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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Celebrated
Rev. John Keane, SA, Receives Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award
XXXVI Paul Wattson Lecture at University of
San Francisco
2016 Jubilee: The Holy Year of Mercy
Abrahamic Dialogue on "Difficult Texts"
Lent at Graymoor
Share in our Ministry of Prayer
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The New Commandment: Love One Another
Greetings from Fr. Bob ...
On February 10, Ash Wednesday, we begin the season of Lent. Once again, ashes will be put on our foreheads, and we will be told to repent and believe in the gospel—cold comfort in the midst of winter. But if Lent is here, then Easter and spring are just a few weeks away.
What is Lent all about? What is the passion and death of Christ all about? It could be summed up in one word, so well-used that it has become trite. The word is love. Only love makes Christ believable. Only love makes sense out of Lent, out of the passion and death of Christ.
Lent is best summed up as we realize and experience the love and passion of Christ. Something happened to Him. He suffered. The priests plotted against Him. Judas kissed Him. The crowd laid hands on Him. Herod laughed at Him. Pilate delivered Him to be crucified. The guard whipped Him. The soldiers nailed Him to wood. The passers-by jeered at Him. A thief cursed Him. And He died.
What happened next to Jesus? What He suffered makes sense only in the context of what He did--the one thing He did supremely more than anything else, better than anyone else. He loved.
St. John tells us in his gospel that when Jesus knew that His hour had come for Him to pass out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Love them to the uttermost limit of love, loved them totally and loved them to death. It is because of His love for us, you and I, that Christ died. No other reason.
St. Paul sums it up. He loved me and gave Himself for me. Show me a man writhing on a cross, and I will be moved to pity, to disgust, to horror at man's inhumanity to man. Show me a man writhing on a cross in love and surrendering his body to crucifixion because he loves me, then I will be drawn to belief, to self-giving and to love in return.
This is the challenge of Lent and Holy Week—the effort of love to draw love, of His love to draw mine. We are reminded of His love at every Mass. That moment when times turns back, and Calvary comes alive in the words—"This is my body, which is given up for you. This is my blood, which is poured out for you." It is love alone that makes Christ believable.
So it follows that love alone makes the Christian believable. Christianity is not an idea floating freely in outer space. Christianity is people…God's people. Christ and Christianity will be believable only if your love makes you believable.
Remember what He told us. "I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other. This is how all will know you for my disciples: your love for one another." — John 13:34-35
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Yours in Christ,
Fr. Bob Warren, SA
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WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY CELEBRATED
 The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity brought people around the world together to reflect on scripture and this year's theme:
"Called to Proclaim the Mighty Acts of the Lord." (cf. 1 Peter 2:9)
The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement organized and participated in events at and near Graymoor and in other parts of the country, as well as in Canada and in Rome.
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REV. JOHN KEANE, SA, RECEIVES REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AWARD
 On January 18, Rev. John Keane, SA, a Franciscan Friar of the Atonement, received the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award from the leaders of the PAPA, an interfaith collegium of recognized religious leaders from 90 Houses of Worship (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Unitarian, Jewish and Muslim) at an interfaith prayer service in Peekskill commemorating Dr. King. A native of Philadelphia, Rev. Keane took his final vows as a Franciscan friar in 1959, and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1962. From 1962-1980, he served in the friars' ministries in Japan. He returned to the U.S. and worked as a campus minister at Howard University from 1980-1983. He has directed the ecumenical and interfaith offices in the California dioceses of San Francisco, Stockton, Monterey and Sacramento. In 1989, he received the Man of the Year Award from the Jewish Community of San Francisco. In 2006, he received the James Fitzgerald Award for Ecumenism presented by the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO), and in 2008, he received the Bishop Gerken Award for Respect Life from the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas. In 2010, Rev. Keane joined the retreat department at Graymoor in Garrison.
