My Favorite Friars are the Best thing to happen to New York City in decades!

We attended the best Divine MercySunday celebration on Long Island last week. It's the best because we have the prayers, the preaching, the confessions, the music and the joyful presence of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. They love the Eucharistic Lord with such robust fervency that the children just naturally want to imitate them.

We haven't missed a Divine Mercy Sunday since I brought Christina as a newborn in my baby sling, and Father Bernard told me his best friend growing up had Down Syndrome. What a blessing this brother has been to us, seeing him twice each year at our Friar Supplier picnic, and Divine Mercy Sunday, he seeks her out to play with her, and she remembers him, and despite his towering size and unusual garb, they pay together happily.

And then there's sweet Sister Margaret with the lilting Irish brogue, who has just taken her simple vows,pictured here with my daughter Gabriela. Sister won over Christina's heart as well, allowing her to pull her by the rope belt to tell her where she wants to go!

They are one of the reasons I have hope for the future of the Church. They have houses in New York, London, Honduras, New Mexico, Arizona, and Ireland, and are expanding at an amazing rate. They may soon be coming to bless your community. Their founder, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, says, "when I die, the average age of the Friars will go down three years!"

See their slide show here, courtesy of Happy Catholic.