Every Capuchin has heard The Call. Our friars continue to answer The Call in the many big and little calls they hear, day after day and year after year. Like Jesus Christ and St. Francis of Assisi, they offer the fruits of the Holy Spirit to the Church, the world, and all people—willingly and joyfully.

It is that fidelity to their calling, and it is that generosity of spirit, in love of neighbor, that the friars celebrate every year on Fraternity Day. More than 40 friars assembled at Sacred Heart Church in Yonkers on Oct. 9 for Mass and to confer a blessing on the jubilarian friars.

Fr. Maurice Moreau, 25 years a priest, is one of 17 friars observing an anniversary of religious life or priesthood this year. In his homily at the Fraternity Day Mass, he exhorted all the brothers to take heart from the call of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-10), St. Paul’s counsel on the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22a-26), and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). He urged them to fulfill their Franciscan call to live among their religious fraternities and all peoples as brothers.

Celebrating 25 years of priesthood were Fr. Edward Conway, Fr. Norbert D’Souza, Fr. Robert Lasrado, Fr. Royson Menolickal, Fr. Edwin Monis, Fr. Maurice Moreau, and Fr. Henry Vas. Fr. Thomas Franks celebrated 25 years of religious life. Br. Robert Gerdin and Br. Yasunori Francis Hashiya marked 50 years of religious life. Br. Antonine Lizama and Fr. Patrick Sullivan celebrated 60 years of religious life. We honored Fr. Joseph Flynn, Fr. Gabriel Massaro, and Fr. Robert Phelps for 65 years of religious life, and we gave thanks for Fr. Dominic Silvestro and Fr. Eugene O’Hara, who have attained 70 years of religious life. Deo gratias … ad multos annos.