Friars Mark Anniversaries of Their Priestly Ordinations

(left to right) Minister Provincial of St. Bonaventure Province Friar Patrick Greenough

and Friar Anthony Labedis

Last month, two Conventual Franciscan friars in North America celebrated important anniversaries.

At St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Rockford, Illinois, Friar Anthony Labedis commemorated 50 years of his life as a priest. Currently serving as pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Friar Anthony has also filled the position of Minister Provincial of St. Bonaventure Province. The current minister provincial of the said province – Friar Patrick Greenough – and many other guests attended the liturgy and reception in honour of Friar Anthony’s half century as a Conventual Franciscan priest.

Friar Jobe Abbass with his family

Friar Jobe Abbass’ celebrated 25 years of priesthood at the St. Francis Friary on Staten Island in New York. Twenty-five or so friends and family members attended the get-together, including Friar Jobe’s mother, his sisters, brothers, and an uncle – Father Frank Abbass who delivered a homily at the celebration.

Friar Jobe is a professor of Canon Law at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario. One of his research specialties, according to the St. Paul University website, is the comparison of the Catholic Church’s two codes of Canon Law. Friar Jobe’s most recent academic publication was titled Forums for Interecclasial Communion in the Church.

(Sources of related images on webpage and homepage: The Seraph, the Conventual Franciscan Friars Immaculate Conception Province Provincialgram, and http://www.lawtimesnews.com/.)