The Via Lucis- Stations of the Light

Most are familiar with Via Crucis, but in recent years the Via Lucis has increased in popularity as an Eastertide devotion. The Archdiocese of Toronto put out a guide for the Via Lucis during the Year of St. Paul (2008-2009). It contains a full explanation of the origins of this devotion, as well as a full text of the Via Lucis. 

Click here: Via Lucis

The video summarizes the Stations of the Resurrection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz8zbCbmXNM

Easter Vigil Mass in Rome

Pope Blesses Fire and Candle at Easter Vigil

Pope Francis baptizes new believers at Easter Vigil Mass

Pope Francis on his love for the Eucharist

Franciscan publishing house debuts eBook line on Mideast

The Edizioni Terra Santa, a leading Franciscan publishing house on books on the Holy Land, will be debuting starting Friday a line of eBooks. Its first five eBooks are available starting today.

Read more here: Ansa med

Francis: The Saint and the Pope

Friar Edward Debono, OFM Conventual at St. John the Apostle Church, Kingston, Ontario, Canada shares this:

That's me in the video swinging my cingulum and looking out from the arches.

The crew from the Catholic News Service was here last week.

I spent the morning with them showing them around.

I hope Francis I comes next!!!!

Franciscan Sister's 100th Birthday

Sr. Ann Loyola  recently celebrated her 100 th birthday. She is a member of the   Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement at St. Francis Convent, Graymoor in Garrison, NY., Graymoor in Garrison, NY. A mass and luncheon was held for the sister.

For more information on the  Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement at St. Francis Convent, Graymoor in Garrison, NY. go to this link: http://www.graymoor.org/WelcomeInvitationtoPraywithus..html

For more in

 

Pope Francis Celebrates Chrism Mass

Let us, as Franciscans heed Pope Francis' call to reach out to the poor, the prisoners, the sick and those generally marginalized by our society. This call of service must motivate us to do more to serve those on the "outskirts" as Pope Francis chooses to call it.


POPE FRANCIS

“The Lord will say this clearly: his anointing is meant for the poor, prisoners and the sick, for those who are sorrowing and alone. The ointment is not intended just to make us fragrant, much less to be kept in a jar, for then it would become rancid … and the heart bitter. ”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

This morning I have the joy of celebrating my first Chrism Mass as the Bishop of Rome. I greet all of you with affection, especially you, dear priests, who, like myself, today recall the day of your ordination.

The readings of our Mass speak of God’s “anointed ones”: the suffering Servant of Isaiah, King David and Jesus our Lord. All three have this in common: the anointing that they receive is meant in turn to anoint God’s faithful people, whose servants they are; they are anointed for the poor, for prisoners, for the oppressed… A fine image of this “being for” others can be found in the Psalm: “It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down upon the collar of his robe” (Ps 133:2). The image of spreading oil, flowing down from the beard of Aaron upon the collar of his sacred robe, is an image of the priestly anointing which, through Christ, the Anointed One, reaches the ends of the earth, represented by the robe.

The sacred robes of the High Priest are rich in symbolism. One such symbol is that the names of the children of Israel were engraved on the onyx stones mounted on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, the ancestor of our present-day chasuble: six on the stone of the right shoulder-piece and six on that of the left (cf. Ex 28:6-14). The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were also engraved on the breastplate (cf. Es 28:21). This means that the priest celebrates by carrying on his shoulders the people entrusted to his care and bearing their names written in his heart. When we put on our simple chasuble, it might well make us feel, upon our shoulders and in our hearts, the burdens and the faces of our faithful people, our saints and martyrs of whom there are many in these times…

From the beauty of all these liturgical things, which is not so much about trappings and fine fabrics than about the glory of our God resplendent in his people, alive and strengthened, we turn to a consideration of activity, action. The precious oil which anoints the head of Aaron does more than simply lend fragrance to his person; it overflows down to “the edges”. The Lord will say this clearly: his anointing is meant for the poor, prisoners and the sick, for those who are sorrowing and alone. The ointment is not intended just to make us fragrant, much less to be kept in a jar, for then it would become rancid … and the heart bitter.

