DeSales Service Works Open House
Heaven and Earth
Carrying the Charism
Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS, 1947-2023
REV. JOHN W. CROSSIN, OSFS
Oblate Priest, Theologian, Ecumenist
With sadness, but with faith in the Resurrection, we announce that our brother, Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS, died at the age of 75, on May 12, 2023, after a brief illness.
Fr. Crossin was a professed member of the Oblate community for 56 years and a priest for 47 years. A teacher, theologian, author and scholar, Fr. Crossin was an expert in the field of Christian ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. His scholarship also focused on ethics, virtue and friendship.
John was born on May 17, 1947, in Philadelphia, the oldest of four children of John William and Marie (Astley) Crossin. He attended Father Judge High School in Philadelphia and joined the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales after graduation in 1965. John had been a scholar and athlete at Judge and declined several scholarships, including to the University of Pennsylvania, to enter religious life. John made his First Profession of vows in 1967 and his Perpetual Profession of vows in 1971. For his apostolic internship, John taught Math at Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia.
John earned a B.S., summa cum laude, in Mathematics at Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales (now DeSales University). He also earned an M.A. in Theology and an M.A. in Psychology from The Catholic University of America. Fr. John was ordained a priest on May 15, 1976, at Our Lady of Ransom Church in Philadelphia. Subsequently, Fr. Crossin taught religion at Salesianum School in Wilmington for a year. In 1982, John received his Ph.D. in Moral Theology from Catholic University.
Throughout the 1980s, Fr. John was on the faculty and formation team at the Oblate seminary in Washington, D.C., and served as religious superior. In 1987, Fr. Crossin became President of the De Sales School of Theology.
In 1999, Fr. John was appointed the Executive Director of the Washington Theological Consortium, where he served for the next fourteen years. During this time he also taught at several theological schools, including Catholic University, Wesley Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, and Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary.
From 2012 to 2017, Fr. John served as Executive Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington, D.C. During this time, Fr. John was a visiting fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University, President of the North American Academy of Ecumenists and a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican. In the latter capacity, Fr. Crossin was a member of the Pontifical Council’s team for the Joint Working Group with the World Council of Churches.
Fr. John served on the boards of many organizations in the Church and in his religious community. He was the Assistant General Treasurer for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, a member of the Province Planning Committee and the Province Vocations Committee, and was twice elected a Provincial Counselor of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province.
Upon completing his term at the USCCB, Fr. Crossin became Director of Spiritual Formation at the St. Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland. Subsequently, Fr. John had a research sabbatical during which he wrote his latest book, Moving into the Ecumenical Future: Foundations of a Paradigm for Christian Ethics (published in 2022). In addition to this title, Fr. Crossin is also the author of the following books: What Are They Saying About Virtue (1985), Walking in Virtue: Moral Decisions and Spiritual Growth in Daily Life (1998), Everyday Virtues (2002), and Friendship: The Key to Spiritual Growth (2014). Throughout his long career, Fr. Crossin contributed numerous articles to many theological and ecumenical journals.
Recognized as a national leader in ecumenism, Fr. John was the recipient of the Interfaith Bridge Builders Award of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, the Pillar of Faith Award of the Howard University School of Divinity/United Church of Christ and the Washington Theological Consortium Ecumenical Award. He was also a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the Thomas More Society of Washington. Fr. John also served on the board of De Sales University and on the Ethics Committee at Providence Hospital in D.C.
Throughout his many years in the Washington/Northern Virginia area, Fr. Crossin ministered on weekends at Annunciation Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Washington, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna, Virginia, and St. John Neumann Parish community in Reston, Virginia. Fr. John retired to Reston in 2022 so that he could concentrate on his writing and assist in the parish.
He also continued to be a beloved spiritual director to many people in the area, including the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales and members of the Cursillo community.
Fr. Crossin is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his Oblate confreres, his brother James (Kathy), his brother Robert (Barbara), his sister Ann Larkin (Joseph) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Fr. John lived a life dedicated to living the Gospel in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales, the gentleman saint. He brought the lessons and inspiration of Francis into his academic and pastoral work. He was passionate about exploring the breadth of the Christian faith and finding common ground with all faiths. In reflecting on his most recent book, Fr. John was most optimistic that it may be the foundation for an international dialogue about ecumenical studies. He reflected, “I hope this book will help bring us together, which is Jesus’ will at the Last Supper; pray that we be one.”
