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Posted By Teresa Redder, on July 4th, 2015 July 2015
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.
(Second Book of the Life of St. Francis by Bl. Thomas of Celano)
Following are excerpts taken from The Assisi Compilation. Daily meditative phrases based on: Words of Blessed John Paul II
1
Blessed Francis felt more pity for the man’s soul, rooted in mortal hatred, than for his body. He said to him: Brother, forgive your lord for the love of God, so that you may set your soul free, and it may be that he will return to you what he has taken. Otherwise you will lose not only your property but also your soul. – When man becomes ‘bereft of God’, he loses the meaning of his own life and in some way becomes ‘bereft’ of himself.
2
So blessed Francis said (to the Dominican who asked his explanation of a passage from Ezekiel): … a servant of God should be burning with life and holiness so brightly, that by the light of example and the tongue of his conduct, he will rebuke all the wicked. – The family is the great workshop of love … where people are taught to love … with the incisive power of experience.
3
In order to preserve the virtue of holy humility, a few years after his conversion, at a chapter, he resigned the office of prelate before all the brothers of his religion, saying: From now on, I am dead to you. But here you have Brother Peter of Catanio; let us all, you and I, obey him. – Do not separate your faith from your daily life and your daily life from your faith, as so many people do today. » Click to continue reading “Fr. Francis’ Reflection – July, 2015” »
Posted By Teresa Redder, on July 4th, 2015 
July 2015
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
The Lord grant you his peace!
Our relationship with Jesus and living in, with, and for Him each day is a wonderful experience for those who accept it. Why? Because, among other things, the “ordinariness” of our daily routine takes on an “extraordinariness” that fulfills our lives and can become “contagious”. It is up to us to keep the pace of the tempo of life and the flow of God’s gifts moving forward to envelop everyone in our path. We do not have to do hand-stands for God. When the good Lord wants something extraordinary done it is the Lord Himself Who will not only inspire it through the Holy Spirit, but will have us undoubtedly know it is from Him. Let us not forget the words of an insightful elderly friar: The saint shows his face and not his gifts. In other words: Be “ordinary” and leave the “extraordinary” secret and up to God to be manifest. » Click to continue reading “Fr. Francis’ Greetings – July, 2015” »
Posted By Teresa Redder, on July 4th, 2015 Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I hope you are enjoying the summer. Hope you get to read Pope Francis’s New Encyclical
“Praised Be You.” In the spirit of Pope Francis’s Encyclical, let us take a look at one of St. Francis’s prayers The Canticle of the Creatures and our Rule.
In the Canticle of the Creatures Francis praises God for all God’s creation, the sun, moon, stars etc. and addresses them all as brother and sister brought into being by the same Father. For Francis each creature, animate or inanimate, was a sign and reminder of God’s presence to us.
Article 18 of our Rule 18 states, “Moreover they should respect all creatures animate and inanimate which bear the imprint of the Most High, and they should strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kingship.” This concept of universal kinship is a unique attribute and makes the Franciscan charism different from other Orders within the Church that have a Rule of Life addressing Integrity of Creation. » Click to continue reading “Thoughts From Your Regional Formation Director – July, 2015” »
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 8th, 2015 In order to prepare for our regional council elections taking place in March, please begin praying this prayer for leadership:
PRAYER FOR OFS LEADERSHIP
Give us, O God, leaders whose hearts are large enough to match the breadth of our own souls and give us souls strong enough to follow leaders of vision and wisdom.
In seeking a leader, let us seek more than our own enhancement — though enhancement we hope for — more than security for our own plans and vision — though security we need — more than satisfaction for our own selfish wants — though many things we desire.
Give us the hearts to choose and follow the leader who will work with other leaders to bring Your will to the agenda and help us to fulfill it.
Give us leaders who lead us to virtue without seeking to impose their own version of virtue on others.
Give us leaders who will provide for the advancement of our Order without dictating to others to achieve it.
Give us insight enough ourselves to choose as leaders those who can tell strength from power, growth from greed, leadership from dominance, and real greatness from the trappings of grandiosity.
We trust you, Great God, to open our hearts to learn from those to whom you speak in different tongues and to respect the life and words of those to whom you entrusted the good of other parts of this globe.
We beg you, Great God, give us the vision as Secular Franciscans to know where holy leadership truly lies, to pursue it diligently, to ask it to respect the integrity of every person in the entire Order.
