JUBILARIANS ALL! - Holy Name Province

SUMMER SEEDS :
SAN DAMIANO RETREAT
Fr. Ray Bucher, O.F.M.
Every year, shortly after Pentecost, I receive
a letter from back east. I await it. I enjoy it.
The letter’s author attended my Pentecost
Mass at The Casa (in Scottsdale, AZ) in
1987, and somehow recorded my homily.
Every year she replays it on Pentecost. (And
every year she draws from it a new inspiration.)
She insists that the Holy Spirit keeps
the tape in tiptop shape.
That laudable letter landed on my desk
perched between Aristotle and Augustine.
(Of course Plato is there too, but you all
knew that!) In September, when you’re receiving
this Newsletter, I finished teaching
Classical Philosophy to some of our younger
friars! It’s been 30 years since I’ve taught
any philosophy, and surely new and better
ways of teaching this subject have been introduced.
Fortunately, the subject matter has
remained the same! Since Rome has mandated
that one must acquire 30 units of philosophy
before one can enter priestly studies,
our Province wants to give our young men a
head start. Hence, 3 hours of class a day for 2
weeks through the University of San Diego.
on retreat to prepare for their profession of
simple vows. There was a wholesome, joyful,
prayerful presence here. The anticipation
of commitment was palpable. Good job, Br.
Regan and other novice directors.
Secondly, and presently, we had a four-week
retreat for 13 friars preparing for solemn
vows. These men, too, are from around the
country. (The days of one province having
13 candidates for final vows are long gone!)
Here I sense a more mature, sober group of
friars, yet still exuding Franciscan joy.
A wonderful byproduct of these retreats
was the presence of talented retreat masters,
like Sr. Maria Elena Martinez, OSF, Br. Bill
Short, OFM, and Br. Robert Lentz, OFM.
What a summer blessing. Let’s pray for these
men who took their vows, that their commitment
might enhance (unleash) their freedom.
And, let’s pray for the students who took my
philosophy class. (The lucky fellows!) Who
knows—maybe next Pentecost there will be
an additional letter on my desk…thanking
me for a seed planted in a summer lecture—a
seed that somehow started to flower!
RENEWAL CENTER AT
MISSION SANTA BARBARA
It was a joy to have direct contact with our
younger friars. Their enthusiasm is contagious.
Their vitality helps us veterans “…stir
into flame the gift of God (once) bestowed
on us…” (2 Tim 1: 6-7)
Here at San Damiano we recently had the
good fortune to host a number of young
friars. First it was to welcome for a week, 16
novices from around the country. They came
33
Sr. Susan Blomstad, O.S.F., Director
[This is the final report from the Province
retreat centers. – WJR]
Richard McManus arrived at Mission Santa
Barbara as Guardian and Director in July of
2006. After 15 years as Director of St. Francis
Retreat in San Juan Bautista, he brought
with him a passion for retreat ministry and a