The celebration of the Transitus of St. Francis was also the occasion of the Tau ceremony, when two of the three new postulants for our province were admitted to the provincial formation program.

The service was held at Our Lady of Peace Church, Brooklyn, New York, where the postulancy will be held.  Jose Manuel Mejia Veliz and Luis Alejandro Solano Castillo received the Tau cross at the hands of Fr. Robert Campagna, OFM, Minister Provincial, assisted by Fr. Orlando Ruiz, OFM, Postulancy Director as well as Vocation Director for the province.  The third postulant Manuel Alejandro Chavarria Blanco was not present due to an unavoidable delay and was scheduled to arrive on October 4.

Fr. Alvin Te, OFM did the Transitus narration and Fr. Romano Almagno, OFM shared a reflection on the meaning of the Transitus, reminding the congregation of the words of Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, OFM, our Minister General, who addressed the NYC area friars a few days earlier. 

As the new postulants received the Tau Cross, Fr. Octavio Salinas, OFM and Br. John-Michael Pinto, OFM, members of the formation team, joined them at the altar. 

The attending friars were joined by the Franciscan Sisters from Our Lady of Peace, as well as several others in the friary with a very nice buffet dinner.