Members Attend 'Living Nativity'

Members of St. Joseph Fraternity enjoyed singing Christmas songs, seeing a live reenactment of the Nativity (a Franciscan tradition), and chatting with friars and other Secular Franciscans at Assumption Church in Syracuse on Dec. 15 – in place of the regular monthly gathering.

Members car-pooled to the 2 p.m. event, and returned to the Utica area for a fraternity holiday celebration at 4 p.m. at Symeon’s Restaurant.

Celebrating Sister Pat’s Jubilee

Sister Pat

Members of Utica’s St. Joseph Fraternity, Vernon’s Holy Family Fraternity, and representatives from St. Kateri Tekakwitha Region and the international order gathered on Sunday, July 21, to celebrate the 25th Jubilee of the fraternities’ spiritual assistant, Franciscan Sister Pat Schofield, OSF.

Sister Pat renewed her vows during mass at St. Joseph & St. Patrick Church, Utica. The celebrant was Franciscan Father Nader Ata, OFM Conv., from Assumption Church, Syracuse.

 Secular Franciscans joined Sister Pat’s family and friends in applauding her renewal and in praying over her.

2 Candidates Admitted to Order

Lisa Brouillette (2nd from left) and Karen Slocum (right) with Fraternity
Minister Robert Stronach, OFS, and Formation Director Concetta Carcone, OFS.

Lisa Brouillette and Karen Slocum were welcomed into the Secular Franciscan Order as candidates on Sunday, June 23, after they completed the inquiry phase of formation.

Lisa and Karen each received a copy of the Rule of St. Francis and the Tau cross.They now journey toward profession while completing the candidacy phase of formation.

Following the Rite of Admission, fraternity members individually embraced and welcomed them and then celebrated with refreshments.

Fraternity Elects New Council

Robert Stronach, Marsha Kistner, Ana Pereira, Concetta Carcone, Siosiana Merz.

 St. Joseph Fraternity conducted election of officers in July.
 
Robert Stronach, OFS, was elected to his second full term as minister.
 
Marsha Kistner, OFS, is the new vice minister. She previously served as a long-time secretary of the fraternity.
 
Siosiana Merz, OFS, is the new secretary.
 
Ana Pereira, OFS, is the new treasurer.
 
Concetta Carcone, OFS, was elected as formation director,

2 Make Permanent Profession

Ellen M. Benton and Siosiana V. Merz made their permanent profession in the Secular Franciscan Order as members of the St. Joseph Fraternity. 

 It is no coincidence that they chose to make their profession on Jan. 23, 2022 -- the feast of Saint Marianne Cope, who was a member of St. Joseph parish at the time the fraternity was founded in 1859 (and, according to some, who was one of the first members of the fraternity).

2 Candidates Admitted to Order

Ellen Benton and Sociana Merz were officially welcomed into the Secular Franciscan Order as candidates during a Rite of Admission ceremony held during the June gathering.

Fraternity Events Canceled Due to Coronavirus Emergency

With the state of emergency over the coronavirus, the St. Joseph Fraternity Council decided to cancel the March 15th gathering, the April 1st council meeting and the April 4th Day of Reflection.

Regional Chapter Elects Leaders

Joanne Lockwood, OFS, a member of Holy Family Fraternity in Vernon, NY, has been elected minister of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Region for a three-year term. The election took place Sept. 14 in Syracuse.

Celebrating 160 Years

St. Joseph Fraternity celebrated 160 years by honoring individuals for work with the marginalized and by unveiling a saintly welcome sign.

Join Us for 160th Anniversary Bash

Friar Christopher is
the featured speaker.

St. Joseph Fraternity is celebrating its 160th anniversary by honoring three people with the Mother Marianne Cope Award on Sunday, Aug. 18.

The celebration begins with 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church, 702 Columbia St., Utica, NY. The awards dinner follows at 12:30 across the street from the church at the new Irish Cultural Center.


