SKD Formation Monthly-October 2020
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Follow our updates, news & announcements via…    October 2020 O loving one bear in mind your poor children for whom, without you, their one and only consolation, there is little comfort… they still .. tearfully cry out to you: O father, place before Jesus Christ, son of the Most High Father, His sacred stigmata; and show Him the signs of the cross on your hands, feet, and side, that He may mercifully bare His own wounds to the Father, and because of this the Father will ever show us in our anguish His tenderness. Amen. (Prayer to St. Francis from the End of the Second Book of the Life of St. Francis by Bl. Thomas of Celano) Following are excerpts taken from The Legend of the Three Companions Chpt. IX – HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING THE COUNSELS OF CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL, HE IMMEDIATELY CHANGED HIS EXTERNAL GARB AND PUT ON A NEW HABIT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PERFECTION 1 While he was completing the church of San Damiano, blessed Francis wore the habit of a hermit: a staff in his hand, shoes on his feet, and a leather belt around his waist. Then, one day at Mass, he heard those things which Christ tells the disciples who were sent out to preach, instructing them to carry no gold or silver, a wallet or a purse, bread, walking stick, or shoes, or two tunics. – How well-protected is that soul whom God has protected beneath his wings. 2 After understanding this more clearly because of the priest, he was filled with indescribable joy. “This,” he said, “is what I want to do with all my strength.” – When the Lord works within you, you need do nothing except leave the door of your heart wide open. 3 And so, after committing to memory everything he had heard, he joyfully fulfilled them, removed his second garment without delay, and from then on never used a walking stick, shoes, purse, or wallet. He made for himself a very cheap and plain tunic, and, throwing the belt away, he girded himself with a cord. – Let the Holy Spirit accomplishes what he wants in you. 4 Applying all the care of his heart to observe the words of new grace as much as possible, he began, inspired by God, to be a messenger of evangelical perfection and, in simple words, to preach penance in public. – Abandon yourself to the Spirit of the Lord and do not be afraid. 5 His words were neither hollow nor ridiculous, but filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, penetrating the marrow of the heart, so that listeners were turned to great amazement. – Lord anchor me to Yourself so that trials cannot defeat me. 6 As he later testified, he learned a greeting of this sort by the Lord’s revelation: “May the Lord give you peace!” Therefore, in all his preaching, he greeted the people at the beginning of his sermon with a proclamation of peace. – Do not anticipate the problems of this life with apprehension but rather with perfect hope in God. 7 It is certainly astonishing, if not miraculous, that this greeting of peace was used before his conversion by a precursor who frequently went through Assisi greeting the people with “Peace and good! Peace and good!”- Live tranquilly with God. 8 It seems plausible that, as John heralded Christ but withdrew when Christ began his mission of preaching, so too, like another John, this man preceded Francis in using the greeting of peace, but disappeared when he appeared. Immediately, therefore, filled with the spirit of the prophets, the man of God, Francis, after that greeting, proclaimed peace. – Simply hold on tightly to the hand of divine providence. 9 As both the truth of blessed Francis’s simple teaching as well as that of his life became known to many, two years after his conversion, some men began to be moved to do penance by his example and, leaving all things, they joined him in life and habit. – When you are unable to walk, God will lead you; do not worry. 10 The first of these was Brother Bernard of holy memory. He knew well how luxuriously blessed Francis had lived in the world; now he observed his constancy and zeal in the divine service, how, in particular, he was restoring dilapidated churches with a great deal of work, and what an austere life he was leading. – The Father who takes care of you today will do the same tomorrow and forever. 11 He planned wholeheartedly to give everything he possessed to the poor, and, with determination, to join him in life and garb. Therefore, one day approaching the man of God in secret, he disclosed his plan to him, and arranged to have him come that evening to his home. – Remove from your mind what upsets you, and say God, I trust in you. 12 Thanking God, for he did not then have a companion, blessed Francis was overjoyed, especially since Lord Bernard was a person of great stature. On the appointed evening, blessed Francis came to his house, his heart filled with great joy, and spent that whole night with him. – Face the present trials with trust in divine providence who permits them. 13 Among many things, Lord Bernard said to him: “If, for many years, someone holds on to the possessions, many or few, he has acquired from his lord, and no longer wishes to keep them, what is the better thing for him to do with them?” Blessed Francis answered that he must give back to the lord what was received from him. – Do not lose heart or become discouraged. Trust! 14 And Lord Bernard said: “Then, brother, I want to give away all my worldly goods for the love of my Lord who gave them to me, as it seems best to you.” – Fight valiantly and you will achieve the gift of strong souls. 15 The saint told him: “We will go to the church early in the morning and, through the book of the Gospels, we will learn how the Lord instructed his disciples.” Rising at daybreak, then, together with another man named Peter, who also wanted to become a brother, they went to the church of San Nicolò next to the piazza of the city of Assisi. – Remember the words of the Master: You have faith in God. Have faith also in me. 16 They entered for prayer, but, because they were simple, they did not know how to find the passage in the Gospel about renunciation. They prayed devoutly that the Lord would show them his will on opening the book the first time. – Jesus is with us who suffers with us and is for us. 17 At its first opening, the Lord’s counsel confronted them: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell everything you possess and give to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Blessed Francis was overjoyed when he read this passage and thanked God. But since he was a true worshiper of the Trinity, he desired it to be confirmed by a threefold affirmation. – Do not scatter seed in the garden of others but cultivate your own. 18 He opened the book a second and a third time. When he opened it up the second time he saw: Take nothing for your journey, etc., and at the third opening: If any man wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, etc. Each time he opened the book, blessed Francis thanked God for confirming his plan and the desire he had conceived earlier.- Do not desire to be anything but what you are. 19 After the third divine confirmation was pointed out and explained, he said to those men, Bernard and Peter: “Brothers, this is our life and rule and that of all who will want to join our company. Go, therefore, and fulfill what you have heard.” – Concentrate on perfecting yourself. 20 Then Lord Bernard, who was very rich, after selling all he had and acquiring a large sum of money, went and distributed it all to the city’s poor. Peter likewise followed the divine counsel according to his means. – Few live according to their duty and the will of the Lord. Say: Thy will be done in heaven, on earth, and in me. 21 After getting rid of everything, they both received the habit which the saint had adopted after he put aside the habit of a hermit; and, from that hour, they lived with him according to the form of the holy Gospel as the Lord had shown them. This is why blessed Francis said in his Testament: “The Lord Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the holy Gospel.” – Many start out on the path of perfection, but few arrive at the summit of the same perfection.
