Into New Life — ARG 2026

Three days in the mountains

Nearly two hundred Secular Franciscans from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee came to Ridgecrest Conference Center for the 2026 Annual Regional Gathering — three days of keynotes, Eucharist, the Stations of the Cross, remembrance of our deceased brothers and sisters, and the renewal of profession.

The weekend took its shape from the Transitus — the passing of St. Francis — and from the question the keynotes kept returning to: what the Franciscan tradition has to say about loss, caregiving, and being present to one another. The recordings below are shared so that members who could not travel, and fraternities who want to use them in ongoing formation, can sit with the same material.

Recordings

Keynotes and homilies

Five recordings from the weekend. Each opens on YouTube.

Darleen Pryds speaking on the Friday evening stage.

Friday evening · Keynote I

The Franciscan Path to Resurrection: Living with Loss and Cultivating Authentic Spirituality

Darleen Pryds, PhD

Opens with the welcome and announcements from Regional Minister Ellen Ferrone, OFS, and the introduction by Lynn Oeser, OFS. The keynote closes with the prayer of Fr. Mychal Judge, on the anniversary of September 11.

Darleen Pryds addressing the hall on Saturday morning.

Saturday morning · Keynote II

Telling Jacopa’s Story: a personal account of caregiving and care-receiving

Darleen Pryds, PhD

On storytelling in the Franciscan tradition and on Jacopa dei Settesoli — benefactor, friend, and the woman at Francis’ deathbed. Ends with the question that opened the breakout groups: who do you want to be with you as you are dying?

The Saturday afternoon keynote seen from the back of the hall.

Saturday afternoon · Keynote III

Involuntary Loss and the Franciscan Path

Darleen Pryds, PhD

Elizabeth of Hungary, Peter the Combmaker, Margaret of Cortona and Angela of Foligno — lay Franciscans who met loss with radical hospitality. Includes her closing remarks to the assembly.

Fr. Bill Robinson preaching at the ambo during Saturday Mass.

Saturday · Homily

Homily at the Saturday Eucharist

Fr. Bill Robinson, OFM Conv.

Preached at the Celebration of the Eucharist that also commissioned a new Spiritual Assistant.

Fr. Bob Menard preaching at the ambo during Sunday Mass.

Sunday · Homily

Homily at the closing Eucharist

Fr. Bob Menard, OFM

The Sunday Mass that closed the gathering, opened by the procession of the fraternity banners.

Who led us

Presenters and presiders

Keynote speaker

Darleen Pryds, PhD

Scholar of lay Franciscan spirituality and long-time teacher at the Franciscan School of Theology, where she moved from full-time to part-time teaching in June 2026. She works through teaching, research, retreats and pilgrimages. Biography

Regional Minister

Ellen Ferrone, OFS

Minister of the Brothers and Sisters of Saint Francis Region, which gathers some 26 fraternities across five states. She opened the gathering Friday evening. Regional Minister’s message

Honored guest

Fr. Bill Robinson, OFM Conv.

Conventual Franciscan friar; principal celebrant and homilist at the Saturday Eucharist, at which a new Spiritual Assistant was commissioned.

Regional Spiritual Assistant

Fr. Bob Menard, OFM

Friar in Residence at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center, with pastoral ministry across the East Coast in parish, university, urban and seminary settings. He preached at the closing Mass and led the Spiritual Assistants’ small group. Biography

The weekend

How the three days ran

FridaySeptember 11

5:00 pmWelcome and Evening Prayer — St. Francis of the Hills, Hendersonville
6:45 pmIntroductions — Ellen Ferrone, OFS
7:00 pmKeynote — Darleen Pryds, PhD
7:45 pm9/11 Memorial
8:35 pmChoir practice for cantors and musicians

SaturdaySeptember 12

8:30 amFranciscan Crown Rosary and Morning Prayer — Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Fraternity
9:00 amCelebration of the Eucharist; commissioning of a new Spiritual Assistant; procession to the Eucharistic Chapel
10:45 amKeynote and introduction to the breakout session
1:15 pm“Singing is Praying Twice” sing-along; gleaning bags for the Society of St. Andrew
2:30 pmKeynote with breakout sessions
4:00 pmSmall group meetings — Formation, JPIC, Multicultural, Spiritual Assistants
7:00 pmOffice for the Dead — St. Elizabeth of Hungary Fraternity, Augusta
7:30 pmRecognitions and the Renewal of Commitment for all professed
8:00 pmClosing prayer and meditation — John Edgar, OFS

SundaySeptember 13

8:15 amStations of the Cross — BSSF Spiritual Assistants
9:15 amCelebration of the Eucharist, opened by the procession of the fraternity banners
11:00 amClosing prayer, closing comments, adjournment

From the weekend

Photographs

A fraternity banner carried into the conference hall at Ridgecrest. — Banners arriving — Saints Francis & Clare, Knoxville, among them.

Musicians leading the Saturday afternoon sing-along. — “Singing is Praying Twice” — Saturday afternoon.

A reader at the ambo during the Office for the Dead. — Office for the Dead, in memory of our deceased brothers and sisters.

Spiritual Assistants leading the Stations of the Cross on Sunday morning. — Stations of the Cross, Sunday morning.