By Friar Mario Serrano OFM Conv.
2020 marks the 800th year of “St. Anthony’s conversion.” In 1220, a young Augustinian friar named Fernando was moved by the missionary spirit of the early followers of St. Francis. Fernando’s first encounter with the Franciscan friars was in his hometown of Lisbon, Portugal. He witnessed five young Franciscans sharing about their desire to do missionary work in Morocco. These same friars would later return via the same route as martyrs, and this profound encounter with the first Franciscan martyrs from Morocco would become the decisive moment for Fernando, soon to be known as Anthony – St. Anthony of Padua.
St. Anthony received a call within a call, and he allowed the Spirit of God to move him beyond his comfort zone. And just like him, we are witnessing how the Spirit continues to stir the souls of young men to join the Franciscan movement, even amid this tragic pandemic.
As on July 15, 2020, three novices, friars Joshua Sherls, Alex Gould, and Roberto Macias-Marin professed their vows leaving behind, like St. Anthony, a life known for the Spirit-filled Franciscan life of living the Gospel. These three young friars made their commitment in a very sacred place known as “La Misión de San Antonio de Ysleta del Sur,” established in 1680. Today, it is located in the city of El Paso, Texas, but this mission, named after Anthony, owes its heritage to the Tigua people and the early Franciscan Missionaries in northern New Mexico, who decided to venture south toward the Río Grande.
The Tiguas for the past 340 years have praised St. Anthony, who is the patron of the mission and the Tigua People. Even within the pandemic reality, taking precautionary measures, the Novena prayers to St. Anthony were celebrated, “promesas” – personal devotions were upheld. The Tigua Peoples’ meal was shared, Mass for the Feast of Saint Anthony was celebrated, and they danced to the beat of their sacred drum still echoing within our hearts. The mission is alive. May we allow the Spirit that moved Francis and Anthony to drive us as we seek to live our call within a call.
The Tigua People celebrate in front of “La Misión de San Antonio de Ysleta del Sur” in El Paso, TX. (This photo is from the 2019 celebration.)
Photo Credit: Al Baeza
Left to Right: Friars Josh Sherls, Roberto Macias-Marin, and Alex Gould made their first vows, after completing their Novitiate year, on the Feast of St. Bonaventure, (July 15) at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in El Paso, TX.
Photo Credit: Al Baeza
Thank you for considering a planned gift to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.
We all worry about what will happen to our family and friends when we pass on to eternal life. We want to ensure our loved ones are cared for here on earth after we are gone. However, many people find thinking about estate plans to be an unpleasant or daunting endeavor. We hope the information we have available will ease the process and be a source of comfort to both you and your loved ones by allowing you to make certain your legacy will continue.
When you meet with an attorney who will assist in planning for the rest of your life and your estate, be sure to discuss frankly with your attorney important issues, such as your current situation, financial matters, family dynamics, charitable planning and health care. This will allow the attorney to craft an estate plan that most accurately satisfies your needs and those of your family.
There are different kinds of bequests. For each, you must use very specific language to indicate the precise direction of your assets, and to successfully carry out your final wishes. Here are samples of how to indicate a general or undesignated gift to the friars.
| Legal Entity for the friars | Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc |
| General Bequest | I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______ |
| Bequest language for specific amount: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Bequest language for specific property: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection / the real estate legally described as follows] to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Contingent bequest language: | If my spouse does not survive me, then I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. [the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) / 100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection]. |
| Residuary bequest language: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [all -or- ___ percent (___%)] of the residue of my estate to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
If you have included a bequest for the Friars in your estate plans, please call us at (812) 923-5250 or use this confidential form to let us know. We would like to thank you for your planned gift and invite you into the San Damiano Legacy Society.
Sharing your plans to include the friars in your estate plans allows for the friars to maximize the impact of your gift and honor your benefaction during your lifetime. Throughout your lifetime, you can change this gift arrangement if your needs change.Your loving gifts help us to form a community of fraternal love and equality by supporting and calling one another to on-going conversation in our vowed life. Prayer and Contemplation strengthen us on our journey of faith.
Our ministries arise from the needs of God’s people in an ever-changing world. As servants and heralds of the Kingdom, we strive to respond compassionately to those needs through a prayerful discernment of our gifts and resources as individuals and as community.
Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated and will be stewarded according to your wishes. In many cases, legacy gifts allow you to make larger and more impactful gifts than would have otherwise been possible
Contact Us to learn more about creating your legacy.
Working with Father John and Becki to find a donor story regarding including the friars in their estate plans and why it means so much to them.
As soon as a gift is received and matched to a donor, the Mission Advancement Office sends an acknowledgment letter stating the nature of the gift, the gift valuation date, and the gift valuation amount and a clarification statement indicating no goods or services were exchanged for the gift.
The Province of Our Lady of Consolation, is a tax exempt 501(c) organization (EIN # 35-6019627) and Its members and employees do not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Any document or information shared by our staff is intended to be educational. We strongly encourage donors to seek counsel with tax expertise from their own legal and financial advisors.
Thank you for considering a planned gift to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.
We all worry about what will happen to our family and friends when we pass on to eternal life. We want to ensure our loved ones are cared for here on earth after we are gone. However, many people find thinking about estate plans to be an unpleasant or daunting endeavor. We hope the information we have available will ease the process and be a source of comfort to both you and your loved ones by allowing you to make certain your legacy will continue.
