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TOSF / SFO History (1953-2003) in our OFM Sacred Heart Province John Sullivan, ofm These pages are intended to extend the recent history of the TOSF/SFO as found in Heralds of the King, The Franciscans of the St. Louis-Chicago Province - 1858-1958, by Marion A. Habig, ofm, Franciscan Herald Press (1958), on pp. 435 to 469 and on pp. 471-484 under "The Printed Word". This will be done in two stages of 25 years each, namely: TOSF, 1953 to 1978 and SFO, 1978 to 2003.
As is indicated in Heralds of the King, the Third Order of Saint Francis (TOSF) was greatly supported and encouraged by our OFM Sacred Heart province, locally, regionally, and nationally. Men of our province were in the forefront for developing the national organization of the TOSF here in the United States of America as well as in supplying new aids, instructions and programs for their members, their prefects and their spiritual directors. The period from 1953 to 1978 (1978 is the date of the new SFO Rule) was a steady time of growth for so many, including several youth movements. (At this time-period a person could become a TOSF member at age 14 according to the Leonine Rule of 1883 which was still in effect). Decisive international dates for the TOSF during these 25 years have been Pope Pius XII's popularized address to the Third Order in Italy in 1956, the new TO General Constitutions of 1957, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), and the new SFO Rule of 1978. In addition, in the 1950's there came into existence the Franciscan North American Federation of Provinces [i.e., Tertiary Provinces]. This Federation also produced the highly successful 16-page foldout called "Hidden Power". Pope Pius XII had addressed the TOSF of Italy on July 1, 1956 with his challenge about the Franciscan Vision of Life ("Nel Darvi"). This address can be found in the Franciscan Herald Press booklet titled "The Franciscan Vision of Life" (1957). In it the Pope challenged the TOSF to the search for Christian Holiness in the spirit of St. Francis, to share his dedication to the Church by answering the call "to rebuild His house, threatened by ruin. To defend the Church, to support the Church - that was the yearning of Francis of Assisi." The Pope wrote: "For you, of course, as for other Institutes, the recent war [WWII] may have caused at first a period of organic standstill and perhaps of spiritual coolness; but now, as witness this magnificent congress of yours, you have recovered your primitive fervor, to make of the Third Order a school of Christian perfection, of the genuine Franciscan spirit, and of fearless and prompt action for the building up of the Body of Christ." And…"It may well be said that whenever the Church called her children together for any work of profound internal renewal, she found the tertiaries ready to cooperate in ensuring the success of the common effort." It was the very next year (1957) when a new set of TOSF Constitutions was approved by Rome (to go with the 1883 brief Leonine Rule). The TOSF had just developed an international organization with headquarters in Rome. These 1957 Constitutions led to clarifications of expectations of members and of fraternities, together with a definite program for new progress in organization, activity and spiritual direction in the TO. In its sections on apostolic activity they wrote: "In order to ensure that they do not develop into associations of a purely devotional character, the fraternities of the Third Order are encouraged to promote individually, as far as circumstances permit, a particular work of the apostolate. This should be done by the individual provinces also." (art.80). Special emphasis was also called for Catholic Action on all levels (art.81) Unfortunately, it was at this time also that there remained still a significant operational separation of the individual TOSF fraternities associated within one of the four branches of the friars, and for that matter often from province to province even of the same branch of friars (OFM, OFMConv, OFMCap, TOR). It would be historically dishonest not to acknowledge the profound cultural revolution of the 1960s in our country, and some of its perduring impact for that generation and succeeding generations. Some believe that the American psyche changed fundamentally from one based on morality (though not always followed) to an amoral stance in all sectors of life. While this had a dramatic effect in matters of religion and in our society (hence on the Church and the TOSF as well), this is not the substantive focus of this writing. As preparations were underway for the Second Vatican Council, the four Franciscan Commissaries of the Third Order submitted to the Fathers of the Vatican II an excellent document signed on March 19, 1963. This 7-page document can be found in the Franciscan Herald, Nov. 1963, pp.324-330. However, the Council did not mention the Third Order of St. Francis or any other Third Order in any of its documents. (It will be treated later in the revised Canon Law (1983), a development from that Council.) In 1973 a World Council of the Third Order was introduced, consisting of 46 members (see Franciscan Herald, Jan.1977, p.21). By this time many of the tertiary provinces, including ours, had full-time commissaries