Torture is a Moral Issue - A message from our national JPIC Chair

Advent greetings of peace, dear Family!

I pray this finds you well and filled with the Lord’s peace in this week of honoring our dear Mother Mary. What I most love about our Blessed Mother is not only her YES to God to bear the Messiah, but also her love of justice. During her visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, she uttered the prayer of her ancestors, the Magnificat. She prayed for justice for those who were considered the lowest, the poorest and the most vulnerable. As Franciscans, this too is our prayer. We must collectively echo the words of our
Continue reading: Torture is a Moral Issue – A message from our national JPIC Chair

JPIC News -- December 2014

The Longest Night, Waiting in the Darkness

Our Lutheran Brothers and Sisters invited our fraternity to participate in their “Longest Night” service last December. We are again invited on December 21st at 7:00 p.m. to Messiah Lutheran Church, Cape May Court House, to be with people who are not so very merry at Christmas, those who have lost a love one, those who have a child who is on drugs, whose marriage is on the rocks, those who can find little enthusiasm for the Charlie Brown Christmas Show or the endless Lifetime movies about having a happy ending by the
Continue reading: JPIC News — December 2014

From the Heart of our Minister - December, 2014

Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,

PEACE to each of your hearts!

The season of the sleeping seed seems to be in turmoil since the temperatures expected for this time of year are not what they should be – one day it’s warm, the next it’s cold, the next it’s tepid, the next it’s frigid – what’s a ground … or a weeping willow … supposed to do?!

I guess there are many theories in response to this question – far more sophisticated than I can come up with – but I would say that,
Continue reading: From the Heart of our Minister – December, 2014

Fr. Francis' Reflections - December, 2014

December 2014

Let us desire nothing else, let us wish for nothing else,

let nothing else please us and cause us delight,

except our Creator and Redeemer and Savior,

the one true God, Who is fullness of Good,

all Good, every Good, the true and Supreme Good,

Who alone is merciful and gentle, delectable and sweet,

Who alone is holy, just and true, holy and right,

Who alone is kind, innocent, pure,

from Whom and through
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Fr. Francis' Greetings - December, 2014

December 2014

Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,

May the Infant Jesus grant your heart the Peace you desire.

May His Star enlighten your mind with the splendor of His Truth.

May His Love consume your heart so that it beats solely for Him.

God’s Word for the first Sunday in Advent speaks of the Lord’s unexpected return to close the experience of time and opens for us the reality of eternity. The Scripture passages for this Sunday may have different effects on those who read them. Some may
Continue reading: Fr. Francis’ Greetings – December, 2014

Thoughts of your Regional Formation Director - December, 2014

“THE JOY OF SAYING YES”

Servant Leadership In the Secular Franciscan Order

Brothers and Sisters, after reading the article in TAU USA written by our National Minister Tom Bello, OFS, I could not help but think of my journey and also others who have served for a long time.

When you think of those who say “No” to leadership in fraternity election after election, I ask where is the Holy Spirit if we by our faith, at our Baptism, have been called to Holiness – a deeper relationship with God and the realization that
Continue reading: Thoughts of your Regional Formation Director – December, 2014