The Franciscan Lay Apostolate (F.L.A.)

 

Apostolicam Actuositatem is the Second Vatican Council's Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. It defines the mission of the lay Christian faithful to both "lead non-believers to the faith and to instruct, strengthen, and encourage the faithful to a more fervent life". The Franciscan Lay Apostolate is made up of laypeople and consecrated religious who exercise a ministry in cooperation with the Catholic Church, whose organizations cooperate with ecclesiastical authorities. They operate "under the direction of her pastors" but are not members of the official Church hierarchy nor in Holy Orders.

Apostolates operate with the permission of the local Ordinary of a Diocese, but without material support.

The Franciscan Lay Apostolate is currently under the direction of Fra Chris Dickson, F.L.A. Along with his staff, the F.L.A. works to foster the spread of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, and helps to raise the dignity of people's lives by imitating Jesus Christ.

Contact information:

Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center
P.O. Box 34
Jerusalem, Ohio 43747

 

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Portiuncula Chapel Completed at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Ozark, Ohio

Photo of the completed Portiuncula Chapel in Ozark, Ohio

After nearly 12 years of fund raising and collecting cut sand stones, the Portiuncula Chapel was finally completed and dedicated on October 4th, 2024, on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. The cut sandstones were hand-cut by my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Johnnie Burkhard in the early 1800's for the foundations of the barn, garage, chicken coops and a tobacco house. 

A special thanks goes out to Bishop Robert Daniel Conlon of Steubenville who in 2010 gave us permission to build this chapel as well as giving us permission to conduct "Come To The Quiet" Retreats on our property.

The original church was built just north of this site on October 21, 1875 after my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Johnnie Burkhard donated 5 acres to the Catholic Church for a cemetery. The church was razed on September 17, 1999 and the parishioners divided up the contents of the church at that time. 

Photo of the Altar inside the Portiuncula Chapel in Ozark, Ohio

Portiuncula (the Little Portion in Italian)

The Portiuncula, located in Jerusalem, Ohio, in the Diocese of Steubenville, is home to the Franciscan Lay Apostolate. We are humbly committed to imitating the Gospel life of Christ, and observing the Sacraments. Placing ourselves under strict and holy obedience to the Bishop of Steubenville, the Magisterium, and Father Nick Ward, we follow the Medieval Penitential First Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis, dated 1221 A.D.

"Make me a channel of your peace." 

~ St. Francis of Assisi

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Portiuncula Altar Jerusalem, Ohio

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The Altar itself weighs over 1,000 pounds while the two legs weigh about 600-700 pounds. 

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The First Mass At Ozark’s Portiuncula

Father Nicholas Ward leads a mass Friday, Oct. 4 at the recently completed chapel in Ozark.

The doors stood wide open at the small, curious stone building next to the old Catholic Cemetery in Ozark Friday, Oct. 4.

Passers by peered in as they drove past. Some making two trips to make sure they saw what they thought they saw on the first pass.

Insects buzzed in an out the open doors, trying to decide between the sunshine and the stone interior.

Candles flickered in the breeze as some of the small group inside knelt in front of their wooden chairs. Others respectfully remained seated.

The sunshine, the breeze, the cars going past at varied intervals, even the creatures small, all blended together with the little, now complete stone building, creating a modest, yet holy atmosphere.

The atmosphere was the completion of Fra. Chris Dickson’s vision of a recreation the modest chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Portiuncula.

As vehicles passed by on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road and the sun looked down on the nearby Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Father Nicholas Ward held the first mass at the completed chapel, on a day that was surprisingly fitting as the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi.

Father Ward welcomed the small crowd, including Dickson and Denny Ward, of Ward Construction, who, along with his son Brock, were instrumental in designing and building the small stone chapel.

Only one day before Father Ward spoke what was likely the first bit of Latin in the area since the old Immaculate Conception Church was closed in 1981, the final touches were put on the chapel, including the hanging of the 500-pound doors, crafted by Emery Weaver.

And finally, Dickson got to see his vision in all its glory. While modest, Dickson sees it for what it is – a great accomplishment, one that he was unsure he’d see a few months ago after being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and given only 6 months to live.

“It’s beyond what I ever saw,” Dickson said.

Entering the small chapel, the fine details come to light, the small windows that allow just so much light on other side, the stained glass windows behind the stone alter, created with the same stones used to build the chapel. All of it pieced together to create something small, yet remarkable.

“There were no blueprints,” Dickson said. “I’m dumbfounded. It’s so great.”

Father Ward was honored and pleased to be able to share in the moment.

“It’s exciting because he (Dickson) did all this his self. It was his prerogative,” Father Ward said.

In a way, Dickson was imitating St. Francis, as his building was imitating St. Francis’ chapel. A modest man creating a modest chapel for a modest community and a modest purpose.

But for that first mass, as the candles shone and the doors stood wide open for all to see, the modest chapel was as great as any cathedral ever built – at least for Dickson.

At that moment he prayed, thanking the Lord for giving him the time to see his vision come to completion, and asking for the opportunity to celebrate another mass there in the future.

But whether that comes to pass or not, Dickson was able to look on his chapel and see that it was done.

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