Spring 2012, Issue 151 a newsletter of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America www.capuchins.org

Capuchins Celebrate Ordinations

PORTERby Br. Ryan Tidball, O.F.M.Cap.Theology Student

The Capuchins celebrated the priesthood and diaconate ordinations of two men last month, but the roads each man traveled to the destiny were miles apart.

Traveling from the Philadelphia See, Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M.Cap., returned to Denver to lay hands on and ordain Br. Joseph Mary Elder to the priesthood. He also ordained Br. Christopher Gama to the transitional diaconate at Annunciation Church mid-morning on May 26.

“I always knew that I would be a priest,” Joseph Mary said. “It was always there, in the back of my mind.” Joseph Mary initially began

discerning the diocesan priesthood, but discovered, “it just didn’t seem like the right fit.”

After meeting some Franciscans, the St. Louis native began to learn about St. Francis and his radical choice to leave everything to follow the poor and humble Christ. It was a perfect fit. “I knew that’s what I wanted,” Joseph Mary said. And so he began his formation journey with the Capuchins. In the early years of formation, Joseph Mary intentionally put the question of ordination on hold in order to fully discern religious life, but the idea of priesthood remained on his radar in one way or another. This desire was strengthened and confirmed as he began philosophy studies at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. The call to priesthood grew louder as his years of formation at the seminary continued. “It was an incredible experience which changed the way that I look at the world,” Joseph Mary said.

After a Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate his ordination with family and friends in the St. Louis area in July, Joseph Mary

will toggle his time between the province’s vocation office and prison ministry along Colorado’s Front Range.

Contrast Joseph Mary’s story to Christopher who

did not always want to be a priest. In fact, priesthood was just about the last thing on his mind when God began working powerfully in his life during his last year at Colorado State University. But, once he came to know Christ in the Eucharist, he began looking for a way to live his whole life for Jesus.

After some searching, Christopher found the Capuchins. Along the way, he experienced God’s loving presence in community life, in service to the poor, and in studies. “God kept showing up in my life,” Christopher said. “I feel like wherever I go or whatever I do, as long as I’m with Him, that’s where I need to be.” He will continue that walk with Christ as a deacon at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community in Arvada, CO, for the next year.

Joseph Mary and Christopher view the Sacrament of Orders as a natural expression of the traditional Capuchin love for the Eucharist, reconciliation, and preaching. “This vocation to make the merciful love of Christ present and available to people is at the heart of Capuchin priestly ministry,” Joseph Mary said. Despite their varied paths to ordination, the duo holds a deep appreciation for Our Lady, Queen of the Friars Minor, for her maternal intercession.

Br. Joseph Mary Elder is presented to the Church as a candidate worthy of the priesthood.

Deacon Christopher Gama receives the Book of Gospels from Arch-bishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M.Cap.

Fr. Joseph Mary Elder offers his parents, Bruce and Cheryl Elder, a priest’s first blessing shortly after his ordination.

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PORTERThe Provincial Porter is a publication of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America, Inc.

Publisher: Fr. Charles J. Polifka, O.F.M.Cap.Editor: Stephanie Pedersen

Counsel & Contributor: Fr. Blaine Burkey, O.F.M.Cap.Send correspondence to: Provincial Porter3613 Wyandot St., Denver, CO 80211 or email: development@capuchins.org

Extraordinary Assembly Yields New Vision

Province Announces Plans for RestructuringResponding to numerous suggestions made by the friars at the extraordinary assembly at Victoria, KS, during the Christmas octave, the leaders of the province – the provincial minister and his council – announced plans for restructuring the province on May 14. To enable strengthening local fraternities of the province, the number of friaries will be reduced from eight to six. Friaries will be maintained in all four current major areas of the province, but the two in Ellis County, KS, will be reduced to one, and the four in Denver to three. The other two areas are Lawrence, KS, and Colorado Springs. In Ellis County, St. Joseph Friary in Hays, begun in 1893, will be closed and most of its friars moved to Victoria, where major remodeling will be done to accommodate them. San Damiano Friary on 6th Avenue in Denver will also be closed, and its friars reassigned to the other three Denver friaries.

