In a simple Evening Prayer ceremony held Tuesday, July 7 at Saint Anthony Friary in Cincinnati, Adam Calder, Colin King, and Andrew Farwick were formally received into the Postulancy Program of Saint John the Baptist Province by Provincial Minister Jeffrey Scheeler, O.F.M. Each was given a Tau Cross, a symbol dear to Saint Francis who used it as a sign of his and the early Friars' dedication to Gospel Living.

The three new Postulants arrived in Cincinnati to begin their first year of Initial Formation on July 1. Their year of learning will include experiencing community life and prayer as well as classes on humandevelopment and Franciscan spirituality. At the end of the year they will move on to the second stage of Initial Formation as Novices at the Interprovincial Novitiate in Cedar Lake, IN. A video of the highlights of the ceremony can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNp2GaKLsK8

The formal reception of the Postulants marks the end of a month-long series of events among our men in Formation. On June 15 five Friars professed vows for the first time as they completed their novitiate and will  join our other Temporary Professed Friar in Chicago. On June 25 our two new novices were received into the novitiate. And yesterday the three new Postulants were formally received into their program. In all, we are blessed with eleven men in Initial Formation.