NEWS

On Saturday, August 19, the Friars welcomed Fr. Martin Wendell as an Affiliate of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Fr. Wendell has known the Friars for most of his life, returning regularly to Graymoor for retreats, staying in touch with many of the Friars and fostering an active devotion to Servant of God, Fr. Paul Wattson, SA.

Alas, the epic Rome Summer Course finally comes to a conclusion! At the last hour, we seated all of our desks in a circle and faced each other. Three weeks ago we were just strangers, but now we could laugh or talk about our deepest insights with one another.

The Annual Do Not Fear To Hope Retreat occurred over Labor Day weekend and was an opportunity for those with HIV and AIDS to reflect, focus, and develop a closer relationship with God. Led by Fr. Bob Warren, S.A., the retreat welcomed over 100 participants and was a unique opportunity for those struggling with HIV and AIDS to develop a community and learn from one another about how to cope with this often misjudged disease.

New York feels good. The pace and structure of the city feels very familiar to me, and I am more comfortable traveling around on the subway, then on the Roman buses.

September is National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month in the United States, a national observance held annually to celebrate the personal gains made by those in recovery as well as further awareness and education about the addiction crisis in America.

In my regular life, I’m a student at Regis College, the Jesuit theological college at the University of Toronto. For those unfamiliar with the Jesuits, a major part of their spirituality is “finding God in all things.”

"Hey Andrew, do you see that little town on top of that mountain? That's Assisi." said Father Jim. I slid onto the edge of my seat of the train to get a better view. That's it!

On July 23, Fr. Dan Callahan, SA, participated in the intensive Ironman Triathlon with more than 3,000 men and women who joined in this annual event.

How can we always stay true to who we are and not be affected by the world around us without the grace of God? How can we dig deep down to the essence of our souls, of ourselves, without the grace of God?