The Jolly Friars

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The Jolly Friars THE JOLLY FRIARS % Our Lady of Angels Church 1721 Hillside Drive Burlingame, Ca. 94010 WHO ARE THE JOLLY FRIARS? In early 1969 a group of business and professional men of various ethnic and religious backgrounds, motivated by the great work the Capuchin Franciscans are doing for humanity, banded together for the purpose of assisting the Capuchin Franciscan Order. These men, known as the Jolly Friars, have developed a program designed to raise funds by various activities throughout the year, concluding with an annual Grand Ball from which all net proceeds will be contributed to the Capuchin Order. The intentions of this endeavor are: 1. To encourage interest in the Capuchin Franciscan vocational life.2. To encourage present seminarian candidates to continue their studies and become ordained Capuchin Franciscans.3. To encourage the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers to continue their great contribution to humanity.4. To establish an example to others by showing the achievements that can result from laymen and religious working together under a banner of comradery for an ultimate purpose, which we believe is best expressed in the Prayer of St. Francis. (The prayer of St. Francis is printed on the back page.) THE CAPUCHIN FRANCISCANS St. Francis of Assisi has been described as a living crucifix set up by God on the wayside of the 13th century to invite passers to raise their hearts to Him. Born in 1182 at Assisi, Italy, St. Francis was destined to exercise a world-wide influence throughout the succeeding centuries by establishing the Franciscan Order. Today his Order has blossomed forth into three vigorous branches, and the head or Major Superior of each branch — Capuchins, Friars Minor and Coventuals — is the successor and the living representative of St. Francis of Assisi. O.F.M. Cap. is the abbreviation for the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, popularly known as the "Capuchins". They are the fourth largest Religious Order in the world with more than 15,000 members living in 1,166 houses. The Capuchins were started as a reform group in 1526 to satisfy the desire of many of the Friars to return to the full strictness of St. Francis' Rule. Providentially, they were destined to be powerful instruments in the Counter-Reformation by reason of the popularity of their preaching. The Capuchin wears a brown habit with a pointed hood or cowl (capuce). Encircling the waist is a white woolen cord, the ends of which hang at his right and contain three knots as a reminder of his vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The rosary of our Lady hangs from the cord on his left. The plain cross on the rosary reminds the Friar that he belongs there in imitation of the Crucified. As a further reminder of the life of St. Francis, the Capuchin goes about his work in sandals. Like all other Religious Orders, the Capuchins are divided into geographical units called Provinces. At present there are 65 Provinces throughout the world. Each Province is ruled by a Super…