) and Atonement Seminary (affiliated with the Catholic University of America), he was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1962. Soon after ordination, he went to Japan working there for 18 years as Pastor of parishes in Kawasaki and Yokohama and as Regional Superior for his Community. In 1974, Father Keane received a Masters Degree in Theology from the University of Ottawa, Canada, where he completed a thesis entitled "The Kami (Divinity) Concept: A Basis for Understanding and Dialogue", which was published in 1980 as a series of five articles in The Japan Missionary Bulletin. They were reprinted later in the year as a monograph by the Oriens Institute for Religious Research in Tokyo. Returning to the United States in 1980, Father Keane was assigned to the follow ministries:
Father Keane was a member of the National Association for Diocesan Ecumenical Officers (NADEO) Faiths in the World Committee from 1984 to 1988 and he participated in the preparation of the second revised edition of the Handbook for Interreligious Dialogue to which he contributed an article on Japanese religious traditions. His most recent article appears in The Japan Mission Journal, Winter issue (2005), entitled: "Religious Influences in the (Japanese) Tea Ceremony". He has written another article in One in Christ, Vol 41, No 2, April, 2006, concerning the Second Vatican Council Decree on Religious Freedom and its impact upon ecumenical and interreligious work for the Roman Catholic Church. On May 9, 2006, the Executive Board of the National Association for Diocesan Ecumenical Officers bestowed on Father Keane the Annual James Fitzgerald Award for Ecumenism during its annual meeting in San Jose for "outstanding contribution and services in the work of Christian Unity" John is an avid baseball fan and he closely follows the Philadelphia Phillies. He has found that baseball is a convenient topic that is always Available when ecumenical and/or interreligious energies seem to flounder with friends representing other Christian Churches and/or Faith Traditions. You can contact Fr. Keane at: jjk2944@aol.com.
My most recent book Islam: What Catholics Need to Know is part of a series of books published by the National Catholic Education Association to help Catholics to understand contemporary issues facing the Church.. I
entered the Novitiate of the Friars of the Atonement at Saranac
Lake, NY in 1962 and was professed the following year. I attended
the Friars' college, St. Pius X, at Graymoor. After having graduated
from St. Pius X in 1967, I did my theological studies at the Catholic
University of America. I was ordained to the presbyterate in January
of 1971. While at CU I earned a Licentiate in Theology (STL) in
Old Testament studies and a PhD in Near Eastern Languages. For five
years I worked at did dissertation research at Eberhard-Karls Univeristät
in Tübingen, Germany, where Hans Küng, Cardinal Walter
Kasper and Pope Benedict XVI taught at various times. For several years I taught Old Testament and Near Eastern Languages at different institutions, including the University of Washington in Seattle. Afterwards I represented the then Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (now the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) as a faculty member of the Ecumenical Institute of the World Council of Churches in Bossey, Switzerland. For fourteen years I worked at the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute, ten of them as director. For one year I was the Interim Dean at Auburn Seminary, a Presbyterian Seminary in New York City. How one asks a question greatly determines how one seeks the answer. For centuries Christians have been asking if non-Christians could be saved. Early on in my work with non-Christians the question which arose for me and continues to motivate me is: What is our good and loving Creator trying to tell us by the existence of different religions in our world? It is a question which fascinates me, humbles me and drives me on.
My elementary education was completed at Immaculate Conception School, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. My High School education, four years of college preparatory, was completed at Johnstown Catholic High School (now Bishop Mc Court High School). I graduated in 1950. Prior to entering the Community I was employed by The National Acme Co. (Machine Tool Industry) Cleveland, Ohio, for fifteen years. When I left the company, my position was Assistant Cashier. I Entered the Community as a Postulant, St. Joseph's Graymoor, Garrison, NY, on September 11, 1966. After my Novitiate year at St. Joseph's Friary in Saranac Lake, NY, I professed my first vows in August of 1968. I professed my Final Vows at St. Paul's Friary, Garrison, NY on August 14, 1971. In September of 1968 I was assigned as Bookkeeper, Our Lady of the Atonement Friary, Cumberland, RI. In August of 1969 I was assigned as bookkeeper, St. Paul's Friary, Garrison, NY. In September 1970 I was assigned as Bookkeeper/Procurator, St. Paul's Friary, NY. In that same year I was elected to the Friary Council of St. Paul's Friary. In September 1973 I was elected Vicar to St. Paul's Friary Council. In September 1977 I was Appointed Executive Director off New Hope Manor and Guardian of New Hope Friary, Garrison, New York. New Hope Manor was a drug Rehabilitation Home for young women. Shortly after, I became a counselor in the program. In September 1983 I was appointed Director of the Graymoor Book and Gift Center, Garrison, NY. In April 1996 I was assigned to Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, NY. Beginning in September 1997 I was elected Guardian of Paul Wattson Community until October 2003. I
am grateful to Almighty God for my faith and my religious vocation.
