From
their earliest days, the
Franciscans and the Capuchins have been in the forefront of the
Church's effort to bring the Gospel to the entire world.
 Thus
North American Capuchin-Franciscan friars are presently serving local
churches in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Australia, Japan, the Mariana
Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama,
Puerto Rico, Zambia, and the Middle East.
Six
of Mid-America's 55 brothers serve in this fashion:
Father
JOSEPH SCHRECK, in Puerto Rico since 1956
Father
PETER MEIS, in Papua New Guinea since 1968
Bishop
STEVE REICHERT, in Papua New Guinea since 1970 Father DONALD DEBES, in
Papua New Guinea since 1971
Father
BILL KRAUS, in Mexico since 1998 (some
letters)
Brother
JERRY WINTZ, in Papua New Guinea since 1999 (some
letters)
Father
FRANCISCO RAMIREZ in Mexico
Bro.
JERRY WINTZ arrived in Papua New Guinea Sept. 9, 1999, and after
receiving orientation in the local cultures and studying Melanesian
Pidgin, to increase his ability to communicate with the local Papua New
Guineans, he began teaching and doing maintenance work at the national
minor seminary at Kap near Madang, which the Capuchins operate for the
bishops of PNG and the Solomon Islands. From 2002 till 2004, Brother
studied at ther Franciscan Institute in western New York in preparation
for formation work in Papua New Guinea. He is now guardian of the new
formation house in Madang and in charge of post-novitiate formation.
Some of his general letters to friars, family and friends are available
on line.
Meanwhile,
Fr. BILL KRAUS is in his eighth year in the mountains of northern
Mexico, a mission staffed primarily by friars of the Western American
province. Shortly after Bill's arrival in 1998, the friars there began
a postulancy program which attracted seven young men who had long
wanted to join the Order. Bill worked with them and also served as an
associate pastor to the main station in Yecora and its many outlying
mission stations. In 1999, four of the first class of postulants began
their novitiate at Tres Ojitos, Chihuahua, and another half dozen new
postulants arrived at Yecora. In 2000 Bill moved to Tres Ojitos to
serve as novice master and associate pastor in the neighboring area.
Some of his general letters to friars, family, and friends are
available on line.
To
help support the efforts of our seven Capuchin missionaries and those
from other provinces, contact the Capuchin Mission Office P.O. Box
40575, Denver, CO 80204-0575 or (303) 433-0296.
In
1998, a group of laymen
interested in the Capuchin missions of Papua New Guinea began the
Capuchin Mission Club of Eureka, Missouri, near St. Louis. Begun by
Oliver Lerch and John C. Caton, this club of 120 members meets
quarterly, studies the work of the Capuchins in Papua New Guinea, and
already in its first two years raised $10,000 to fund various projects
there, e.g. the building of community water projects in Burani parish
and providing tuition for Capuchin seminarians in Port Moresby. It
meets the last Saturdays of January, April, July and October.
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This website
was
created and is maintained by the Capuchin
Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Conrad. ©
2007-2008 Capuchin Friars of Mid-America
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Our Province Missions
Some of
the Capuchins of the Mid-America Province were among the first
Christian ministries to bring the Gospel to Papau New Guinea. In
addition to building Churches and administering the Sacraments, the
friars translated the Scriptures for the native people and helped
establish schools and seminaries.
Our Province currently has missionaries serving in Papau New Guinea,
Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Read letters sent from the missions....
Fr. Bill Kraus in
Tres Ojitos, Mexico
Br. Gerry Wintz
from Papau New Guinea
"Missionaries
are those brothers who bring the good news of salvation to all those in
any continent or region who do not believe in Christ."
- Capuchin Constitutions
"Let
us commend this great undertaking to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of
the Good Shepherd..."
- Capuchin Constitutions
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