We ask these things, Great God, with minds open to your word and hearts that trust in your eternal care.
Amen.
Adapted by Fr. Kevin Queally, TOR from “Prayer for Leadership” Published by Pax Christi USA
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 7th, 2015  Many of you are probably aware of The Cord — a scholarly journal of Franciscan studies published by the Franciscan Institute starting in 1950. It was recently reborn as a quarterly called Franciscan Connections – The Cord.
If you’re interested in a treasure trove of Franciscan thought, you might want to visit the archive of The Core issues from 1950 to 2010 that’s available here. I’m sure you will recognize in these pages many of the authors and scholars found in our OFS our formation materials and many other books and publications.
The May/June 1998 issue (starts on page 55 of the PDF) might be of particular interest as it’s devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Secular Franciscan Rule. It provides some useful perspective on where we are now and where we were in 1998 as well as 1978.
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 1st, 2015 
June, 2015
Peace to each of your hearts!
On this rainy, damp and somewhat chilly first day of June, it’s a little difficult to take the leap into summer, but the humidity outside reminds that summer is nipping at our heels and ready to provide us with time to rest, relax, and recreate. Hopefully, your schedule will give you an opportunity to enjoy some R&R in the weeks ahead.
Indulge in a little minute meditation and imagine yourself at the beach, listening to the sea crashing against the shore, the constant squawking and screeching of seagulls, the laughter of children around you, the sound of play, the exuberant “Yippee” of a fisherman who has caught his first fish … breathe in the fresh salty air, feel the sand beneath your toes and the soft sea breeze as it brushes across your face. No newspapers, no IPads, no tech gadgets, no cellphones to distract you, just the sea, the sand, the sights, the sounds and you … unplugged and untethered … ah, bliss and unadulterated joy! Now that you’re relaxed, consider these thoughts of our Holy Father, Pope Francis who, in his Apostolic Letter regarding the Year of Consecrated Life, has said,
We are called to know and show that God is able to fill our hearts to the brim with happiness; that we need not seek our happiness elsewhere; that the authentic fraternity found in our communities increases our joy; and that our total self-giving in service to the Church, to families and young people, to the elderly and the poor, brings us life-long personal fulfilment.
None of us should be dour, discontented and dissatisfied, for “a gloomy disciple is a disciple of gloom”. Like everyone else, we have our troubles, our dark nights of the soul, our disappointments and infirmities, our experience of slowing down as we grow older. But in all these things we should be able to discover “perfect joy”. For it is here that we learn to recognize the face of Christ, who became like us in all things, and to rejoice in the knowledge that we are being conformed to him who, out of love of us, did not refuse the sufferings of the cross.
It’s hard to be dour, discontented and dissatisfied while sitting on the beach (or up in the mountains, if you prefer)! Even if life’s circumstances won’t allow for you to travel, you can go to this place of comfort anytime in your mind’s eye, and allow the Lord to fill your heart to the brim with happiness. He has so much in store for you and asks no more of you than that you rest, relax and trust in Him.
Peace, all good, and much love,
mattie
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 1st, 2015 
June, 2015
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, may you enter the loving embrace of the Eternal Father Whose Holy Spirit fills us with Life and Love!
The month dedicated to God’s Love for us in the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, offers us an opportunity to reflect on the words attributed to our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi: Love is not loved. Love is not loved! One of the main elements of our Franciscan Vocation is our call to be brother and sister to one another… To love one another. We are called to remember, as St. Francis reminds the Family in the First Rule: As a mother loves her child in the flesh, how much more must we love one another in the Spirit? This kind of “love” is not some fuzzy feeling we look for, but a concrete expression that manifests itself in the way we live and treat one another, and all creation. It is expressed in how we view our vocation. Thus it conditions how we understand our relationship with those who have committed themselves with us to the Franciscan charism.
We have promised to live the Gospel life concretely. Most religious communities have based their charism on either some aspect of apostolic life or some spiritual aspect of the life of the early church. As Franciscans we have promised to live the Gospel life. The Gospel life lived by Jesus and His disciples gathered with Him while He still walked among us as a human being. His disciples followed Jesus wherever He went, they listened to His words, they spoke in His name, they even performed miracles in His name. While it took some time, and Jesus’ trust in them and patience with them, they eventually worked at making their human differences not be a stumbling block but a stepping stone for them to strengthen the bond among them. This had become so obvious, that the early church would hear non-Christians say: See how they love one another (cfr. John 13: 35; Tertullian).