My mother My
vision and hope for the future: peace and understanding among all
Faiths. I read a statement in Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich
Nhat Hanh in which Hans Kung You can contact me at:jbuettner@atonementfriars.org.
Down through the years, my service has been mainly in administration, with the exception of several years at one of our former missions, Our Lady of the Atonement Mission in Kinston, North Carolina. I found this assignment very rewarding, with the struggle for civil rights taking place during this period of time. My many administration assignments have included:
I thought about entering religious life while spending a period of time serving in the U. S. Army during the Korean conflict. I was spared any of the military combat action that had taken place prior to my arriving in South Korea. I had been in contact with the vocational director before being discharged. It was the Friars' Ave Maria Hour, their work at St. Christopher's Inn and their many other apostolates that attracted me to the community. They fulfilled my desire to be associated with a Franciscan Community. My
years of service have been ones bursting with energy, making the
most of what comes my way and using my talents to the fullest. Having
served in various ministries of the community and in internal service
to the Friars, I realize that much is due to the faith and devotion
of my parents, to my family and relatives and friends in supporting
me through all of these years in God's Service in furthering his
Kingdom here on Earth. For this I am most grateful. You can contact me at:lyoung@atonementfriars.org.
I entered the Community on Sept. 30, 1960, professed my first Vows in 1963 and my Final Vows in 1967. Prior to entering the community I was a High School Student and a part time Hospital Worker in St. John's Hospital in Yonkers. It was because of my involvement in Hospital Work that I spent many years in the community working as a Nurse here in the Graymoor Infirmary and St. Christopher's Inn, our Temporary Shelter for Homeless Men. Upon first profession in 1963, my first assignment was to the switchboard at Graymoor. In 1966 I went to school for Practical Nursing. Following this in 1967, I was assigned to our infirmary where I cared for many elder Friars. From 1973 until 1993, I was assigned to St. Christopher's Inn (our shelter for homeless men) where I did nursing for 15 years and then from 1988 to 1993 I was the Director. From 1993 to 1995 I was the Director of the Hawthorne House (a residential half way house in White Plains, NY. I was then sent to our infirmary again to work with the elder infirmed Friars. In 1996, several of our Friars were transferred to Resurrection Nursing Home in Castleton, NY. It gave us a good place to bring our Friars to get the care that they needed. I went with them to supervise and assist in their care. I remained there until our General Chapter in 1999 and then returned to Graymoor where in addition to my Council and Secretary General Duties, I am the Health Care coordinator for the Community. My work keeps me busy, but knowing that I am involved with the Friar's ministry, it gives me an incentive to keep active. I
had thought of the Religious life during my high school years and
eventually applied to Graymoor and was accepted a few weeks later.
Many of us are still working together in various ministries throughout
the Society. I came to the Friars because I felt called by God to
this kind of ministry. With the changes of Vatican II, many of us
became involved in proclaiming and spreading the atonement charism
in different ways. I believe in the Friars of the Atonement. Even
though change has taken place and will continue to take place, I
believe our mission is to all people. Much is being done and I want
to be a part of it. Our vision includes looking at possibilities
in Africa and in other places and we have just begun a new foundation
in Assisi. If it is God's will I would consider one of them. I have
ministered for 47 years in the States and would like to spend at
least a couple of years somewhere else. I feel that I have answered
the call of God and have tried to do His work, both with the marginated
who came to the Inn and with the Friars who were infirmed and needed
care. At this time we try to care for the infirmed at Graymoor if
possible and when they are not able to be cared for here, we try
to place them in a Religious Nursing Facility where they will be
treated with love and dignity. We would hope more young men would
come to join us in our ministry. We need you. I can be contacted through the Friars of the Atonement, P.O. Box 300 Graymoor, Garrison, New York 10524 (845-424-3671) or via e-mail at: glucrezia@atonementfriarsl.org.
