Our beloved founder, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR passed into eternal life seven years ago, on December 13th, 2017. Not many religious sisters or brothers have the privilege of personally knowing their founders, but as a newer community founded in 1988, most of us CFR sisters knew Fr. Andrew very well. He really was a spiritual father to us and very present in our daily lives; for many of us (including myself) he was a regular confessor and a spiritual director. While Fr. Andrew was alive, he made it a point to come celebrate Mass at each of our convents at least once a week, and he taught classes on prayer and the vows to the sisters and brothers in formation. Some of his other favorite subjects to preach and teach about were: Our Lady, the message of Fatima, the Holy Spirit, St. Francis, St. Padre Pio, and Archbishop Fulton Sheen. At Fr. Andrew’s funeral Mass in 2017, Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR preached the homily. He reminded us of the scriptures and how Jesus said that you can know if something is good by its fruit: a good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears rotten fruit. Fr. Glenn likened Fr. Andrew to the good trees that grow alongside the river of life in the book of Revelation and bear healing fruit. Fr. Andrew bore the healing fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and generosity. As we celebrate Fr. Andrew’s seventh Anniversary, perhaps we could take a moment to rest in his good example, and to receive some of those healing fruits of the Holy Spirit through his fatherly intercession.
When I think of Fr. Andrew, I think of most of all of his steadiness. He was a “steady-ship”—faithful, day in and day out, especially to prayer. Our CFR brothers say that Fr. Andrew wore a path in the wooden floorboards in the back of the chapel at St. Leopold’s Friary where he lived towards the end of his life. Fr. Andrew would stand or walk in the back row, praying his rosary, trying to stay awake as he made his daily holy hour, often late at night after having been out preaching somewhere. One of the main things that Fr. Andrew imparted to me was the importance of this fidelity. He encouraged us to pray every day for the grace of perseverance, and he would quote Yogi Bear, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” He also loved to say, “Jesus is the hum in the hum-drum!” His other favorite encouragement to us sisters, to be holy in the day-to-day, was the quote from St. Mother Teresa, “Give what God takes and take what God gives, with a big smile.” Perhaps sometime today, we could bring these little quotes that Fr. Andrew loved so much to prayer.
1.“It ain’t over, till it’s over.” Where am I at on the journey of my vocation? Think of someone you know personally that you can look up to as an example of living their vocation well and faithfully. Thank you, Lord, for the precious gift You have given me in the vocation You have called me to. Pray one Memorare asking Our Lady for the grace of perseverance in your vocation.
2. “Jesus is the hum in the hum-drum.” In daily life, there are endless things that need to be done, and there are also long periods of waiting. Anytime, we can turn our eyes to the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Mother Mary! Difficult things “hum” when we do. Perhaps before I start my next task, I could pause, become aware of God’s presence, and ask for His help.
3. St. Teresa of Calcutta: “Give what God takes and take what God gives with a big smile.” Imagine God the Father sitting with you and look back over the last twenty-four hours. What gifts has He given you? What is He asking you to let go of? Mother Teresa used to say to the youngest sisters in her community, “My dear novices, when you smile, I can hear the music in your smile.” She knew that sometimes it cost them to smile! Fr. Andrew also affirmed us sisters that it was beautiful when we smiled. Imagine how a dad feels to see his son or daughter smile. When you smile, God the Father hears the music in your smile.
As we remember Fr. Andrew on his seventh Anniversary, I’m so very thankful for his fidelity and for the healing presence of the Holy Spirit that he gently emitted. May he and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace and intercede for us, especially for the graces of fidelity, steadiness, and perseverance.
-Sr. Josephine, CFR