An educator throughout his life, in his final weeks, Fr. John taught us how to live in the present moment. May he experience the fullness of God’s presence, which he saw revealed in Scripture, the Church and Salesian Spirituality. May he rest in peace.
Arrangements:
The wake for Fr. Crossin will be held on Wednesday, May 17 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at St. John Neumann Parish Community in Reston, Virginia, followed by Mass of Christian Burial 3:00 pm. A reception will follow the Mass.
Another viewing will be held at the Oblate Retirement Residence in Childs, Maryland, on Thursday, May 18. Visitation is from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow in the Oblate Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert & Barbara Crossin
140 New Road
Southampton, PA 18966
In memory of Father Crossin’s life and legacy, donations may be made to the Oblate Development Fund, P.O. Box 87, Childs, MD 21916-0087 or here.
Father John Crossin's Publications
Books:
Moving into the Ecumenical Future: Foundations of a Paradigm for Christian Ethics (2023)
Everyday Virtues (2002)
Walking in Virtue: Moral Decisions and Spiritual Growth in Daily Life (1998)
Friendship: The Key to Spiritual Growth (1997)
What Are They Saying About Virtue (1985)
Recent Articles:
“Fr. Crossin, ecumenical expert and US bishops' former advisor, dies at 75,” National Catholic Reporter,
“Will Christian Unity Come Sooner Than We Think,” Ecumenical Trends, 51/1 (January/February 2022):18-23,
“Moving into the Ecumenical Future,” Louvain Studies 44(2021): 152-172.
“Moral Actions: The Person Acting and Pope Francis,” Ecumenical Trends 47/5 (May 2018): 7-10, 14-15.
“Occasional Reflections on the Declaration on the Way,” Ecumenical Trends 46/6 (June 2017): 1-3.
“Ecumenical Reflections on Moral Discernment,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies (Fall 2015): 561-82.
“The Church: Towards a Common Vision,” Ecumenical Trends 43/10 (November 2014):2-4.
“Prudence and the Future: An Ecumenically Shaped Ethic,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 45:3 (Summer 2010): 426-32
“Christian Identities: Necessary but not Sufficient,” Ecumenical Trends 38/2 (February 2009):17-18, 30.
“Ecumenical Relationships and Dialogue Today: Insights from the Salesian Tradition,” in Human Encounter in the Salesian Tradition (Rome: International Commission for Salesian Studies, 2007): 409-424.
“What Does God Want Us to Do? A Meditation on Discernment,” Ecumenical Trends 36/10 (November 2007):145-149.
“Love for the Poor: God’s Love for the Poor and the Church’s Witness to It” co-authored with Shaun Casey, Eric H. Crump, A. Katherine Grieb, Beverly Mitchell and Ann K. Riggs for the National Council of Churches of Christ, 2005.
“Virtue as an Ecumenical Ethic,” Ecumenical Trends (February 2005): 28-31.
“Salesian Mysticism,” Review for Religious 62/2 (2003): 144-52.
“Reflections on Salesian Anthropology” in With Mind and Heart Renewed: A Festschrift for John F. Harvey, OSFS (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2001).
“A Meditation on Humility,” in We Are All Brothers-3: A collection of essays in honor of Archbishop Vsevolod of Scopelos, Ed. Jack Figel (Fairfax, VA: Eastern Christian Publications, 2007): 181-91.
“The Holy Spirit: Ecumenical Reflections,” in Seminary Ridge Review (Autumn 2006):5-11. [This is an address given at the Opening Academic Convocation of Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary.]
[19th Annual] Bernardin Lecture on Jewish-Catholic relations
Article on Fr. John’s newest book: Christian unity may not be so far off, says former head of bishops’ ecumenical office
Online Presentations
"Ecumenical & Interreligious Sensitivity in Preaching"
“Personal Prayer and the Mystery of God”
Pope Benedict's Efforts in Ecumenical Dialogue
Saintly Struggles
Surrendering to God’s Love
We look forward to seeing you!
Harvey’s Burger Bar at Gallo’s
8101 Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19152
Thursday, May 16th
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Live Jesus! 2023 "Be At Peace" - Ellen Hildenbrand
Good Morning. I am so honored to be here to witness to my own Salesian journey and to join with you in yours.
