News - March 2017
Euroepan Province: Celebrations of anniversaries for Donald and Elizabeth; James Douglas profession in first vows; Benedict re-elected as minister provinicial; new candidate.
Province of the Americas: Desmond Alban elected minister provincial; new novices - Luke & Thomas.
European Province
On Saturday March 18th Donald celebrated his 60th anniversary of vows with a meal at the Folkestone Road Nursing Home; it was a very happy occasion much enjoyed by guests and residents alike. The day before Donald had celebrated the Eucharist at no. 42 Balaam Street and that was followed by a meal. Donald was very happy to be able to celebrate in this way.
Sue writes: We plan to celebrate Elizabeth’s 60th Anniversary of Profession on Saturday 9th December at St Mary’s Plaistow at 12 noon. Bishop Stephen will preside, and lunch will follow the service. We hope that this advance notice will enable a good number of sisters and brothers to attend, so please make a note of the date.
James Douglas will make his First Profession in Vows at Hilfield Friary on July 8th (time to be confirmed).
Following a count of the votes with the Bishop Protector and Sister Sue CSF on Tuesday 7th March, having received more than half of the valid votes cast, Brother Benedict was duly re-elected to serve as Minister Provincial of the European Province for a term of five years until Pentecost 2022.
Jason (Jay) Kellow will being testing his vocation at Hilfield in early April, and Hugh will be his Novice Tutor.
Province of the Americas
Brother Desmond Alban has been elected to serve as Minister Provincial for the brothers of the Province of the Americas following the end of Brother Jude’s term of office, which concludes with the Brothers’ Provincial Chapter at Echo Park, Los Angeles, from 15 to 19 May 2017.
Robert Woodworth and Jeremy Steffensen were clothed as novices on Friday 10 March at San Damiano taking the names respectively of Brother Luke and Brother Thomas. Robert gave up a successful Interior Design business in Palm Springs to test his vocation with us. Jeremy had already been living in recent years in San Francisco, working initially for a non-profit project and latterly for a local College, and is a writer. He is named not only for the Apostle but also for Thomas Merton. Among other activities, both brothers have begun to learn to ‘write’ icons since beginning the postulancy.