There is never a time when we can say that we have “done it all”, and that there is no more for us to learn or do. We are bombarded with information all our lives. How we understand and learn from our experiences will determine how we become and are bettered or worsened. This is how information leads to formation. We process and often are assisted to build on our experiences and knowledge. For this reason the Regional Council, as all of the Councils of the Order at all levels of the various Obediences (I, II, III Regular, Secular) are constantly hammering away at the sisters and brothers of our Franciscan Family to deepen their Franciscan charism by deepening their relationship with God and their greater awareness, understanding, appreciation, and living out of our Franciscan vocation.
Our Regional Ministers together with the Councils that have ministered to our sisters and brothers in their various triennia of service to the O.F.S. Region of St. Katherine Drexel have continually urged all the fraternities to reflect upon our common vocation to the Gospel Life as Franciscans. Unfortunately, too many of our professed sisters and brothers often have a confused understanding of what it means to live our Franciscan life. Some view the Secular Order as a social club, parish society, “happy death” society. Many have acted as though the fraternity was a stepping stone for some sense of personal advancement rather than opportunity for greater service to others. Knowledge of our Franciscan charism is relegated to the obligatory formation period before profession, afterward, there is “no more need for formation”; there is nothing more distant from the truth!
The following are a few comments worthy of reflection, and there are many more that follow from these. These are not personal observations. These comments and/or observations have continually been vocalized because of some basic misconceptions some Franciscans (including to a greater degree our own Seculars) have regarding the sisters and brothers of the Secular Franciscan Order.
∙ The Secular Franciscans do belong to an “Order”.
∙ The Secular Franciscans are an effective branch of the worldwide Franciscan Family.
∙ The Secular Franciscans are expected to recognize all professed members as “family” and even those in process of acceptance as worthy of our love and support.
∙ The Secular Franciscans are not just encouraged but expected to continue their personal and collective formation through prayer, study, sharing, ministries to others, and so forth.
∙ The Secular Franciscans are called to a deeper relationship with God and one another…and so much more.
In view of the above statements and so many more we have heard concerning our Franciscan vocation, please consider the following paragraphs. They are taken from the Minister General of the Capuchin Franciscan Family (though other Ministers have written similar words to their respective obediences), and our Holy Father Pope Francis, and are offered for your reflection. Where necessary for the sake of adaptability and better understanding of their reference to our Franciscan Secular Family, some words or small phrases have been adapted. The essence of the two messages is the same; the words were adapted to our Secular Franciscan reflection.
I ask that the sisters and brothers of our Secular Franciscan Family take time out of each day to read and reflect upon the Rule and Constitutions of the Order, as well as the writings that speak of our life. The responsibility of this ongoing formation process is not left solely to the elected leaders of the Region and local ministers, but it is also the personal responsibility of each sister and brother. When you gather together for your monthly meeting, talk, dialogue, and discuss points of our Franciscan charism or teachings of the Magisterium. During the days between meetings, be excited about who we are and seek to deepen your awareness and love for the Order. Your identity and sense of belonging can be a valuable topic for discussion and dialogue in the ever present duty we have for continuing our formation, not necessarily as students in a classroom as much as sisters and brothers in a family whose roots, ancestors, hopes, fears, goals, visions are an exciting incentive that urges you to build on the information you receive and grow in the formation of your Franciscan Character.
- What, in your opinion, are the elements that make up our Franciscan identity that have the greatest priority in the current situation of our Order, in your personal life, and in the social and cultural environment in which you live? How does it affect you? How do you affect the world around you? What makes you say this?
- Regarding the sense of belonging, what are the greatest difficulties you experience in believing and feeling a sense of belonging to a “family”, the Franciscan Family? If you experience no difficulties, why? Does your biological family encourage and support you? Are family and friends a reason or an excuse for not fully living, every day, your commitment to our charism as seculars? Is there a spirit of transparency, based on trust, among the sisters and brothers? Are there other areas that affect a sense of belonging that you believe must be addressed in your own life and/or in that of your fraternity?
- What are the most important things that need to be done in your fraternity to reinforce your identity as Secular Franciscans and the sense of belonging to the Order?