Four years ago I came to Salesianum School in Delaware with an extensive background in Theology and education but, to be honest, relatively little acquaintance with St. Francis de Sales.
Of course I had heard of him – the gentleman saint – and of the Oblates, but I confess I had little knowledge of the particulars of Salesian spirituality or the charism of the Order, but I knew I would be brought up to speed quickly and I was eager to learn.
A little context may be useful here: familiarity with religious orders and communities came naturally to me . As a child I was educated by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (I affectionately acknowledge that they formed a large part of the village that helped to raise me.)
My high school, SMG, had many religious sisters on staff including Franciscans, SSj’s SND’s and Sisters of Mercy as well as still more IHM sisters.
At Villanova I was educated by and with Augustinians and my brother spent 30-some years with the Jesuits at BC High while my daughter attended and later worked at Fairfield University, so I could hardly escape Jesuit influence.
In my own teaching career, I have worked with SND’s IHM’s, Sisters of Mercy, Augustinia ns and Pallottines.
Whew! So I am very familiar with how a religious community’s charism impacts an educational institution – hence, I wanted and needed to learn all about the Oblates and SFdS.
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship for me.
You see, Francis’ idea of universal holiness – that we are all called to be holy – wasn’t new to me. Jesus told us all to go out and proclaim the Kingdom, I knew that it wasn’t only up to those in clergy or consecrated religious life. I am a married, female Catholic theologian who knows that we should all aspire to be the saints we are all called to be.
So what did my eager study of Francis de Sales bring to me?
In all honesty, my research yielded little in comparison with what immersion in the Salesianum School brotherhood gave to me.
Each and every day, each and every member of the Sallies community is challenged to live Jesus through humility, patience and tenacity. Gentle reminders are present in every class and every activity, walking through the halls, surrounded by reminders of the Salesian virtues we seek to practice, one can hear the students calling each other to behavior befitting a Salesian gentleman.
From my earliest days at Salesianum, I was captivated by the obvious commitment to the virtues of St. Francis de Sales that I saw, literally, everywhere. The students seemed to genuinely take pride in their formation and it mirrored the commitment of the Oblates and the faculty at large. The Direction of Intention was clearly held dear and the motto of Tennui Nec Dimittam was an obvious source of empowerment for all.
And let’s not forget “be who you are and be that well”!
Could there be a better quote to drive the work of education? As we all know, in Catholic education, that means we are fostering in the students the realization that they are made in the image and likeness of God and are, therefore, born to be holy. And, as you may know, St. Francis de Sales proclaimed that knowledge is the 8th sacrament of the Church. (I have heard that he addressed that point specifically to priests, but its universality seems very clear to me, as an educator!)
As I live out my vocation as a Catholic school religion teacher and, I admit, a lifelong aspiring saint (I think I can say it to this crowd) - the example and teachings of St. Francis de Sales have added a beautiful, gentle perspective to the work, especially helping me to meet the challenges with intention (what many today are calling mindfulness) and tenacity – in fact, I promise this to God repeatedly each day as I recite the Direction of Intention with the Salesianum community.
Personally, too, apart from my work at school, the influence of St. Francis de Sales is with me. Let’s face it: words are powerful and living each day immersed in the Salesian atmosphere at Salesianum has had a profound effect on my personal life as well.
I believe I have tried to live Jesus all my life, but singing about “Jesus whom I love” with the Oblates and experiencing daily reminders over the PA from the students keep me focused on the all-important awareness of the presence of God at every moment and the promises I have made.
Gentleness, patience, tenacity, gratitude and accepting all the difficulties now form the soundtrack in my moments of reflection.
When we pray “I give you my soul, my heart, my understanding and my will” each day at Salesianum, I re-commit myself to the truest most enduring vocation I have ever known – the vocation to try, every day and in every situation to be my best self in order to give glory to God.
So, I resolve, every day and in every situation, to recognize my dependence on God’s grace, to offer any good I do to God, and accept, with patience and tenacity, any difficulties or frustrations that come.
And my heart is full of gratitude.
This is my expression of Salesian Spirituality.
Thank you and God bless you all. Live Jesus.
Live Jesus! 2023 "Be At Peace" - Paula M. Riley
Like many of you, I have been blessed to play various roles in my life: mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, professor, businesswoman, neighbor, parishioner, volunteer.
