The Next Three Years – April 2016

My dear Brothers and Sisters, peace and Easter joy! This is my first post as the elected Regional Minister. Thank you for your confidence in my ability to be your servant for the next three years. It is not easy to follow our Sister, Mattie Ward, OFS, who has served for the last 9 years as Regional Minister. I cannot follow in her footsteps, I can only bring my own footsteps to the job. I’m sure I will make mistakes, I’m sure I will falter, but I am also sure I will do my very best to be here for
Continue reading: The Next Three Years – April 2016

Easter Joy

Brothers and Sisters, May the peace of the Risen Christ be with you all!

Moving forward as Regional Formation Director it is my privilege to serve you once again. I will continue to visit fraternities and ask that if you have any suggestions I am available for you. For instance, if you would like me to prepare Ongoing formation when I visit, I can do that or simply walk you through the phases of formation.

I was speaking to someone who finds it difficult using all the information in the grid going across the page. You are only to pick
Continue reading: Easter Joy – April 2016

St. Katharine Drexel Region Chapter of Elections

Secular Franciscans from all corners of the SKD Region gathered at the beautiful St. Francis Retreat House in Easton for a Chapter of Election. After much prayerful preparation and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, representatives from the local fraternities and the regional leadership elected a new Regional Executive Council:

Minister: Kate Kleinert, OFS Vice Minister: Gretchen Bienkowski, OFS Formation Director: Rose Viragh, OFS Secretary: Frank Urso, OFS Treasurer: Stephanie Wiecer, OFS Councillor at Large: Lee Potts, OFS Councillor at Large: Ted Bienkowski, OFS

Our Spiritual Assistants Bro. Larry Hilferty, TOR and Fr. Francis Sariego, OFM Cap. automatically continue
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DAILY REFLECTIONS FROM FR. FRANCIS – MARCH, 2016

March 2016

All-powerful God,

everlasting, just and good,

of ourselves we are nothing but poverty;

but grant, for your own sake,

that we may do what we know is your will,

and always desire what is pleasing to you…

Amen.

(Conclusion of the Letter to the Entire Order)

Following are daily excerpts taken from various Franciscan writings; Daily meditative phrases from various sources

1

His sermons were not vain and shallow but they were filled with them power of the holy Spirit
Continue reading: DAILY REFLECTIONS FROM FR. FRANCIS – MARCH, 2016

FROM THE DESK OF FR. FRANCIS – MARCH, 2016

March 2016

Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,

The Risen Christ bless you with His peace!

In his ‘Letter to All the Faithful’, St. Francis writes: And as His Passion was near, … He placed His will in the will of His Father, saying: Father, let Your will be done; not as I will, but as you will. His Father’s will was such that His blessed and glorious Son, Whom He gave to us and Who was born for us, should offer Himself through His own blood as a sacrifice and oblation on the altar of
Continue reading: FROM THE DESK OF FR. FRANCIS – MARCH, 2016

Thoughts from your Regional Formation Director

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Lent! Oh happy fault, oh necessary sin of Adam. The last time I checked sin wasn’t a good thing. As Franciscans we are mindful of our weaknesses and we tend to separate ourselves from God. We must begin again and what a better time now during this season to seek a heart of conversion and transformation so we can become better Franciscans.

The scripture reference in Corinthians should inspire each of us “God choses the weak, to shame the proud.” We know that fraternity is a privileged place, “a community of love.” It should encourages
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We Are Chosen

I’ve been thinking about Judas a lot this Lent. Don’t ask me why….I have no clue. I’m assuming there is a lesson in there that God wants me to learn. But again….I have no clue.

So I have just tried to think in general about Judas. If the story of the Last Supper were a cowboy movie, Judas would be the one wearing the black hat and we would know he is the villain. If the Last Supper were an old black and white movie, Judas would be the one with the slicked down hair, the prim mustache and goatee
Continue reading: From the Heart of the Minister March 2016