A good priest can be recognized by the way his people are anointed. This is a clear test. When our people are anointed with the oil of gladness, it is obvious: for example, when they leave Mass looking as if they have heard good news. Our people like to hear the Gospel preached with “unction”, they like it when the Gospel we preach touches their daily lives, when it runs down like the oil of Aaron to the edges of reality, when it brings light to moments of extreme darkness, to the “outskirts” where people of faith are most exposed to the onslaught of those who want to tear down their faith. People thank us because they feel that we have prayed over the realities of their everyday lives, their troubles, their joys, their burdens and their hopes. And when they feel that the fragrance of the Anointed One, of Christ, has come to them through us, they feel encouraged to entrust to us everything they want to bring before the Lord: “Pray for me, Father, because I have this problem”, “Bless me”, “Pray for me” – these words are the sign that the anointing has flowed down to the edges of the robe, for it has turned into prayer. The prayers of the people of God. When we have this relationship with God and with his people, and grace passes through us, then we are priests, mediators between God and men. What I want to emphasize is that we need constantly to stir up God’s grace and perceive in every request, even those requests that are inconvenient and at times purely material or downright banal – but only apparently so – the desire of our people to be anointed with fragrant oil, since they know that we have it. To perceive and to sense, even as the Lord sensed the hope-filled anguish of the woman suffering from hemorrhages when she touched the hem of his garment. At that moment, Jesus, surrounded by people on every side, embodies all the beauty of Aaron vested in priestly raiment, with the oil running down upon his robes. It is a hidden beauty, one which shines forth only for those faith-filled eyes of the woman troubled with an issue of blood. But not even the disciples – future priests – see or understand: on the “existential outskirts”, they see only what is on the surface: the crowd pressing in on Jesus from all sides (cf. Lk 8:42). The Lord, on the other hand, feels the power of the divine anointing which runs down to the edge of his cloak.
We need to “go out”, then, in order to experience our own anointing, its power and its redemptive efficacy: to the “outskirts” where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight, and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters. It is not in soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord: self-help courses can be useful in life, but to live by going from one course to another, from one method to another, leads us to become pelagians and to minimize the power of grace, which comes alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others, giving what little ointment we have to those who have nothing, nothing at all.

A priest who seldom goes out of himself, who anoints little – I won’t say “not at all” because, thank God, our people take our oil from us anyway – misses out on the best of our people, on what can stir the depths of his priestly heart. Those who do not go out of themselves, instead of being mediators, gradually become intermediaries, managers. We know the difference: the intermediary, the manager, “has already received his reward”, and since he doesn’t put his own skin and his own heart on the line, he never hears a warm, heartfelt word of thanks. This is precisely the reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, become sad priests, lose heart and become in some sense collectors of antiques or novelties – instead of being shepherds living with “the smell of the sheep”, shepherds in the midst of their flock, fishers of men. True enough, the so-called crisis of priestly identity threatens us all and adds to the broader cultural crisis; but if we can resist its onslaught, we will be able to put out in the name of the Lord and cast our nets. It is not a bad thing that reality itself forces us to “put out into the deep”, where what we are by grace is clearly seen as pure grace, out into the deep of the contemporary world, where the only thing that counts is “unction” – not function – and the nets which overflow with fish are those cast solely in the name of the One in whom we have put our trust: Jesus.
Dear lay faithful, be close to your priests with affection and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to God’s heart.

Dear priests, may God the Father renew in us the Spirit of holiness with whom we have been anointed. May he renew his Spirit in our hearts, that this anointing may spread to everyone, even to those “outskirts” where our faithful people most look for it and most appreciate it. May our people sense that we are the Lord’s disciples; may they feel that their names are written upon our priestly vestments and that we seek no other identity; and may they receive through our words and deeds the oil of gladness which Jesus, the Anointed One, came to bring us. Amen.

Tomás Luis de Victoria - O vos omnes

O vos omnes qui transitis per viam,
attendite et videte:
si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus.
Attendite universi populi,
et videte dolorem meum:
si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus.

All you who pass along this way,
take heed and consider
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.
Take heed, all you people, and consider
my sorrow,
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.

Online Lenten Retreat

It might be the last week of Lent but it is never too late to continue intensifying our quest for Christ. Palm Sunday begins a week all about the cross, forgiveness, and the sacrifice Christ made for us. So how will you be living Holy Week? How will you be preparing to understand the mystery of Christ’s cross?

The Colors of the Cross is a great spiritual resource for reflecting upon the meaning of the cross in our lives. Here is what you can look forward to in the The Colors of the Cross, a tool to certainly help you live Holy Week.

Read more at:  http://www.rcspirituality.org/

You can view the Lenten Retreat Guide at this link: Colours of the Cross

and this link: Retreat Guide on the Annunciation

Wednesday March 27th-Pope's First General Audience

Pope Francis said Holy Week is a time for moving beyond a “dull or mechanical” way of living the faith and to bring the joy of Christ to those who are most distant or in need.

 “Holy Week is not so much a time of sorrow, but rather a time to enter into Christ’s way of thinking and acting,” Pope Francis said March 27 at his first general audience.

“It is a time of grace given us by the Lord so that we can move beyond a dull or mechanical way of living our faith, and instead open the doors of our hearts, our lives, our parishes, our movements or associations, going out in search of others so as to bring them the light and the joy of our faith in Christ,” he told the thousands of pilgrims.

Read more here: Pope: General Audience: Comments on Holy Week

There is a video summarizing today's General Audience  at the link below. The full text of the Holy Father's message is also there :

 Pope Francis explains meaning of Holy Week during first general audience

Witness In Sackcloth? Massimo Coppo ~A "Franciscan" From "Assisi"

Who was that mysterious man in sackcloth who was in St. Peter's piazza during the conclave? His name is Massimo Coppo and he came from Assisi where he is a member of a Franciscan community.

By posting this, I am not promoting this individual in any way, but I was curious who this man was when I saw pictures of him at St. Peter's a number of days ago. Whether he is part of a legitimate Franciscan community is open to question.

