Vatican City, 04 April 2019 (VIS) –  Pope Francis calls us to pray for doctors and their humanitarian collaborators in war-torn areas, who risk their lives to save the lives of others.

The full text of his intention is below:

The presence of doctors, nurses, and other health care workers in war-torn areas is a sign of hope.

They are wise, valiant, and good-hearted people who, following their vocation, work under extremely dangerous conditions.

Let us pray for doctors and their humanitarian collaborators in war-torn areas, who risk their lives to save the lives of others.”

~ Pope Francis

 

Our fraternity gatherings are on the third Sunday of the month.  We start with Mass at 12 PM (Optional) in the friary chapel.  After Mass, our social begins at 1 PM in the friary refectory followed by a fifteen to twenty-minute business meeting. Around 3:45 pm we will gather in the chapel for Evening Prayer.

Next Month St. Joseph Cupertino Fraternity will hold elections for the new 2019 – 2022 Council 

Elections in May 2019 – General Constitutions, Articles 50, 51 and 52

Who is eligible to be elected these offices? Any permanently professed sister or brother has the right to be elected to an office.          

Who is eligible to nominate? Any permanently professed or temporarily professed sister or brother.          

Who is eligible to vote? Any permanently professed or temporarily professed sister or brother can vote.  

Below are the job descriptions for each office to be elected:

Duties of the Council from our SFO Constitution 

It is the duty of the council of the local fraternity:

• to promote the initiatives necessary for fostering fraternal life, for improving the human, Christian, and Franciscan formation of its members and for sustaining their witness and commitment in the world;
• to make concrete and courageous choices, appropriate for the situation of the fraternity, from among the numerous activities possible in the field of the apostolate.

The duties of the council are also:

• to decide on the acceptance and admission to Profession of new brothers and sisters, (see Const. 39, 3 and 41, 1.)
• to establish a fraternal dialogue with members in particular difficulties and to adopt consequent measures. 
• to receive the request for withdrawal and to decide on the suspension of a member from the fraternity; 
• to decide on the establishment of sections or groups in conformity with the Constitutions and the statutes; 
• to decide on the destination of available funds and, in general, to deliberate on matters concerning the financial conduct and economic affairs of the fraternity; 
• to assign duties to the councilors and to the other professed members; 
• to request from the competent superiors of the First Order and the TOR suitable and prepared religious as assistants; 
• to perform such other duties as are required by these Constitutions or which are necessary to carry out its proper        purposes. 

The Duties of the Minister, who is the person primarily responsible in the fraternity, are to ensure that the directions and decisions of the fraternity and of the council are put into practice. He or she will keep the council informed concerning his or her activities. The minister also has the following duties:

• to call, to preside at, and to direct the meetings of the fraternity and council; to convoke every three years the elective chapter of the fraternity;
• to prepare the annual report to be sent to the council of the higher level after it has been approved by the council of the fraternity;
• to request, with the consent of the council, the pastoral and fraternal visits, at least once every three years.
• to put into effect those acts which the Constitutions refer to his or her competence.
• the minister represents the fraternity in all its relations with ecclesiastical and civil authorities. In addition, when the fraternity acquires a juridical personality in the civil order, the minister becomes, when possible, its legal representative. 

The Vice-Minister has the following duties:

• to collaborate with the minister in a fraternal spirit and to support him or her in carrying out the duties proper to him or her;
• to exercise those functions which are entrusted to him or her by the council and/or by the assembly or chapter;
• to take the place of the minister in both his or her competencies and responsibilities in case of absence or temporary incapacity;
• to assume the functions of the minister when the office remains vacant. 

The Secretary has the following duties:

• to compile the official acts of the fraternity and of the council and to assure that they are sent to their respective proper recipients;
• to see to the updating and preservation of the records and the registers, noting admissions, professions, deaths, withdrawals, and transfers from the fraternity. 

The Director of Formation, has the following duties:

• to coordinate the formative activities according to Arts. 40 ff of these Constitutions;
• to instruct and animate the brothers and sisters in the period of formation, (see Const. 39 ff.) Concerning the participation of the spiritual assistant in formation, (see Art. 89,4 of the Constitutions).
• to inform the council of the fraternity concerning the suitability of the candidate(s), prior to admission and profession. (see Const. 41.)

