From the Friars: Thank You Your Eminence

The first time I met Cardinal O’Malley was the day he was installed as Bishop of Fall River on the Feast of St. Clare, August 11, 1992. I was a novice with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in New York (CFR). The CFR friars who knew O’Malley assured me that he would be a Cardinal someday. They were right. Exactly two years later the idea was brought up among some CFR brothers of the possibility of a friary that would observe the Rule in a more radical way. The end result was six of us beginning a new community under Bishop O’Malley in January of 1995.

Our almost thirty years of existence have been a rollercoaster of good times and not so good times, of growing and shrinking. Sean O’Malley has been there for us through thick and thin. When it looked like we were not going to make it, he always exhorted us to keep going, not to give up or be discouraged. “This too shall pass” was a common saying of his.

Cardinal Sean is known for his humorous and edifying stories. One of my favorites is about how when he was a young seminarian he was a bit bored because he so easily mastered his philosophy studies. To keep him busy his superior asked him to go to the local prison to minister to the inmates. He welcomed the opportunity but felt he needed to be creative in order to get the prisoner’s attention. He gave a talk about “Great Escapes in the Bible”, which was very well received.

The next day the Warden called O’Malley’s superior to complain and to request that “that brother” never again be sent to the prison. Several inmates had escaped the night before. We can only hope that the escapees were also inspired to imitate the holiness of Saints Peter and Paul. The incident shows the humor but also the heart of the man who would give his life in service to the Church, always paying special attention the poor and those suffering in whatever way.

We friars owe a special debt of gratitude to the guy from Cleveland who just wanted to be a missionary.

Ad multos annos.

–Fr. Peter