Despite close ties, pope skipped family barbecues to minister in slums

Even though  Pope Francis is very close to his family, he would often skip their barbecues to spend Sundays or holidays in Buenos Aires’ slums, the pope’s sister said.

“That’s the way he is: totally devoted to the mission of a priest; he is the pastor of the least,” said Maria Elena Bergoglio.

Continued here: The Catholic Review

Maria Elena Bergoglio Receiving Letters from Children

 

Francis: Portrait of the Pope as a young man and as young Jesuit tested in the Dirty War

Just before Christmas 1936, Regina Bergoglio gave birth to her first child, who she named Jorge, which is Spanish for George. As she held her baby boy in the intense sunshine of an Argentinean summer, little did she know that she was nurturing a future Pope.

Continued here: The Path Less Taken

Pope Francis as a Boy

Pope talks about three points during Palm Sunday Homily: Joy, Cross, Youth

Full Text of the Palm Sunday Homily

1. Jesus enters Jerusalem. The crowd of disciples accompanies him in festive mood, their garments are stretched out before him, there is talk of the miracles he has accomplished, and loud praises are heard: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Lk 19:38).

Crowds, celebrating, praise, blessing, peace: joy fills the air. Jesus has awakened great hopes, especially in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the poor, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world. He understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, he has bent down to heal body and soul. Now he enters the Holy City! This is Jesus.This is the heart that looks on all of us, watching our illnesses, our sins. The love of Jesus is great. He enters Jerusalem with this love and watches all of us.


It is a beautiful scene, the light of the love of Jesus, that light of his heart, joy, celebration.

At the beginning of Mass, we repeated all this. We waved our palms, our olive branches, we sang “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Antiphon); we too welcomed Jesus; we too expressed our joy at accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a King: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Jesus is God, but he humbled himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother. Here, he enlightens us on the journey. And so today we welcome Him And here the first word that comes to mind is “joy!” Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy that comes from having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! It is at this time that the enemy comes, the devil comes, often disguised as an angel who insidiously tells us his word. Do not listen to him! We follow Jesus!
We accompany, we follow Jesus, but above all we know that he accompanies us and carries us on his shoulders. This is our joy, this is the hope that we must bring to this world of ours. Let us bring the joy of the faith to everyone! Let us not be robbed of hope! Let us not be robbed of hope! The hope that Jesus gives us!

2. A second word: why does Jesus enter Jerusalem? Or better: how does Jesus enter Jerusalem? The crowds acclaim him as King. And he does not deny it, he does not tell them to be silent (cf. Lk 19:39-40). But what kind of a King is Jesus? Let us take a look at him: he is riding on a donkey, he is not accompanied by a court, he is not surrounded by an army as a symbol of power. He is received by humble people, simple folk, who sense that there is more to Jesus, who have the sense of faith that says, "This is the Savior."
Jesus does not enter the Holy City to receive the honours reserved to earthly kings, to the powerful, to rulers; he enters to be scourged, insulted and abused, as Isaiah foretold in the First Reading (cf. Is 50:6). He enters to receive a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe: his kingship becomes an object of derision. He enters to climb Calvary, carrying his burden of wood. And this brings us to the second word: Cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to die on the Cross. And it is here that his kingship shines forth in godly fashion: his royal throne is the wood of the Cross! I think of what Benedict XVI said to the cardinals: "You are princes but of a Crucified King"that is Christ's throne. Jesus takes it upon himself..why? Why the Cross? Jesus takes upon himself the evil, the filth, the sin of the world, including our own sin, and he cleanses it, he cleanses it with his blood, with the mercy and the love of God. Let us look around: how many wounds are inflicted upon humanity by evil! Wars, violence, economic conflicts that hit the weakest, greed for money, which no-one can bring with him. My grandmother would say to us children, no shroud has pockets! Greed for money, power, corruption, divisions, crimes against human life and against creation! And - each of us knows well - our personal sins: our failures in love and respect towards God, towards our neighbour and towards the whole of creation. Jesus on the Cross feels the whole weight of the evil, and with the force of God’s love he conquers it, he defeats it with his resurrection. This is the good that Christ brings to all of us from the Cross, his throne. Christ’s Cross embraced with love does not lead to sadness, but to joy! The joy of being saved and doing a little bit what he did that day of his death.