appointed to this work by their respective friar provinces. Constantly the call was for more consistency in such things as membership procedures, for receiving candidates and evaluating active membership, practical fraternity meeting expectations, wholesome Franciscan formation both initial and ongoing, and an active council for each fraternity (which too often did not exist). TOSF "leadership schools" were developed by the Franciscan North American Federation of Provinces [ie., Tertiary Provinces] with sessions being held mainly in the middle-west to make it available to all. The syllabus for many of these seminars was prepared by Fr. Maximus Poppy and Fr. Philip Marquard when they served as the executive secretaries for this group. The "Back to the Rule" series of outlines became one of the primary guides for this formation. Individuals such as Albert Nimeth and Mark Hegener added materials, both printed and in audio-tape format, to offer enriching formation in the local fraternity. They considered the principal task was to educate the Tertiaries in Franciscanism and get our Tertiaries to read. "Leaders Must Be Readers" was a Forum-slogan used over the years. At the same time the friars were recognizing the need for leadership by the Third Order themselves. In 1963 Marion Habig wrote (A Short History of the Third Order, p.77) Though the laity has more and more assumed its rightful position in the direction of the Third Order, still we need more tertiary autonomy in the direction of their own order. As far back as the late 1920's the editor of Third Order Forum insisted on this autonomy for the very life of the Third Order. He wrote, and he was quoted across the world: "Either we must adopt measures under the existing constitution of the Third Order to leave the laity a more ample share of responsibility for the institution founded for them - a responsibility which the First Order cannot shoulder…or the Third Order will never get beyond its intrinsic excellence to the stage of glorious achievement". Out of all these developments came the response by the TOSF itself to respond to the call of the Second Vatican Council for religious orders to return to their roots, to examine their foundations with honesty and integrity. This slowly but surely became the new impetus as seriously dealt with at the national Quinquennials starting in 1962 with John XXIII's encyclical "Mater et Magistra" From such studies the need for a revised Rule became more apparent; just changing the Constitutions of 1957 would not be enough. Through the 1970's these studies continued. Accordingly, the contents for a new Rule were gradually being formulated, a new Rule was developed and proposed to Rome for their approval. The present SFO Rule of 1978 was officially approved and confirmed by Pope Paul VI on June 24. Organizationally, in our OFM Sacred Heart Province the friar Provincial Minister in matters of the TOSF has delegated a friar to represent him. This designated friar was titled as "provincial commissary" or "Third Order Commissary" (this friar's title was later changed in the 1960's to "provincial spiritual director"). During this period of time our friars so designated were Fr. Elias Koppert (1952-1960), Fr. Mark Hegener (1960-1978). Fr. Elias Koppert became the primary friar assigned to the fraternity visitations around our vast province from 1952 to 1982. In accord with the Leonine Rule annual visitations were expected by the friars to each fraternity (Chap.III,2). Our province was very faithful to fulfill this requirement. Sometimes two or three friars were also assigned part-time to assist Fr. Elias in carrying out these visitations. In 1955 our province reported that we were responsible for 154 fraternities, and the number of TO professed and novices were 16,316. During these years, the TOSF continued its growth in our province. Four years later, in 1959 Fr. Elias Koppert reported to the OFM General Curia the numbers of affiliated fraternities for our province to be:
Metropolitan Youth - 5 College - 10 Seminary - 5 Aspirant - 5 High School - 5 This totaled 168 lay fraternities, with 14,309 professed and 1,464 novices. This list also indicates the large variety of adaptations of the TOSF to fit local needs. At this time the Franciscan Tertiary Province of the Sacred Heart covered a vast territory here in the U.S.A., with more than 168 affiliated fraternities. For this reason in 1958 (June 29th) the Province was operationally divided into 10 districts, as reported by Fr. Elias Koppert,ofm, Provincial Commissary to the Franciscan Order. A friar was assigned as the contact person for each of these 10 districts/regions. A study of this map found in The Layman's Order of Sept. 1960, Vol.1, #1. shows how large the task was. (see map, appendix A). (But because of the large sizes of some of these regions, by 1970 these original 10 districts/regions of the Sacred Heart Tertiary Province were re-defined into 15 districts for better management.) In this new structure in 1960, these friars were reported as serving as Regional Commissaries: Pius Barth, Donatus Grunloh, Hugolinus Kiener, Cronin Murphy, Maximus Poppy, Elstan Coghill, Raphael Grahl, Mark Hegener, Paul Francis Roberts, Merald McCormick. These Regional Commissaries with their regional councils were to "make the Third Order a vital function of the Church's life" in any given region. 