Symposium - Conventual Franciscan Friars

In a recent letter to Minister General Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, Pope Francis writes:

“I associate myself spiritually with all those who shall participate, through prayer and charity, in the various initiatives being promoted for this Eighth Antonian Centenary. I hope that all of you may be able to say, along with St. Anthony: “I see my Lord!” We must “see the Lord” in the faces of all our brothers and sisters and offer them consolation, hope and the opportunity to encounter the Word of God, upon which they may anchor their lives.”

We posed the following question to some of our friars:

How do you see the face of God or “See the Lord” when you work in your ministry?

In Loving Memory †friar Charles J. McCarthy

In Loving Memory +Friar Charles J. McCarthy, OFM Conv. Friar Charles J. McCarthy, OFM Conv., (73) was called home by Sister Death on November 28, 2024, in Albuquerque, NM. Friar Charles was a priest-friar in the Conventual Franciscans of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation. He was preceded in death by his parents, John...

Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope

A Jubilee Year “is a year of forgiveness of sins and the punishment due to sin; it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries [and] of conversion. A Jubilee Year is above all the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity. “ -(From the website of the Holy See.) In 1300, Pope...

The Road Less Traveled

In late 2019, I received an invitation from the former Zambian Minister of Health to come to Zambia and visit a couple of the bush hospitals. He heard from one of the friars that I was a nurse practitioner and was interested in both the role and how we (students and faculty) could help with...

“Do Whatever He Tells You”

A custom for us at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio, has been to pray a novena in preparation for the Feast of the Assumption on August 15. During these nine days we ask our Blessed Mother for her intercession to Jesus, her Son. We also invite a religious or member...

Hope & Healing on the Border

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. -Hebrews 7:19 Friar Jarek Wysoczański, OFM Conv., has dedicated his life to serving the poor and those on the margins. A native of Poland, friar Jarek has served in our missions in Peru and Africa, and he continues this service to some...

Hope: An Impossible Virtue?

By friar Wayne Hellmann, OFM Conv. Catastrophic heating and attacks on nature ever increase. Systems devour the vulnerable: the unhoused, refugees, victims of human trafficking, and the many others who are caught in underfunded, and many times, understaffed foster care systems, hospitals, group homes, and prisons. On the other hand, corporate monopolies cement more and...

Franciscan Pilgrimage in Ireland: A Journey of Faith, Family, and Hope

Embarking on a Franciscan pilgrimage through Ireland is a profound experience that combines spiritual renewal with a deep connection to the rich history and natural beauty of the Emerald Isle. As a pilgrim traveling in a country where I have family, the journey takes on an even deeper significance, blending faith with familial bonds, cultural...

Pilgrims of Hope

By Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. Each Jubilee Year is a celebration of God’s mercy stretched out over a calendar year. God’s mercy is constant and always available, but we are not always mindful of that mercy. The Church, through sacraments and sacramentals, has a variety of ways of inviting us to draw close to...

Day 7 — Our Lady’s Shrine at Knock, County Mayo

Day 7 — Our Lady’s Shrine at Knock, County Mayo by friar Bob Roddy, OFM Conv. Sadly, four members of our band of pilgrims were under the weather today. Conor, our tour leader, also had to be absent so that he could attend the funeral of his aunt, Kathleen. We were fortunate that Conor secured...

Day 6–The Cliffs of Moher and the Franciscan Friary in Ennis

Day 6–The Cliffs of Moher and the Franciscan Friary in Ennis by friar Bob Roddy, OFM Conv. Today, we journeyed to one of the most spectacular sites on Ireland’s west coast, the Cliffs of Moher. They run for about 9 miles and vary in height from 390 feet to 702 feet. As you can see,...

Back to Newsletter Home

Wills & Bequests

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

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

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.

Wills & Bequests

Thank you for considering a planned gift to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.

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.

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

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.

Wills & Bequests

Thank you for considering a planned gift to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation.

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.

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

General Bequest:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to: Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc. the following ______

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.

Fall Newsletter - St. Anthony - Example through the Ages

Give

“Remember when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received – only what you have given.”

-St. Francis of Assisi

Since the time of St. Francis and his first followers, our ministries, our ability to serve those in need, the education of new Friars, the care of our senior men all are possible with the partnership of our benefactors. Your generosity makes these stories possible.