3. Today in this Square, there are many young people: for 28 years Palm Sunday has been World Youth Day! This is our third word: youth! Dear young people, I think of you celebrating around Jesus, waving your olive branches. I think of you crying out his name and expressing your joy at being with him! You have an important part in the celebration of faith! You bring us the joy of faith and you tell us that we must live the faith with a young heart, always, even at the age of seventy or eighty.! A young heart! With Christ, the heart never grows old! Yet all of us, all of you know very well that the King whom we follow and who accompanies us is very special: he is a King who loves even to the Cross and who teaches us to serve and to love. And you are not ashamed of his Cross! On the contrary, you embrace it, because you have understood that it is in giving ourselves that we have true joy and that God has conquered evil through love. You carry the pilgrim Cross through all the Continents, along the highways of the world! You carry it in response to Jesus’ call: “Go, make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), which is the theme of World Youth Day this year. You carry it so as to tell everyone that on the Cross Jesus knocked down the wall of enmity that divides people and nations, and he brought reconciliation and peace. Dear friends, I too am setting out on a journey with you, from today, in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II and Benedict XVI. We are already close to the next stage of this great pilgrimage of Christ’s Cross. I look forward joyfully to next July in Rio de Janeiro! I will see you in that great city in Brazil! Prepare well – prepare spiritually above all – in your communities, so that our gathering in Rio may be a sign of faith for the whole world. Young people need to tell the world: "It is good to follow Jesus, it is good to go with Jesus, the message of Jesus is good, it is good to come out of ourselves, from the edges of existence of the world and to bring Jesus to others!"

Three words: Joy, Cross and Youth.

Let us ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary. She teaches us the joy of meeting Christ, the love with which we must look to the foot of the Cross, the enthusiasm of the young heart with which we must follow him during this Holy Week and throughout our lives. Amen.

Rare Used by Franciscan Friars in Florida Displayed at Miami Exhibit

Note: Franciscan priests founded a series of missions in Florida after 1573, mainly along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

“The seal would have been rare even for its time, being perhaps one among only a small handful of such official mission convent seals in the province of Santa Elena de la Florida” - John Worth, Anthropologist University of West Florida

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/23/3300922/rare-seal-used-by-franciscan-friars.html#storylink=cpy

At the dawn of the 18th century, British soldiers and their Native American allies from the Carolina colony descended on Florida determined to eradicate the Spanish presence. The raiders destroyed several Franciscan missions including Santa Catalina de Guale on present-day Amelia Island.

Read more at: The Miami Herald

More information on the Franciscan Missions in Florida may be found at the Faculty Homepage of John Worth at http://www.uwf.edu/jworth/spanfla_friars.htm 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/23/3300922/rare-seal-used-by-franciscan-friars.html#storylink=cpy

It's official: Pope Francis will travel to Brazil to lead World Youth Day in Rio

COCC Newsletter Volume 1, 2013

Our brothers in the OFM Capuchins of Central Canada put out a newsletter, from time to time. The COCC Newsletter Volume 1, 2013 is available at this link. The Secular Franciscans in this region have had a long association with the Capuchins. Let us remember the needs and intentions of the friars and especially offer prayerful support for the postulants and novices in their formation program. Their regional Chapter of Elections is coming up in May 2013, so we will also remember this in our prayers as the date gets closer. Our own Regional Chapter of Elections will be in the Spring of 2014. However, we do have a Fraternity Ministers' Conference coming up in May 2013.

Click here for the COCC Newsletter: Capuchins' of Central Canada Newsletter

A Message From Our Regional Minister

The following may be more pertinent to fraternity councils, but I choose to make it available to all the members of the Oshawa fraternity and all interested parties. It reflects a need to revitalize fraternities in the region and hopefully,  the addition of some new fraternities,  will assist the process. As is the case of many fraternities, the Oshawa fraternity is an aging group and, unless active steps are taken to assure the continuing growth of the fraternity, we could very well disappear from the scene in a few years. We are currently undertaking active steps to assure the growth of the fraternity by participating in a program to encourage new vocations. Let us offer our prayerful support to the Regional Minister and Fraternity, in their endeavours to bring about renewal.

                                                            Paul Nicholls ofs

                                                            Minister

                                                            St. Angela Merici Fraternity

                                                            Oshawa

Greetings in the Lord.

The members of the Trillium Region are privileged in having served the Lord in our part of His vineyard all these years past. Since the last Chapter of Elections the Regional Council together with the local Ministers and Councils adopted the challenge of welding our Fraternities into a single family of Secular Franciscans.
Along with the many opportunities to come together for prayer and praise, we also broke bread together a number of times these past two years.  Ofter the challenge of the large family is to know where growth is evident in local charisms and in candidates. The exemplary work carried on throughout this Region has been fully recognized by the International Fraternity and held out as some of the best examples of the effective work of charity, generosity of time and money and the desire to build a more fraternal world to all Secular Franciscans irrespective of the continent of their residence.
Yet our task is never finished.  To enhance our capacity to ensure our ability to assist in the future our Fraternities need renewal. We are also anticipating in a gentle manner the arrival in due time of new fraternities who may join our Region to assist with the tasks at hand.
For the moment, however, may I invite all Fraternities to indicate by a reasonable time and in a return E-mail the number of current candidates within the local Fraternity. This information is needed to assist us to compile a report to the Ministers indicating our best outlook for the next few years to come and to gauge the needs that may emerge as a result of engaged local leadership action.

May the good Lord reward you kindness in response.

Peace - Les

From the Blog Cardinal Sean O'Malley OFM Capuchin

Cardinal Sean shares his observations and reflections, (from the viewpoint of a Franciscan), on the events of the past week and his photos.

