Pride And Arrogancy Is The Devils Strength

"Let not the spirit which now works on the unbelievers find anything in you gratifying unto himself, nothing wavering, nothing diffident, lest he find ground in you for working his wickedness against you. For he is exceedingly proud, and his pride and his arrogancy is more than his strength..."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Sacrum Commercium - 67

What Is Considered A Great Treasure

St. Francis said: "That is what I consider a great treasure-where nothing has been prepared by human labor. But everything there has been supplied by Divine Providence, as is evident in the begged bread, the fine stone table, and the clear spring. Therefore, I want us to pray to God that he may make us love with all our hearts the very noble treasure of holy poverty, which has God as provider."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 13

Joy Proceeds From Purity Of Heart

Francis declared that if the servant of God strove to possess and preserve interior and external spiritual joy, which proceeds from purity of heart, the devils could do him no harm, but would be forced to admit: "Since this servant of God preserves his joy in tribulation as well as in prosperity, we can find no way to harm his soul."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 97

Saving The Church From Ruin

Pope Innocent recalled a certain vision he had had a few days before, which, he affirmed, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, would be fulfilled in Francis. He had seen in his sleep the Lateran basilica about to fall to ruin, when a certain religious, small and despised, propped it up by putting his own back under it lest it fall. "Surely," he said, "this is that man who, by his works and by teaching of Christ, will give support to the Church."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER XI

Solitude

Portiuncula Hermitage

At certain times the blessed and venerable father Francis left behind the crowds of the world that were coming together daily with the greatest devotion to hear and see him, and he sought out a quiet and secret place of solitude, desiring to spend his time there with God and to cleanse himself of any dust that may have clung to him from his association with men.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER II

Jacob's Ladder

Portiuncula Hermitage

St. Francis never failed to keep himself occupied doing good; like the angels Jacob saw on the ladder (Genesis 28:12), he was always busy, either raising his heart to God in prayer, or descending to his neighbor. He had learned how to distribute the time in which he could gain merit wisely, devoting part of it to his neighbor by doing good, and part to the restful ecstasy of contemplation.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER XIII

Mary Ann Glendon Declined Notre Dame Award!

Kudos to Mary Ann Glendon, Ambassador to the Vatican from 2007 to 2009, who sent the following letter to President of Notre Dame, Fr. John Jenkins. This is one lady who not only has class but courage. God bless her!







April 27, 2009

The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame

Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame’s most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.
Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors. Read more...

Visit Professor Glendon's webpage and I offer her contact information below for those who want to send her a thank you note! It might be nice to include a spiritual bouquet.

Mary Ann Glendon
Learned Hand Professor of Law
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA 02138
Secretary: Susan Norton (617)496-2609
Fax: (617)496-4913
Email: glendon@glendonbooks.com


A special "Thank you!" to:
http://lesfemmes-thetruth.blogspot.com

Despicable, Worthless and Vile

Know that there are some things in life that are exalted and sublime before the Lord but are low and despicable in others' eyes; and other things which people consider grand and noble, in the eyes of God are counted worthless and vile.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Second Letter to the Custodes

Now That We Have Left The World

We have left the world now and all we have to do is to be careful to obey God's will and please him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
RULE OF 1221
Chapter 22

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.


The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticulously roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.


The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.


Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all their commission sales is donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To order direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon on the Left Side of this page:

Avoid Talking

"Death Fork" at the Portiuncula Hermitage

Far from indulging in detraction or disputing in words (2 Timothy 2:14) the friars should do their best to avoid talking, according as God gives them the opportunity.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 11

Continual Quiet

The pond at the Portiuncula Hermitage

With their eyes directed toward the ground, the brothers clung to heaven with their minds. No envy, no malice, no rancor, no abusive speech, no suspicion, no bitterness found any place in them' but great concord, continual quiet, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise were in them.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life - 41

St. Francis Prayed With Outstretched Hands In The Form Of A Cross

Saint Francis was occasionally seen raised up from the ground and surrounded with a shining cloud, as he prayed at night with his hands stretched out in the form of a cross. The brilliance which enveloped his body was a sign of the miraculous light which flooded his soul.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER X

Humble Dress

Cowl of St.Francis of Assisi

After Flury -Lembergh

This is a Monk's habit that once belonged to St.Francis of Assisi (d.1226). It is housed in Asssisi, in the church of S. Francesco. It is made of an undyed fulled woollen twil, ,and is partially lined in linen. The actual garment is missing the left sleeve. There is a linen pocket sewn into the remaining sleeve. Several large holes in the garment have been patched, ostensibly by fabric cut from a cloak belonging to St.Clare.

