Friar Joseph Nguyễn Chính Luận OFM Conv. shares how the Vietnam Mission community honored the Feast of Saint Francis this year.
Before the feast of Saint Francis, we took the novena of 9 days which had some special kinds of devotion to the saint. We invited a Dominican priest to come for a day of recollection.
Afterward, some friars were in charge of sharing the reflections on the life and the works of Saint Francis and about the Franciscan Spirituality at the Evening Prayer. We had solemn Eucharistic Benedictions.
One day before the Feast, the friars were gathered at Saint Anthony Friary to celebrate the Transitute. The seminary students were in charge of the Transitute helping the community to commemorate Saint Francis’ last moment on earth with the friars and his death in the presence of the beloved friars. The Transitute was deepened in the spirit of prayer when we listened to the Gospel of John and we sang together Psalm 141, and listened to his last words.
In the morning of the feast day on October 4, the Holy Mass was solemnly celebrated by Custos Joseph Long Van Tran with the co-celebrants of friars. There were two Dominican Priests who are living next to Saint Anthony Friary invited to come for the mass, and one of them gave the homily. This is considered as a long good tradition between the two congregations on the Feast of the Founders .
After the Mass, we had a simple party and during the meal time the seminary students organized a Puzzle Game to help brothers review the knowledge about the life of Saint Francis, the Franciscan history, and the works of Saint Francis. The rewards of the Game attracted the young friars to attend joyfully.
Then in the afternoon, there was an interesting soccer game between the friars of the Annunciation Friary and Saint Anthony Friary.
May our father Saint Francis bless you!
In Prayer.
Friar Joseph Nguyễn Chính Luận