I will be adding a link to his blog and the Oshawa Franciscan.

Posted March 22nd-

Since the election of our new Holy Father I have been in Rome waiting for the feast of St. Joseph and the inaugural Mass. When I left for Rome, we had already made reservations to come back on the 21st, imagining that perhaps St. Joseph’s Day would be the best day for the celebration to inaugurate the Holy Father’s ministry. Still, it is the longest time I have been out of the archdiocese! But, of course, I was in constant contact with the archdiocese by telephone, Skype, and email.

Read more here:  http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2013/03/22/pope-francis-inaugural-mass/

Pope Francis Sends Letter to Jesuit Superior

Three days after beginning his pontificate, Pope Francis sent a letter to the Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr Adolfo Nicolas Pachon. In it the Holy Father responded to the letter that the Superior General had sent to him on learning of the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first Jesuit in the history of the Society of Jesus to be elected Pope.

                                                
                                                              Fr Adolfo Nicolas Pachon

The complete text of the letter is below:

“Dear Fr Nicolas, It is with great joy that I received the kind letter that you sent on behalf of yourself and of the Society of Jesus on the occasion of my election to the See of St Peter, informing me of your prayers for me and my apostolic ministry along with your complete willingness to continue your unconditional service to the Church and to the Vicar of Christ, according to the precepts of St Ignatius of Loyola.”

“I thank you cordially for this token of appreciation and closeness, which I reciprocate with pleasure, asking the Lord to enlighten and accompany all Jesuits so that—faithful to the charism received and the footsteps of the saints of our beloved Order, by their pastoral activity but above all through the witness of lives entirely devoted to the service of the Church, the Bride of Christ—they may be evangelical leaven to the world, tirelessly seeking the glory of God and the good of souls.”

“With these sentiments I ask all Jesuits to pray for me and entrust me to the loving protection of Mary, our Mother in Heaven, while, as a pledge of abundant heavenly favours, I impart with special fondness my Apostolic Blessing, which I also extend to all those who work with the Society of Jesus in their activities, benefit from their good works, and partake of their spirituality.”

EXCLUSIVE EWTN Interview with Pope Francis -- "The Voice of the Pastor"

Reaction of Dominican Sisters as they hear a new Pope has been elected

The Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist were recording an album at De Montfort Music  when they received news "White Smoke". This video captures their excitement as the news is announced.

 

 

Franciscan Family Chaplet

During Holy Week 2010, a Secular Franciscan (Third Order Franciscan) named Nicholas H. Kovacs from the Fraternity of St. Thomas More in Houston, Texas, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to create a chaplet, dedicated to praying for the renewal of the Franciscan order.  The title of this new prayer is “The Franciscan Family Chaplet”.

One SFO member recently wrote: “…In honor of our new Pope Francis, I searched Google for “Franciscan Chaplet”, and found the Chaplet you created!! I would like to make a chaplet for each of the members of my Fraternity…”.

Read more here: http://franciscanchaplet.wordpress.com/ 

 Consider praying the Franciscan Family Chaplet in your fraternity!
There is a blog called "Chaplet Chat"  Check it out at http://en.wordpress.com/tag/chaplet-chat/

Franciscan Family Chaplet

Beginning:

Make the sign of the cross and recite “The Apostle’s Creed” . Then recite the “Hail Mary” three times.

First Decade:

Begin by saying:

St. Francis of Assisi, through your intercession, I pray that the First Order increases in vocations and that its members continue to grow in holiness.

Then recite the “Our Father” and recite ten times the following:

My God and my all!

Second Decade:

Begin by saying:

St. Francis of Assisi, through your intercession, I pray that the Second

Order increases in vocations and that its members continue to grow in holiness.

Then recite the “Our Father” and recite ten times the following:

My God and my all!

Third Decade:

Begin by saying: 

St. Francis of Assisi, through your intercession, I pray that the Third Order, both Regular and Secular, increases in vocations and that its members continue to grow in holiness.

”

Then recite the “Our Father” and recite ten times the following:

My God and my all!

Conclusion:

End by reciting one time:

We adore You, O Lord Jesus Christ, because by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.

Say the “Glory Be” three times for the intentions of the Pope and his continued holiness.

Make the sign of the cross.

Nihil Obstat:

Dr. Sandra Magie, Ph.D.,S.T.D

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur:

+ Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Archbishop of Galveston – Houston

August 19, 2011

March 23rd- 23 St. Catherine of Genoa, Third Order Secular Franciscan.

"Since I began to love, love has never forsaken me. It has ever grown to its own fullness within my innermost heart." 

Our catechesis today deals with Saint Catherine of Genoa, a fifteenth-century saint best known for her vision of purgatory. Married at an early age, some ten years later Catherine had a powerful experience of conversion; Jesus, carrying his cross, appeared to her, revealing both her own sinfulness and God's immense love. A woman of great humility, she combined constant prayer and mystical union with a life of charitable service to those in need, above all in her work as the director of the largest hospital in Genoa. Catherine's writings on purgatory contain no specific revelations, but convey her understanding of purgatory as an interior fire purifying the soul in preparation for full communion with God. Conscious of God's infinite love and justice, the soul is pained by its inadequate response, even as the divine love purifies it from the remnants of sin. To describe this purifying power of God's love, Catherine uses the image of a golden chain which draws the soul to abandon itself to the divine will. By her life and teaching, Saint Catherine of Genoa reminds us of the importance of prayer for the faithful departed, and invites us to devote ourselves more fully to prayer and to works of practical charity.