He has been an active member of PAPA for five years. In 2014, as the chairperson of PAPA's hunger committee, he helped to organize the Garden of Hope in Yorktown Heights, which grows nutritious produce for local food pantries from spring to autumn. As a Franciscan Friar of the Atonement, he continues to coordinate the activities at Graymoor and the surrounding area for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
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XXXVI PAUL WATTSON LECTURE AT UNIVERSITY OF
SAN FRANCISCO
Dr. John Borrelli will deliver the XXXVI Paul Wattson Christian Unity Lecture co-sponsored by the Friars and the University of San Francisco on Monday, February 22nd, 2016, at 7:30pm in the university's McLaren Conference Center, Room 252. Dr. Borelli, Special Assistant for Interreligious Initiatives to President John J. DeGioia of Georgetown University, former U. S. Jesuit Conference's Coordinator for Interreligious Dialogue and Relations and Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will draw upon the insights of the Second Vatican Council and the strategy used by the Catholic Church to create programs of dialogue during the past fifty years.
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2016 JUBILEE: THE HOLY YEAR OF MERCY
Fr. Tom Orians, SA, Missionary of Mercy
Father Tom Orians has been selected as a Missionary of Mercy by the Vatican. The Missionaries of Mercy are specially selected priests who have been granted "the authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See," the Pope wrote in Misericordiae Vultus, (The Face of Mercy), the document officially proclaiming the Holy Year. On February 9, he is travelling to Rome and in the afternoon, the Holy Father will meet with all the Missionaries of Mercy to prepare them for their mission. On 10 February at the Holy Mass of Ash Wednesday, the Missionaries of Mercy will be the sole concelebrants with Pope Francis. The Holy Father will confer the mandate on the Missionaries during this celebration. The priests were chosen on the basis of their ability to preach well, especially on the theme of mercy, and in their ability to express God's love, patience and with an "understanding of human fragility."
Parables of Mercy
Beginning on Wednesday, February 17, and each Wednesday until March 16, the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center is offering evening reflections and study of the "Parables of Mercy" at 7pm. During this Holy Year of Mercy, Rev. Peter Taran, SA, will lead participants through a study and reflection on the parables in which Jesus displays the mercy of God. Advance registration required. Refreshments will be served. Registration for the Series: $30 for series; $10 for individual talk. For more information contact Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, (845) 424-2111 or email GSLC@AtonementFriars.org.
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ABRAHAMIC DIALOGUE ON "DIFFICULT TEXTS"
 Fr. Elias Mallon, SA, participated in a presentation with Rabbi David Seed, incoming chair of the Christian Jewish Dialogue of Toronto and Dr. Hamid Slimi, an Imam who is the former chairman of the Canadian Council of Imams, in a presentation called "Difficult Texts" sponsored by the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, on January 17 at the Catholic Pastoral Centre. The purpose of the day was to reflect on some challenges in the sacred texts of these three Abrahamic faiths.
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LENTEN ACTIVITIES AT GRAYMOOR
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner
Mardi Gras with us! Join the Friars at Graymoor on Tuesday, February 9 for pancakes and merriment ahead of the time of self-denial and reflections of Lent. From 5pm-7pm, enjoy some yummy traditional Shrove Tuesday pancakes in the 5th Floor Friars' Dining Room. Reservations must be received by February 2. Cost: $20/adult; $10 children; (under 6 eat free). For more information call Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, (845) 424-2111 or email GSLC@AtonementFriars.org.
The Spiritual Directions Retreat
In the Franciscan spiritual tradition, an outdoor Sunday, March 20, Lenten retreat explores, "What is the great commandment?" and "How should we pray?" In the balance of the vernal equinox, we pray with our heart, mind, soul and strength. Handouts of scriptural references will be provided, but it is recommended to bring your own Bible. The meditation includes a three mile hike on the Appalachian Trail which bisects Graymoor. March weather can vary, so please bring appropriate rain gear and warm apparel. Retreat begins at 9:30am and ends at 3pm. Cost: $35 per person/includes lunch and handouts. For more information call Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, (845) 424-2111 or email GSLC@AtonementFriars.org.