Chpt. IX – THE VOCATION OF BROTHER SYLVESTER AND THE VISION HE HAD BEFORE ENTERING THE ORDER 22 As we have said, while Lord Bernard was giving all his possessions to the poor, blessed Francis was at his side assisting him, glorifying and praising the Lord in his heart, in awe at the astounding work of the Lord.A priest named Sylvester, from whom the blessed Francis had purchased stones for the repair of the church of San Damiano, came. Seeing so much money being given away on the man of God’s advice, he was consumed by a burning passion of greed, and said to him: “Francis, you did not completely pay me for the stones which you bought from me.” – Always have courage. 23 The scorner of greed, hearing him complaining unjustly, approached Lord Bernard, and putting his hand into his cloak where the money was, in great fervor of spirit, filled it with a handful of coins, and gave them to the disgruntled priest. He filled his hand with money a second time, and said to him: “Do you now have full payment, Lord Priest?” “I have it completely, brother,” he replied. Overjoyed, he returned home with his money. But after a few days that same priest, inspired by the Lord, began to reflect on these things blessed Francis had done, and he said to himself: “Am I not a miserable man? Old as I am, don’t I still covet and desire the things of this world? And this young man despises and scorns them all for the love of God!” – There is no remedy powerful than the Eucharist. 24 The following night he saw in a dream an immense cross. Its top reached to the heavens, its base rested fixed in the mouth of the blessed Francis, and its arms stretched from one part of the world to the other. When he woke, therefore, the priest understood and resolutely believed that Francis was indeed Christ’s friend and servant, and the religion which he founded would spread all over the world. – In the grips of spiritual difficulties run to the Lord in the Eucharist 25 From then on he began to fear God and to do penance in his own home. At last, after a little while, he entered the Order in which he lived excellently and ended gloriously. – Listen to the voice of the Lord speaking in your heart. 26 The man of God, Francis, accompanied by his two brothers, had no place to stay, so he moved with them to a poor little abandoned church, which was called Saint Mary of the Portiuncula. And there they built a little hut in which they would live from time to time. After a few days, an Assisian, named Giles, came to them and, on his knees, begged the man of God with great reverence and devotion to accept him into his company. – Jesus loves you. He wants you to belong totally to him. 27 When the man of God saw how unusually faithful and devout the man was, realizing that he was able to obtain great grace from God, as later became clear by his success, he received him with open arms. These four, united in immense happiness and the joy of the Holy Spirit, separated for greater spiritual advantage. – Do not let your soul dwell on anyone else but the Lord Jesus. 28 The saint told Brother Giles: “Our religion will be like a fisherman who casts his nets into the water catching a great number of fish, and, leaving the small ones in the water, he puts the large ones into his basket.” Thus he prophesied that the Order would expand. – Do not think of what you are unable to do, but rather, think of what you can do, and do it well. 29 After they had traveled around that province, they returned to the place called Saint Mary’s. After a few days had elapsed, however, three other men from Assisi, Sabbatino, Morico, and John de Capella, came to them, begging blessed Francis to receive them as brothers. He received them humbly and kindly. – Place everything in the hands of God. 30 The bishop of the city of Assisi, to whom the man of God would frequently go for counsel, receiving him kindly, told him: “It seems to me that your life is very rough and hard, especially, in not possessing anything in this world.” To which the saint said: “Lord, if we had possessions, we would need arms for our protection. For disputes and lawsuits usually arise out of them, and, because of this, love of God and neighbor are greatly impeded. Therefore, we do not want to possess anything in this world.” The man of God’s response greatly pleased the bishop. – Your soul is in the arms of God, like a baby in its mother’s arms. 31 He composed several rules and tested them, before writing that which he ultimately left to the brothers. In one of them he expressed his scorn of money: “May we who have left all things, then, be careful of not losing the kingdom of heaven for so little. If we find coins anywhere, let us pay no more attention to them than to the dust we trample underfoot.”- Sleep in peace. God will guide you in the way which is to your greatest advantage.
