Earlier this year, the seven provincial ministers of the United States announced the creation of an interprovincial postulancy program. The new program, which began last month, is located at Holy Name College in Silver Spring, Md. Below, two postulants share an update on the first few weeks in the program.

 

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, we were blessed to have 16 postulants enter the first interprovincial postulancy program for the Order of Friars Minor in the United States. Their names, ages, hometowns and provinces are:

 

Andrew Aldrich, 26, of Mishawaka, Ind. – Assumption BVM Province

Andrew Dinegar, 51, of New York City – St. Barbara Province

Ian Grant, 33, of Bergen County, New Jersey – Holy Name Province

KiChase Lopez, 27, of Storm Lake, Iowa – Holy Name Province

Matt Lorch, 40, of Indianapolis – Holy Name Province

Rafael Ozoude, 22, of Lagos, Nigeria – St. John the Baptist Province

Daniel Mayer, 24, of Houma, La. – Sacred Heart Province

Salvador Mejia, 47, of Acambaro, Mexico – St. Barbara Province

Loren Moreno, 33, of New York City – Holy Name Province

John Neuffer, 33, of Durham, N.C. – Holy Name Province

Richard Phillip, 40, of Camden, N.J. – Holy Name Province

Carlos Portillo, 32, of San Vicente, El Salvador – Holy Name Province

Matt Ryan, 46, of Covington, Ky. – St. John the Baptist Province

Josh Tagoylo, 24, of Hayward, Calif. – St. Barbara Province

Nhan Ton, 40, of Saigon, Vietnam – Sacred Heart Province

Steven Young, 29, of Canton, Mass. – Holy Name Province

 

As you can see, we have men from a diverse group of of ages, heritages, and provinces. God is good! After orientation, we took part in an in-house compass retreat, where we opened up to each other and reflected on the directions our lives are taking. That weekend, with openness, we joined the friars at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in New York City to witness the Aug. 26 solemn vows of Brothers Casey Cole, OFM, and Ramoncito Razon, OFM, of Holy Name Province. The solemn profession of our brothers before the Franciscan community, including our General Minister, was a poignant way to mark so many fresh beginnings.

 

On Aug. 31, Fr. Mark Schoener, OFM, the provincial minister of St. John the Baptist Province, was the celebrant for a welcome Mass at Holy Name College, officially marking the beginning of the United States’s first interprovincial OFM postulancy program. Members of the formation team presented each postulant with a Tau cross that was handmade by novice Luis Rosado of Holy Name Province.

 

The Secretaries of Formation – Martin Ibarra, OFM, (of St. Barbara Province), Carl Langenderfer, OFM, (of St. John the Baptist), Ralph Parthie, OFM, (Sacred Heart), and Kim Studwell, OFM, (Assumption BVM) – as well as friars from Holy Name Province – including members of the Holy Name College and St. Camillus Parish friar communities – all joined in the Eucharist and ceremony. They were followed by a festive social and dinner.

 

The postulants look forward to a fruitful year of discernment and service.