Having read the above, take time, please, to reflect on the words that Pope Francis addressed to the Conference of Superiors on November 29, 2013. Let us challenge ourselves, without fear, to convert our attitudes, our mentality, and our affections to Him who, by letting us share in the charism of St. Francis, has prepared for us a path of holiness that if traveled, will bring our existence to its fulfillment.
“Wake up world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing, of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in this world. We are speaking of an eschatological gaze of values of the Kingdom incarnate here, on this earth. It is about leaving everything to follow the Lord. You must be true witnesses of a different way of behaving. But in life it is with difficulty that everything becomes clear, precise, and precisely drawn. Life is complex, made of grace and sin. We all err and must recognize our weakness. A religious (also a Secular Franciscan) that recognizes himself (or herself) as weak and a sinner does not contradict the witness he/she is called to give, but rather reinforces it, and this does good for all. What I expect then is witness, I want … this special witness” (Pope Francis with the Superiors General, 4 January 2014).
We speak of our Franciscan charism as being a call to the Gospel Life. The Gospel Life is one lived in proximity to others and with others and for others. Like any life, it is prone to change and challenges. The only way we can grow through the gifted experience of our Franciscan vocation is by loving it enough to live it each day with an open heart and mind.
In the spirit of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi, let us take that first step on our daily pilgrim journey. As Saint Francis said to his first followers as he lay dying, I have done my part, now you must do yours . We are our St. Francis’ “backup plan”. He expects us to continue the mission to continue to make the Gospel come alive in the world. As we move forward on our pilgrim journey, we will touch the lives of many according to how we live our own. May our Heavenly Mother Mary accompany us on this journey. May She lead all people to Our Lord Jesus Christ Her Son. With Mary as “pilgrim mother” on the journey with us, let us live and accept the challenge to join the band of Gospel pilgrims who journey through life to Life.
May God bless you; Our Lady guide, guard, and protect you; and our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi watch over each one of you, his Spiritual Children, with loving care. In the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I pray that Jesus bestow on all of you and your loved ones…
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 1st, 2015  June 2015
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 Assisi Compilation. Daily meditative phrases taken from words of Pope St. John Paul II
1
(Francis’) opinion was that rarely should something be commanded under obedience, for the weapon of last resort should not be the first used. – Jesus’ way of acting and his words, his deeds, and precepts constitute the moral rule of Christian life.
2
Saint Francis also said: A time will come when the religion loved by God will have such a bad reputation because of bad example that it will be embarrassing to go out in public. – Love and follow Christ!
3
Know that you are in truth my servant when you think, speak, and do all things that are holy. – If the path becomes difficult at times and you are overcome by fatigue, rest in the shade of prayer.
4
While he was staying in that palace (of the bishop), blessed Francis, realizing that he was getting sicker by the day, had himself carried on a litter to the church of St. Mary of the Portiuncula. – Have great love for Jesus Christ, try to know him well, remain united to him, have great faith and great trust in him.
5
Raising himself up slightly on the litter, he blessed the city of Assisi: … May (Assisi) always be mindful of the abundant mercies which You have shown it, that it always be an abode for those who acknowledge You, and glorify Your name blessed and glorious throughout the ages. Amen. – Be generous in giving you life to the Lord.
6
From the time of his conversion till the day of his death, blessed Francis, whether healthy or sick, was always concerned to know and follow the will of the Lord. – You have nothing to fear, because God is the Lord of history and of the universe.
7
Although racked with sickness, blessed Francis praised God with great fervor of spirit and joy of body and soul, and told (one of the brothers): If I am to die soon, call Brother Angelo and Brother Leo that they may sing to me about Sister Death. – The more ready you are to give yourselves to God and to others, the more you will discover the authentic meaning of life.
8
(Lady Jacopa) That spiritual woman was a holy widow, devoted to God …Through the merits of blessed Francis she had obtained such grace from God that she seemed like another Magdalene, always full of tears and devotion for love of God. – God expects much of you!
9
From the beginning of his conversion blessed Francis, with God’s help, established himself and his house … upon a firm rock , the greatest humility and poverty of the Son of God, calling it the religion of ‘Lesser Brothers’. – Life is a gift from the Creator, to be spent in the service of one’s brothers and sisters.
10
The bishop of (Terni) … attended that sermon (of blessed Francis in Terni) … he said: … in this final hour, God has beautified his Church with this little poor man, lowly and unlettered … pointing all the while to blessed Francis. – (Life) is to be accepted, respected, and proposed with every means available, and defended from every threat.