When you meet with an attorney who will assist in planning for the rest of your life and your estate, be sure to discuss frankly with your attorney important issues, such as your current situation, financial matters, family dynamics, charitable planning and health care. This will allow the attorney to craft an estate plan that most accurately satisfies your needs and those of your family.
There are different kinds of bequests. For each, you must use very specific language to indicate the precise direction of your assets, and to successfully carry out your final wishes. Here are samples of how to indicate a general or undesignated gift to the friars.
| Legal Entity for the friars | Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc |
| General Bequest | I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______ |
| Bequest language for specific amount: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Bequest language for specific property: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection / the real estate legally described as follows] to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Contingent bequest language: | If my spouse does not survive me, then I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. [the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) / 100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection]. |
| Residuary bequest language: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [all -or- ___ percent (___%)] of the residue of my estate to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
If you have included a bequest for the Friars in your estate plans, please call us at (812) 923-5250 or use this confidential form to let us know. We would like to thank you for your planned gift and invite you into the San Damiano Legacy Society.
Sharing your plans to include the friars in your estate plans allows for the friars to maximize the impact of your gift and honor your benefaction during your lifetime. Throughout your lifetime, you can change this gift arrangement if your needs change.Your loving gifts help us to form a community of fraternal love and equality by supporting and calling one another to on-going conversation in our vowed life. Prayer and Contemplation strengthen us on our journey of faith.
Our ministries arise from the needs of God’s people in an ever-changing world. As servants and heralds of the Kingdom, we strive to respond compassionately to those needs through a prayerful discernment of our gifts and resources as individuals and as community.
Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated and will be stewarded according to your wishes. In many cases, legacy gifts allow you to make larger and more impactful gifts than would have otherwise been possible
Contact Us to learn more about creating your legacy.
Working with Father John and Becki to find a donor story regarding including the friars in their estate plans and why it means so much to them.
As soon as a gift is received and matched to a donor, the Mission Advancement Office sends an acknowledgment letter stating the nature of the gift, the gift valuation date, and the gift valuation amount and a clarification statement indicating no goods or services were exchanged for the gift.
The Province of Our Lady of Consolation, is a tax exempt 501(c) organization (EIN # 35-6019627) and Its members and employees do not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Any document or information shared by our staff is intended to be educational. We strongly encourage donors to seek counsel with tax expertise from their own legal and financial advisors.
Thank you for considering a planned gift to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.
We all worry about what will happen to our family and friends when we pass on to eternal life. We want to ensure our loved ones are cared for here on earth after we are gone. However, many people find thinking about estate plans to be an unpleasant or daunting endeavor. We hope the information we have available will ease the process and be a source of comfort to both you and your loved ones by allowing you to make certain your legacy will continue.
When you meet with an attorney who will assist in planning for the rest of your life and your estate, be sure to discuss frankly with your attorney important issues, such as your current situation, financial matters, family dynamics, charitable planning and health care. This will allow the attorney to craft an estate plan that most accurately satisfies your needs and those of your family.
There are different kinds of bequests. For each, you must use very specific language to indicate the precise direction of your assets, and to successfully carry out your final wishes. Here are samples of how to indicate a general or undesignated gift to the friars.
| Legal Entity for the friars | Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc |
| General Bequest | I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______ |
| Bequest language for specific amount: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Bequest language for specific property: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection / the real estate legally described as follows] to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
| Contingent bequest language: | If my spouse does not survive me, then I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. [the sum of ________ dollars ($_________) / 100 shares of XYZ Corp. stock / my guitar collection]. |
| Residuary bequest language: | I hereby give, devise and bequeath [all -or- ___ percent (___%)] of the residue of my estate to Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. |
If you have included a bequest for the Friars in your estate plans, please call us at (812) 923-5250 or use this confidential form to let us know. We would like to thank you for your planned gift and invite you into the San Damiano Legacy Society.
Sharing your plans to include the friars in your estate plans allows for the friars to maximize the impact of your gift and honor your benefaction during your lifetime. Throughout your lifetime, you can change this gift arrangement if your needs change.Your loving gifts help us to form a community of fraternal love and equality by supporting and calling one another to on-going conversation in our vowed life. Prayer and Contemplation strengthen us on our journey of faith.
Our ministries arise from the needs of God’s people in an ever-changing world. As servants and heralds of the Kingdom, we strive to respond compassionately to those needs through a prayerful discernment of our gifts and resources as individuals and as community.
Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated and will be stewarded according to your wishes. In many cases, legacy gifts allow you to make larger and more impactful gifts than would have otherwise been possible
Contact Us to learn more about creating your legacy.
Working with Father John and Becki to find a donor story regarding including the friars in their estate plans and why it means so much to them.
As soon as a gift is received and matched to a donor, the Mission Advancement Office sends an acknowledgment letter stating the nature of the gift, the gift valuation date, and the gift valuation amount and a clarification statement indicating no goods or services were exchanged for the gift.
The Province of Our Lady of Consolation, is a tax exempt 501(c) organization (EIN # 35-6019627) and Its members and employees do not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Any document or information shared by our staff is intended to be educational. We strongly encourage donors to seek counsel with tax expertise from their own legal and financial advisors.
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