The Treasurer, or bursar, has the following duties:

• to guard diligently the contributions received, recording each receipt in the appropriate register, with the date on which it was given, the name of the contributor, or the one from whom it was collected;
• to record in the same register the items of expense, specifying the date and the purpose, in conformity with the directions of the fraternity council.
• to render an account of his or her administration to the assembly and to the council of the fraternity according to the norms of the national statutes. 

The provisions regarding the vice-minister, the secretary and the treasurer apply, with the appropriate adaptations, to all levels.

Our fraternity gatherings are on the third Sunday of the month.  We start with Mass at 12 PM (Optional) in the friary chapel.  After Mass, our social begins at 1 PM in the refectory followed by a fifteen to twenty-minute business meeting. Following the brief meeting we will have on-going formation. Around 4 pm. we will gather together in the chapel for Evening Prayer.

Our elections this month will take the place of our normally scheduled gathering. We will have our social at 1 pm and at 2 pm meet in the conference room for elections of our new 2019 – 2022 Council. 

Elections According to our General Constitutions, Articles 50, 51 and 52

Who is eligible to be elected these offices? Any permanently professed sister or brother has the right to be elected to an office.          

Who is eligible to nominate? Any permanently professed or temporarily professed sister or brother.          

Who is eligible to vote? Any permanently professed or temporarily professed sister or brother can vote.  

Below are the job descriptions for each office to be elected:

Duties of the Council from our SFO Constitution 

It is the duty of the council of the local fraternity:

• to promote the initiatives necessary for fostering fraternal life, for improving the human, Christian, and Franciscan formation of its members and for sustaining their witness and commitment in the world;
• to make concrete and courageous choices, appropriate for the situation of the fraternity, from among the numerous activities possible in the field of the apostolate.

The duties of the council are also:

• to decide on the acceptance and admission to Profession of new brothers and sisters, (see Const. 39, 3 and 41, 1.)
• to establish a fraternal dialogue with members in particular difficulties and to adopt consequent measures. 
• to receive the request for withdrawal and to decide on the suspension of a member from the fraternity; 
• to decide on the establishment of sections or groups in conformity with the Constitutions and the statutes; 
• to decide on the destination of available funds and, in general, to deliberate on matters concerning the financial conduct and economic affairs of the fraternity; 
• to assign duties to the councilors and to the other professed members; 
• to request from the competent superiors of the First Order and the TOR suitable and prepared religious as assistants; 
• to perform such other duties as are required by these Constitutions or which are necessary to carry out its proper        purposes. 

The Duties of the Minister, who is the person primarily responsible in the fraternity, are to ensure that the directions and decisions of the fraternity and of the council are put into practice. He or she will keep the council informed concerning his or her activities. The minister also has the following duties:

• to call, to preside at, and to direct the meetings of the fraternity and council; to convoke every three years the elective chapter of the fraternity;
• to prepare the annual report to be sent to the council of the higher level after it has been approved by the council of the fraternity;
• to request, with the consent of the council, the pastoral and fraternal visits, at least once every three years.
• to put into effect those acts which the Constitutions refer to his or her competence.
• the minister represents the fraternity in all its relations with ecclesiastical and civil authorities. In addition, when the fraternity acquires a juridical personality in the civil order, the minister becomes, when possible, its legal representative. 

The Vice-Minister has the following duties:

• to collaborate with the minister in a fraternal spirit and to support him or her in carrying out the duties proper to him or her;
• to exercise those functions which are entrusted to him or her by the council and/or by the assembly or chapter;
• to take the place of the minister in both his or her competencies and responsibilities in case of absence or temporary incapacity;
• to assume the functions of the minister when the office remains vacant. 

The Secretary has the following duties:

• to compile the official acts of the fraternity and of the council and to assure that they are sent to their respective proper recipients;
• to see to the updating and preservation of the records and the registers, noting admissions, professions, deaths, withdrawals, and transfers from the fraternity. 

The Director of Formation, has the following duties:

• to coordinate the formative activities according to Arts. 40 ff of these Constitutions;
• to instruct and animate the brothers and sisters in the period of formation, (see Const. 39 ff.) Concerning the participation of the spiritual assistant in formation, (see Art. 89,4 of the Constitutions).
• to inform the council of the fraternity concerning the suitability of the candidate(s), prior to admission and profession. (see Const. 41.)