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 webiste: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com October 2020 Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis, May the Lord grant us His peace. Among the various celebrations during the month of October, the month dedicated to the most holy Rosary of our Blessed Mother, Right to Life, awareness of the Mission Activity of the Church, just to name a few, is the Feast/Solemnity of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Assisi has inspired what has become a mosaic of expressions of Franciscanism through the centuries. The Orders he was instrumental in founding and the religious congregations, societies, and groups that have come from his spirit and the influence they have in the lives of people are numerous. We read his documents or those about him in the Sources. Often however we fail to really listen to the words we read and the underlying deeper message therein. Thus, when “push comes to shove” in spiritual and practical matters, confusion or outright opposition seems to ensue. Among the powerful words of our father “idiota”, as Francis called himself – which meant he was not advanced in the intellectual programs and advancement of his times, but he surely was an educated person – are the words: “obedience” and “Catholic”, and “Catholic” is with a capital “C”. It is regarding these two words, that you are asked to please re-read a letter approved by the Regional Council of the time (2010) regarding matters within the Order and Region which required a re-reading and consideration of our free and willing profession as Franciscans in general. The letter was formulated and signed by the Regional Spiritual Assistants at that time, one of whom, Br. Larry Hilferty TOR, of happy memory, is now in the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father. This could be a wonderful way for all of us to re-consider our acceptance of a vocation to the Franciscan Gospel Life that actually does demand our “obedience” to everything expected of us, not just by our Seraphic Father himself, but also by the “Catholic” Church who approves and promulgates what makes us Franciscans. As St. Francis reminded his spiritual children, we are called to read and live “without gloss” the Gospel Life we accepted. May 23, 2010 Re: ‘Let them be Catholic’ Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis, The Lord give you His peace! There has been something on our minds that we believe must be addressed for the sake of truth and the integrity of our Franciscan Family. We have hesitated writing this letter because we believe that some will be offended and others, for the sake of friendships, will criticize and maybe even give ultimatums to their Fraternity or Regional councils.
One of the strong characteristics of the spirit of St. Francis himself, was his undisputed obedience and fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church and its legitimately elected Pontiffs. St. Francis makes it quite clear, without equivocation, that his followers must be Catholic. There are many Christians and non-Christians around the world who have a respect for and even devotion to St. Francis of Assisi, among these specifically are our Anglican and Lutheran sisters and brothers. The life and words of St. Francis of Assisi have touched their lives and encouraged many to follow his Rule of life in a more formal and segregated manner from the lay members of their churches. God undoubtedly blesses them and all who seek the truth and strive to live it. Participation in the Secular Franciscan Order, as envisioned by its Founder our Seraphic Father and confirmed by the Roman Catholic Church and its Pontiff, professes to obey the Church and Holy Father in all things, impacts life in the spirit, flows from centuries of tradition and history, follows specific organizational requisites, and encounters definite social and psychological consequences. Unless one is a baptized Catholic Christian in full communion with the Church of Rome, one cannot profess faithfulness to one way of life while believing in another form, thus creating inner tension or a spirit of indifference which inevitably will affect the lives and faith expression of others. Consequently, that person cannot be a professed member of the I, II, III Regular, and Secular Orders of the Franciscan Family within the Roman Catholic Church. Each independent group is an autonomous Order within the Church. They are not loosely knit social associations, but are bound by canonical legislation (i.e. Church Law) that guides the spirit and life of the group within the parameters of the same Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, only baptized Catholics in union with Rome can be accepted into profession as Secular Franciscans after the established preparatory period of formation has been fulfilled. These brief, and we hope clear and straightforward remarks, are in response to a number of questions and requests regarding the possibility of permitting those not in union with Rome or non-Christians who admire St. Francis of Assisi to be permitted to be admitted to the Secular Franciscans of the Roman Catholic Church. The requisites for full and valid admission into any branch of the Franciscan Order do not depend on an arbitrary decision made by one individual or group (e.g. Regional, National, or even International Councils); admission, formation and ultimate formation is a matter of Church Law. This is also the will of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi that he conveyed and enforced numerous times in his writings and also in his actions. With every best wish for all of you, we pray this letter may dispel some confusion regarding the matter of valid admission to the Order in the Catholic Church. The integrity of our charism is founded on our fidelity to the Gospel and to the Church into which we are baptized. Never forget your dignity. For over eight hundred years we have been a bulwark of the Catholic Faith and Church; to seek only common denominators to make others comfortable, is to destroy the basic roots of the Order and our ministry within the Church and world. Peace and Blessings Brother Lawrence J. Hilferty, T.O.R. St. Francis of Assisi was no pushover. He dealt with the friars, sisters, and all who sought his assistance in living the Gospel Life he sought in response to God’s call. He got terribly annoyed when the friars, while he was in the Holy Land, sought to “mitigate” the life by even changing what Francis knew was what he had been given by God to live. He demanded that the words of Scripture and the Rule not be “glossed” according to personal desires and whims. It is God who must be proposed and not the egos of the individual friars. We are living in challenging times for the Church. The Church is being criticized, ridiculed; the Holy Father is being opposed by the very ones who should be working with him and assisting him. The faithful and even those outside the Church are taking sides and campaigning in one way or another. Nothing really changes. Is has gone through these moments regularly throughout history. We are called to challenge others by our way of life and to be challenged by our personal call to be Franciscans. The uniqueness of our characters, personalities, quirks and what have, you find our unity in the bond of our “yes” to God’s invitation. There is always room for various expressions of ministry within the family. They must, however, be in accord with Church Laws regulating