Pope Benedict XVI Summary of Wednesday Catechesis on Saint Catherine of Genoa

Vatican City State, January 12th, 2011

More at Franciscan Wiki at this link: http://wiki.franciscanweb.com/wiki/Catherine_of_Genoa 

Also of interest:Saint Catherine of Genoa Treatise on Prayer at this link- Treatise

 

Jesus in your heart! Eternity in your mind! The will of God in all your actions! But above all, love, God’s love, entire love!
- St. Catherine of Genoa

Pope Francis Meets Benedict: We Are Brothers

The two men in white embraced and showed one another the deference owed a pope in ways that surely turned Vatican protocol upside down: A reigning pope telling a retired one, "We are brothers," and insisting that they pray side-by-side during a date to discuss the future of the Catholic Church.

Read more here: Associated Press 


(ROMEREPORTS.com) (VIDEO ONLY) On Saturday afternoon, Pope Francis met with Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI for the very first time. The meeting was both moving and historic.

See the video at this link: Visit

Franciscan Austerity: New Pope Could Help with Global Deleveraging

"Francis took his papal name from the saint who sought enlightenment through poverty, Francis of Assisi. He will no doubt remind the world that finance shouldn't get in the way of higher duties."   - Business Standard

Pope Francis has more pressing concerns than excess leverage in the global financial system. Yet the new leader of the Catholic Church has both the experience and the principles to help overcome the current debates on austerity versus stimulus.

Read more here: Business Standard

Pope Francis Changes 'throne' for a White Chair

Address of Pope Francis to the Dilplomatic Corps Given This Day Friday March 22nd

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Heartfelt thanks to your Dean, Ambassador Jean-Claude Michel, for the kind words that he has addressed to me in the name of everyone present. It gives me joy to welcome you for this exchange of greetings: a simple yet deeply felt ceremony, that somehow seeks to express the Pope’s embrace of the world. Through you, indeed, I encounter your peoples, and thus in a sense I can reach out to every one of your fellow citizens, with their joys, their troubles, their expectations, their desires.

Your presence here in such numbers is a sign that the relations between your countries and the Holy See are fruitful, that they are truly a source of benefit to mankind. That, indeed, is what matters to the Holy See: the good of every person upon this earth! And it is with this understanding that the Bishop of Rome embarks upon his ministry, in the knowledge that he can count on the friendship and affection of the countries you represent, and in the certainty that you share this objective. At the same time, I hope that it will also be an opportunity to begin a journey with those few countries that do not yet have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, some of which were present at the Mass for the beginning of my ministry, or sent messages as a sign of their closeness – for which I am truly grateful.

As you know, there are various reasons why I chose the name of Francis of Assisi, a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just.

But there is another form of poverty! It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the "tyranny of relativism", which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.

One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is Pontiff, that is, a builder of bridges with God and between people. My wish is that the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced! My own origins impel me to work for the building of bridges. As you know, my family is of Italian origin; and so this dialogue between places and cultures a great distance apart matters greatly to me, this dialogue between one end of the world and the other, which today are growing ever closer, more interdependent, more in need of opportunities to meet and to create real spaces of authentic fraternity.

In this work, the role of religion is fundamental. It is not possible to build bridges between people while forgetting God. But the converse is also true: it is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people. Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam. At the Mass marking the beginning of my ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world. And it is also important to intensify outreach to non-believers, so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail, but rather the desire to build true links of friendship between all peoples, despite their diversity.

Fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges: these, as it were, are the reference points for a journey that I want to invite each of the countries here represented to take up. But it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours. Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis, who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.

Dear Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you again for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour. May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent. Thank you!

Personal Note: As Secular Franciscans let us pray for those who suffer not only from material poverty, but those who suffer from spiritual poverty. They may be our neighbours, members of our community, members of our own family. In some respects, those who suffer spiritual poverty, from the tyranny of relativism may be worse off than those who suffer from material poverty. As the saying goes  "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26.

 As Secular Franciscans let us also strive to follow the example of the Holy Father in being bridge builders by fostering and promoting friendship and fraternity between all people.

 Let us also continue our efforts for protection of the environment by our example and actions.

God, makes us instruments of your peace.

                                                                    Pax et bonum

St. Francis of Assisi Took Amazing Twists, Turns

 "In today's vocabulary, the life and work of Francis of Assisi would be considered both unconventional and innovative." -  Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart

The director of the Vatican Press Office has noted that the pope's choice of the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, strongly recalls the saint's evangelical spirituality and radical poverty.

