FALL RIVER — All are welcome to attend the 2025 Fall River Deanery Lenten Mission to take place from Monday, March 31, through Thursday, April 3, with two sessions daily.

Father Stan Fortuna, a Franciscan Friar, musician and preacher, will lead the mission, focusing his talks on its theme of “The Fire of Love Rekindles Our Hope!”

There will be two opportunities each day for the faithful to take part:

Midday Session

  • Confessions: 11:15-11:45 a.m.
  • Mass & Mission: 12 noon
  • Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
    327 Second St., Fall River, MA 02721

 Evening Session

  • Confessions: 6:00-6:45 p.m.
  • Mass & Mission: 7 p.m.
  • Bishop Connolly High School Auditorium
    373 Elsbree St., Fall River, MA 02720
Fr. Stan Fortuna, CFR
(source Wikimedia Commons)

Father Fortuna is one of eight founding members of the Community of the Franciscan Friars in New York City and is assigned to the work of preaching full-time. He travels extensively across the country and around the world celebrating Mass, giving talks, and performing concerts with any proceeds going to support his religious community’s hands-on work with poor and underprivileged families. Prior to his becoming a priest, he was a professional jazz musician.

In 1987, Father Stan founded the non-profit Franciscan Productions in the Bronx, NY., which mixes message and music. According to its website, its goal is to be fruitful in sustaining St. John Paul II’s call for a new evangelization in the Church and world by producing contemporary Catholic Christian music, books, and apparel. He has since released over twenty-one music albums/CDs in various genres as well as DVDs and books.

John Kearns
John Kearns