Restructuring of the province will also involve returning care of two parishes to the diocesan clergy. St. Joseph’s parish in Hays, where friars have ministered since 1878, will in the course of the coming year be returned to the care of the Salina diocese; and Sacred Heart parish in Denver, which the province has staffed since 2006, will be returned to the Denver archdiocese July 5. Until the diocese names a new

pastor at St. Joseph’s, Fr. Earl Befort will serve as acting pastor in addition to his ministry in three other smaller parishes and at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School.

Capuchins will still staff parishes in all four major areas of the province: Annunciation parish in Denver; St. John the Evangelist parish in Lawrence; Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in Colorado Springs; and parishes in Victoria, Walker, Vincent, Catharine, Antonino, and Schoenchen in Ellis County. Other changes involve the vocational recruiting and formation aspects of the province. The vocation office will be restructured and staffed by a team of three persons. Fr. Michael Scully, current pastor in Hays, will move to

Lawrence and serve as vocation director for Kansas and the eastern half of the province. Newly-ordained Fr. Joseph Mary Elder will move to St. Anthony’s Friary on W. Walsh Pl. in Denver and serve as vocational director for Colorado and the western region of the province. Deacon Jim Blume has been hired to coordinate and provide support staffing for their efforts. Fr. John Lager will be on sabbatical this coming year. The postulancy program will move from St. Anthony of Padua Friary to San Antonio Friary at 36th and Humboldt, Denver; and the post-novitiate formation program will move from San Damiano’s to St. Anthony’s. Frs. Christopher Popravak and Bill Kraus will be their respective directors. Fr. Curtis Carlson will become chaplain of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at Kansas University, and Fr. Gilmary Tallman will replace him as pastoral vicar at St. John’s. Fr. Gene Emrisek, current pastor at Sacred Heart in Denver, will return to the mall ministry in Colorado Springs, which he helped begin in 2001; and Fr. John Toepfer will move from parochial vicar at the Cathedral in Colorado Springs to pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

St. Joseph’s Church in Hays, KS, has been shepherded by a Capuchin pastor since 1878. The friars will leave the parish in 2013.

The Capuchins are a religious community in the Church. Our first priority is to live and to preserve for the Church the charism and way of life that St. Francis and our Capuchin reformers gave to the Church. Likewise, and secondly, we owe the Church that prophetic vision by which we will continue, in obedience, to serve her through initiatives which will always evangelize and re-evangelize God’s people….Once this plan is in place, we believe that the province will not only be “re-sized” but also “right-sized” for its continued growth and development as we move ahead. Fr. Charles Polifka, Provincial Minister

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Capuchins Involved in Julia Greeley Causeby Fr. Blaine Burkey, O.F.M.Cap., Archivist Several Mid-American Capuchins have become involved in promoting the fame of Julia Greeley, a saintly ex-slave who died in Denver in 1918. Julia earned her keep serving various families as a domestic worker and then gave all that was left to assist the poor of Denver. When this was not sufficient, she begged for the poor. One writer penned her “a one-person St. Vincent de Paul Society.” Julia was also a staunch promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart and on foot regularly distributed Catholic literature to all the fire stations of Denver. When she died in 1918, Jesuit parish priests buried her from Sacred Heart Church, but surprisingly in the habit of the Third Order Franciscans, now known as Secular Franciscans (O.F.S.). There were no Capuchin Franciscans in Denver when Julia arrived in 1879 or 1880. In fact, so far as is known, there were no Franciscans of any kind. Frs. Francis Koch, O.F.M., and Venantius Eder, O.F.M., came in 1887 to staff St. Elizabeth Church and immediately began promoting the O.F.S. Someone else, however, had already started the secular fraternity at St. Elizabeth’s, possibly diocesan priest Fr. Frederick Bender. The fraternity’s records list 11 men and women who made profession in the latter part of 1886. Julia Greeley joined the Franciscan Family in February of 1901. Her profession as Sr. Elizabeth of the Secular Franciscans was received by Fr. Francis. From then on she regularly attended fraternity meetings at St. Elizabeth’s and encouraged many others to join the group. Reflecting on Julia being buried in the Franciscan habit, Jesuit Fr. Eugene Murphy opined, “Here was the secret of her influence. She had taken Christ literally, as had the Poverello of Assisi. Like him, she had given away all to the poor and had gone about making melody in her heart unto the Lord.” I first heard of Julia through an article I read about her in the Denver Catholic Register years before coming to Denver. Noting she was a Secular Franciscan, I resolved to find out more about our saintly sister. Last year I finally followed up