These wonderful roles offer opportunities to encounter so many people in different contexts. The people and these situations present great joy and also great conflict. Salesian Spirituality is a wonderful tool to help me find peace in my life.
For some of us, it is in the closest of our relationships where we feel least at peace. Lying in bed at the end of the day beside my husband, in the stillness of the night can be the most intimate moment and yet, when there is conflict between us, these can also be the absolute loneliest. For those who know us best, those closest to us, the ones we are journeying through life beside us, are often the ones with whom we do not seek peace.
Sometimes we become accustomed to the gaps, we accept the divisions between as just another aspect of the relationship. We wait with uncertain anticipation of when that which divides us will again be brought up, the argument replayed, the divide forge deeper.
Saint Francis tells us to “Be who we are and be that well.” But, to do so, I believe we must let others, especially those closest to us, ‘Be who they are today.’ Not who they were when we met them, not who they were last Christmas, not the sister who hurt us deeply years ago or husband who made the parenting choice that still angers us.
I think a contemporary interpretation of Saint Francis’ popular maxim for relationships is “Be who we are and leave our baggage at the door!”
That, I believe, is how we can bring peace to relationships that are most intimate, and most important to us.
It is so easy to keep bringing up the pain, either in deed or in words, with our loved ones. It’s convenient to draw upon that transgression in arguments. Whether we are the offended or the offender, when we do this, we cannot move forward. We cannot feel peace that loving relationships require.
In my own experience with such conflict I try to take a slow, deep breath, set my intention and draw upon the little virtues that St. Francis espouses - patience, humility, and gentleness.
Our patron saint tells us we must be patient with others but most patient with ourselves. We must recognize how hard it is to keep our mouths shut and stop dwelling about past conflicts. Saint Francis tells us that conflict is important for growth and relationship, but in facing such conflicts we must bring more to the table than the infraction, we must bring these little virtues if we want to achieve true peace.
A favorite song of mine by The Divine Comedy “Don’t Mention the War” has a great line about conflict:
“Come and forget all the
your wrongs and my wrongs
Live and let live
and let bygones be bygones”
How do we do this? How do we really allow bygones to be bygones? Francis helps us with this. Bygones become bygones when we honestly and humbly recognize that we stand with stones in our hands, ready to throw them at those closest to us.
Saint Francis, echoing Jesus’ own suggestions, reminds us to drop the stone, set our pride aside, and humbly acknowledge our weaknesses. There’s no use keeping score in relationships but, reminding ourselves that we are the creators as much as the recipients of pain may help us let bygones truly be bygones.
In the context of seeking peace in relationships, I believe Francis’ instruction on humility is most insightful. He suggests that a good beginning for learning humility is simply to bend to the will of others when we are not required to. Our patron saint affirms this when he writes, “Blessed are the hearts that bend, for they shall never be broken.”
In bending to the will of others, we recognize that we are all broken, we are all sinners who can forgive and be forgiven, who can be broken and be healed.
Our loved ones want to be forgiven as much as we do, they want to be accepted and loved for who they are today, not reminded of their worst moments or greatest sins.
The same can be said about work relationships.. Similar conflicts arise at work when our colleagues make mistakes or when we treat them based upon their behavior of the past. Of course, we must address errors and poor judgment at work, but we can also forgive. Truly forgive.
Forgiveness is not something reserved for family and or church only. Francis calls us to live our ordinary lives, in an extraordinary way. By bringing the Salesian little virtues to our offices, our boardrooms and our classrooms, we can do just that. We can even bring these to our volunteer and parish activities.
When we humbly step out of the limelight and let others shine. When we patiently deal with that overzealous co-worker. When we graciously and humbly promote ourselves on LinkedIn. When we gently offer feedback and modestly accept criticism. When we do all this, we are living these virtues and, in doing so, we achieve unity that can foster meaningful relationships as well as professional growth and financial gain.
What makes bringing peace into my own life so challenging is that like you, I have so many meaningful relationships I must nurture. So, just when I feel peace with my husband and seven siblings and all is well at work and in the volunteer world, there are still kids to deal with and one of them will tap a nerve, set a spark, and that uneasy feeling of conflict arises again.
And, this happens pretty much every day. How can it not?
I am mother to four children, three teenage boys and a 20 year old daughter. I think my kids are incredible. (They are kind and, loving. They live to the fullest and know who they are.) But day in and day out, our house is a loud, chaotic, place where schedules are crossing, moods intersecting, and conflicts abound. Every. Single. Day.
