This is the 2025 Lenten Parish Mission for St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westerville, Ohio. Preaching this mission are the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
Talk 1: A Jubilee of Hope in God's Love
Brother Angelo delivers a heartfelt reflection on God’s fatherly love. Through personal tales—such as his father’s faith awakening and a blind man’s healing—he reveals divine presence amid struggle.
Talk 2: A Jubilee of Hope in God's Mercy
Reflecting on the Jubilee year of mercy and forgiveness, Father Gabriel shares stories of transformation—from his friendship with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s niece to a Rwandan priest forgiving his mother’s killer and St. Josephine Bakhita’s journey from slavery to sanctity. He concludes with Jesus’ mercy toward the adulterous woman, urging openness to God’s love in confession.
Talk 3: A Jubilee of Hope in God's Healing
Father Angelus reflects on hope amid a troubled world, inspired by young men surrendering their lives to Jesus. Centering on the Good Samaritan parable, he likens humanity’s struggles to being “stuck” on life’s roadside, weighed down by self-reliance and lies of isolation. He ties this to the Jubilee year, urging repentance as the key to healing—letting go of burdens and trusting Jesus to unstick us. A Eucharistic procession follows, promising Christ’s nearness.
Eucharistic Awakening: Seeing Jesus Anew
CFR postulant Hayden Cowart shares a raw testimony of loss and redemption. Recounting a childhood marked by his father’s death at eight and subsequent tragedies, he describes a descent into loneliness and despair. A turning point emerges through a Russian novel’s monk, whose gaze at the Milky Way rekindles hope, leading him to Christ’s beauty—first glimpsed in scripture, then encountered in Eucharistic adoration. Reflecting on a tender memory of his dying father’s embrace, he finds God’s presence in pain, culminating in Psalm 73’s assurance of divine nearness.
From Restlessness to Redemption: A Journey to God’s Mercy
CFR postulant Colin Miller shares his journey from restlessness to renewal. An engineering grad student with a knack for snowboarding and crosswords, he felt unfulfilled despite a comfortable life and weekly Mass. A canceled mission trip led him to a silent retreat, where a general confession unveiled the weight of his sins—and the depth of God’s mercy. This encounter shifted his heart, igniting a desire to serve the poor and embrace a life of purpose. He invites all to plunge into God’s boundless love, the cure for a restless soul.
Worth Beyond Performance: Jesus Just Needs You
CFR postulant James Sappington shares a transformative journey from pressure to peace. As a college football kicker on a full scholarship, he internalized a coach’s harsh words—“a kicker that can’t kick is useless”—fueling a belief that his worth hinged on performance. Years later, during his first cooking duty as a friar, sickness threatened his chance to prove himself. Brother Angelo’s gentle offer to cook instead, paired with the words “we just need you,” shattered that lie, revealing Christ’s unconditional love. James invites all to embrace Jesus’ gaze and find freedom in being enough.
Support the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
St. Paul the Apostle Pastor Fr. Jonathan Wilson and Brother Angelo talk about the mission of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR). Living by providence, these friars feed the poor, form young men, and bring healing in the Bronx—work that transforms lives. Your gift fuels their mission.
Support the mission of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal by making a donation to help continue their work of spreading hope and healing. Donate now.