Micronesian Scholar And Jesuit Priest Fran Hezel Turns 75 NEW YORK, US (Marianas Variety, Jan. 31, 2014) — The Jesuit priest, author, historian, educator and scholar that Micronesians have loved since he arrived in 1963 recently turned 75. Fr. Fran Hezel turned 75 in New York. On the site wheresfran,org, Fr. Hezel’s youngest brother Rich “commandeered” the blog on the occasion of Fran’s 75th birthday. “Today, January 29, 2014, is Fran’s 75th birthday, and I want to capture for all of us and from all of us a sense of our deepest appreciation for Fran’s personal and professional dedication and contributions—to family; friends; Jesuit brothers; academic, ecclesiastical, and social service professionals. For now, we have captured Fran for his birthday celebration on Sanibel Island, Florida, with three of the four brothers and our wives. Here, as ever, our long conversations—on-point or multi-tangential—cover wide grounds of family current and past, politics, church, Pope Francis, social justice, novels and other reading, and faith. A lot on faith. We talked theology, belief, and faith for much of this morning. Fran might be one reason I maintain faith today, in part because he allows people like me to explore the dimensions of one’s own faith. Fran has the perspective that faith is—far more than doctrine, dogma, and ritual—a calling of the Spirit to explore the unfathomable,” he wrote. For Rich, Fr. Hezel’s priestly calling emerged early. He recalled that his brother was about 12 years old when he practiced saying Mass in their living room. He said his older brother has devoted nearly two-thirds of his life to his people—the Micronesians and the many various people who study and support Micronesia and the Jesuit “mission” there. “The early mission was to convert and strengthen souls in Catholic Christianity. Fran’s mission goes a step further: to build faith within the multiple communities of Micronesia, to grow and disseminate knowledge about Micronesia, and to assist in developing Micronesian community and confidence that comes through knowledge and faith,” said Rich Hezel. As he wished his brother peace, Hezel said they knew that his heart lies “with his pastoral and academic and cultural work in Micronesia.” He added, “We in the Hezel family hope we will have to share him again with all of you in Pohnpei, Chuuk, Guam, and the other places he has called home.” Fr. Hezel, who has lived in Micronesia for 50 years, was recently summoned back to the Jesuit Province in New York. He arrived in N.Y. on Oct. 7, 2013. Elsewhere online, the petition asking the Jesuit Province and leaders to bring him back to Micronesia has garnered 1,458 supporters. The petition initiated by Chuukese educator Vid Raatior can be found at change.org/petitions/return-rev-francis-x-hezel-s-j-back-to-micronesia-where-he-is-needed?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_message_notice.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 08:38:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015