11
To preserve greater humility, a few years after his conversion he resigned the office of prelate before all the brothers during a chapter held at Saint Mary of the Portiuncula. From now on I am dead to you. But here is Brother Peter di Catani: let us all, you and I obey him. – Recognizing Christ in our brethren, we are preparing to be recognized by him at his final return.
12
Considering the outstanding perfection of Brother Bernard, blessed Francis prophesied about him in the presence of some of the brothers: I tell you some of the greatest and most cunning devils have been sent to test Brother Bernard … The merciful Lord will deliver him … He will place his spirit and body in such peace, quiet, and consolation … and in this consolation of both body and soul, he will pass from this world to the Lord. – The Christian community prepares for the Lord’s second coming by focusing on those persons whom Jesus himself favored, those who are often excluded and ignored by society.
13
During the week in which blessed Francis died, Lady Clare was seriously ill…She sent word of this to blessed Francis…To console her, he wrote his blessing in a letter and also absolved her from any failings, if she had any…He spoke to the brother she had sent. Go, and take this letter to Lady Clare…Let her be assured that before her death, both she and her sisters will see me and will receive the greatest consolation from me. – Let us lift our gaze from pettiness and sin, and let us contemplate in heaven the throne of the Lamb, where the eternal liturgy of praise is chanted by men and women of every people and race.
14
Saturday evening before nightfall, after vespers, when blessed Francis passed to the Lord, many birds called larks flew low above the roof of the house where blessed Francis lay, wheeling in a circle and singing. – Be an encouragement always to walk in accordance with the Spirit of the risen Jesus, a support in adhering to God’s will … be generous witnesses of Christ’s love.
15
Concerning larks, blessed Francis used to say: Our Sister Lark, has a capuche like a religious, and is a humble bird, who gladly goes along the road looking for some grain. Even if she finds it in animal’s manure, she pecks it out and eats it. While flying, she praises the Lord… – ‘Reparation’ … is … returning to the Lord, touched by his love, and offering a more intense fidelity in the future, a life aflame with charity.
16
Blessed Francis often said these words to the brothers: I have never been a thief, in regard to alms, which are the inheritance of the poor. I always took less than I needed, so that other poor people would not be cheated of their share. To act otherwise would be theft. – To follow Jesus involves living as he lived, accepting his message, adopting his way of thinking, embracing his destiny, and sharing his project, which is the plan of the Father
17
The voice of Christ was heard in the air, saying: Francis, nothing of yours is in the Rule. Whatever is there is all mine. And I want the Rule observed in this way: to te letter, to the letter, to the letter, and without gloss, without gloss, without gloss … Those who refuse to observe it should leave the Order … – Without the spiritual nourishment that the body and blood of Christ gives us, human love is always tainted by selfishness.
18
(At the Chapter of Mats, in the presence of the Lord Cardinal who later became Pope Gregory, Francis said): My brothers! My brothers! God has called me by the way of simplicity and showed me the way of simplicity. I do not want you to mention any other Rule … And the Lord told me … He wanted me to be a new fool in the world … – Christians must feel compelled to take the initiative and to reach out to their brothers and sisters where they live and work.
19
Know then, brothers, that the profit or good of souls is what pleases God the most, and this is more easily obtained through peace with the clergy than fighting with them … Be subject to prelates so that, as much as possible on your part no jealousy arises. If you are children of peace, you will win over both the clergy and people for the Lord … – It is every believer’s duty to take part in building up society, putting himself at the service of his brothers and sisters through the search for the common good.
20
For my part, I want only this privilege from the Lord: not to have any privilege from any human being, except to show reverence to all, and, by the obedience to the holy Rule, to convert everyone more by example than by word. – If we wish to welcome the Lord, we are called to conversion.
21
One night blessed Francis was so afflicted with the pains of his illness … he had all the brothers staying in that place called to him … he regarded them as representatives of all the brothers … he blessed them, placing his right hand on the head of each one, and he blessed all who were in the religion and all who were to come until the end of the world. – Constant fidelity to legitimate authority and institutions … serve not power but the supreme ideal of justice.
22
He did not want the brothers to live in any place unless it had a definite owner who held the property rights. He always wanted to have the law of pilgrims for his sons. – The message of conversion and reconciliation as an indispensable demand of Christian love is more urgent than ever in present-day society, in which the very foundations of an ethical vision of human life often seem lost.