Click here for the article: St. Louis Review

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic Visits Franciscan Monastery On Visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic on Wednesday morning arrived at the Franciscan monastery in Kraljeva Sutjeska, 30 kilometres north of the capital of Sarajevo, which was the first stop of his two-day working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

To read the article, click here: Visit of Croatian President

March 22nd- St. Benvenute of Osimo, Priest, First Order

The holy prelate Saint Benvenute of Osimo was born at Ancona, of the distinguished family of the Scotivoli. He studied theology and law at the University of Bologna. After his return to Ancona and his ordination to the holy priesthood, the bishop made him archdeacon or auxiliary in the administration of the diocese, because of his eminent knowledge and striking virtues. In this capacity he rendered such remarkable service to the Church that the attention of Pope Urban IV was drawn to him, and the Holy Father believed that he could find no more capable person to whom he could entrust the administration of the diocese of Osimo.

Read more  here: http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/saint-benvenute-of-osimo.html

The Oshawa Fraternity's Connection to Secular Franciscans in the Philippines

Below are pictures sent from our friend and former fraternity member, Josie De Los Reyes in the Philippines. These pictures were taken at a recent SFO Lenten Recollection jointly held at the SFO Regional Formation Center  with a group of retired employees from the College of the Immaculate Conception. I am not certain, but it may be in Gapan City.

Josie is on the far right of the picture. Second from the right was the guest speaker at the Lenten Recollection, a CFIC sister. Third from the right is  Delia Villaflor ofs, the Regional Minister. Fourth from the right is Ellen Benito ofs, the local fraternity minister at Gapan City.

 I hope to be in contact with Regional MinisterDelia Villaflor ofs, soon, for some fraternal sharing.

Below other pictures from the Secular Franciscan Lenten Recollection.

 

 

 

Pope will celebrate Holy Thursday Mass in a juvenile detention center, instead of Vatican

Pope Francis breaks the mould again with ceremony at prison instead of St Peter's

Pope Francis, whose spontaneity has already earned him the nickname "the unpredictable Pope", will break with tradition again when he holds a major ceremony in a prison chapel rather than in St Peter's. 

Read more at this link: The Telegraph

The real winner of the 2013 conclave: St. Francis of Assisi

Although 76-year-old Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires was the one who stepped out onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square clad in white Wednesday night, there's a good argument that the real winner of the 2013 conclave wasn't in Rome, and wasn't even alive to see the result.

In effect, the landslide winner was actually St. Francis of Assisi!!

Read more here at this link: National Catholic Reporter

Young Franciscan friar killed by the military during Argentina's Dirty War could become first beatified person under Pope Francis' reign

A young Franciscan monk, who was kidnapped and killed by the military during Argentina’s dirty war of the late 1970s, could be the first person beatified under the reign of Pope Francis, it emerged today.

Read more here at this link: Beatification

Mercy. The First Encyclical of Pope Francis

The first major encyclical by Francis is a Sunday sermon that lasted a matter of minutes. The new Pope speaks off the cuff from the Ambon of the small parish church of Saint Anne, inside the Vatican walls: "The message of Jesus is mercy. For me, I say this humbly, it is the Lord’s most powerful message".

Read more here: Vatican Insider

Following in the Footsteps of Francis of Assisi

"So, will Pope Francis  do as his spiritual predecessor, St. Francis of Assisi,  and wage a veritable war for greater austerity inside the Church, requiring its highest authorities to set the example, both inside and outside the Church?" - Adrian Salbuchi

Read more of this in an article entitled " Francis I: The ‘End of the World’ Pope" written by Adrian Salbuchi who  is a political analyst, author, speaker and radio/TV commentator in Argentina.

Click here: http://rt.com/op-edge/francis-pope-end-world-496/

Cardinal Cipriani: Pope is a man of prayer, but also a strong decision maker

In 2012 interview, Pope Francis (then-Cardinal Bergoglio) reveals secret of celibacy

The following is an excerpt of that dialogue, in which then-Cardinal Bergoglio reveals the secret to living celibacy happily:
 
 
Bergoglio: When I was a seminarian, I was dazzled by a girl I met at an uncle's wedding. I was surprised by her beauty, her intellectual brilliance... and, well, I was bowled over for quite a while. I kept thinking and thinking about her. When I returned to the seminary after the wedding, I could not pray for over a week because when I tried to do so, the girl appeared in my head. I had to rethink what I was doing. I was still free because I was a seminarian, so I could have gone back home and that was it.  I had to think about my choice again. I chose again – or let myself be chosen by – the religious path. It would be abnormal for this kind of thing not to happen.

Read the whole article here: http://www.aleteia.org/en/religion/documents/in-2012-interview-cardinal-bergoglio-says-he-favors-keeping-celibacy-582001

March 20th- Blessed John of Parma, Priest, First Order

Blessed John of Parma (1209-1289) was born at Parma. He studied and taught philosophy and known to be a devoted man to the Lord. Sensing the Lord's call to serve Him more intensely, John entered the newly founded Friars Minor, the group that followed Saint Francis of Assisi. Completing his theological studies John was ordained priest and taught theology at Bologna, Naples and eventually in Rome. Father John was sent to the Council of Lyons in 1245.

