Dear Friends, Family and Benefactors,

Today, while the Friars attended a meeting for their congregation in their Newark Friary, we had the opportunity to see some of New York City.

We started our day with an early breakfast and were out the door by 6:45 am. We walked to a subway station and traveled to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for their 8:00 am Mass. The Cathedral was beautiful. The priest told us in the homily that we are the luckiest people in the world because we got to receive Christ in the Eucharist. After looking around a bit we did our Liturgy of the Hours in the back of the Cathedral.

Colin and Fr Dye

From there, we headed to Times Square. We were complete tourist but enjoyed every moment of it. Next, was the World Trade Center Memorial.  It is hard to describe being there. We were in awe, sad, inspired, and humbled. Certainly, we knew we were on hallowed grounds, knowing that so many people died right where we stood. We offered a decade of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and prayed the Angelus there.

The group

Meghan, Patti, Paul and John in Times Square

Paul and Deacon Jim at the World Trade Center Memorial

The group at the World Trade Center Memorial

Sarah and Jim looking at the names of those who perished on 9/11

We walked to the Staten Island Ferry and took the ferry back and forth seeing the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of Manhattan. The Shrine of St Elizabeth Ann Seton is right next to the Ferry so we stop to make a visit there. We finished our visit to the City with a late lunch of real New York pizza. For many of us, this was the first time in New York City. We had a blast.

Olivia, Walker and John in front of the Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton 

who was born in New York City

The World Trade Center Memorial

Once we got back to St. Crispin Friary, we had a holy hour, dinner and then to work at the two shelters. Patti and Sarah went to Padre Pio shelter to help serve dinner and play games with the men, while John and Walker went to St. Anthony’s shelter. The men had a “free night” there so our team entertained them with a skit. More on that later.

One thing striking to us is that these shelters that the Friars run are completely managed by volunteers and donations. The guests tell us that these shelters are really “upscale”. The Friars regard each man with dignity, love, and respect and maybe for the first time in a long time they receive this kind of treatment. We wish you could experience a day here. Many of the preconceived ideas of homeless are shattered once meeting the guys. The volunteers are amazing. Men and women come from all over the area to give of themselves and do so with great joy. It is so contagious to be around the Friars and the volunteers.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

The 2012 Mary Our Queen Mission Team