By Rachel Konieczny
News Editor
St. Bonaventure University has begun planning for the 800th anniversary of the birth of Saint Bonaventure, according to Ludwig Brunner.
Brunner, the executive director of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, said planning for the centenary needs to begin a year and a half to two years ahead of time.
“The centerpiece of the celebrations will be a new Mass composed especially for St. Bonaventure University,” Brunner said. “A very prominent Italian conductor-composer is writing this Mass as a gift to St. Bonaventure University.”
Brunner said he could not share details of the Mass at this time.
Brunner said Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., will head the planning committee, which has not been formed yet.
Fr. Francis Di Spigno, O.F.M. said talk about the Mass started in April 2015.
“We will certainly be using this as an opportunity to talk about who was the person of St. Bonaventure—Giovanni di Fidanza—who was the man, what was his influence on Franciscan spirituality and on the order itself,” Fr. Francis said. “Some have referred to him as the second founder of the Franciscans. He was and historically is a very important and influential person within the order.”
Fr. Francis said 1217, the birth year of Bonaventure, is disputed.
“Everybody knows Francis; everybody knows Saint Anthony,” Fr. Francis said. “People probably have heard the name Saint Bonaventure, but I suspect a majority of them who do are referencing a basketball event, perhaps not necessarily the man nor his contributions to [the Franciscan faith].”
Brunner said planning will be finished by December and the centenary will take place on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017.
koniecrc14@bonaventure.edu
