St. Katherine Drexel Regional Fraternity
Regional Spiritual Assistant
St. Francis of Assisi Friary
1901 Prior Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
tel: (302) 798-1454 fax: (302) 798-3360 website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com
August 2026
I come, O Lord, unto Your sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul.
As I hope in You, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Your holy mountain.
Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to You,
that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Your majesty;
that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thine infinite love;
that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries here renewed every day,
and that the sacrifice of my whole being may accompany Thine.
What you hold may you always hold.
What you do, may you always do and never abandon.
But with swift pace, light step and unswerving feet,
so that even your steps stir up no dust,
Go forward, the spirit of our God has called you
St. Clare of Assisi – Prayer and Gentle Reminder
Excerpts from Franciscan Sources – Assisi Compilation #111- #115
Daily quotes from sayings of various writers
110 – HE IS CONSOLED AT THE PORTIUNCULA BY SISTER CRICKET
1 – One time during summer blessed Francis was at that same place and he stayed in the last cell next to the hedge of the garden behind the house, where, after his death, Brother Raineri, the gardener, stayed. It happened that one day, as he came down from that little cell, there was a cricket within on the branch of the fig tree next to that cell, and he could touch it.
– Peace. This word sums up every good to which every person and every human society aspires.
2 – Stretching out his hand, he said: “Sister Cricket, come to me.” The cricket immediately climbed onto the fingers of his hand, and with a finger of his other hand, he began to touch it, saying: “Sing, my Sister Cricket.” It obeyed him at once and began to chirp. This consoled blessed Francis greatly and he praised God. He held it in his hand that way for more than an hour. Afterward he put it back on the branch of the fig tree from which he had taken it.
– There is much that we can do to benefit the poor, the needy and those who suffer, and to favor justice, promote reconciliation and build peace.
3 – And in the same way, for eight days constantly, when he came down from the cell, he found it in the same place. And daily he would take it in his hand, and as soon as he told it to sing, touching it, it sang. After eight days, he said to his companions: “Let us give permission to our sister cricket to go where she wants. She has consoled us enough; and the flesh might vainglory from this.”
– God judges us by loving us. If I embrace His love then I am saved, if I refuse it, then I am condemned, not by Him, but my own self, because God never condemns, He only loves and saves.
4 – As soon as it had received permission, the cricket went away and never appeared there again. His companions admired how obedient and tame she was to him.
– Freedom is given to us so that we know how to make good decisions in life.
5 – Blessed Francis found so much joy in creatures because of love of the Creator, to console him in his inner and outer self, that the Lord made even those that are wild to people become tame to him.
– I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.
111 – HE ENDURES THE COLD IN A HERMITAGE NEAR RIETI BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE A MODEL TO THE OTHER BROTHERS
6 – At one time blessed Francis was staying at the hermitage of Sant’Eleuterio, near the town of Condigliano in the district of Rieti. Since he was wearing only one tunic, one day because of the extreme cold, and out of great necessity, he patched his tunic and that of his companion with scraps of cloth on the inside, so that his body began to be comforted a little.
– God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.
7 – A short while afterwards, when he was returning from prayer one day, he said with great joy to his companion: “I must be the form and example of all the brothers; so, although it is necessary for my body to have a tunic with patches, nevertheless I must take into consideration my brothers who have the same need, but perhaps do not and cannot have this.
– Even if the life of a person has been a disaster… God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life.
8 – Therefore, I must stay down with them, and I must suffer those same necessities they suffer so that in seeing this, they may be able to bear them more patiently.”
– Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others, and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others.
9 – We who were with him could not say how many and how great were the necessities that he denied his body in food and clothing, to give good example to the brothers and so that they would endure their necessities in greater patience. At all times, especially after the brothers began to multiply and he resigned the office of prelate, blessed Francis had as his highest and principal goal to teach the brothers more by actions than by words what they ought to do and what they ought to avoid.
– Love is more powerful, love gives life, love makes hope blossom in the wilderness.
112 – HE IS SADDENED BY THE BROTHERS’ BAD EXAMPLE; THE LORD ASKS: “TELL ME, WHO FOUNDED THE ORDER OF THE BROTHERS?”
10 – Noticing and hearing at one time that some brothers were giving a bad example in religion and that the brothers were turning aside from the highest summit of their profession, moved inwardly with sorrow of heart, one time he said to the Lord in prayer: “Lord I give back to you the family You gave me.”
– All it takes is one good person to restore hope.
11 – And the Lord said to him: “Tell me, why are you so upset when one of the brothers leaves religion and when others do not walk the way I showed you? Also tell me: Who planted the religion of the brothers? Who makes a man convert and to do penance in it? Who gives the strength to persevere in it? Is it not I?”
– You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.
12 – And it was said to him in spirit: “I did not choose you as a learned or eloquent man to be over my family, but I chose you, a simple man, so that you and the others may know that I will watch over my flock.
– Holiness doesn’t mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith.
13 – But I have placed you as a sign to them, so that the works that I work in you, they should see in you, emulate, and do them. Those who walk in my way have me and will have me more abundantly.
– Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone, even when they do not love us
14 – Those who refuse to walk in my way, that which they seem to have will be taken away from them. Therefore, I tell you, don’t be so sad; do what you do, work as you work, for I have planted the religion of the brothers in everlasting love.
– Human dignity is the same for all human beings: when I trample on the dignity of another, I am trampling on my own.