the work of any group acting in the name of the Catholic Church, and the Rule and Constitutions of the religious Orders approved by the Church. Let us pray that we always recognize our unity in pluriformity, and that our pluriformity always be faithful to what makes us Catholic Christians and committed Franciscans. As Mary journeyed Her life with that of Jesus, may the mysteries of the Rosary we celebrate this month and hopefully pray everyday. May the Rosary be a daily reminder of our lives immersed in the reality of Jesus’ ever with us through all the moments of our lives, and of Mary’s intimate presence encouraging us, Her children whom she accepted as her own at the foot of the Cross. It is in the mystery of the Incarnation that we can see that we can understand true faithful and integrity in the word we gave as our pledge, as we reflect upon the Word Who gave the pledge of His faithfulness to the Father’s Will even to the Cross. God bless all of you. May our Blessed Mother intercede for you. May our Seraphic Father be a bright presence in our lives encouraging all of us to the faithful fulfillment of our “yes” to the Gospel Life as Franciscans. Peace and Blessings Fr. Francis A. Sariego, OFM Cap Regional Spiritual Assistant
The words are brutal; the attitude – ugly. Accusations are made, Stories, true – half true or completely untrue are repeated and repeated and repeated. It must be a Presidential election year! What a great time to be Franciscan!! I first wrote this piece in 2008. I have drug it out and dusted it off every four years since. ************************************************************************************ This is not a political blog. I am not here to foist my political views on anyone. I don’t care who you are voting for – that’s your right and privilege. What I do care about is how easy it is to get caught up with the crowd. And that’s not Franciscan. Don’t we naturally tend to swim upstream? …against the tide of what everyone else is doing? As we get closer to the elections, the real mud slinging begins! There are far, far too many people who believe every word that crosses their screen. It’s no different than all the people who believe every word that is written in the Star or the National Enquirer. If it’s in print, it must be gospel! We really need to be vigilant in what we do…and how we do it. Taking part in slander is very wrong. Even passing on true information can be wrong if we have no business passing it on. Lies and even hurtful truths take on a life of their own. There are political ads and political cartoons running viral on the internet. We are not called to forward everything that passes through our computers. We are called to be peacemakers; and forwarding or even posting to your Facebook page an ad or cartoon that is inflammatory is not about to bring peace to anyone. I am not saying Franciscans shouldn’t forward any messages on the Internet. But before you do, stop and think WWFD…What would Francis do? Our reading from Morning Prayer on Friday, Week I comes form Ephesians, 4:29 – 32: Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them. Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed against the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ. This Presidential race will be more lively than most. The closer we get to election day, the more tightly wound everyone will be. In this election year, wouldn’t it be better…more Franciscan …to pray for the right outcome? Ask God to guide us in getting the person in office that He wants to be there. It’s been a long, hot summer and that has nothing to do with the weather! Wouldn’t it be nicer to stand back, hold onto our Franciscan serenity, and stay out of the sensationalism? This year especially has tried our serenity. There has been no respite from disasters large and small and our serenity cloak is wearing thin. God already knows who is winning this election. Start saying your thank you prayers now. Act like it is so, so it can be so. Here is a prayer put forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Prayer Before An Election Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community. We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty. We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender. We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom. We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy See
“You shall thus hallow the fiftieth year Dear Brothers and Sisters, A Time to Remember 1. A Jubilee is indeed a time of grace to remember creation’s original vocation to exist and flourish as 2. A Time to Return The Jubilee season calls us to think once again of our fellow human beings, especially the poor Particularly during this Season of Creation, may we be attentive to the rhythms of this created 3. A Time to Rest During the Jubilee, God’s people were invited to rest from their usual labour and to let the land In some ways, the current pandemic has led us to rediscover simpler and sustainable lifestyles. 4. A Time to Restore It invites us to re-establish equitable societal relationships, restoring their freedom and goods to all We also need to restore the land. Climate restoration is of utmost importance, since we are in the Biodiversity restoration is also crucially important in the context of unprecedented loss of species We must restore with justice in mind, ensuring that those who have lived on the land for 5. A Time to Rejoice We also rejoice to see how the Laudato Si’ Special Anniversary Year is inspiring many initiatives We rejoice too that faith communities are coming together to create a more just, peaceful and Let us all rejoice that our loving Creator sustains our humble efforts to care for the earth, which is
“Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth” (cf. Ps 104:30). The Holy See At the beginning of this year, in my Address to the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to The Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development For these reasons, I have decided to devote this Message to the drama of internally displaced In the light of the tragic events that have marked 2020, I would like this Message, although
I would like to start with the image that inspired Pope Pius XII in his Apostolic Constitution Exsul Displaced people offer us this opportunity to meet the Lord, “even though our eyes find it hard to You have to know in order to understand. Knowledge is a necessary step towards understanding It is necessary to be close in order to serve. It may seem obvious, yet often it is the contrary. “But In order to be reconciled, we need to listen. God himself taught us this by sending his Son into the In order to grow, it is necessary to share. Sharing was an essential element of the first Christian We need to be involved in order to promote. As Jesus was with the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4:1- It is necessary to cooperate in order to build. That is what the Apostle Paul tells the community of Father, you entrusted to Saint Joseph what you held most precious: the child Jesus and his Grant that we may experience his protection and help. May he, who shared in the sufferings of Help them, through the intercession of Saint Joseph, to find the strength to persevere, give them September 2020
I bend my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so that, through the prayers and merits of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, and of our most blessed father Francis and of all the saints, the Lord Himself, Who has given a good beginning, may give increase and may also give final perseverance. Amen. (The Testament of St. Clare of Assisi)