on the resolve, and it quickly snowballed into my writing, with the encouragement of Provincial Minister Fr. Charles Polifka and other leaders of the province, the recently published documentary study, In Secret Service of the Sacred Heart. Discussion about my study led Fr. Gene Emrisek, pastor of Julia’s parish, where her life is still remembered through her obituary enshrined at the very entrance to the parish offices, to gather representatives of several organizations and other individuals who had made known their interest in Julia. These quickly formed the Julia Greeley Guild and began plans to publish my book and take initial steps toward asking the Church to begin Julia’s cause for canonization, something that had been discussed ever since her death 94 years ago. This group included Fr. Christopher Popravak, spiritual assistant of Julia’s local Secular Franciscan fraternity, as well as other members of the local and regional fraternities. While the book was still being researched, our provincial development office asked if I would be willing to lead a pilgrimage to sites connected with Julia’s life. Special Events Director Gina Francis took care of the logistics; and on February 12, Frs. Bill Kraus and Regis Scanlon, Brs. Benignus

Scarry and Augustine Rohde, and our three postulants were on the full 40-passenger bus making the pilgrimage. Meanwhile another group of people, led by Fr. Regis, former archdiocesan director of prison ministry, had begun a campaign to start a program for homeless single women, many of whom have serious problems returning to civilian life from the prison system. Learning about Julia Greeley’s love for the neglected, this group decided to put its program under her patronage. Elsewhere in town a totally different group of people, all friends of Fr. John Cousins,

provincial spiritual assistant of the O.F.S. and former pastor of Cure d’Ars Church, set out to begin a non-diocesan Catholic elementary school in an otherwise unserved neighborhood. In March, the board of Sister Blandina School, Inc., decided to name its first campus, in the Cure d’Ars Park Hill Neighborhood, the Julia Greeley Academy.

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Catholic faithful celebrate with grand pomp & circumstance

Third Capuchin Installed as Bishop of MendiCapuchin Bishop-elect Donald Lippert, 55-year-old philosophy professor from the Pennsylvania Province, received a tumultuous welcome as the third bishop of Mendi in Papua New Guinea’s Southern Highlands on February 2. Huge crowds of Catholic faithful in festive, traditional finery cheered him on through parish after parish as he and his former mentor, Capuchin Cardinal Sean O’Malley, and Don’s predecessor in the Mendi See, Capuchin Archbishop Steve Reichert, and Capuchin Bishop Bill Fey of Kimbe drove the last 80 miles from Mount Hagan to Mendi. Two days later, Steve and Bill assisted as co-consecrators, as Sean ordained Don as bishop in a very impressive ceremony in front of the Mendi cathedral. Five other bishops, 65 priests, more than 200 religious men and women, and about 4,000 other people from all across the diocese and beyond participated in the ceremonies planned and organized by Capuchin Fr. Jonathan Williams, a native of Atwood, KS. Br. Mark Schenk came from Rome to represent the worldwide Capuchin fraternity as well as his own Mid-America province. Sean, an accomplished multilinguist, had prepared for the ceremony by practicing for several days the Melanesian Pidgin translation of the consecration rites and, according to the Catholic Reporter, “He did very well, and we understood what he said.”

