Six provinces become one
Fr. John Bok, OFM
We are excited to share some wonderful news with you! In October 2023, our Cincinnati province will join five other US provinces to become one really big Franciscan family named Our Lady of Guadalupe Province.
Over the past few years, the Franciscan friars in the US have been meeting and getting to know our extended family of brothers in six of the US Provinces (the US-6). The meetings have been filled with prayer, laughter and great conversations.
We have a lot of Franciscan customs and a lot in common, but we also reflect the various cultural geographic areas of the country and the way American culture is lived in our different provinces.
We are excited to share some wonderful news with you. In October, 2023, our Cincinnati province we will join five other US provinces to become one really big Franciscan family named Our Lady of Guadalupe Province.
I think one of the best parts of the meetings for me has been learning about all the various ministries and great work of the different provinces Some very similar and some very different. We will very likely become more productive and learn a lot from each other.
This unification will help us be even better stewards of your gifts by wisely and efficiently continuing our service to the poor, lonely and forgotten. Many friars that were in administrative positions, will be available for other ministries. For example, we won’t need six development directors or six vocation directors, or six Provincial Ministers.
We will also be able to care for our elderly friars who have served for so long with coast to coast places to care for them. Our formation programs for young men has been already operating together very well for some time now.
The new central headquarters for the country will be in Atlanta, Ga with satellite offices around the country.
And just think now there will be about 700 friars praying for your intentions.
If you have any questions about our united family, please email us at friarworks@franciscan.org or call us at 513-721-4700. We look forward to hearing from you.
Posted in: Missions, Newsletter, Prayer, Serving the poor