We live in our lovely, but small, Philadelphia rowhouse that seems to be shrinking in size and increasing in stress. The boys are all bigger than me, my front door is a revolving one of their friends, and there never seems to be a moment of silence.
My oldest is in college in NY but she come home so much you’d think she was just down the road. So much for leaving the nest!
What I have found in two decades of parenting is that the older my kids get, the harder it is to maintain peace in my home. I always thought that once they were independent and self-sufficient mini-adults I could step back and breathe a sigh of relief. Boy was I wrong. Dead wrong.
The conflicts we experience are much more complicated and seem to have deeper consequences than teaching them to share toys or not fight over who gets the top bunk.
Mostly, we argue over their choices… I am realizing that I may have taken efforts to raise self-directed children just a bit too far!
We argue abot where and how they spend their Saturday nights; what’s appropriate behavior with their girlfriends; and why their every moment does NOT need to be documented on TikTock. Conflicts arise over about friend choices, alcohol use, what they watch on you tube and why curfews are imposed, even at the ripe old of 15!
I have developed a keen radar for when these arguments will begin. Tomorrow I expect I’ll awake to whining about attending Mass, and finishing homework before midnight.
In my role as mother, again, I seek solace, comfort and guidance in the words of Saint Francis and direction from the Oblates. I draw upon Francis’ call to try to live a life of gentleness.
When my kids test my greatest limit, when I want to scream at them, when they make those dangerous choices, and when they do exactly what I told them not to do, I try to remember Francis’ words: “When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.”
“Bending but not breaking” is such a wonderful image for finding peace in parenting. Being an engaged parent is such a precarious role as at any point you say the wrong thing, respond without gentleness, and that’s it. You’ve lost that moment. And then you must patiently find your way back.
Saint Francis states that it is easier to be patient with those whom we do not greatly esteem, because we do not expect great charity from them. In family relationships, the proximity and familiarity make it easiest for them to hurt us. In these exchanges, we often need to demonstrate the most amount of patience.
In all family relationships – partner, parent, siblings - I believe Francis’ greatest lesson is that it’s only through a calm and still heart will we achieve real peace – peace of mind, peace of spirit. When our hearts are collectors of wrongs, when we remind our spouse and children of their failures instead of their successes, then we remove any opportunity for us, our relationship, our family or our home, to experience true peace.
This lack of peace also derives from insecurity and fear. Our imaginations can take us down dark paths of worry and pain. We send out kids off to the bus stop, parties, the prom, big games, to college, and each time they walk out that door we launch them into a world full of drugs, bullying, social media, stress, pressure, and so much more. We embrace their growth but with each step they take, our anxiety can grow, and we can miss the chance to be fully present for them and for ourselves.
Again, I look to Saint Francis who comforts us with his insight and words:
“Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear; rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He is your keeper. He has kept you hitherto. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all things; and, when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. Our Father will either shield you from suffering, or He will give you strength to bear it.”
When I look at my role of mother, it is Francis’ direction, more than anything else, that has helped me enjoy, celebrate, and truly treasure the opportunity to change a messy diaper, sit through a painful piano recital, comfort a child after a loss, make dinner for six, or stand at the sidelines on a cold, blustery day.
Each and every moment I am allowed to be a mother to these children I am engaging in a holy act. That is what I have learned from Francis. That is what the Oblates taught me: that in the simple, ordinary acts I perform every single day, I am living Jesus.
There is true beauty and grace in the mundane tasks of caring for children and running a household. The world will, and has acknowledged, what I have achieved in my career as a business owner, professor and consultant. Fewer accolades however come from being a wife, a mom, a sister. Francis tells me that whoever I am and whatever I am doing, when I am using the gifts that I’ve so generously been given, then I am holy. I am doing God’s will.
I will close with a humble directive: If you want to be at peace, seek Francis. Read his teaching, subscribe to the Oblate newsletter DeSales Weekly, start your day with an Oblate reflection. Since first being introduced to Salesian Spirituality two decades ago, I’ve had my fair share of conflict where I needed support. I needed gentleness. Above all I needed peace – with myself, my family, and my God. Francis’ teachings soothed, comforted, and inspired me. They continue to teach me the real power of patience, humility, and gentleness.