As a seminarian, Don worked with Sean at the Spanish Catholic Center which the latter had begun in Washington, DC, and much later Don served as the Center’s director. Ironically, Don served as a deacon at the liturgy when Sean was consecrated bishop of the Virgin Islands in 1984 and helped hold the Book of Gospels over Sean’s head. The following year, Sean ordained Don to the priesthood. Don taught philosophy for many years at Borromeo Seminary near Cleveland, instructing Mid-America’s own Br. Ryan

Tidball. After his election as provincial vicar of the Pennsylvania Province in 2004, Don visited his confreres in PNG and subsequently volunteered for service there.

When Bill was named Bishop of Kimbe, Don took his place as philosophy professor at the national seminary near Port Moresby. 

Cardinal Sean O’Malley’s presence for the ordination and installation of Fr. Don Lippert as Bishop of Mendi is deeply revered by the people of Papua New Guinea.

Archbishop Steve Reichert, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, and Capuchin Bishop-elect Don Lippert are flanked by nationals of Papua New Guinea dressed for the installation of their new bishop.

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St. Clare: 800 Years of Consecration to the GospelAbout 70 Franciscans, representing all the main branches of the Franciscan Family, gathered at Our Lady of Light Monastery on the evening of April 1 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Clare’s commitment to the Gospel way of life on Palm Sunday 1212.

Secular Franciscans, Sisters of the Third Order Regular, and Capuchin Friars joined the Capuchin Poor Clares in the monastery garden for a combination social and prayer service.

Following the social, the followers of Francis and Clare gathered at the north end of the garden to commemorate Clare’s receiving a palm branch earlier that morning, 800 years ago, at the Cathedral in Assisi.  Clare Harris of Lakewood, a 15-year-old friend of the sisters, took the part of Clare.

All then processed to the Church to begin evening prayer which included a reflection from Provincial Minister Fr. Charles Polifka and a reenactment of Clare’s running away from home to the Portiuncula where she was met by St. Francis (played by Br. Christopher Gama) and other friars. Sr. Adriana González then clothed Clare in a habit. At the end of the service, all of the four Franciscan groups renewed their commitment while holding candles lit from one that Clare carried to them.

A second celebration, ending the “Year of Clare” and open to the general public, will be held at Our Lady of Light Monastery on August 11.

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With help from Mid-America friars

Capuchin Provincials Prepare for General Chapter

Fr. Christopher Popravak and Fr. Regis Armstrong of the New York-New England province exchange thoughts on the proposed revisions to the Capuchin constitutions.

Every six years, all the provincials of the 158 Capuchin provinces worldwide, the vice-provincials, additional delegates from larger provinces, the general administration, and other appointed friars gather together for a general chapter. This summer, the general chapter will open on August 19 in Rome and close on the feast day of Padre Pio, September 23.

Normally, these general chapters are scheduled for three to four weeks. This chapter, however, will discuss and vote on a revision of the constitutions of the Order of Capuchin Friars Minor. Two weeks of the chapter will be devoted to reports on the past six years and on elections of the general administration. The last three weeks will be devoted to the proposed revision of the constitutions.

In preparation for this chapter, the North American and Pacific Capuchin Conference, devoted most of its March meeting to studying the proposed text of the constitutions and to learning the procedures of a general chapter. Mid-America’s Fr. Christopher Popravak, who has served for the past five years on the commission to re-write the constitutions, presented several sessions to the provincials of North America, Guam, and Australia on what the changes were and why they were proposed. Christopher has also

presented workshops on the proposed constitutions to friars at large throughout North America.

