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New St. Paul Friary at Graymoor Blessed
Feast of St. Anthony Celebration
Christian Unity in Action
Learning the History of the Middle East is Key to Effective Policy
Interfaith Panel Encourages Dialogue and Cooperation in Virginia
Abrahamic Exchange with the Shalom Hartman Institute
Share in our Ministry of Prayer
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The Amazing Feast of the Body of Christ
Greetings from Father Bob ...
During the month of June, we celebrate many wonderful occasions — Trinity Sunday, the Feast of St. Anthony, Father's Day — and my personal favorite, the Feast of Corpus Christi — the Feast of the Body of Christ. This Feast tells us so much about God's love for us.
The night before Jesus died, He was faced with a problem. He had to leave us. He wanted to stay to be with us. The solution was unbelievable. A solution only the mysterious wisdom of God could give to us. He took the bread and wine and transformed them into His body and blood. He gave us Himself.
This is so amazing that we only believe it because Jesus told us. As it has been said: "If God Himself has told us, who would dare to question?" Jesus loved us so much that He wants to be part of us, and for us to be part of Him. And so, He invites us to receive Him at every Mass. With the Lord in us and part of us, we are never alone.
He will help you live with disappointment, with that illness that saps your strength and your spirit, and with the hard knocks that life gives you. We are what we receive—the Body of Christ. That means that the bread of life is not an individualistic thing, a solitary supper. It is not my private party, something just between Jesus and me. Yes, there must be time for prayer when you receive the Lord, but it also nurtures community, and then we become what we receive, the Body of Christ.
St. Paul phrased it so well—"because the bread is one, we through many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread." The Lord who locks himself in the tabernacle of my body is none other than the Lord who nourishes my next door neighbor. The same Christ who feeds the Lebanese, the Japanese, the Africans and all those who believe in Christ, is one Lord. He came for all people—Christ came for all. In His flesh we are one.
Let us think about that person who lives alone, the neighbor who is sick or elderly. Can I ever shop for them? Call them? Do I take time to listen when others talk? Does the presence of Christ in me make any difference in the way I live? How can I spread scandal and gossip, ruining people's reputations while I receive the one who said—"'Judge not and you shall not be judged?' How can I use and abuse others while I receive the One who said—love others as you would yourselves."
In other words, does the Eucharist make a difference in our lives or is it something that has become common place? Something we do every Sunday whether we want to or not? Realize the full value of the Eucharistic presence. It is a presence which is a promise and a gift. A promise of good things which eyes have not seen or ears not yet heard. A gift of Blessings that have not entered our minds to imagine.
The Eucharist exists because of the love of Jesus. A love so strong that He is willing to come to us at every Mass. We begin to understand something of what the psalmist meant when hundreds of years before Christ said, "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
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Yours in Christ,
Father Bob Warren, SA
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NEW ST. PAUL FRIARY AT GRAYMOOR BLESSED
 On Thursday, May 12, 2016, the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement joined together with Graymoor staff to celebrate Mass and to dedicate the new St. Anthony Chapel, part of the new St. Paul's Friary.
The Very Reverend Brian F. Terry, SA, Minister General, presided. Following the Eucharist, a procession began to bless and place a Crucifix in the Friars' residence. The group traveled through the corridors and dining room to bless the rest of the Friary, before returning to the adjoining St. Pius X building for a celebratory meal together. The liturgy was celebrated by St. Paul's Friary community with profound gratitude to the Almighty, in thanks to our benefactors and in Memory of our departed Brother, Richard Skolinski, SA. |
FEAST OF ST. ANTHONY CELEBRATION
 On Sunday, June 12, thousands of pilgrims will converge at the outdoor Shrine of St. Anthony at Graymoor and in Our Lady of the Atonement Chapel to celebrate the Eucharist, pray and share their devotion to St. Anthony of Padua.
There is an 11:00 AM Mass in English in Our Lady of the Atonement Chapel. At 12:30 PM, a Mass will be celebrated in Creole at St. Anthony of Padua Outdoor Shrine followed by a 2:00 PM Procession & Benediction. For more information contact the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center at 845-424-2111 or email GSLC@AtonementFriars.org.
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CHRISTIAN UNITY IN ACTION
 The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA gathers annually to reflect and pray about the current concerns and realities of its member faith communities. The Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII) participates in this gathering as a sign of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement's commitment to Christian unity. During the meeting, participants gathered in "Convening Tables" to address these critical issues. Associate Director of GEII, Father Tom Orians, SA, attended as a member of the National Council's Local and Regional Ecumenism Committee. This committee serves as a resource for the Council's Governing Board. At the conclusion of the gathering, the Local and Regional Ecumenism Committee met to further the discussion of the gathering in light of ecumenical endeavors at local and regional levels.