23
He hated pretense in houses … abhorred having many or fine furnishings … disliked anything … that recalled the ways of the world. He wanted everything to sing of exile and pilgrimage. – Prepare the way for Christ by the testimony of his word and his life.
24
He taught that in books the testimony of the Lord, not value, should be sought, edification rather than elegance. He wanted few books kept, and these should be available to the brothers who needed them. – Imitate (Christ) with docile and trusting generosity.
25
Finally, beds and coverings abounded in such plentiful poverty that if a brother had a ragged sheet over some straw he considered it a bridal cloth. – The glory of God is man fully alive (St.Irenaeus). Here is the truth about the glory of God which the gospel offers us!
26
He detested money above all … and encouraged his followers to flee from it always as from the devil himself. He gave his followers this observation: money and manure are equally worthy of love. – The mysterious route of faith and love … is a model of the journey that every Christian is called to accomplish to witness Christ in the world.
27
Clothed with power this man was warmed more by divine fire on the inside than by what covered his body on the outside. – In order to love as Jesus loves, we must offer others the gift of ourselves.
28
(Blessed Francis) said: A time will come when strictness will be relaxed, and tepidity will hold such sway, that sons of a poor father will not be the least ashamed to wear even velvet cloth, just changing the color. – It is in the giving of ourselves through charity, service, and compassion that we can experience true joy.
29
(St. Francis said to a man who was cursing his lord for taken what was his) Brother, forgive your lord for the love of God, so you may set your soul free, and it may be that he will return to you what he has taken. Otherwise you will lose not only your property, but also your soul. Blessed Francis gave him the mantle on his back, and said, Here, I will give you this cloak, and beg you to forgive your lord for love of God. The man’s mood sweetened and moved by his kindness, he took the gift and forgave the wrongs. – Suffering is transformed and elevated when, in those moments, we become aware of God’s closeness and solidarity.
30
(Speaking with a learned Dominican about warning the wicked of their wickedness, blessed Francis said): … a servant of God should be burning with life and holiness so brightly, that by the light of example and the tongue of his conduct, he will rebuke all the wicked … the brightness of his life and the fragrance of his reputation will proclaim their wickedness to all of them. – Each one is tempted by unbelief. We have to open our eyes and our heart to the light of the Holy Spirit.
Posted By Teresa Redder, on June 1st, 2015 Pope Francis on the Eucharist![2845_250[1]](http://www.skdregion.org/wp-content/uploads/2845_2501-150x150.gif)
The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Church’s Life
In his recent series of teachings on the Sacraments of the Church, Pope Francis dedicated two Wednesday audiences and a homily to exploring the nature the Eucharist, its centrality to the Church’s very identity, its application in our lives, and how the celebration of the Eucharist rediscovers and revitalizes the “sense of the sacred.”
“In the Eucharist, Christ is always renewing His gift of self, which He made on the Cross,” the pope said. “His whole life is an act of total sharing of self out of love.”
“It is so important to go to Mass on Sunday,” Pope Francis spontaneously added to the text of his February 5 audience, “not just to pray, but to receive Communion. It is a beautiful thing to do,” he said, for Sunday is “precisely the day of the resurrection of the Lord. That is why Sunday is so important to us.”
Rediscover a “Sense of the Sacred” at Mass
February 10 Homily Excerpts
The first Reading of the day speaks of the “theophany” of God in the time of Solomon the king. The Lord came down like a cloud upon the temple, which was filled with the glory of God. The Lord, the pope said, speaks to His people in many ways: through the prophets, the priests, the Sacred Scriptures. But with the theophanies, He speaks in another way, “different from the Word: it is another presence, closer, without mediation, near. It is His presence.” This, he explained, happens in the liturgical celebration. The liturgical celebration is not a social act, a good social act; it is not a gathering of the faithful to pray together. It is something else. In the liturgy, God is present,” but it is a closer presence. In the Mass, in fact, “the presence of the Lord is real, truly real.”