1961 was also an important year for our province in three ways: the adoption of province By-Laws with four laymen forming the first Province Tertiary Council, and the adoption of the plan to hopefully accomplish more for housing for the elderly. At the Convention of the Sacred Heart Tertiary Province held in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 7-10,1961, building on the recent General Constitutions, they adopted a set of By-Laws for the tertiary province. At this meeting they also elected the first four laymen to be the new Provincial Council. Then at their first Council meeting in October, they selected one of their members to be the Provincial Minister Prefect. He was Mr. Kenneth E. Norton, who had been the Minister Prefect of Sacred Heart Fraternity, St. Paul, Minnesota. The other elected Council members were: Paul J. Bularzik, William Davis, Bernard Wirtz, with Rt. Rev. John J. Walde, Priest Councilor. To help develop Franciscan formation and the growth of the Third Order in this period, national TOSF meetings called "Quinquennials" continued to be held at various locations around the country in the years 1957(Boston,MA) -1962(Detroit,MI) -1967(Philadelphia,PA) -1972(Santa Clara,CA) -1977(Collegeville,MN). Each of these meetings were usually four to five day programs dealing with organizational responsibilities and formation expectations together with reflections on topics of Franciscan spirituality. Many friars and a good number of our TO members of our province participated and helped present some of these sessions. By 1966 the province reported to our General Curia in Rome that we had 180 fraternities with 13,050 members. For the next ten years the fraternity count stayed quite consistent until in 1975 & 1976 they reported 182 fraternities with 6,822 members. While the fraternity count remained steady, the listing of the membership decreased by 47%. (see appendix B for the numbers of fraternities and of members as found in the province reports to the Curia of the Order in Rome during these 25 years.) In 1967 our Tertiary Province reported that 110 fraternities out of 147 fraternities responded to the per capita contribution for the operation of their Province; 12 of the 147 were declared exempt (found in their per capita contribution report of Dec.31, 1967). In that year the fraternity membership sizes were reported mostly in the range of 10 to 50. However, 19 fraternities reported numbers of 100 or more:
St. Francis Frat., St. Peter's Church, Chicago,IL - 586 St. Joan of Arc Frat., Alvernia High School, Chicago,IL - 112 St. Louis Frat., St Peter Church, Chicago,IL - 373 St. Bonaventure Frat., Quincy College, Quincy,IL - 105 St. Elizabeth Frat., St. Francis Solanus Ch., Quincy,IL - 197 St. Francis Frat., St. Francis Friary, Teutopolis,IL - 100 Sacred Heart Frat., Sacred Heart Ch., Indianapolis,IN - 221 St. Leonard & St. PiusX Frat., St. Olaf Church, Minneapolis,MN - 137 Sacred Heart Frat., Sacred Heart Ch., St. Paul,MN - 612 Holy Angels Frat., St. Mary Cathedral, St Cloud,MN - 112 St.Anthony of Padua Frat, St. Anthony Ch, St. Louis,MO - 515 St.Bonaventure Frat., St.Bonaventure Ch., Columbus,NE - 113 St. Clare Frat., St. Joseph Church, Omaha,NE - 154 St. Francis Frat., St. Joseph Church Cleveland,OH - 850 Our Lady of Angels Frat., O.L.A.Church, Cleveland,OH - 702 St. Anthony Frat., St. Mary Church, Elyria,OH - 235 Annunciation Frat., Annunciation Ch., Houston,TX - 185 Sacred Heart Frat., St. Francis Xavier Ch., Superior,WI - 106 The fact that a large number (18%) of non-exempt fraternities did not offer support to our Tertiary Province seems to indicate that participation and cooperation with the larger province organization of the TOSF were not that welcomed, not seeing the need to support the larger adopted organization. Also, this tertiary province report of 1967 differs greatly from the Sacred Heart province estimates, a difference of fraternity count between 147 and 180 - about 20% difference. (see appendix B for the latter number). Our friar personnel working with the TOSF remained roughly steady during these years (1953-1978), with about 35 to 40 friars assigned on a regular basis. Those assigned as provincial spiritual directors (or with an equivalent title) are indicated on the appendix showing the timeline for these 25 years. Many of our friars faithfully served the TOSF in so many of our States where we have worked. (See appendix B) Hilarion Duerk (d.1954), James Meyer (d.1955), Maximus Poppy (d.1972), Albert Nimeth, Elias Koppert, Mark Hegener, Philip Marquard, are friars among so many who worked in the local fraternities during these years. Fr. Albert Nimeth did much in the area of the SFO youth, besides presenting many other inspirational articles and formation programs for the province-wide adult membership. The role of the local spiritual director in a fraternity was reasonably standardized. The local spiritual director was ordinarily to be a priest of the Order. In this way he could offer Mass for the fraternity or Benediction as part of the regular meeting. His role was to meet with the local council (if there was one functioning), and was expected to give a presentation to the fraternity at their monthly meeting on some topic in the life