Reflection

I was recently struck by the presence of fire in the liturgical time we have entered, namely Lent, proceeding into Holy Week and then Easter. We begin with Ash Wednesday, our foreheads being signed with ashes, the result of palm branches from previous Palm Sunday burned with fire. The ashes remind us of our origin - and our destiny. We will return to the earth from which we came. And while many people today who are not church goers may have some vague notions of a nice afterlife, the stark reality is that many are confronted more and more with the anxiety of being unsure of their ultimate destiny.

The great hope we have as Christians though is not vague. It is not pious thoughts or imaginary ideals. It is concrete. It is God Himself became man. He handed Himself over for our sakes to the most terrible experience of betrayal, suffering, abandonment, abuse and death. He then rose on the third day and began to transform men and women very specifically from the inside out.

This inside-out transformation only comes through another Fire which descends at the end of Easter on the Feast of Pentecost. This time it is not a fire that burns something alive and makes it dead ashes. This time it is a Fire that is a Person - as we profess in the Creed, "the Lord and giver of life." The Fire of the Holy Spirit does not kill as it burns, but rather infuses with Divine Life, and Love and Hope. The journey of Lent invites us to prepare our hearts, to empty them out, not unto death, but unto the Fire of the Holy Spirit so that the inside-out transformation continues in 2023 and new life is brought into the aching and at times hopeless world.

Perhaps we can all liturgically cheat a little and begin already, "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth." Just don't use the "A"-word yet!

- Fr. Francis Mary Roaldi, CFR

Maintenance and Repairs

Thanks again for the continual support that many of you have shown to us in caring for this 141 year old monastery. As we grow throughout life, the support that we need from one another becomes clearer and clearer to me - especially as we grow elderly. I suppose that is true with everything. A brother remarked a few years ago that there must be a reason that a building is called a 'building' and not a 'built', and that reason is the fact that it is in constant need of being rebuilt or repaired. It was a little overwhelming moving into Most Blessed Sacrament a few years ago and having to deal with much of the repairs and deferred maintenance. The biggest challenge was many things breaking at once which demanded much time and attention - on top of the ordinary demands of religious life and serving as a priest. Thanks in part to your generosity, I think we are somewhat close to at least being in striking distance to the last few necessary major repairs - an overhaul of most of the roof, the gutters, replacing the ceiling in the courtyard, and finding a long term solution to protect the wooden windows from excessive weather damage.

Since I last wrote, we have completed work on the exterior wall facing 10th street. Thanks be to God, there is no longer a threat that the wall will crumble on anyone walking along the sidewalk. The roof above our wash room has been replaced and the ceiling below has been replaced also. Actually, there had never been any insulation above the ceiling in the washroom nor in the shower rooms; now there is and what a difference it makes on cold mornings. Thank you! Our basement is still dry, now for the longest stretch of time since our community has moved into Most Blessed Sacrament. Things are dry because of the repairs to the drain/sewage lines over the last year and the purchase of a drain line auger which we now use regularly. Thank you!

So far we have eight formal bids (ranging from 40K - 95K) for repair work to the ceiling in our courtyard. The old tin ceiling has significant holes which multiply every year and have allowed different critters to move in! There is no insulation above that ceiling which serves as the subfloor for many of the brothers' bedrooms. We hope to tear down the ceiling, insulate the area, install some lighting, and replace the tin with a much less expensive wood finish that would also be in keeping with the style and age of the monastery. Far from cosmetic work, we need to keep the animals from nesting in our home!

We, as friars, are some of the most fortunate men on earth to live the vocation that God has given to us. I couldn't imagine not serving as a brother and a priest! Thank you for your love and support over the years. We are also grateful for whatever assistance you can give in helping to provide for the building of Most Blessed Sacrament Friary which, with your help, will serve for generations to come as a home for religious, a center for evangelization and of outreach to those in need.

Thank you,
Fr. Stephen Dufrene, CFR

Message from the Board

The sole purpose of the Friends of the Newark Monastery was and remains to maintain the building, walls and property of the friary, as well as, covering the cost of insurance and enhancements of the property. All of our funding remains entirely dependent on the generosity of donors. As every Friar freely dispossesses himself of any personal properties or benefits, our support allows the friars to focus entirely on their apostolate and the formation of novices. Their mission of evangelization, renewal and service to the poor of the Newark area has grown to include a soup kitchen, retreat center and novice formation and education. The work done at MBS Friary truly has a global reach. The novices formed at Most Blessed Sacrament Friary are sent out across the United States and globally.

The Most Blessed Sacrament Friary was built in 1880 and is over 40,000 square feet. Maintaining a structure like this takes a lot of work. While the friars do a lot of the work that needs to be done themselves, there are many large projects which require hiring professionals at a substantial cost. We are seeking donations for continued maintenance and several upcoming projects.

You can help by using the PayPal Donation button below or by sending your donation to:

Friends of the Newark Monastery, Inc.
Most Blessed Sacrament Friary
P.O. Box 175
South Orange, New Jersey 07079

The Friars continue striving to follow the spirit of St. Francis and their community's inspiring charism, which is now more important than ever. We hope and pray that God blesses you and that you can support the Friars of the Most Blessed Sacrament Friary.

We pray you have a blessed Lenten and Easter season full of renewal.

Yours in Christ,
The Board of the Friends of the Newark Monastery