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St. Clare House Notes
The Brothers
Eric Michael
Eric continues his work with the clients of Baker Street House in San Francisco. This is Eric’s major ministry as well as the primary source of income for St. Clare House. As the economy worsens and the job market constricts, we are all grateful for Eric’s steady employment. Baker Street House is usually at capacity (16 residents), and there’s been considerable turnover in the mid-level management which sometimes creates problems for the house counselors, especially when it comes to scheduling shift changes and training new personnel. But Eric enjoys his work and the opportunity for personal interaction with house residents. Eric recently started working with a new spiritual director who specializes in dream work.
Eric has been chosen to represent the brothers of the Province of the Americas in the new formator training to take place next summer. As of the present moment, the plan is for him to spend a month at Little Portion and then to move to the European province for his time abroad.
Maximilian Kolbe
Max remains busy with artistic projects and commissions. He is completing the illustrations for a book celebrating the life of Ewing Cobb, a parishioner at Church of the Advent of Christ the King in San Francisco who is now in his nineties. Max has also produced a series of Franciscan-themed note cards which have proved quite successful with everyone from local parishioners to Third Order members. Max tries to spend part of each day in his studio doing sketches, making prints, and finishing some of his pieces with watercolors.
Max continues to work with his friend, Rick, who lives with ALS. Max earns a modest fee for helping Rick bathe, dress, and eat on weekday mornings, and he and Rick have developed a deepening relationship around Rick’s need for aid and companionship. There is no cure for ALS, and Max has been an important part of Rick’s coming to terms with the end-of-life process. Max also devotes Thursday evenings to chaplaincy work at the Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, and he remains active in the parish life of Church of the Advent. He was one of fourteen members of the altar party for Christ the King Sunday.
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Br. Maximilian SSF and Thulani
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House News
Eric, and Max recently spent part of an evening with Fr. Phil Brochard, the new rector of All Souls Episcopal Church. We have invited Phil to celebrate for us and hope this will lead to a closer relationship with All Souls.
Clark’s visit overlapped with Fr. Michael Lapsley’s time with us. Michael is an Anglican priest living in Cape Town, and he was in Berkeley to give a series of lectures and presentations to local churches and to the University community on his work healing memories after apartheid. While serving as a chaplain to the ANC, Michael lost both hands and one eye to a letter bomb. He now travels extensively to raise awareness of and funds for the Institute for Healing of Memories, a ministry he started to promote healing and reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa and beyond. Michael is a charismatic speaker, and he and his companion and aid Thulani were a big hit at St. Clare House and next door at All Souls.
The brothers at St. Clare House are grateful to have had the chance to host Michael and Thulani. Michael’s stories of life under apartheid made it clear to us in very personal and concrete terms how the systemic evil of apartheid damaged a continent, a nation, and an entire people for decades. Michael and Thulani work with individuals and groups to help heal souls degraded by apartheid, black and white, and in doing so, they help move the world a little closer to the heart of God. For those who would like more information about the Institute for Healing of Memories, please visit www.healingofmemories.co.za. Michael can be reached at info@healingofmemories.co.za
As a community, we are offering two Advent activities. Robyn Arnold, the Area Ministry coordinator for the East Bay, has asked the brothers to host an Advent Bible Study as part of the Area Ministry program. We are also offering the rosary as part of our Advent prayer practice on each of the Sundays of Advent at 5 pm, and we’ve invited the CDSP community to join us
We are happy to offer hospitality to the Associates of the Order of the Holy Cross who use our chapel on occasion to sing vespers on important feast days..
We recently had the pleasure of a visit from our Minister General, Clark Berge. Clark is resident at St. Clare House when in the province, and he now has a room of his own again. It was wonderful for the brothers to have Clark here and especially to have him celebrate for us as part of Morning Prayer. Clark regaled us with accounts of his recent travels to the Solomon Islands and to Papua New Guinea. We’re proud that he’s the first American to serve in the office of Minister General.
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Mt. Calvary
As you may already know, the Order of the Holy Cross recently lost its retreat house, Mt. Calvary, in the devastating Montecito fire. Mt. Calvary was a place of beauty and quiet for more than forty years. We offer our condolences to the brothers displaced by the fire, and we ask you to keep them and their superior, Br. Robert Sevensky, in your prayers as they recover from the loss and plan for the future. |
Friends of the Friars
We are blessed to have the support of our local community. Many thanks to Mary Fuller, who continues to donate her time and help generously to the brothers. We are also grateful to John Chastain, who has helped beautify the friary grounds and has donated food and supplies to the brothers. Thanks also to Tom Bickley, to Bonnie Bishop, and to members of All Souls for their continued financial and in kind support. We try to remain faithful to our Franciscan charism of poverty, and all the brothers of St. Clare House are thankful for the time, treasure, and prayers of our friends. Pax et bonum! |