We have spent much of this morning reflecting on the power of Saint Francis’ words and how they have inspired, comforted and led our lives. Despite the conflicts, and perhaps in unison with those conflicts, his lessons are alive in my busy home.
My children console one other by saying “Just be who you are,” and they understand that setting the table for our family dinner is a holy, meaningful and critical act in the course of our day. Mostly Francis has taught us to live today well.
Francis’ teachings and his many maxims are powerful calls to live with and through Jesus. They encourage us to seek peace. They support us when we do so. And so, I say to you all, when you want to find peace in your lives; find Francis and he will show you how to Live Jesus!
Salesian Spirituality Helps Moms
My Friend
May 1st is Religious Brothers Day!
In 2021, I was both honored and humbled to be invited to deliver the keynote address for the Annual Religious Brothers Conference. It was a virtual event rather than a live one due to Covid restrictions, which was fine with me because I didn’t have to travel and get all dressed up. The theme I was given to muse on was “Brotherhood in the 21st Century,” which inspired a whole new series of images of my favorite Brother saints from across the ages and cultures of Church history. Each of these holy Brothers in his own way has inspired me over the years to creatively be who I am, perfectly well. I would love to share a few of them with you on this 2023 Religious Brothers Day. But first, let us look at a more recent image of Jesus, the Big Brother of all Brothers.
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
JESUS THE GARDENER In recent years, one of my favorite images of Jesus is inspired by the Easter story in John’s Gospel wherein Mary Magdalene approaches the empty tomb on Easter morning and mistakenly thinks Jesus is the humble gardener- not a high priest or bishop, nor a chief rabbi or pope, but a simple gardener! A humble Brother laborer! A creator of life in all its glorious color! Whether it’s Gethsemane or the Garden of the Resurrection, we are called to be there for and with each other, walking in the Garden of Life and creating glimpses of heaven on Earth.
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER May 1 was established as the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker to create a Christian alternative to May Day, the day established by the Communists to celebrate the common worker. Dorothy Day, who had great devotion to Saint Joseph, used this feast day to launch the Catholic Worker newspaper in New York City. While the Communists were holding their big rally in Union Square, she and her fellow workers were distributing copies of the newspaper as a way to present Catholic Social Teaching to the hungry, jobless masses in the midst of the Great Depression.
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI Like Jesus the Gardener, Francis was interested in nothing more than celebrating the life-giving beauty of all creation and all creatures. He even called the sun his Brother, and his sister the moon. At the very heart of Franciscan Spirituality was, and still is, the importance of living life in humility, simplicity and goodness, all the goals of a good religious Brother! Because Francis never desired elevated status or privilege of any kind, he remained an unordained Brother, a simple friar who discovered the holy presence of God in all things and all people.
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES With all due respect to Dominic, Catherine and Thomas Aquinas, I must admit that Brother Martin is my favorite Dominican Saint. Rising above the racist and clerical teachings and practices of the Catholic Church in his day, Martin evolved out of the margins with mature and self-confident spirituality to become not only a model of gentleness and compassion in his own day but also what he is today: the Patron Saint of Race Relations; Biracial People; Public Health Workers; Hairdressers and Barbers; and Veterinarians! He did it all by simply being himself perfectly well.
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
BLESSED FRA ANGELICO Giovanni de Fiesole earned the nickname “Fra Angelico” because of his sweet and gentle nature. Not only was he a most impressive Dominican Brother, but was one of the great master painters of the Italian Renaissance. The walls of his home at San Marco Priory in Florence are adorned with beautiful frescoes illustrating the lives of Jesus, Mary and the saints. These frescoes were created to inspire the prayers and meditations of his fellow Dominican friars and community mates and they still do that for visitors today. Go to Florence and see for yourself!
©️Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS
A CLOSING THOUGHT FROM POPE FRANCIS In these modern times of declining numbers of Brothers, sisters and priests in religious life, it is good to recall that each of these saintly Brothers also lived in challenging times of reform and division, but each one did joyfully what he was called to do and each one was the person he was called to be: hard-working and devoted; generous and compassionate; active and contemplative men of their times and timeless messengers of the Gospel. Let us follow their lead in our own unique way today.
Happy National Brothers Day!
Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS
Salesian Artist
Camden, NJ
*Brother Mickey's books, prayer starters, Christmas Cards and Calendars are available at Clear Faith Publishing. Brother Mickey's images can be purchased at Trinity Stores.