of Francis, Franciscan spirituality, or associated spiritual concerns and Catholic teachings. The monthly Franciscan Herald and Forum was written to include materials that could be used for these presentations. The spiritual director was also to supervise the maintenance of the appropriate fraternity files. The rituals also called for the spiritual assistant to lead the ceremony for reception of "postulants" and "candidates" and "professed members". The promises of these membership steps including the profession of a TOSF were made to the spiritual director (not to the local minister). Apostolic Projects - There has been an endless array of local projects manifested by the good will of the province TOSF membership, built on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, or what some called "Catholic Action". These have been important in each fraternity's apostolic life. But besides what the individual members have done, and the local fraternities have decided to do, in the 1960s there was an organized effort by TOSF provinces (and nationally) to sponsor some needed "corporate" enterprises. These evolved especially into two major areas of concern - the homeless and the hungry, as well as working with the government to bring to realization affordable housing for those with limited income with concern for wholesome secular community living. An example of social concerns had already been developed at St. Augustine Parish, Chicago,IL, where the TO built the Layman's Order of St. Francis Building in 1957 for Third Order use, and they ran a credit union at this site. The names of friars in these TO efforts that stand out in a very special way are Philip Marquard and Mark Hegener. In each setting these two friars were assisted and encouraged by friars such as Elias Koppert, Phil Koehler, and Maximus Poppy. The TOSF developed not-for-profit corporations which tackled these matters on legal and political levels, working with such groups as local housing authorities and HUD. Some of the difficulties were: Where to start? Where to find possible financial resources? County zoning boards? Choice of sites? Costs of lands? Cost of constructions? Volunteer architects? State and Federal governmental groups (HUD, FHA, CHA)? Size of the facilities? Detailed specifics of acceptable designs? They were determined to see what could be accomplished. Everyone acknowledged the crucial need for adequate economical housing for seniors, with provision for food service, companionship, counseling, church, first-aid-nursing, recreation, transportation. An impetus came when President Dwight Eisenhower in 1959 signed the Federal Housing Act. In 1961 at the convention for Tertiaries of the Sacred Heart Province, in St. Paul, Minnesota, the St. Augustine Fraternity (Chicago,IL) proposed a resolution to the effect that the Tertiary Province pledge to foster a home for its elderly and promote their welfare. This was debated heatedly. The conventioneers passed the resolution to try it, with Mark Hegener (Provincial Commissary for Sacred Heart Tertiary Province) as chairman of this committee. The challenge was to use their TO corporate title, and to assume the legal obligation of applying to HUD (Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development) for the loans and support. These are the primary enterprises that developed:
These many details are given here to help understand the implied complexity of the decision to develop and sponsor housing for the elderly that they might find a supportive environment in their golden years. For years the friars and the Tertiaries had been speculating about doing something constructive for housing for the elderly. Various efforts were considered and tested, with little movement. Here are some of these efforts. Fr. Mark Hegener began the challenging process with the help of Attorney James F. Murphy, Sr. They first approached the CHA (Chicago Housing Authority). They were offered a cleared (slum) project, some 40 acres at 79th and Western Av. Thereupon Fr. Mark and Mr. Murphy met with Cardinal Meyer, hoping to get the needed equity of $125,000 and guarantee for the loan to acquire the land and whatever borrowing the Third Order Corporation would have to make (cost to construct the building was estimated to be one million, and the land $200,000). Due to financial constraints in the Archdiocese, Cardinal Meyer was sorry that he could not be of financial help at that time. Then the FHA was considered, for possibly building a high-rise in "a deluxe setting"; but this idea was quickly rejected. Three other sites were checked out, but beyond financial reach. FHA was approached again, but nothing substantial developed. Already back in the 1950s Fr. Mark was working on this question of housing for the elderly. In fact, in 1959 Fr. Mark had written to the Provincial, the Very Rev. Pius Barth, ofm, suggesting a Mayslake site as a possibility, and received a favorable reply on May 9, 1959. A year later, Sept. 26, 1960, the "Franciscan Tertiary Province of the Sacred Heart, Inc." was formed and its Charter issued. HUD was contacted, and an interview with Mr. Harris, who was in charge, was arranged. But they required blueprints of the plans - none existed. Fr. Mark, with no money to spend, managed the good will of the John Voosen architects. Fortunately, John