On Ash Wednesday, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a new inter-Franciscan retreat center and interobediential community at Graymoor, where Atonement Friars and Capuchins will live, worship and minister in communion with each other.
The small signing ceremony, which took place at St. Paul’s Friary at Graymoor, represented the culmination of more than a year of discussion and planning by the two Franciscan communities, both based in Garrison, N.Y.
Beginning in September, two to three Capuchin Friars will take residence at Graymoor, where they will work with the Friars of the Atonement to co-minister retreats offered by the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center and the Capuchin Youth and Family Ministries, while collaboratively developing new retreat programs.
In January 2021, the Atonement Friars and Capuchins will launch a new retreat center at Graymoor under a new name, yet to be determined, that will be identified as a collaborative ministry of the Friars of the Atonement and the Capuchins.
“Together, we will create a place of belonging at Graymoor for retreatants of all ages and every walk of life,” said Fr. Brian Terry, SA, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. “In so doing, we seek to realize the unity prayed for by Jesus – ‘that all may be one’ – and to answer Pope Francis’ call for Franciscan communities like ours to unite to best serve God, the Church and people of faith.”
Stay tuned for upcoming communications, including announcements about open houses and other public events at Graymoor, as the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary move ahead with building their collaborative retreat ministry and interobediential community on the Holy Mountain.
To learn more about the Capuchin’s charism and their youth and family retreat ministries, visit capuchin.org. To learn more about the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, click here.
On Ash Wednesday, February 26, 2020, leaders of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary signed a Memorandum of Understanding setting forth their agreement to establish a new inter-Franciscan retreat center and interobediential community at Graymoor.
Picture above from left to right: Fr. Michael Greco, O.F.M. Cap., Provincial Minister, Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary, Fr. Brian Terry, SA, Minister General, and Fr. Jim Loughran, SA, Vicar General, Franciscan Friars of the Atonement