The Treasurer, or bursar, has the following duties:

• to guard diligently the contributions received, recording each receipt in the appropriate register, with the date on which it was given, the name of the contributor, or the one from whom it was collected;
• to record in the same register the items of expense, specifying the date and the purpose, in conformity with the directions of the fraternity council.
• to render an account of his or her administration to the assembly and to the council of the fraternity according to the norms of the national statutes. 

The provisions regarding the vice-minister, the secretary and the treasurer apply, with the appropriate adaptations, to all levels.

St. Joseph Cupertino Fraternity was Canonically Approved: 1980

Founding Location: St. Mark’s Church (Catonsville Maryland)

Moved to Current Location: (1992) at the Shrine of St. Anthony, Ellicott City, Maryland (formerly known as St. Joseph of Cupertino Friary). The friar’s residence is still known as St. Joseph of Cupertino.

PAST MINISTERS AND VICE MINISTERS

1980 – 1986

Minister – Jim Manning, OFS
Vice Minister – Jean Manning, OFS (Deceased) 

1986 -1992

Minister – Jean Singleton, OFS
Vice Minister – Stella Cykoski, SFO (Deceased) 

1992 – 1998

Minister – Carolyn Protin, OFS

2006 -2009 Regional Minister of St. Margaret of Cortona Region

Vice Minister – Steven Potorti, OFS 

1998 – 2000

Minister – Robert Lewis, SFO (Deceased)
Vice Minister – Robert Longo,OFS 

2001 – 2004

Minister – Robert Longo, OFS
Vice Minister – Sherry Lewis, OFS 

2004 – 2007

Minister – Sherry Lewis, SFO
Vice Minister – Lita Maisel, SFO 

2007- 2010

Minister – Sheila Solomen, OFS
Vice Minister – Lita Maisel, OFS 

2010 – 2013

Minister – Sheila Solomen, OFS
Vice Minister -Kevin Corcoran, OFS 

2013 – 2016

Minister – Robert Longo, OFS
Vice Minister -Sherry Lewis, OFS 

2016 – 2018

 Minister – Robert Longo, OFS

blongosfo@gmail.com

April 21, 2018, elected Regional Minister of St. Margaret of Cortona Region

April 21, 2018

Acting Minister – Ed Burgee, OFS 

smuffin@comcast.net

Vice Minister – Geri Flynn, OFS

Professed Members

Activities 

Franciscans Visit the Walters Art Gallery – October 28, 2011

Left to right – Lita Maisel, OFS, Lynne Float, OFS, Jean Singleton, OFS, Bob Longo, OFS, Kevin Corcoran, OFS, Sheila Solomon, OFS, Patrick Caughy, OFS and Visitors

The Missal used by St. Francis during his life

Fraternity Members Walking the Labyrinth at Bon Secour Spiritual Center November 2012

Franciscans Visit the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C – January 18, 2014

Left to Right – Michael Radcliffe, OFS, Bob Longo, OFS, Patrick Caughy, OFS,

Jean-Louis Staudenmann

 

Left to Right – Bob Longo, OFS, Michael Radcliffe, OFS,  Patrick Caughy, OFS,

Jean-Louis Staudenmann

  Secular Franciscans performing the traditional “Extraction of Saints” ceremony – January 19, 2014

                                                                                            

January 22, 2014

Our brother, Michael Radcliffe, OFS took the pictures below at the

“March for Life” in Washington, DC  

September 18, 2016 St. Joseph Cupertino Fraternity Annual Picnic

 

              

     Sponsor – Chris Donaldson, OFS                       Sponsor – France Staudenmann, OFS

 Newly Professed – Richard Lam, OFS               Newly Professed – Denise Donaldson, OFS

  

                          Sponsor – Mary Karth, OFS                            Sponsor – Geri Flynn, OFS

                 Newly Professed – Theresa Lam, OFS        Newly Professed – Karan Bevers, OFS

                  

              Sponsor – Lita Maisel, OFS                                                    Newly Professed

Newly Professed – Mick Michieli-Beasley, OFS