Voosen said he would be willing to do the architectural work, and that if the application failed, he would not expect to be paid. Plans were developing to design a 100-unit housing facility with support facilities for the elderly. But they still did not have any land. Then a fortunate break occurred. As mentioned earlier, the Sacred Heart Tertiary Province held its meeting in September, 1961, which approved Fr. Mark to move forward as chair of the committee to make plans for housing for the elderly. The challenge was to use their TO corporate title, and to assume the legal obligation of applying to HUD (Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development) for the loans and support. In that same month, 1961, Fr. Mark wrote to the new friar Provincial, Fr. Dominic Limacher, with a specific plan proposing that a site of between 25 and 50 acres be set aside for the Franciscan Tertiary Province of the Sacred Heart, Inc. He proposed that the Sacred Heart Province give an option for this land at an appraised price of $3,000 an acre, that from this parcel a tract of land be selected for immediate use, that it be conveyed to the corporation. Things were finally on the move. On January 16, 1962, the directors of the Third Order Corporation formally authorized its President, Fr. Mark, to make an application for funds. In the fall of 1961 the proposed windswept site on 35th St. south from the province's "Brother's School" (St Paschal Friary) was inspected by the Provincial and Fr. Mark, with Fr. Innocent Swoboda and Mr. Murphy. (As a matter of fact, at this same time two other sites near the University of Chicago were also checked out with the Hyde Park Development area, but these were rejected.) Fr. Mark returned to the Province. He presented his plan to the Provincial and his council, and received a written agreement that they would sell to the Third Order 33+ acres at $3,000 an acre of which 9+ acres were to be taken and paid for out of the proceeds of the HUD loan and the balance was to be paid by a note due on demand without interest. A site of 9.4657 acres was so conveyed. The corporation gave its note for $28,400 which was to be paid whenever the loan from HUD became available. Much time and energy was then spent on refining the architect's proposals, to align more with HUD expectations and requirements. Someone in HUD objected that the 35th Street location in the country, south of the Village of Oak Brook, within a mile and a half of the Oak Brook Shopping Center without transportation was unacceptable. The plans collapsed. On to Washington,DC. There Fr. Mark and Mr. Murphy visited with the Washington office of HUD, in the persons of Dr. Morton Leeds and Supervisor William Hughes. These went nowhere. Next they went to see Congressman William Murphy, who was not in. Next to Senator Douglas of Illinois. While they waited, his chief of staff interviewed them and suggested they meet Moses Gazansky, who was the liaison between the Senate and the Department of HUD. This became the break they needed; basic obstacles were now being cleared away. About April 28, 1962, Fr. Mark met Mr. Donald Garrigan, then newly appointed head of the FHA department for Elderly Housing Loan in Chicago. . The final application to HUD was signed on May 24, 1962. It was a request for a loan for $1,275,000 to build 89 units and 20 double occupancy units. One lawyer for FHA was concerned about the Charter of the Third Order Corporation on matters of church-and-state conflict. So on August 30, 1962, the Charter was duly amended to satisfy this obstacle, and was made acceptable. Almost a year later the regional HUD office confirmed the loan agreement had been approved. It was dated March 1, 1963. County zoning was the next step. The Third Order Corporation won their approval for "special use" for the entire 33 acres on February 19, 1963. Then tax exempt status was faced: The department of Revenue of Illinois on March 6, 1963 ruled the Corporation exempt from sales tax and related occupation tax on all material that eventually became part of the bids of the contractors. In addition, DuPage County then approved the petition for real estate tax exemption. Then about March 21, 1963, the First Order Province conveyed the balance of the site to the Tertiary Province Corporation. In total, the Sacred Heart Province was eventually given $105,018.00 in payment for the land. Next came the sealed bids for construction. These were opened on June 3, 1963. None were within the available financial resources. The Field Engineer of FHA gave the advice not to be discouraged, but revise the plans, cut where you can, and have another bidding. This was done. On July 16, 1963, new bids were submitted. Mike Lombard, who had done construction on several projects for the Franciscans, came in as low bidder as general contractor. Construction began that fall. Surprisingly, as time progressed, Mike Lombard told Fr. Mark that he wanted to donate the chapel. This he did, with the beauty of the functional and well-located chapel still standing. It was later, in 1965 Fr. Mark was working to get a $71,000 loan for a necessary sewage treatment facility (which had not been included in the first submitted plans). Fortunately, during this time Senator Douglas was very supportive of this enterprise.
