Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This week we continue our presentations on vocations, and I have invited Br. Kevin Hamzik, our summer intern, to introduce himself and tell you about his vocation journey in his own words:
“My vocation has been one of growth from the beginning and continues to grow today. I have never wanted to be a priest, and in the beginning, I thought that I would never enter religious life because of this. I never really thought I would be any kind of religious growing up.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. There I attended Padua Franciscan High School, which at the time was staffed by friars from the Sacred Heart Province. There I first met friars and began to learn about Francis and Clare. While there I went on my first mission trip to the Dominican Republic. It was there that I realized that I wanted to serve others, but also to pursue art. A lay man living in the community we served was an artist and a man of faith. I spent a lot of time with him, and seeing how he lived his life and how his art made him and others, inspired me to do the same.
I attended St. Bonaventure University to study studio art. My original plan was to be a car designer. I also began to meet more friars and see their way of life and their spirituality. It wasn’t until I went on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi that the life and spirituality became very real to me, and I gave up my dream of designing cars to create religious and spiritual art.
I entered the friars through what was Holy Name Province, now part of the new Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I still don’t feel called to be a priest and am very happy as a brother. It has allowed me to do many different things, including serving migrants at the U.S./Mexico border. It allows me to keep myself and my heart open to the needs of others. My journey has taught me that staying open will bring me exactly what I need, even if it wasn’t what I thought it would be.”
Read more Vocations Reflections: Father Tim’s introduction, and Reflection from Patty Panetta
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M., Pastor
Join us in the Friary Garden (weather permitting) for an evening of painting and sipping. Br. Kevin Hamzik, O.F.M. will be our host for the evening event. Br. Kevin, after graduating from St. Bonaventure University with a degree in studio art, entered formation with the Franciscan Order of the Roman Catholic church. Kevin began to use his missionary experiences as a friar to inspire his artwork and to bring to light different social issues. In his fourth year of temporary religious vows, Kevin is pursuing his Master of Fine Arts degree at Columbia College Chicago. is here for the summer from Chicago where he is finishing his MFA.
Come, enjoy and get to know our Br. Kevin.