After the class one day, the priest came and called me over and asked me if I wanted to be a priest. The idea stayed with me. Then after High School, I was drafted into WWII and spent 2-1/2 years in the Philippines. Afterwards, back in the States, I worked for an accounting firm and would go for lunch at noontime with employees in the other offices in that building. Once in a while I'd go for lunch with a girl who was a Baptist. She'd always talk about religion and it became obvious to me that she was trying to convert me to her church. This would cause me to think: "why so many churches; why so many religions?" So, reading the Sacred Messenger, I found addresses of several religious communities, including the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. I wrote to several to get information and with the responses, the Friar of the Atonement mentioned their Ecumenical history and Charism. This attracted me, so I joined the community and in 1962 I was ordained a priest. In 1963, I went to Brazil and worked there for 25 years. I was the Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer for the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo and also worked for 8 years at the Secretariate for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Department of the Brazilian Conference of Catholic Bishops. I returned to the States in 1994 and did a sabbatical year in California. Then in the fall of 1996, I came to Brockton.
I was raised in a Catholic home that also deeply respected American Indian spiritual and cultural values. I graduated from St. Mary's College of California, with a major in psychology. During those formative years I was a retail clerk, a camp counselor, a radio announcer at the college station, and organized resistance to the war in Vietnam. I was blessed to enter the community in 1973 as the first friar from California and from an indigenous community. I took final vows in 1977 and was the first friar ordained (1978) in our parish in British Columbia, Canada after completing theological studies at Catholic University and Fordham University. In thirty plus years in the community I have been blessed to minister in a host of different spheres of interest and locations in North America: in parish life, focusing on youth and young adult ministry, founding the National Young Adult Ministry Association; campus ministry and training of ministers; in vocation and formation ministry in the community; leadership with the National Tekakwitha Conference, eventually becoming the first director of Native American Programs at Loyola Marymount University and of the Archdiocesan Native American Ministry. While in Los Angeles, I was appointed Commissioner for American Indian Affairs for the City and County and in that capacity began a seven year relationship with the White House (Intergovernmental Affairs). I was assigned as Director of the Washington Office of the Graymoor Ecumenical Institute in the mid-1990's for social ecumenism, leading the ecumenical and interfaith collation in public policy relationship to the Congress and White House. From the late 1980's, I was also appointed by the United States Catholic Conference to the Bishop's Committee on Education and Catechesis, the Committee on Evangelization, and to the Executive Committee of the United States Commission on Evangelization. In that term, I also was an advisor to the Religious Liaison at the White House, and in 1998, consulted and contributed to the Presidents' Initiative on Race. After coming to California in 2001, I have focused my writing and consulting on Indigenous spiritual and cultural issues and needs, including international consultations, as a presenter and advisor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Relations (2005), The Vatican, as well as advising on cross-cultural and national issues for the Indigenous leadership in Western Samoa and at the Pan-Pacific indigenous leadership in New Zealand, along with the Center for Culture and Spirituality at Loyola Marymount University. I am invited to write and speak at national conferences on a number of issues, pastoral care and dialogue throughout each year. My life as a human being, person of faith, son of my tribal community, friar and priest has been profoundly blessed with challenges and opportunities for ministry and leadership. I came to the Friars to share in the vision of a world and Church called to be reconciled, healed and empowered by faith, hope and love in the one Lord. I have not been disappointed in the embrace of that vision or in the struggles to keep it clear over a life time. For much of my professional life and ministry I have walked the road alone and into unknown territory - seeking to understand the consequences of racial and cultural division as much as the inclusive opportunities for education and social change, and a life that embraces what is possible and not yet tried. I am grateful that the community of the Friars of the Atonement has not only allowed me to walk this path but encouraged me to excellence. I will continue to journey on this path as a friar and in seeking to know how to both reconcile, heal and empower forgotten, ignored and wounded peoples and to celebrate, embrace and honor their gifts in a world hungry for these very fragile and passing gifts. I
can be contacted via email at Ojibway@igc.org. .
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