Daily thoughts from The Sacred Exchange between Saint Francis and Lady Poverty
1 Among the other outstanding and exceptional virtues which prepare in us an abode and a dwelling for God and which show an excellent and unencumbered path of going to and arriving before Him, holy Poverty shines with a certain prerogative before them all. By a unique grace, it excels the claims of the others. – The danger of indifference demands we do battle with triteness, shallowness, and dullness, and that we have to resist and begin to go in the other direction. 2 For it is the foundation and guardian of all virtues and enjoys a principal place and name among the gospel virtues. As long as they have been firmly placed on this foundation, the others need not fear the downpour of rains, the rush of floods, and the blast of winds that threaten ruin. – Truly good people are always unconscious of their goodness. 3 This is certainly appropriate since the Son of God, the Lord of virtue and the King of glory, fell in love with this virtue (poverty) with a special affection. He sought, found, and embraced it while achieving our salvation in the middle of the earth. – When we compare ourselves with other people, we seem good; when we compare ourselves with God, we are nothing. 4 At the beginning of his preaching he placed it as a light of faith in the hands of those entering the gate, and even set it as the foundation stone of the house. While the other virtues receive the kingdom of heaven only by way of promise from Him, poverty is invested with it by Him without delay. Blessed, he said, are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. – Love quickly decays. Has our love grown cold? 5 The kingdom of heaven truly belongs to those who, of their own will, a spiritual intention, and a desire for eternal goods, possess nothing of this earth. It is necessary for those who do not care for the goods of the earth to live for those of heaven. – The closer we get to Christ, the less certain we are of any merit of our own. 6 Just as it is necessary for those who renounce the things of the earth and consider them all as dung to taste with pleasure during this present exile the sweet crumbs which fall from the table of the holy angels. Thus might they merit to savor how sweet and delightful is the Lord. – The older we get, the better we see ourselves. 7 This is the true investiture of the kingdom of heaven, the assurance of an eternal possession in that kingdom, and a kind of holy foretaste of future beatitude – The psychology of mediocrity seeks rather to ease the problem than cure it. 8 At the beginning of his conversion, therefore, blessed Francis, as the Savior’s true imitator and disciple, gave himself with all eagerness, all longing, all determination to searching for, finding, and embracing holy poverty. He did so neither wavering under adversity nor fearing injury, neither shirking effort nor shunning bodily discomfort, in order to achieve his desire: to reach her to whom the Lord had entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven. – Life had to be forfeited for our sins, and no life is more precious than that of God who became man. His blood paid the infinite price 9 He eagerly began to go about the streets and piazzas of the city, as a curious explorer diligently looking for her whom his soul loved. He asked those standing about, inquired of those who came near him: “Have you seen her whom my soul loves?” But that saying was hidden from them as though it was barbaric. – Even if we claim not to believe, we still experience the moral effects of guilt. 10 Not understanding him, they told him: “We do not know what you’re saying. Speak to us in our own language and we will answer you.” At that time there was no voice and no sense among Adam’s children of being willing to converse with or to speak to anyone about poverty. – The great sin of the human race is rebellion. We are rebels against God. 11 They hated it with a vengeance, as they do even today, and could not speak peacefully to anyone asking about it. Therefore, they answered him as they would a stranger and declared that they did not know anything of what he was seeking. – We need to resolve to change, because when we fall into a pattern of ordinariness, we are loath to change. 12 “I will go to the best and to the wise,” blessed Francis said, “and I will speak with them. For they have known the way of the Lord and the judgment of their God, because those others are poor and stupid, ignorant of the way of the Lord and of the judgment of their God.” – You will always know the dark days of the Church (and our own) when there is a walking away from the cross of Christ. 13 After he had said this, these men answered him more harshly: “What kind of doctrine is this you are bringing to our ears? May the poverty you seek always be with you, your children and your seed after you. As for us, however, let it be our good fortune to enjoy delights and to abound in riches for the duration of our lives is tedious and demanding, and there is no remedy at one’s final hour. We haven’t learned anything better than to rejoice, eat and drink while we live.” – There is no such thing as capturing the passing glory. You have to go down the hill and climb the hill of Calvary to come to perfect glory. 14 While he was listening to these things, blessed Francis marveled in his heart and, thanking God, declared: “Blessed are you, the Lord God, who have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to little ones! Yes, Father, because such was your pleasure! – The modern world is very fond of denying responsibility; it began in Eden. The denial of responsibility stops at the cross of Christ. 15 Lord, father and ruler of my life, do not abandon me to their counsels nor let me fall in that condemnation. Through your grace, let me, instead, find what I seek for I am your servant and the son of your handmaid.” – The Cross without Christ is tyranny; Christ without the Cross is a lie. 16 After he left the city, then, blessed Francis quickly came to a certain field in which, as he looked from afar, he saw two old men wasted away from great sorrow. One of them spoke in this way: “Whom shall I respect except the one who is poor and contrite in spirit and the one who trembles at my words?” “We brought nothing into the world,” the other said, “and, without a doubt, we can take nothing out of it; but having food and whatever covers us, we are content with these.” – Like vines, we must be pruned by the gardener, that we might be more fruitful. 17 When blessed Francis reached them, he said to them: “Tell me, I beg you, where does Lady Poverty dwell? Where does she eat? Where does she rest at noon, for I languish with love of her?” – After we have embraced discipline, then we will be prepared to change others. 18 But they answered: “Good brother, we have sat here for a time and for times and for half a time. We have frequently seen her pass by for there are many searching for her. Sometimes many accompanied her, but she returned alone and naked, not adorned with any jewels, nor graced with any companions, nor wearing any clothes. She used to weep bitterly. – Softness of character comes about when we desire to accommodate ourselves to the world, shrinking away from sacrifice, self-denial. 