NEWS ARCHIVE OF EVENTS IN THE YEAR 2009

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2009 WAS THE EIGHTH CENTENARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER

WHICH DATES FROM THE MOMENT ON 16 APRIL 1209 WHEN ST FRANCIS AND HIS ELEVEN COMPANIONS OBTAINED FROM POPE INNOCENT III THE ORAL APPROVAL OF THE PRIMITIVE RULE

To view a list of all the events that took place in celebration of this year in our Province click here

To read reports of all the events in the Jubilee Year 2009 click here

To view the special publications by our Province for this Year click here

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THE FUNERAL OF BR PETER HOOPER, O.F.M., AT CHILWORTH

: Br Peter at his 60th birthday celebrations only six weeks before his death

: Br Peter as the friars remember him

Br Peter Hooper died in the early morning hours of Friday, 3rd July 2009, in St Joseph's Nursing Home, Littlehampton, after over ten years of suffering the increasingly ravaging effects of Huntingdon's Disease. He was sustained to the end by the loving care of his brethren and the careful nursing of the Sisters of Littlehampton. His funeral took place a week later at the Friary church in Chilworth and he was buried immediately after the funeral Mass in the Friary cemetery. The Minister Provincial was the celebrant and there were twenty concelebrants from among his Franciscan brothers: others had been able to be there the previous evening when the body was received. Members of his family were there and the parishioners of Chilworth gave their support by arranging the reception held in the friary and its grounds afterwards.

Br Peter had celebrated his sixtieth birthday only six weeks before (click here).

To view a full account with photographs of this event click here

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THE PROVINCE REJOICES IN THE FIRST ORDINATION FOR THREE YEARS

On Saturday, 27th June 2009, on a glorious day of sunshine, the Province rejoiced when one of its members, Br Antony Jukes, already a Deacon, was ordained a priest at Woodford Green at the hands of Msgr Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood, the first ordination to the priesthood in the Province for three years. The church of St Thomas of Canterbury was filled to capacity and 36 priests concelebrated the Mass of Ordination, many of them fellow friars. Fr Antony is a local boy, having grown up in Chingford nearby and gone to school in Trinity Catholic High School next door to the Friary. Many members of his family were able to be present, including a cousin and an uncle both of whom are priests in the Diocese. Our Province is looking for more young men willing to accept the ministry of priesthood so that the many works of pastoral care undertaken by the older friars can be handed on to younger friars.

To view a full photographic account of the occasion click here

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A GLIMPSE INTO FRANCISCAN LIFE IN MAINLAND CHINA

Fr Lawrence Fan, O.F.M., (in the picture at the board), a member of the Order from mainland China, spent the academic year 2007-2008 at the Franciscan International Study Centre in Canterbury. He was destined to become the Secretary of his entity in China, which he has now become. Because they have been out of contact with the rest of the Order for a long time, he was anxious to learn how we do things here and so was invited to attend the whole of our Provincial Chapter 2008 as an observer. He has recently sent us these pictures of a vocation promotion workshop in which he was involved. This was organised jointly for both boys and girls by the friars OFM and the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM). It was attended by about 60 boys and girls who want to become Franciscans and Br Lawrence thought it was a lively and positive occasion.

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