Donald Garrigan (not at this time a friar, but he was a Third Order member), was the assistant to the Chief of Elderly Housing Loans Program in the Chicago Office of HUD, and then became chief of this office which embraced 10 states (ND, SD, IA, NE, MN, WI, MI, IL, IN, OH). The Mayslake Village facility was dedicated in 1964. The Third Order St. Clare Fraternity was itself established at Mayslake Village in 1967. Since then, there have been four expansions. It comprises 481 apartments with 577 elderly occupants. They are considering an additional 149 apartments under a Federal program where occupants will pay only 25% of their retirement income toward rental, and the balance will be subsidized by HUD. Later in 1971, when the lay manager running Mayslake Village asked to retire, Brother Don, now a friar of the Sacred Heart Province, was assigned to take his role, till Bro. Don's untimely death in 1982. Many years were spent in discussions and speculating about developing housing for the elderly by the country-wide North American Federation of the Third Order of St. Francis, with the idea of creating an atmosphere conducive to a continuance of their Secular Franciscan spirit built on spiritual and community values. They came to realize that one of their first concrete decisions to be reached to implement their dreams was to choose a location in the U.S. Fr. Elias Koppert, ofm, and a visiting tertiary of the Sacred Heart Province of the Order frequented the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in their visitations. The climate in the south of the U.S. seemed to have great appeal to many. So in March 1962 Fr. Elias talked with George Mallick Jr., one of Ft. Worth's leading builders, about a Franciscan retirement center for older people. This builder was aware of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offering insured loans for retirement centers sponsored by non-profit organizations. They encouraged Mr. Mallick to pursue the possibility of securing such a loan. Through the Ft. Worth Home Builders Association Mr. Mallick met Attorney Eugene Sanders, president of the Housing America Corporation of Dallas, an authority on FHA housing details. Mallick and Sanders consulted a third man, Albert R. Salem, an architect who drew up tentative plans which were presented to the Sacred Heart Province Board in Chicago. Present too at that meeting was Fr. Philip Marquard, who was serving at this time as the executive secretary of the Third Order of St. Francis in North America (as National OFM Commissary for the Third Order), thereby representing all the Tertiary Provinces. As a result of this meeting, Fr. Mark Hegener, Provincial Commissary for Sacred Heart Province, went to Texas to study the situation in greater detail and to select a site. The Lake Benbrook location was considered to be the most ideal. Situated on a 62-acre tract overlooking the south shore of Lake Benbrook on Clear Fork of the Trinity River, the village is surrounded on three sides by Rocky Creek Park, a park owned, developed and maintained by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Forth Worth District. This property was located about twelve miles southwest from Forth Worth. As you can see, St. Francis Village was sponsored by the North American Federation of the Third Order of St. Francis (there were six tertiary provinces in this federation), under the legal title of "Franciscan Tertiary Provinces Incorporated", which was then formed for this purpose. Their charter was designed "…to provide a pattern through which its occupants may absorb the spirit of St. Francis and radiate it to all those with whom they live." St. Francis Village was not designed to be an institution. It is to be a community in which retired persons and the elderly may enjoy stimulating independent living in a spiritual and cultural atmosphere permeated with the ideals of St. Francis. It was the first Catholic-sponsored community with its cluster of separate housing to be built in the United States.
Within a year and a half the architectural plans were approved by FHA and construction of St. Francis Village was begun on November 24, 1963. The Village contains four types of living accommodations to meet the needs of senior citizens from retirement age on through the remainder of their lives. It is comprised of some 331 apartments of brick construction styled for comfort and gracious living There are 131 duplexes, each having two completely separate one-bedroom or two- bedroom apartments, with private entrances and individual patios, garages, carports, or acoustical paneling separating each unit. A second type of accommodation is provided for those who prefer light housekeeping; these are their efficiency apartments. These are attached to the complex of chapel, cafeteria, recreation center and administration building. These efficiency apartments are unfurnished except for a small range, a refrigerator, air conditioning, heating, grounds maintenance and utilities Another plan is the studio plan for those in need of light nursing care. These too are attached to the central cluster of buildings. A fifty-bed unit for intensive nursing care was added shortly after, in 1965. The village was designed with its own shopping area, water, sewage and electrical distribution systems, together with a grocery and drug store, launderette, dry-cleaning service, beauty parlor and barber shop. St. Francis Chapel is the heart of the Village with daily Mass being offered; this chapel seats 350. The Village had its first occupants in November 1964 with its completion in May, 1965. The dedication ceremony was held on June 13, 1965. The Third Order St. Clare Fraternity was established here on Oct. 26, 1964. by St. Anthony Parish and Friary, St. Louis, Missouri A non-profit corporation titled the Franciscan Tertiary Province of Missouri, Inc. was established in the State of Missouri to take on this project under the guidance of Fr. Mark Hegener. On Oct. 1, 1970 they made a request to HUD for $2,065,100 addressed to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fort Worth, TX. On January 20, 1971, they paid $65,862 to the Sacred Heart Province for the land for the building of 122 units in an eleven story building. 