19 After receiving the advice of such men, then, blessed Francis came and chose some faithful companions for himself with whom he hurried to the mountain. He said to his brothers: “Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord and the dwelling of Lady Poverty that she might teach us her ways and we might walk in her paths.” – The Lord heals, but not always. There will not be a complete healing until the whole cosmos is renewed. 20 Because of its great height and difficulty, they studied the ascent of the mountain from every angle. Some of them said to one another: “Who can climb this mountain and who can reach its summit?” Blessed Francis understood this and said to them: “The road is difficult, brothers, and the gate that leads to it is narrow. There are few who find it. Be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of his virtue for everything difficult will be easy for you. Cast off the burdens of your own will, get rid of the weight of your sins, and gird yourselves as powerful men. – Christ solved pain by making it a condition of life. He conquered pain by using it as a means of attaining glory. 21 Forgetting whatever is in the past, stretch yourselves as much as you can for what lies ahead. I tell you that wherever you place your foot will be yours. For the Spirit is before your face, Christ the Lord, Who draws you to the heights of the mountain in bonds of love. – God chooses us not for what we are, but for what God knows we can become. 22 The espousal of Poverty, brothers, is wonderful, yet we will be able to enjoy her embraces easily because the lady of the nations has been made as it were a widow, the queen of the virtues worthless and contemptible to all. There is no one of our region who would dare to cry out, no one who would oppose us, no one who would be able to prohibit by law this salvific exchange. – Love knows no limits. 23 All her friends have spurned her and have been made her enemies.” After he said these things, they all began to follow the holy Francis. – Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them. 24 While they were hastening to the summit at a very easy pace, Lady Poverty, standing at the top of the mountain, looked down its slopes. She was greatly astonished at seeing these men climbing so ably, almost flying. “Who are these men,” she asked, “who fly like clouds and like doves to their windows? – The crucifix is my autobiography. The blood is the ink. The nails the pen. The skin the parchment. On every line of that body I can trace my life. 25 Be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of his virtue for everything difficult will be easy for you. Cast off the burdens of your own will, get rid of the weight of your sins, and gird yourselves as powerful men. Forgetting whatever is in the past, stretch yourselves as much as you can for what lies ahead. I tell you that wherever you place your foot will be yours. For the Spirit is before your face, Christ the Lord, Who draws you to the heights of the mountain in bonds of love. – Instead of a question of superiority or inferiority (in the Church and in fraternity) it is a question of the different roles we fulfill. 26 The espousal of Poverty, brothers, is wonderful, yet we will be able to enjoy her embraces easily because the lady of the nations has been made as it were a widow, the queen of the virtues worthless and contemptible to all. There is no one of our region who would dare to cry out, no one who would oppose us, no one who would be able to prohibit by law this salvific exchange. – We are all thieves. We cheat God in our lives; we cheat Him in our worship; we cheat Him in our relationships with others. In us Jesus is reputed among the wicked. 27 All her friends have spurned her and have been made her enemies.” After he said these things, they all began to follow the holy Francis. – Scripture never speaks of reconciliation except through the death of Christ. We are saved by the cross and resurrection. 28 While they were hastening to the summit at a very easy pace, Lady Poverty, standing at the top of the mountain, looked down its slopes. She was greatly astonished at seeing these men climbing so ably, almost flying. “Who are these men,” she asked, “who fly like clouds and like doves to their windows? It has been a long time since I have seen such people or gazed upon those so unencumbered, all their burdens set aside. Therefore I will speak to them about what engages my heart so that, when staring down at the abyss that lies about them, they do not, like others, have second thoughts about such a climb. – Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus and both repented. One repented to the Lord and the other repented to himself. One lived in hope and the other died in despair. 29 And so Lady Poverty welcomed them with blessings of sweetness. “Tell me, brothers,” she asked them, “what is the reason for your coming and why have you come so quickly from the valley of misery to the mountain of light? Are you, perhaps, looking for me who, as you see, am a poor little one tossed about by storms and without any consolation?” – In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord suffered not so much from pain, as from evil. 30 “We have come to you, our Lady,” they answered, “and beg you: receive us in peace! We wish to become servants of the Lord of hosts, because He is the King of glory. We have heard that you are the queen of virtues and, to some extent, we have learned this from experience. Casting ourselves at your feet, then, we humbly ask you to agree to be with us. – Nothing gives us so much understanding of the love of God, the sacrificial love, as God coming down to this world from heavenly headquarters and saying: ‘I will take the pain as my own’…This is the agape love of Christianity.
St. Francis “conversation” with Lady Poverty (below continues the chapter quoted above)
Be for us the way of arriving at the King of glory, just as you were for Him when He, the Daybreak from on high, agreed to visit those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. For we know that yours is the power, yours is the kingdom. Established as queen and lady by the King of kings, you are above all powers. Simply make peace with us and we will be saved. In that way, He Who redeemed us through you may receive us through you. If you decide to save us, immediately we will be set free. For He, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator of heaven and earth, desired your splendor and beauty. Even though the king was reclining at table, rich and glorious in his kingdom, he left his house and gave up his inheritance: for there were glory and riches in his house. And so, coming from his royal throne, he sought you with the greatest courtesy. How great must be your dignity, then, and how beyond compare your stature! But after the Lord of lords came, taking you as His own, He lifted up your head among the tribes of the peoples. He adorned you as a bride with a crown, exalting you above the heights of the clouds. Yet, even though any number of people, ignorant of your power and glory, still hate you, this takes nothing away from you because you live freely on the sacred mountains, in the strongest dwelling-place of Christ’s glory