“When we celebrate the Mass, we don’t accomplish a representation of the Last Supper: no, it is not a representation. It is something else: it is the Last Supper itself. It is to really live once more the Passion and the redeeming Death of the Lord. It is a theophany: the Lord is made present on the altar to be offered to the Father for the salvation of the world. We hear or we say, ‘But, I can’t now, I have to go to Mass, I have to go to hear Mass.’ nto the mystery of God, to allow ourselves to be brought to the mystery, and to be in the mystery,” he said. We are all “gathered here to enter into the mystery: this is the liturgy. It is God’s time, it is God’s space, it is the cloud of God that surrounds all of us. To celebrate the liturgy is to have this availability to enter into the mystery of God,” to enter into His space, His time, to entrust ourselves to this mystery.
Pope Francis concluded, “We would do well today to ask the Lord to give to each of us this The Mass is not ‘heard,’ it is participated in; and it is a participation in this theophany, in this mystery of the presence of the Lord among us.”
Nativity scenes, the Way of the Cross… these are representations. The Mass, on the other hand, “is a real commemoration, that is, it is a theophany: God approaches and is with us, and we participate in the mystery of the Redemption.” Unfortunately, too often we look at the clock during Mass, “counting the minutes.” This, the pope said, is not the attitude the liturgy requires of us: the liturgy is God’s time, God’s space, and we must place ourselves there: in God’s time, in God’s space, and not look at the clock.”
“The liturgy is to really enter into the mystery of God, to allow ourselves to be brought to the mystery, and to be in the mystery,” he said. We are all “gathered here to enter into the mystery: this is the liturgy. It is God’s time, it is God’s space, it is the cloud of God that surrounds all of us. To celebrate the liturgy is to have this availability to enter into the mystery of God,” to enter into His space, His time, to entrust ourselves to this mystery.
Pope Francis concluded, “We would do well today to ask the Lord to give to each of us this ‘sense of the sacred’ — this sense that makes us understand that it is one thing to pray at home, to pray in Church, to pray the Rosary, to pray so many beautiful prayers, to make the Way of the Cross, so many beautiful things, to read the Bible — [but] the Eucharistic celebration is something else. In the celebration we enter into the mystery of God, into that street that we cannot control: only He is the unique One — the glory, the power — He is everything.
“Let us ask for this grace: that the Lord would teach us to enter into the mystery of God.”
Saint Francis in his Admonition 1 – “As He revealed Himself to the holy apostles in the true flesh, so He reveals Himself to us now in sacred bread. And as they saw only His flesh by an insight of their flesh, yet believed that He was God as they contemplated Him with their spiritual eyes. let us, as we see bread and wine with our bodily eyes, see and firmly believe that they are His most holy Body and Blood living and true.
Let us pray as Saint Francis “My God and my all”
Peace and every good,
Rosie
Posted By Teresa Redder, on May 2nd, 2015 ![mm6[1]](http://www.skdregion.org/wp-content/uploads/mm61-150x150.jpg)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
PEACE to each of your hearts!
(St. Francis) was called by the Lord to a unique grace of friendship. Through his prayers he found the Rule of the Lesser Brothers, and when he lost it he returned to the mountain (as Moses had done with the Tablets of the Law) where he had found it and prayed again … there … by divine revelation and through the power of prayer, he found the lost rule. And it was confirmed for him.
Fr. Francis Sariego, OFM Cap, one of our dear Regional Spiritual Assistants, shared this wisdom with us two years ago. As we reflected on this wisdom together, we hoped that we could return to the mountain where we first embraced our Rule and the gift and commitment that was … and is … our Profession and, in so doing, remind ourselves of what it meant to truly be brother and sister to one another.
We are gratified by the response we are receiving to our upcoming Regional Retreat at the end of this month and we hope it will be a time when each of us can rest, relax and reflect on our call as Secular Franciscans and our individual and collective response to that call.
During this month set aside for particular devotion to Our Blessed Mother, let us pray to Her for inspiration and guidance. We look forward to being with you in Easton.
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
Two of our Regional Fraternities will be celebrating significant anniversaries this year: Holy Cross (100 Years of Canonical Establishment) and Queen of the Universe (50 Years of Canonical Establishment)! We thank God for the GIFT of these Fraternities and for the faithfulness of each of our sisters and brothers to their Secular Franciscan vocation.
In October, 2015, our National Fraternity Council will be electing new Councillors to the National Executive Council. We ask you please to hold this Chapter in your prayers.
Although we didn’t enjoy a snowy winter in 2015, we did have some nasty weather which caused disruption to local fraternity as well as regional calendars. The “upcoming events” section of our Regional Website has been updated to reflect the changes which needed to be made.
Blessings, every good, and much love,
mattie
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