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from the notes of Dick Rossman & Jerry Devore
Present from Dioceses of Bridgeport, New York, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Yakima.
Monday night
Howard Calkins spoke on the Blessings of Fraternity. The life of the priest can be shaped and formed by the broadness of the International Community of followers of Blessed Charles of Jesus. Awareness of the various families of the Foucauldian Spirituality would bless the Priests Fraternity over and over. For example the Little Sisters of Jesus seem to be present to the local Muslim communities around the world wherever possible among other ministries. Connecting with the Muslim community as in Patterson, NJ is an outward sign of Charles’ desire to connect with the minority of any community as is the single working mother raising her children or assisting the immigrant population. The Fraternity is called to live out the “littleness” of the local community as a very important chrism of our lives.
Howard illustrated the point by speaking about his ministry to the Black Community during his priesthood. Here he is in union with many people who live on the margin of life in the USA. Caritas envisions its members living in union of body and spirit with those who are looked upon as “less in the community.” We are to become one with them as precious in the eyes of God.
We were challenged to look at the Desert Day as an essential part of the Fraternity. To be with God alone for several hours of a day with no props! To be in The Presence of the Beloved and wait with open hearts! He spoke of a brother who said, “When my Fraternity comes together no one has prepared himself in the desert, no one has grappled with God.” Dan Danielson claims that a Fraternity is as deep as its shallowest member.” Howard has come to accept that as a truism.
The Fraternity provides a blessing by giving a Vision of how to live the priesthood.
Reports
1. Pat of Spokane: Invite the newly ordained to consider joining a Fraternity or starting one. Presently there are 5 Clergy Frats and 2 Mixed Frat [clergy & sisters]. Discussion was held on determination of a Frat Responsible or a rep who would communicate with the other Frats or with the Region or National Office. Questions were also raised about the process of starting a new Frat.
2. Mike of Seattle tells us there are 11 Fraternities there. Many are long standing.
3. Alex of Yakima reports that there are 5 Frats [ 3 are English speaking and 2 Spanish speaking.] Some of the men from Mexico desire to communicate their spiritual life in their native language and familiar culture. The option is with the individual man.
4. Dick of Portland reported 4 Frats in his archdiocese and 1 or 2 in Baker diocese. He introduced the discussion of having the Diocesan Responsible gather the men of a foreign speaking group[s] to come together if interested and talk about Caritas and perhaps forming a language-Frat or another English speaking group. The individuals would decide.
5. Howard of New York informed us that there is 1 Frat in his archdiocese along with Brooklyn. There are others in the State like Rochester and Buffalo which has 8 Frats.
6. Jerry of Bridgeport knows there is only his Frat in CT which has 3 dioceses. There is also 1 and perhaps 2 in the Boston area.
Discussions were informative on introductions to seminarians and newly ordained priests and priests who have finished the mandatory monthly meeting for the first 2 or 3 or 5 years in the life of the newly ordained. There are various times to approach the men. The seminarian groups usually cease after they are ordained unless all members are from the same diocese. Newly ordained priests may have enough with the mandatory meeting ordered by his bishop. Some me after a few years of mandatory meetings need a break from monthly meetings. Each person is an individual with his own response to the offer of Fraternity.
Local Responsibles should be knowledgeable of the life of Blessed Charles of Jesus and the spirit of the Fraternity as indicated in the 1076 Handbook [little red booklet] as well as the “American Experience.” He should be a ‘good listener’ to the members between monthly gatherings and reach out to the brothers from time to time. He is also to be in touch with other Frats in the area if there are any.
Face to face gatherings are the primer way of communication and the ideal. However given the growing workload of fewer priests and the expenses of gasoline and airplane tickets we will all be require to think outside the box and use other methods of communication. We will need the telephone, the Internet, emails, web sites, etc. to communicate in the 21st Century. Our ministries require more and more time and attention from the individual priest. His support and encouragement from and to Frat brother is more and more needed and we cannot be meeting face to face very often. We need to use the modern tools that we know about as well as the ones that are not yet revealed to us when they come.
“BECOMING BROTHERS” and it is time to find a new editor and revive its publishing.
Inter-diocesan communication in places where there are multiple Frats needs to be developed but the Diocesan Responsible or someone who is interested in making such connections.
Report for the National & International Councils
The major work of the present National Council was to establish a National Office in Chicago. The banking is fixed in Chicago. The part-time secretary is in Chicago. She is full time with the NFPC and we pay her per-hour as we need her services. She makes bank deposits and does the mailings and tracks the mailing lists of the membership. Requests for publications which are retained at that Office are mailed out from there by her.
The mailing lists need to be updated annually by the Diocesan Responsible, if there is one, or by a member of the local Frat. This list needs to be sent to her at the end of each calendar year. Speaking of the annual dues it should be indicated that the dues is $50.00 if one can afford it or at least some financial contribution to cover usual expenses of administration and office needs.
edited by Jerry Devore and emailed 7/10/08
Names and addresses of Spokane ‘08
Gerald T. Devore \\ 44 Haddon St. #3 \\ Bridgeport, CT 06605 \\ c= 203.536.0839 \\ gtd103@optimum.net \\ Diocese of Bridgeport
Michael C. O'Brien / / PO Box 279 //Monroe, WA 98272-0279 // 425.238.4301 // obrienmc@stmaryvalley.org // Archdiocese of Seattle
John Renggli \\ 511 Cherry St. E \\ Tacoma,WA 98445 \\ 253.537.4275 \\ jjrenggli@nventure.com \\ Archdiocese of Seattle
Samuel Taylor \\115 Sharpe Blvd. So. \\ Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 \\ c= 203.667.0374 & rectory= 914.668.7440 \\ petifrere3@aol.com \\ Archdiocese of New York
Howard Calkins \\ 115 Sharpe Blvd. So. \\ Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 \\ c= 914.645.0549 & rectory= 914.668.7440 \\ petifrere3@aol.com \\ Archdiocese of New York
Des Dillon \\ 710 W 5th St. \\ Kennewick, WA 99336 \\ 509-582-9671 \\ DP.DILLON@hotmail.com \\ Diocese of Yakima
Richard Rossman \\ 1150 Maxwell Rd. \\ Eugene ,OR 97404 \\ c= 541.579.3569 \\ dickr@stpetereugene.org \\ Archdiocese of Portland
Alejandro Trejo \\ P O Box 2049 \\ St. Joseph Rectory – 240 N W Washington St. \\ White Salmon, WA 98672 \\ rectory= 509.493.2828c= 509.431.5403 \\ alextrejo00@yahoo.com \\ Diocese of Yakima
Pat Kerst \\ 408 W. Poplar \\ Walla Walla, WA 99362 \\ 509.525.1602 & c= 509.386.8994 \\ pkerst@dioceseofspokane.org
Internet Addresses:
National Caritas Web Site = www.jesuscaritasusa.org
Weekday British S J = www.pray-as-you-go.org
Daily Prayer by Irish S J = www.sacredspace.ie
L S Anne of Jesus has a book on Blessed Charles published by New City Publications [www.newcitypress.org ].
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