Dinner tickets may be reserved here, or by sending a check to St. Joseph Fraternity of the SFO, c/o Katie Koscinski, 11 Matthews Ave., Utica, New 13502. Tickets are $30 per person (there is a slight surcharge if ordered online).

Fraternity to Host Discussion with Assemblywoman on May 19

Assemblywoman
Marianne Buttenschon

St. Joseph Fraternity is hosting a discussion of "life issues" with special guest, New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica-119th Dist) on Sunday, May 19. The gathering begins at 2 p.m. in the St. Joseph-St. Patrick Parish Center, Utica, NY.

Assemblywoman Buttenschon voted against the recently enacted legislation that allows abortions in the third trimester. She will provide an update on what is happening in the state legislature regarding life issues.

April Gathering to Discuss Immigration

Mary Stronach, OFS

Katie Koscinski, OFS

The April 14th gathering of St. Joseph Fraternity will feature a discussion on "Immigration and The Wall."
 Formation Director Mary Stronach, OFS, will lead a discussion of Catholic social teaching on the topic, and Vice Minister Katie Kosinski, OFS, will bring out the church's perspective on the pros and cons of the southern border wall.

What's happening in formation?

Katie

Bill

The fraternity’s Enrichment Program will be held on Wednesday, February 6 at 4:30 p.m. Spiritual Assistant Bill Geary, OFS, and Vice Minister Katie Koscinski, OFS, will offer some thoughts on evangelizing – the perfect segue to helping to make this a more fraternal and evangelical world (Article 14 of the Rule).

Order Honors Parish Nurse

The Secular Franciscan Order in the U.S. recently honored a Detroit parish nurse with its "Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation" Award.

At the National Chapter in St. Louis last October, JPIC Chair Carolyn Townes, OFS, introduced the 2018 JPIC Award winner, Kathleen Carsten, OFS, as someone who lives her life with “two feet of love in action.” With one foot, she meets the immediate need; with the second foot, she addresses the issue.

Christmas Party on Sunday, Dec. 16

Instead of the normal monthly gathering at the Parish Center this month, St. Joseph Fraternity will hold its Christmas Party at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16, at Kitlas Restaurant at 2242 Broad St, Frankfort, 

Members and guests will be able to order off a special menu. To reserve a spot, contact Mary Stronach, OFS, at 315-796-9284 or stronach@kateriregion.org.

Fraternity Elects Servant Leaders

Mary, Bob, Marsha & Katie

Professed members of St. Joseph Fraternity have elected servant leaders.

The minister is Robert G. Stronach, OFS. Other newly elected are:

• Vice Minister: Catherine "Katie" Koscinski, OFS.
• Secretary: Marsha U. Kistner, OFS.
• Treasurer: Mary LaRocco, OFS.
• Formation Director: Mary T. Stronach, OFS.

Celebrating 50 Years of Priesthood

Secular Franciscans joined in the 50th Anniversary Celebration May 20 for Fr. Richard Dellos and Fr. Anthony LaFache of St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church, Utica, NY. Several Fraternity members even served on the 50th Anniversary Committee.

Regional Reps Visit Fraternity

Regional Councilor Linda Quaranto, OFS, and Sr. Pat Larkin, OSF, made a formal fraternal and pastoral visitation to St. Joseph Fraternity in January.

Franciscan Women for 21st Century

A Franciscan Day of Reflection on Saturday, Sept. 16, sponsored by St. Joseph Fraternity, focused on three early Franciscan women and their relevance for the 21st century.

‘Very Awesome’ Anniversary

Fr. Richard Dellos

Having Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in a parish may be a rare achievement.

But celebrating 25 years of 24/7 adoration "is very awesome," Fr. Richard Dellos declared.

The pastor of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Parish in Utica was addressing over 200 people on March 4 who gathered to celebrate the silver anniversary with Mass and brunch. They came from a host of parishes in the Eastern Region of the Syracuse Diocese, and they all spend an hour or more each week in the Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph & St. Patrick.