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 regional website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com September 2020 Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis, The Lord bless you with His peace! The Fathers of the Church maintained that human beings stand at the point of intersection between two gravitational fields. First, there is the force of gravity which pulls us down – towards selfishness, falsehood and evil; the gravity which diminishes us and distances us from the heights of God. On the other hand there is the gravitational force of God’s love: the fact that we are loved by God and respond in love attracts us upwards. (We find ourselves) between this twofold gravitational force; everything depends on our escaping the gravitational field of evil and becoming free to be attracted completely by the gravitational force of God … (Pope Benedict XVI) The more we respond to this force that attracts upward to God, the more we are encouraged to look up and beyond the things that so often easily attract and even seduce us here on earth. We are human beings, created to live in and love God’s creation. However, life here is a journey and not the end of all our desires. When we build on the bridge, rather than cross over it, life becomes precarious and the thought of the future can be disconcerting and frightening. When we allow ourselves to be ‘grasped by God’, life changes immensely, though the circumstances we encounter may remain the same. The more intimate and personal the experience we have, the less capable we are of expressing in words all that we feel. Our Seraphic Father St. Francis not only had a profound relationship with God, but also received signs of God’s unbounded love and trust. The Poverello of Assisi emptied himself of all that could possess him. His response from the Eternal Love would be the image of the Crucified Lord he would bear the last two year of his life. He became a living image of the Crucified Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. What can anyone say about such a powerful and awesome experience! Not only to be in God’s presence, but to be physically signed as God’s Incarnate Son for all the world to see! What can we say? What embarrassment and humiliation he must have suffered in wanting to be devoid of everything, even human respect and recognition, and now becoming a spectacle for all the world to see this ’new and wonderful thing that has happened’. We know that it was as he was celebrating the Lent of Saint Michael, that St. Francis was invaded by an absolute silence. It surrounded and enveloped him in this ‘Divine Presence’. Filled with wonder but peace at the same time, in a moment of total abandonment, he saw before him a mysterious person, adorned with the wings of the seraphs of whom the Prophet speaks in Scripture, whose hands and feet and side were dripping blood. What Francis must have felt at that moment is indescribable for those of us who have not experienced this gift of God’s love. Such a sight, as the powerful presence of the Almighty in the Scriptures, would surely have taken the life of Francis, had he not been signed for a purpose requiring he remain for a short while longer among us. As the old prayer for the Feast of the Stigmata states: … when the world was growing cold you signed your servant Francis with the holy stigmata to re-kindle the fire of your love … No doubt, as the vision disappeared, he became aware that his hands and feet and side were pierced and bleeding. Can we imagine the pain and agony that he must have felt every day bearing these wounds? Yet, there was still a joy in his heart at the powerful confirmation of God’s love for him and all that he had been ready and willing to do in response to God’s original call at San Damiano. What was impressed in his heart at San Damiano was now impressed on his body for all to see at La Verna. It would not be long before Our Seraphic Father would sing his own song of praise and thanksgiving for all the Lord had done for him and through his lowly servant. Just as Jesus on the cross, St. Francis would offer his prayer of ’consummatum est’ to the Father and all the brothers. He would let them know that he had done his part and now they must continue and do their part. I have done what was mine to do. Powerful words of acknowledgment and gratitude for a life fully lived for God and others. Then he continues telling the brothers that you must do your part. Prophetic words that remind us all that we who have accepted the call to be Franciscans must continue to live the Spirit and Life we have professed. It is not enough to know the life of St. Francis of Assisi, or be aware of his writings and the Spirit of the Order of which we are all gratefully brothers and sisters. There is a story, that loses in the translation, that speaks of some rather cute but insignificant looking donkeys who, to attract attention to them by the gypsies who use them because they are so small, are adorned with bells, colored ribbons, and so on. Some who profess our lives are like those donkeys, they need the frills to attract attention to themselves but refuse to let their lives be the attraction. We pride ourselves on having a Founder who was stigmatized, but we are hesitant to bear the ’stigmata’ of our responsibilities and fidelity to the Word of God, the Church, the Rule, the Constitutions, our own local ministers in harmony with the Church and Order. Some are running after everything that makes them ’feel’ good, rather than pray, reflect on, and live what they have professed to make them be good and become better, all the way to ’sainthood’. We are all called to be saints.
It is not often that we are privileged to enter the heart of a saint. It is not often that we are privileged to peer into the depths of a soul “inebriated” with the eternal. We emulate the life we revere. We are privileged to be made sharers in the gifts of that life ‑ gifts bestowed because of the love and willingness of that privileged soul to be a person for all people. Through Baptism, St. Francis, as well as we, became one with Jesus in the Spirit through the life of grace. In his emptying of himself and discarding all that pertained to his former life in society before the Bishop and people of Assisi, the Poverello of Assisi became one with Christ in his detachment from the world and its “ego”, from its exclusive relationships and their confining demands, and from the material things and their possessive nature that keep one a slave to wants unfulfilled rather than encourage gratitude for gifts received. In his service to the poor and the brothers and sisters, St. Francis became one with the Mediator between God and Humanity. His love for Christ, His Mother, and the Church overflowed into an evangelical ministry that touched the hearts and lives of many. We too are offered similar privileges and responsibilities. Their effectiveness is determined by our conviction and commitment to surrender to the One Who calls us to such a privileged position. We too share in the Baptismal character of all the faithful called to live the Gospel. We too are encouraged to live the spiritual detachment from the inflated ego, the unbridled passions of the senses and the slavery to material things. We too are expected to share in the priesthood of the faithful when, together with those ordained to the ministerial priesthood, we offer the perfect sacrifice that re‑presents the one sacrifice of Jesus. We experience the effects of this sacrifice according to the intensity with which we surrender ourselves to the urging of the Spirit and the work of grace in our life. The impression of the Stigmata on the body of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi is a personal, intimate and uniting experience. The “mysterious person” took St. Francis through the mystical-mysterious experiences of his life of prayer and