15 – Know that I love it so much that if any brother, returning to his vomit, dies outside religion I will replace him with another in religion who will have his crown in his place, and supposing that he has not been born, I will have him born. And so that you know that I love the life and religion of the brothers, suppose that in the whole life and religion of the brothers only three brothers remained: I would never abandon it.”
– Embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important.
16 – These words greatly comforted the mind of blessed Francis, for he was immensely saddened when he heard anything about bad example regarding the brothers.
– I believe in God, not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, His incarnation.”
17 – Although he could not totally restrain himself from becoming sad when he heard of something evil, nevertheless, after being comforted by the Lord in this way, he remembered this and spoke to his companions about it.
– 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.
18 – Therefore blessed Francis often used to say to the brothers in chapters and also in his words of instruction: “I have sworn and declared to observe the Rule of the brothers and all the brothers also pledged the same. For this reason, after I resigned the office among the brothers, because of my illnesses and for the greater good of my soul and those of all the brothers, from now on I am bound in regard to the brothers only to show good example.
– Situations can change; people can change. Be the first to seek to bring good. Do not grow accustomed to evil, but defeat it with good.
19 – “I learned that from the Lord and know in truth that even if my illness had excused me, the greatest help I can render to the religion of the brothers is to spend time in prayer to the Lord for it everyday, that He govern, preserve, protect, and defend it.
– This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.
20 – I have pledged myself to this, to the Lord and to the brothers, that if any one of the brothers perishes because of my bad example, I will be held to render an account to the Lord.”
– No one can grow if he does not accept his smallness.
21 – And even though from time to time a brother would tell him that he should occasionally put himself forward in the affairs of the religion, he used to reply with words like these: “The brothers have their Rule, and furthermore have sworn to it.
– Living together is an art. It’s a patient art, it’s a beautiful art, it’s fascinating.
22 – And so that they have no excuse, after it pleased the Lord to decide that I would be their prelate, I also swore to it in their presence and I want to observe it to the end.
– It is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life.
23 – So, since the brothers already know what they should do and what to avoid, the only thing left for me to do is to teach them by actions, because this is why I have been given to them during my life and after my death.
– Kindness is firm and persevering intention to always will the good of others, even the unfriendly.
113 – HE IS ASHAMED TO MEET SOMEONE POORER THAN HIMSELF
24 – It happened once when blessed Francis was going about preaching in some region he met a poor man. Noticing his dire poverty, he said to his companion: “This man’s poverty brings great shame on us; it passes judgment on our poverty.”
– Too often we participate in the globalization of indifference. May we strive instead to live global solidarity.
25 – “How so, brother?” his companion replied. “I am greatly ashamed,” he answered, when I find someone poorer than myself. I chose holy poverty as my Lady, my delight and my riches of spirit and body. And the whole world has heard this news, that I professed poverty before God and people. Therefore, I ought to be ashamed when I come upon someone poorer than myself.”
– We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.
114 – HE CORRECTS A BROTHER WHO RASHLY JUDGED A POOR MAN
26 – When blessed Francis went to a hermitage of the brothers near Rocca di Brizio to preach to the people of that region, it happened that on the very day that he was to preach, a poor sick man came to him. When he saw him and noticed his poverty and illness, he was moved to piety for him and he began to speak to his companion placing the bread and wine on it, and, while they are eating, humbly and joyfully wait on them.
– We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but also as a loan from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!
27 – After the meal, speak to them some words of the Lord. Finally, for the love of the Lord, ask them for this first request make them promise you that they will not strike anyone or injure anyone’s person. Do not ask for everything all at once, or they will not listen to you. Because of the humility and charity you show them, they will at once make you this promise.
– God always forgives, we men forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives. If you give her a slap, she will give you one. I believe that we have exploited nature too much.
28 – The next day, get up and, because of the promise they made to you, besides eggs and cheese, bring them the bread and wine, and take these to them, and wait on them while they eat. After the meal, say to them: ‘Why do you stay here all day long, dying of hunger, suffering many evil things and in your actions doing many evil things for which you will lose your souls unless you are converted?
– From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us.
29 – It is better to serve the Lord, who will both supply your bodily needs in this world and save your souls in the end.’ Then the Lord in His mercy will inspire them to convert and they will be converted because of the humility and charity you show them.” So, the brothers got up and did everything as blessed Francis told them.
– It is impossible for peace to exist without dialogue. All the wars, all the strife, all the unsolved problems over which we clash are due to a lack of dialogue. When there is a problem, talk: this makes peace.
29 – And by the mercy of God and His grace which descended on them, those men listened and observed to the letter point by point all the requests which the brothers asked of them. Further, because of the friendliness and charity the brothers showed them, they began carrying wood on their shoulders to the hermitage.
– Life is a journey. When we stop, things don’t go right.
30 – By the mercy of God, through the charity and friendliness that the brothers showed them, some entered religion, others embraced penance, promising in the hands of the brothers no longer to commit these evil deeds, but to live by the work of their hands.
– It is impossible for peace to exist without dialogue. All the wars, all the strife, all the unsolved problems over which we clash are due to a lack of dialogue.
31 – The brothers and others who heard or knew about this, were quite amazed, as they reflected on the holiness of blessed Francis, how he had predicted the conversion of these men who had been perfidious sand wicked, and how quickly they converted to the Lord.
– Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason.
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