80 of the units were to be self contained efficiency apartments, and 42 were to be one-bedroom apartments. This project which opened in 1971 is known as the "Chariton Apartments" Catholic apartment dwellers have just a half-block walk to get to Franciscan St. Anthony of Padua Church for Masses and Church Services. On August 22, 1975 the first serious proposal surfaced for building what would eventually become known as the "Franciscan Village of Our Lady of Angels". This was to consist of two six-story apartment buildings plus the rooms realized by the renovation of the Our Lady of Angels Philosophy Franciscan Seminary of our province. Zoning was asked for on Sept. 16, 1976 of Cleveland,OH by Fr. Viator Weissler, the pastor of O.L.A. Parish. Plan was that the remodeling would create 60 to 75 housing units and the two new buildings would create 260 to 275 separate housing units. Its estimated cost was between 7 and 8 million dollars. They received the zoning approval almost a year later, on May 12, 1977. The final approved plan created 53 suites and 82 unit apartments. HUD gave its approval on August 11, 1977 to the "Franciscan Tertiary Province of the Sacred Heart.". Dedication for the Franciscan Village of Our Lady of Angels was held on June 13, 1982. Fr. Philip Marquard, ofm, (1912-1986) spearheaded a large variety of care for the needy through these years. But he did not work alone. He was a very inspiring person to so many, not just theoretically, but always with a call to action. . It becomes clear that very much assistance was provided by other 3rd Order Fraternities and other people interested in helping the poor. Sharing of time, talent and treasure were evidenced by the TOSF fraternities in the Chicago area to make these operate. - repairs, painting, financial outlays, and gratuitous services of so many kinds, from legal to office-work, from serving on boards and legal entities like associations to food preparations. Upon being transferred to St. Peter's in the Chicago Loop, Fr. Phil became the spiritual director for St Pascal's Fraternity in the beginning of the 1960's. He quickly organized a group of businessmen to support a plan of his to provide a residence for housing ex-convicts, which would be a setting for them to develop a more wholesome approach to living in society. This group which became the eventual Board of Directors for this project were TO Franciscans from the various fraternities operating in the Chicago area. ST. ANTHONY INN - One of Fr. Philip Marquard's first formal projects developed in the 1960's. To begin, they purchased a 20-room home. Its purpose was for housing ex-convicts, for them to be able to get a solid start in living in society again. The Third Order Board of Directors maintained this project all through these years. This project continued for 30 years (1963-1992). Many persons through the years have benefited from this ongoing ministry of caring for those being released from prisons. POVERELLO HOUSE - Fr. Phillip Marquard also addressed the issue of the homeless people. This created the Poverello House (1977-1983) at 1338 N. Ashland. To do this Fr. Phil led the TOSFs to form the St. Pascal Housing Association. In this facility they purchased, one apartment was reserved for women, most of the others for men. In this way, these persons were allowed to stay all day and night (24 hours), have a home address, and hopefully get themselves eventually on public aid and other forms of assistance to move back into structured society in a wholesome way. In this project about 12 Secular Franciscans served as volunteers and two or three Secular Franciscans who served as live-in volunteers. Besides the above projects, the Greater Chicago Food Depository was co-founded by Phil Marquard,ofm, when they took advantage of the Tax Reform Act of 1976 which allowed companies to be helped tax-wise when they donated to the poor and needy. These various enterprises were legally brought together under one organizational title in November of 1976 when they were incorporated under the name St. Paschal Non-profit Housing Association. The media of the printed word has long been a hallmark of our province. This apostolic effort called The Franciscan Herald Press continued to grow with Fr. Mark Hegener being the editor and manager starting in 1949 and on past 1978 (to 1985). The Franciscan Herald Press was dedicated to matters Franciscan. Most of its publications were for very practical use, for TO guidance on various levels, while others were for more serious study and reflection in matters Franciscan. Our province archives indicate that well over 500 publications came from it during these 25 years. Fr. Mark Hegener often gained access to Franciscan