Changes in the proposed constitutions include more centralization of authority in the general administration, as well as in mandated requirements for initial formation and practices of prayer. The structures of the jurisdictions are also under question. The proposed new constitutions no longer recognize vice provinces, for instance. There are only custodies and provinces. Once all the changes are voted on, the accepted constitutions must be ratified by the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes before they are official.

Another part of the preparation for the general chapter centered on knowing the procedures. Mid-America’s Br. Mark Schenk, definitor general, led this part of the NAPCC’s discussions. Mark explained how the general chapter deals with the numerous languages, how the unique parliamentary procedures are implemented, and how “coetuses” or nominating blocs are formed.

The general minister has mandated Christopher and the rest of the Constitutions Commission members to be present for the three weeks during which the proposed constitutions will be discussed. Fr. Charles Polifka, provincial of Mid-America, will participate in the total five weeks, as will Mark and Fr. Peter Meis, vice provincial of the Vice Province of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, who is also a Mid-America missionary friar.

During the general chapter, the entire body of friars will spend a weekend in Assisi where Mass will be celebrated at the tomb of St. Francis followed by a festive meal with the Conventual Franciscan friars in the Sacrum Conventum, the monastery attached to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. After the chapter closes, all the provincials and delegates are invited to a grand celebration of the feast day of Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, home friary of Padre Pio.

The NAPCC meets twice a year, rotating meetings through the provinces in North America. The next meeting will take place in Santa Barbara, CA, hosted by the Western America Province, October 19-21.

Central Canada’s Provincial Minister Fr. David Connolly and Br. Mark Schenk

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Jubilarian Fr. Michael Suchnicki: To Be or Not to Beby Fr. Matthew Gross, O.F.M.Cap.

The movie, Run Silent, Run Deep, is most applicable to Capuchin Fr. Michael Suchnicki, who is celebrating 50 years of the “wearing of the brown” of St. Francis of Assisi.

Michael is a man of many talents, but even more so a man of much humility. This Baltimore native never trumpets the enormous depth of the goodness he does for others. He is content to be silent and keep the good he performs to himself and his God. But like the submarine in the movie, the fullness of his goodness surfaces in due time, and all can see and appreciate this reserved and modest friar for the wonderful person he truly is.

Before he heard the call to religious life, Michael spent several years in repertory theatre in the New York/New England area. Yes, he was a professional actor on stage, and there are fine photographs carefully kept in the provincial archives to confirm his acting career.

At the age of 21, Michael became weary of portraying someone else, as he felt a desire to be himself as a religious brother. He wanted to live a real life and not act a role in life. He tells of his vocational decision in a moving booklet, “To Be or Not To Be…a Brother.” He decided “To Be” and in February 1962 Michael divested himself of his Broadway garments and clothed himself in the Franciscan habit as a Capuchin lay brother.

First professed in 1962, he served the community for 22 years as a lay brother until he heard another call ring in his heart. This time it was “To Be or Not To Be…a Priest.” Michael answered in the affirmative, and was ordained to the priesthood in April 1988, in St. Mary’s Church in Ellis, KS.

During his 50 years as a professed Capuchin friar, Michael’s unique gifts were exposed, despite his efforts to keep them under the radar. His experience on the stage aided Michael as a playwright, notably by producing the spaghetti western, “Gunfire, A Tale of the Old West.” In addition, this actor-

turned-friar penned several books, such as From Rags to Riches, as well as two books about Denver’s Samaritan House.

Michael emerged as a parish priest and a spiritual assistant to many Secular Franciscan Order fraternities in various states. For many years he served in sundry positions at St. Joseph Military Academy, now Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays, KS.

But nowhere has the silent strength of his compassionate heart surfaced more than in his present ministry at the Samaritan House in Denver. For 15 years Michael has been an untiring advocate for the homeless men, women, and children who come to the shelter in dire need. He has raised funds and written “Help Wanted” letters to newspapers for everything from heavy coats to diapers to turkeys.

