News

Something amazing happened in 1223 in the town of Greccio, Italy. After returning from the Holy Land, St. Francis of Assisi created the first crèche in a cave so that the town could adore the “Babe of Bethlehem,” as he referred to the baby Jesus.

It cannot be denied that we have commercialized Christmas, and we have sanitized it. Take, for example, the Christmas card and the image of the nativity, a scene which is always presented as a tableau of angelic choirs.

After serving as a chaplain in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Fr. Ken Cienik, SA, was unexpectedly called into service again on Sept. 11, 2001. He was at the Navy Yard when a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon. Without thinking twice, Fr. Ken jumped into action as a first responder.

In the spirit of our founder, Servant of God Father Paul Wattson, SA, the Friars hosted their 2nd annual “Pumpkin Smash” to repurpose Halloween pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. The composted pumpkins will be used at San Damiano Far at St. Christopher’s Inn (SCI), bringing awareness to the life-changing work happening there each day.

The Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement celebrated and remembered two important society feast days in October. The Covenant of Father Paul and Mother Lurana was celebrated on October 7, the greatest family feast day for the Society of the Atonement.

Through a powerful combination of spoken word and song, Reckless Son humanizes the experience of the incarcerated by giving them a voice and telling their stories of hope, forgiveness, and self-discovery.

I was showing a visitor around Graymoor recently and when they saw the breathtaking view from the top of the mountain, they said, “Thank you, God”.  How often do we say that for things we receive? 

In September, in honor of National Recovery Month, students from Roy C. Ketcham High School in Wappingers Falls, New York – located 19 miles from Graymoor – spread kindness and hope to the men at St. Christopher’s Inn.

On Sunday, September 30, close to 500 of our neighbors, including Friars, Sisters and staff from St. Christopher’s Inn and FOA participated in the 3rd Annual “Be the Bridge: Walk for Recovery” in Poughkeepsie, NY. On Sunday, September 30, close to 500 of our neighbors, including Friars, Sisters and staff from St. Christopher’s Inn and FOA participated in the 3rd Annual “Be the Bridge: Walk for Recovery” in Poughkeepsie, NY.

October 6 was a beautiful Sunday with bright skies, perfect for celebrating the octave of the Feast of St. Francis. When I arrived at Graymoor, people had already begun gathering to have their pets blessed. I had brought my Australian Shepherd, Colette, named after the sainted Poor Clare nun.