In 1247, Father John was elected the 7th minister general of the Franciscans, an election presided over by Pope Innocent IV, who thought very highly of Father John. John set in motion several initiatives to keep the friars focussed on the mission of Francis and his spirit looking keenly on poverty and humility as hallmarks of the Franciscan way of living the Gospel.

Father John was sent as a papal legate to Constantinople in an attempt healed the schism between Catholics and the Greek Orthodox. He had limited success.

Our peripatetic friar died on March 19, 1289 and his feast is kept on March 20. Father John was beatified in 1777.

Also read more here: John of Parma

CNN Poll Indicates Strong Support for Pope Francis

American Catholics are very enthusiastic about Pope Francis, as indicated in a CNN poll.

Read more here: CNN Poll Indicates Strong Support for Pope Francis

More Active

After a short hiatus, this blog will become more active providing updates with what is going on in the Secular Franciscan Order on an International, Regional and Local level.

The Connection with the Philippines

As Minister of the Fraternity I am keeping in touch with one of our former members who returned to the Philippines. I spoke extensively with her last night. There are hopes of making contact with other SFO members and the possible twinning of our fraternity with one in the Philippines. The purpose of such twinning would involve the sharing of information and the prayerful support of each others' apostolates and work. Hopefully, this may be achieved in the near future.

Our prayers are with all the Secular Franciscans in the Philippines and with the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

A Summary of Upcoming Regional and Fraternity Activities

Dates of Upcoming Events

1) Defund Abortion Rally Tuesday March 19th, 2013 from 12 to 2 pm at Queens Park.

2) Next regional meeting is on Saturday April 27th, 2013 at St. Raphael church in Burlington.

3) Regional Ministers' Meeting Saturday May 11th, 2013 at the Queen of the Apostles Retreat
Centre, Mississauga

4) Women of the Word 4th Annual Forum Sunday May 15th, 2013 10 am to 2:30 pm in Concord
Ontario Theme: Women and Choices

5) Mini Regional Meeting Belleville, Kingston and Oshawa Fraternities at the Holy Rosary
Church in Belleville for Saturday October 5, 2013

6) National Spiritual Conference that will be held in Loretteville, QC from October 25-27, 2013

7) The Regional Chapter of Elections is scheduled for the spring of 2014

Updater

The following is a letter from the CIOFS presidency regarding the election and installation of Pope Francis.

It is available at this link: letter from the International Fraternity

The Good News Report of our Ontario Regional Fraternity dated February (Winter) 2013  is available at this link:  Good News Report


The following letter was from the Regional Minister to the Fraternity Minister, but here it is available for all to read, so you can be updated on activities in the Region.

From Our Regional Minister, Les Alberti ofs

The Regional Chapter of Elections is scheduled for the spring of 2014. Presently we are aligning our schedule with the National Council to prevent a conflict of activities. Once a date is settled upon we will provide you advance information. To assist with the smooth work of the Chapter a committee has been struck to start the planning process. In the mean time we are asking Fraternities to discuss the potential of qualified members to run for office at the regional level. It is a distinct privilege to serve at any level of the Order but especially at the Regional level. Nomination form will be made available in due time.

Local Fraternity News

Elections

An election of local Council took place at Mount Alverno Fraternity this January. We congratulate the new Council. An election is being held at Immaculate Conception Fraternity today.

Upcoming elections are scheduled for St. Padre Pio Fraternity on April 5^thand the St. Joseph the Worker Fraternity on April 9. Three further local elections are scheduled for later in the year.

Formal Fraternity Visitation

The Regional Council has invited all local fraternities to provide a date most suitable for a formal visitation – due every three years – in keeping with the requirements of the General Constitution.

The Region received a few invitations, and we thank you for them. However the majority of Fraternities have not yet responded to this call. Given the rapidly filling up of our calendars will appoint a date for formal visit if we did not hear further from you by the end of March. At these meetings with your Fraternity we will discuss your experiences and review your records. The Region pays for the cost of these visits. We will, however, ask you to complete a pre-visit report in advance of a representative showing up.

New Fraternities and discernments

Fr. Peter advised us of discussions he was having with members of the First and Third Orders about the potential of one or two new fraternities joining the Trillium Regional Fraternity in the not too distant future. These events are still somewhat tentative and so we ask for your prayers.

We are also to pray for the reestablishment of the Blenheim Fraternity. Currently members are attending at the St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity in Sarnia if they can make it in winter, etc. At the same time we hope to locate the re-establishment document for this fraternity. Our sincere thanks go to Sylvia and Maurice Lauzon for the time in support of their fraternity and for the research on documents.

Similarly we pray for the St. Francis and St. Clare Fraternity in Scarborough and the Mary Queen of Peace Fraternity in Carlsruhe whose leadership is in the discernment stage on the merits of on-going fraternal activities. New membership applicants and aspiring new leadership support would be most welcomed by them.

Our next regional meeting is on April 27 at St. Raphael church in Burington. Peace - Les