As chaplain, he has given spiritual comfort and direction to their lives. One resident said of Michael: “Fr. Mike is always there when you need him – with a smile or information. He is one of God’s special people and, after spending time with him, nothing seems quite as bad or scary.”

Michael truly runs silent, but oh so deep in the Lord. In 2010 he received the province’s “Conrad Key of Recognition” for his dedicated and habitual concern on behalf of the homeless and the poor. This award is given in honor of Capuchin St. Conrad of Parzham, patron of the Mid-America Province and a friend of the poor in his day.

Another of Michael’s “To Be” passions is his love for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is known as a compassionate confessor and makes himself available at any time for the sacrament.

Finally, the actor-turned-friar is noted for his sense of humor – as dry as a martini, according to some of his audience! Michael can maneuver any topic, no matter how serious, into a light-hearted witticism.

“To Be or Not To Be” is no longer a question to be answered by our fraternal golden jubilarian. Michael has been and is a beloved brother to everyone who experiences his Christ-like performance on the live stage of real life, especially those in need of God’s presence and healing touch.

One of Fr. Michael’s favorite pastimes is reading to children who live at Samaritan House.

Capuchin Province of Mid-AmericaProvincial Porter3613 Wyandot Street Denver, CO 80211-2948

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DENVER, COPERMIT NO. 2862

The Provincial Porter is a quarterly publication of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America. The Provincial Porter is named for St. Conrad of Parzham (1818-1894), a Capuchin lay brother who spent most of his life as the friary’s porter, or doorkeeper, in Altoetting, Bavaria. As the porter, St. Conrad welcomed people into the friary, received supplies and generously prepared and offered food to Altoetting’s poor who would come to the friary door daily. Similar to St. Francis, he treated everyone with love, patience, and a kind heart.

In many different ways, the Capuchin Province of Mid-America serves as a “porter”— welcoming every-one and providing for those in need. The Provincial Porter strives to keep our relatives and friends informed about the lives of the Mid-American friars.

PorterglimpsesBrs. Ryan Tidball and Christopher Gama will participate in the Capuchin Profession Pilgrimage June 24 - July 10. Pilgrims will spend two weeks in Assisi with visits to special Franciscan and Capuchin places like LaVerna, Fonte Colombo, Greccio, Camerino, and Albacina. The friars will conclude the pilgrimage in Rome at the tomb of St. Felix of Cantalice, the first Capuchin saint.

The 2011-2012 novitiate year closes on July 14. Novices Donald Rank and Brandon Berg will return to Denver for their profession ceremony. The 2012-2013 novitiate year begins at San Lorenzo Friary and Novitiate in Santa Ynez, CA, on July 22. Fr. Frank Grinko is the novice director. Mid-America Postulants Jason Moore and Marshall Schmidt will be invested in the Capuchin habit along with 22 postulants from nine other provinces. Mid-America’s newly accepted postulants will begin their postulancy year on July 1.

The friars in Papua New Guinea celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of their saint, Blessed Peter ToRot, family man, catechist and martyr, at Rakunai, his home village and pilgrimage destination on the island province of East New Britain.

Fr. Duane Reinert’s research article entitled “Sex Differences in Religiosity: The Role of Attachment to Parents and Social Learning” was published in the April issue of Pastoral Psychology.

Sr. Adriana González has been studying Italian in preparation for her two-year course in Rome which has just begun. Fr. Christopher Popravak, fluent in Italian, has been her tutor.

Fr. David Songy celebrated his silver jubilee of Capuchin priesthood with a Mass and reception at Family of Nazareth Chapel at Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Denver on May 10. David represented American formators at the International Reconciliation Week in San Giovanni

Rotondo, Italy, earlier this year. The conference focused its content on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its role in faith evangelization.

Director of Development Stephanie Pedersen’s father Daniel Pfeifer died on March 26; Thecla Haas, mother of Fr. Julian Haas, died on April 1.