publications already in circulation in Europe in Italian, German, French (and English) by European authors, had them properly translated into English, and then copyrighted under the Franciscan Herald Press domain. During these 25 years, a sequence of "SFO Ritual prayer booklets" for opening and closing fraternity and council meetings, for professions and the visitations were published. Starting in 1955 the province printed the "Ritual for Public Functions, Third Order of St. Francis" by Mark Hegener, The Tertiary's Companion in 1961 and then in 1973 the "New Ritual for Public Functions, Franciscan Third Order" compiled by Benet Fonck" In addition, it should be noted that each ritual contained selections of various songs associated with St. Francis and Franciscan themes. It may be useful to recall the previous history of the Franciscan Herald and Forum. The monthly Franciscan Herald publication had begun back in January, 1913, written as a guide and inspiration for all Third Order Members. In addition, in January, 1922, another publication The Forum, a quarterly, came into existence as a guide for the spiritual directors and other TO leaders. 19 years later, these two separate publications were merged into one monthly publication in April, 1940, under the title Franciscan Herald and Forum. Then, in 1956 because of the growing involvement with "Third Order Youth", a special publication appeared in December, 1956, and continued for 8 years until February, 1965. Its first 3 volumes came from Alverna Retreat House in Indianapolis,IN; the final 5 years came from Chicago,IL. Its official title was T.O.Youth Digest. (Keep in mind that membership in the Third Order at this time could begin at age 14.) In the 1960s our province listed 17 youth groups out of a total of 100 here in the United States. Albert Nimeth offers powerful advice in his article "Approach to Youth" (Franciscan Herald and Forum, vo.41, (1962) p.60-61. He explains some simple principles of approach, and helps steer clear of pitfalls in this special form of ministry. Another quarterly publication developed in 1960 by our province for communicating among the Third Order Members and the friars was called The Layman's Order, which continued in circulation for 16 years until 1975. Besides the above, a four-page reflection from the Franciscan Herald Press was the "Conference for Fraternity Meeting", sent out monthly from January 1956 to 1960 from our Alverna Retreat House in Indianapolis,IN. The publishers identified themselves as the "Central Office". In 1960 this monthly publication was moved to Chicago,IL and continued mailings from 1960 to 1965. While no editor or author is identified in these papers, it seems fair to surmise that the location of its source coincides with the appointments of Fr. Phillip Marquard at Alverna Retreat House till 1960 and then to Chicago. This pattern of source location also applies to the earlier mentioned T.O. Youth Digest. Of special note was the New Catechism of the Third Order, by Marion Habig,ofm. We find two editions, 1962 and 1971. It was a compilation of 24 lessons first printed serially in the Franciscan Herald & Forum in 1961. Published in 1973, the "OMNIBUS" titled St. Francis of Assisi, Writings and Early Biographies, the English Omnibus of Sources for the Life of St. Francis, edited by Marion A. Habig, ofm was a gigantic breakthrough for English-speaking lovers of St. Francis. This book of 1904 pages more than any other seems to have put into one volume innumerable resources of the writings and life of St. Francis, including seemingly endless cross-references and notational charts for seeing text and anecdotal parallels and the historical growth of the various documents. A complementary "Workbook" to the Omnibus was published in 1975 by Damien Isabell,ofm (see below). Here is a sampling of some of the other printed materials by title associated with the TOSF from
the Franciscan Herald Press:
The Poverello: St. Francis of Assisi, Mark Hegener (1956) Franciscan Spirituality, Valentine-M. Breton,ofm, translated by Flavian Frey,ofm (1957&1960) Heralds of the King , Marion Habig,ofm (1958) The Franciscan Book of Saints, Marion A. Habig,ofm (1959) Tertiary's Companion - 1961. New Catechism of the Third Order, by Marion Habig,ofm(1962 & 1971) Francis of Assisi, works of Friar Thomas of Celano, translated by Placid Hermann (1962) Repair My House, Cajetan Esser,ofm (1963) Saint Francis of Assisi, John R.H.Moorman, (1963) Short History of the TO, Marion Habig,ofm - (1963/revised 1977) Origins of the Franciscan Order, Cajetan Esser,ofm (1970) The Canticle of Creatures, Symbols of Union, Eloi Leclerc,ofm (1970) Rebuild My Church: Meditations for Franciscan Laymen, L.M.Ciampi (1972) New Ritual for Public Functions, Franciscan Third Order, compiled by Benet Fonck,ofm (1973). The Franciscan Calling, Lazaro Iriarte de Aspurz, ofmCap. (1974) The Third Order for Our Times, A Van Corstanje (1974) In the Steps of St. Francis, Ernest Raymond (1975) Workbook for Franciscan Studies - Companion Guide to the Omnibus of Sources, by Damien Isabell,ofm at CTU (1975) (314pp.) Never Cease Praying, Benet Fonck,ofm (1976) The Franciscan Crown, Marion Habig,ofm (1977) Many other useful texts besides the above were also published by the Franciscan Herald Press and used throughout the United States. This completes a brief survey of the work and interaction of our friar province and the Third Order of St. Francis during the years 1953-1978. |