contemplation, and impressed on his body an image, enfleshed for the world to see, of the Savior’s eternal love for all humanity. The outward signs of Jesus Crucified that St. Francis bore were a renewed reminder of God’s love for His creation, a creation that had grown cold in its love and trust in God. The life of our “crucified” father, whose mere presence served as a sign of contradiction to the world, was a call for everyone to look beyond the self‑centeredness, violence, and materialism of those who so quickly relegate God to an outpost of the mind or who forget God altogether. Humanity all too soon forgets its past experiences of infidelity and the consequences they have on a world that lives without God as its guiding presence. The Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi was accepted and recognized by the Church and by those lives transformed by God’s grace, God’s love and wonders did not cease to emanate from his very presence. He was like the bronze serpent Moses raised for the Israelites to look on ‑ lest they die ‑ and be healed of the venom of the serpents that had bitten them. The venom of the Serpent that has bitten and poisoned so many of God’s elect down through the centuries continues its murderous mission as it seeks to infect the lives of good people who sincerely search for and desire the Lord in their lives. When we look to the Crucified of Calvary we are saved. When we look to the Crucified of Assisi we are encouraged to look upon and believe in a God Who walks with us and works within us leading us beyond any poisonous seduction, allurement, or even compromise that would severely affect or even destroy our relationship with God. But, we must look upon him and believe. We must look upon the Lord Crucified and believe in His power and presence to save. We must look upon our Seraphic Father and remember the love he had for God and the love God had for him, and remember the love we had when we heard and accepted the call to be the sons and daughters of the Crucified of Assisi. We were called to follow his example of openness and faithfulness to God, God’s Word, His Church and our Franciscan Family; when any of these lack, we cannot call ourselves true Franciscans, and in some cases possibly not even true Catholics. We talk about St. Francis of Assisi, we reflect on his life and words at our meetings and Masses. Do we emulate his life and teachings so that others see the values we preach lived in our own lives? There is often a real lack of substance in our devotion to St. Francis, in fact, there are some who know the great mystics of other religious traditions and have not even opened a book to read St. Francis, St. Clare and the great mystics of our own Seraphic Family. Often those in formation will not read the books offered for their knowledge, but are ready and willing to read other spiritual writers. Nevertheless, the question arises: if you want to be a Franciscan, but do not want to read or study our life as the Family of Francis and Clare, how much do you really want to be a Franciscan? Oh, and by the way, we are a family. St. Francis tells the brothers in the Rule, and all his spiritual children: For if mother loves her child according to the flesh, how much more must we love one another according to the Spirit! The highest praise is imitation! Let us begin to recognize the holiness in our Franciscan Family and strive to live the Spirit and Life offered us. Let us be authentic! As Spiritual Children of St. Francis of Assisi, we carry on the Christian’s mission to be Heralds of the Lord’s goodness to the world. Our appreciation and devotion for the Poverello must inevitably lead us to emulate his virtues and to live the counsels he offered in his role as guide and father of our Franciscan Family. He proclaimed God’s love to the world, and his lasting example challenges those who seek him out to live the values of prayer, sacrifice, reconciliation, reparation, charity and love that he expounded. The Cross of Jesus made us one again in the Blood of the Savior; the wounds of our Seraphic Father challenge us to remember the Cross, our banner of salvation, and to live our life more deeply in the Father’s Will as did our Savior. The month of September is imbued with the mystery of the Cross. May we, as Spiritual Children of St. Francis of Assisi, treasure the example and words of our Seraphic Father and Founder. May the image of the Crucified Savior become more alive and meaningful to us through the image of his privileged servant, our Father, and not just at our official meetings or special gatherings. May the Feast of the Sacred Stigmata Impressed on our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi that we celebrate this month be a calming and reassuring reality for us to consider as we continue our earthly journey. May his words and example be indicators that help us find our way through the crossroads of life, especially when the choices offered are enticing, alluring, seductive, but we know them in faith to be deceiving and dangerous. May we rejoice in the Lord for the gift He gave the Church and the world in our Father St. Francis. May God bless you; Our Lady guide, guard, and protect you; and our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi watch over you, his Spiritual Children, with loving care. Peace and Blessings, Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap. Regional Spiritual Assistant
Two options for Franciscan related face masks. Neither the Region nor I have any connection to either company! Who do you say that you are? This weekend, I participated in the National Formation Directors Workshop. I learned a great deal; but, what keeps resounding in my head is from the talk that Father Christopher Panagoplous, T.O.R. President in Turn of the CNSA, gave at the opening on Friday night. He referred to today’s (8/22/20) Gospel from Matthew, chapter 18. Jesus asked the apostles “But who do you say that I am?” Father Chris took that question and asked all of us “But who do you say that you are? When someone says “Tell me a little about yourself”, what comes out of your mouth first? How do you see yourself and in what order of importance? Well, I’m a widow, I love to garden, I rescue hospice dogs, I’m a ‘pre-reader’ for several of my favorite authors, I’m a penpal to several prisoners, I crochet winter scarves for the homeless, I’m a cantor, lector and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at my parish, I do a lot of different kinds of crafts, I love old black and white movies and oh yeah….I’m a Secular Franciscan. Oh yeah,…I’m a Secular Franciscan????? As if that is an afterthought, or at the bottom of the list. All the other things are what I do. Being a Secular Franciscan is who I am! If I’m not seeing it as first in my life how can anyone else see it? Can anyone see from the way I live my life that being a Secular Franciscan is who I say I am? In this craziness we are living in now, do I stand by when a group of neighbors are having a racist conversation? Do I faithfully recycle and put a full bin out on collection days? During this time of ‘sheltering-in-place’ have I reached out to anyone outside my circle of family and friends to see how they are doing? While we have this time on our hands thanks to the pandemic, why not take an inventory of who you are and what you do and see if things need to be reorganized a bit? All of us can use a tune-up now and again. Thanks, Father Chris, for the reminder! |
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