Father James Loughran, SA, Vicar General, and Director of GEII, is a member of the "Matters of Faith Order" convening table, was unable to attend this year's gathering in Baltimore which focused on the theme "Fear Not: God's Love in an Anxious Age."
Members spent time exploring what it means to be a people who show God's love in a time where fear defines the lives of our communities, our political discourse, and our nation. Particular focus was on the question of how the members of the National Council of Churches can work against the fear we find in the mass incarceration of and violence against communities of color and hateful actions and speech against our brothers and sisters of other faiths.
As participants in the gathering, the Friars were able to instill and renew the spirit, prayer and dream of Christian Unity of their founders, Servant of God Father Paul of Graymoor and Mother Lurana. |
LEARNING THE HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST IS KEY TO EFFECTIVE POLICY
 Father Elias Mallon, SA, External Affairs Officer at Catholic Near East Welfare Agency (CNEWA), has written an excellent article published in America: The National Catholic Review, on the 100th anniversary of the Sykes-Picot Agreement that divided the Middle East into two zones, one French and one British. The crafters of the Sykes-Picot Agreement did not envision the rise of independent Arab nation-states in their zones, and this has resulted in 100 years of strife. Father Mallon writes "There are few optimistic conclusions that can be drawn" 100 years after the Sykes–Picot Agreement set up areas of control and influence as agreed upon between the British and the French colonial rule. The outcome of outside intervention and "nation building" by outsiders has brought the Middle East to where it is today. The hopes and aspirations of the people in these countries have played little or no role in the countries' creations. Without an understanding of the history of the Middle East from colonialism to the current turmoil, the area could be doomed to another century of the same.
America: The National Catholic Review is the leading Catholic journal of opinion in the United States and the only Catholic weekly magazine in North America. Read the full article here. |
INTERFAITH PANEL ENCOURAGES DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION IN VIRGINIA
Father James Gardiner, SA, (center) participated as Catholic -Christian representative on an "Interfaith Panel Discussion for Dialogue and Cooperation" on Sunday, May 15th, at the Lotus Buddhist Temple in Fairfax, VA. In addition to Roman Catholicism and Orthodox and Protestant Christianity, panelists represented Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.
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ABRAHAMIC EXCHANGE WITH THE SHALOM
HARTMAN INSTITUTE
 The Shalom Hartman Institute invited Father Wil Tyrrell, SA, along with fellow faculty representing Manhattanville College's World Religions Department, as part of an international group of Jewish, Christian and Muslim clergy/scholars for an interreligious exchange between the Abrahamic faiths on "havruta," the style of Jewish learning. This form of study pairs people as they struggle to understand the meaning of given texts in serious discussion.
The event began at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield CT, and concluded at Manhattanville College on the evening on May 18, 2016. Some fifty scholars participated in sessions, with a main presenter, who was followed by textual analysis offered in pairs. The purpose was to introduce scholars and clergy to a new form of religious textual study for dialogue and mutual understanding. Father Tyrrell is Director-Duchesne Center & Study Abroad Program, Catholic Chaplain/Interfaith & Global Citizenship Coordinator Lecturer in the World Religions Department at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. |
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:
St. Anthony Novena
Join with us as we honor St. Anthony of Padua, our fellow Franciscan and one of the Church's most beloved saints.
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 on June 13th.
St. Anthony Novena of Masses >>
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 >>
 A Gift of Healing Masses
Prayers for Your Health and Wellness
The "A Gift of Healing Masses" Mass Enrollment is a beautiful, enrollment booklet filled with prayers for health and wellness.
And most importantly, it offers remembrance in the daily Masses and prayers of the Friars.
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www.FatherPaulOfGraymoor.org
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Pre-Register Online
•Fri. Jun. 3 - Sun. Jun.5
AL-ANON MEMBERS WEEKEND
•Fri. Jun. 10 – Sun. Jun. 12
COUPLES IN RECOVERY: CHAPTER 9
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•Fri. Jun. 17-Sun. Jun. 19
PRAYER AND MEDITATION
•SUMMER RE-CREATION WEEKEND
$250.00 single occupancy, $200 per person, double occupancy
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SPANISH-SPEAKING MATT TALBOT
ON-GOING MEETINGS AT GRAYMOOR
• Bible Study:
1st Book of Corinthians
Wednesdays
9:30-11:00 am
John XXIII Parlor
5th floor
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• 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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