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SHARE IN OUR MINISTRY OF PRAYER
Perpetual Novena >>
The Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony continues daily.
Learn more about the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony.
 Upcoming Special Novena:
We invite you to share your special needs and intentions with us as we invoke the miraculous power of St. Anthony's intercession in a special Novena of Masses beginning Tuesday, March 15th.
Special St. Anthony Novena >>
The Graymoor Spiritual Union >>
When someone dies, the sadness and grief can be unbearable. Those closest to the deceased often feel like they're not sure how they will go on, or what they will do next. At these times, the special remembrances of prayers and condolences from friends and loved ones are truly heaven-sent gifts.
When you are in need of a special expression of caring for a friend or loved one in honor of their dearly departed, send a Perpetual Remembrance Enrollment Card in the Graymoor Spiritual Union. Your gift will bring comfort and also support the good works of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. A large selection of cards are available at:
www.AtonementFriars.org/MassCards.
This Month's Featured Card >>
 In Loving Memory with Jesus
The "In Loving Memory with Jesus" Mass Enrollment is a beautiful, oversized enrollment booklet filled with prayers for sorrow and hope.
And most importantly, it offers remembrance in the daily Masses and prayers to the dearly departed and their loved ones.
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Click here to subscribe to this newsletter
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Pre-Register Online
•Wed., Feb 17
PARABLES OF MERCY
Flyer
•Fri., Feb. 19 – Sun., Feb. 21
S.O.A.R.
(Surviving Our Alcoholic Relationships)
•Fri. Mar. 11 - Sun. Mar. 13
DAN EGAN RETREAT
Flyer
ON-GOING MEETINGS AT GRAYMOOR
• Bible Study:
The Book of Isaiah
Wednesdays
9:30-11:00 am
John XXIII Parlor
5th floor
Flyer
• Overeaters Anonymous
Saturdays 8:30-9:30 am
Flyer
PRAYER MEETINGS
• St. John's Prayer Group
St. Pius X Chapel
Thur. 7:30 pm
RECOVERY MEETINGS
• AA, NA, SA, Al-Anon, OA
Contact the
Graymoor Spiritual Life Center:
GSLC@AtonementFriars.org
(845) 424-2111
www.GraymoorCenter.org
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Franciscan Friars of the Atonement
Headquartered at Graymoor in Garrison, NY, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement is a Roman Catholic religious community with social, pastoral and ecumenical ministries in the United States, Canada, England, Italy, and Japan.
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OUR MINISTRIES:
Graymoor Spiritual
Life Center
The Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, a ministry if the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, is a Retreat and Conference Center, providing programs and rental facilities for the spiritual and educational needs of individuals, families and organizations in the Atonement Franciscan spirit of at-one-ment.
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Centro Pro Unione
Christian Unity and
Ecumenical Research
The Centro Pro Unione, founded and directed by the Society of the Atonement, is an ecumenical research and action center. Its purpose is to give space for dialogue, study, research and information in ecumenism: theological, pastoral, social and social.
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Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute
Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute promotes Christian unity and interreligious dialogue in North America through its monthly (except August) journal, Ecumenical Trends, Lecture Series, and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resources.
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St. Christopher's Inn
Residential Shelter & Substance Abuse Treatment Center
St. Christopher's Inn is a temporary shelter dedicated to the rehabilitation of men in crisis. Today the Inn shelters over 1,200 men per year, most of whom suffer from alcohol and/or drug addiction.
Our mission is to offer a continuum of quality health care services that facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by providing chemical dependency treatment, primary health care, and temporary housing.
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Parish Ministries /
Atonement Centers
The Friars of the Atonement serve in parish ministries throughout the world. To visit parish websites, click on the link below:
St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, Apex, NC
Christ the Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, Sterling, VA
Chapel of Our Savior, Brockton, Massachusetts
St. Joan of Arc Parish, Toronto Ontario, Canada
St. Joseph the Worker, Richmond British Columbia, Canada
St. Joseph’s Church, Tsurumi-ku Yokohama, Japan
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