Seton Pilgrims with Brother Lazarus Vina. From left: Dominic Carstens, Natalie Garza, Marina Frattaroli, Fr. Roger Landry, Br. Lazarus Vina, CFR, Zoe Dongas, Amayrani Higueldo and Christoph Bernas.
NEW YORK CITY, August 4 — The perpetual pilgrims of the Seton Route of the National Eucharistic PIlgrimage reconvened on the weekend of August 3-4 for a mini-reunion and to attend the perpetual profession of Brother Lazarus Mary Vina, CFR, as a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal.
Brother Lazarus' profession took place at the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel in New York City and was attended by scores of CFRs, the members of Brother Lazarus' family, CFR sisters, Sisters of Life, Missionaries of Charity, friends of Brother Lazarus and the CFRs and more. The celebrant of the Mass was Father John Anthony Boughton, CFR, general servant of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
Brother Lazarus accompanied the Seton PIlgrims for two weeks during the pilgrimage and distinguished himself not only by his musical abilities working together with Zoe Dongas to provide the music along the processions, but also by his deep reverence for the Eucharistic Lord Jesus, especially while adoring in the PIlgrimage van.
Prior to the profession Mass, the pilgrims — Christoph Bernas, Dominic Carstens, Zoe Dongas, Marina Frattaroli, Natalie Garza, Amayrani Higueldo and chaplain Father Roger Landry — spent a day and a half in Connecticut at the invitation of Jon and Jen Frattaroli, Marina's uncle and aunt, where they celebrated Mass twice, spoke about life post-pilgrimage, and relaxed together.
They also had the chance to visit the Church of St. Jean Baptiste in New York City, the most beautiful Church in the United States dedicated to celebrating the mystery of the Eucharist, where the relics of St. Peter Julien Eymard, the founder of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and called the "Apostle of the Eucharist, are enshrined. St. Peter Julien's right humerus, which he used to give out hundreds of thousands of communions and to hold the monstrance, is on display for veneration. The Church also houses the largest relics of St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus.