• Garment Material Length (to the shoulder):126.5 cm (")
• Width at the top: 97 cm (")
• Width at the Bottom: 167 cm (")

Torso Material Thread Count

• Warp is 8 Z-spun threads/cm (21.6 threads per inch)
• Weft is 10 Z-spun theads/cm ( threads per inch)

Although this garment is identified as being a "cowl", it doesn't fit the definition of a cowl according to the OED in that it has sleeves and no hood. It is closer to what was generally called a "frock".

"The men belonging to this Third Order shall dress in humble, undyed cloth, the price of which is not to exceed six Ravenna soldi an ell, unless for evident and necessary cause a temporary dispensation be given."

Saint Francis of Assisi
FIRST RULE OF THE THIRD ORDER
Chapter I

Preach By Example

No friar may preach contrary to Church law or without the permission of the minister. The minister, for his part, must be careful not to grant permission indiscriminately. All the friars, however, should preach by their example.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 17

Confession, Contrition, and Satisfaction

St. Francis further said: "The Devil exults when he can extinguish or impede devotion and joy brought about by pure prayer or other good works in the heart of God's servant. If the Devil takes hold of a servant of God, and if the latter is not wise enough to eliminate this bond as soon as possible by confession, contrition, and satisfaction, it would be very easy for the Devil to take the slightest thing and turn it into an ever heavier burden."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 96

An Ordinary Friar With No Claim To Eloquence

St. Francis used to say that we should feel sorry for a preacher who sought their own glory in their work and not the good of their listeners, or who destroyed by the example of their bad life what they had accomplished by his teaching. Such a man was devoid of any true religious spirit. He maintained that an ordinary friar with no claim to eloquence was in a better position because he encouraged others to do good by his good example.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VIII

Bishop Conlon of Steubenville to resume the practice of abstaining from meat on all Fridays throughout the year for the Unborn!

March 28, 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, Jesus fed thousands. It was a sign of how he would himself become the Bread of Life, true life for those who believe in him.

We cannot become literally other Christs. We can be transformed by his life and be instruments of his life for others. Just as he accomplished salvation through his supreme sacrifice on the cross, we can fulfill our Christian mission through sacrifice. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, fast and care for the poor as types of sacrifice.

Maybe we separate these three activities into distinct functions. Jesus drew them together in feeding the multitude. He took the meager food of the apostles, prayed over it and distributed it to the poor. On Calvary, after a day with no food or drink, he gave his life for us sinners, all the while praying to his Father.

We can do the same in a very simple way. I am inviting the Catholic people of the Diocese of Steubenville to resume the practice of abstaining from meat on all Fridays throughout the year, but with a twist. I am asking that this be not only a penitential practice but also an experience of prayer and service. This can happen by connecting abstinence with our witness to the sacredness of human life.

The Church teaches, in harmony with divine revelation, that every human life is sacred and inviolable from conception to natural death. Yet, abortion is widely accepted and legalized. Wars abound. Suicide bombings, terrorist attacks and public shootings kill innocent people. Domestic violence, human trafficking, racism, assisted suicide, capital punishment and so many other acts and attitudes degrade what is made in the image of God.

We must continue to teach the truth about life without ceasing and without hesitancy. But actions often speak louder than words. Abstinence from meat on Fridays, for the sake of life, is one such action, especially when done in solidarity with one another.

Abstinence is a form of fasting—a discipline of the body. It can remind us of the beautiful gift of life that God has given to us personally. It can also remind us and each other of how sacred everyone else’s life is. As a public witness, it can be a service to those whose life and human dignity are at risk.

Next to Sunday, Friday has always been a special day in the Catholic Church for prayer. Offering prayer for life--praising God as the source of life and begging him to turn away threats to life--is a fitting addition to abstinence. This prayer can be in the parish setting, in the family or alone. Abstinence itself can be offered consciously as a prayer for life and in reparation for sins against life.

Abstinence can also be service if we eat simple meatless food and donate the financial savings to the poor or to pro-life efforts.

The resumption of year-round abstinence in the Diocese of Steubenville will begin after this coming Easter, one week after Good Friday (April 17). Although the practice will not be a requirement of law, and failing to keep it will not constitute a sin, I hope every one who is old enough to receive Holy Communion and well enough to come to church will take it seriously. Our parishes, schools and organizations should provide meatless food at their Friday activities.

Until 1966, Catholics around the world were required to abstain from meat on all Fridays. That year, Pope Paul VI determined that the rules for fasting and abstinence should be set by the various episcopal conferences according to local circumstances. At the same time, he reminded us that doing penance was commanded by Christ himself and is an important part of our spiritual life.

The bishops of the United States eliminated mandatory abstinence from meat on Fridays except during Lent. However, they insisted that all Catholics should observe some penitential practice on Fridays, in remembrance of the Lord’s passion and death, and they highly recommended continuing abstinence from meat.

So, the present challenge to the people in our diocese is not really radical. It is a call to what many if not most of us have put aside. And it is a way for us, like the apostles, to give up a little food and help Jesus feed the world.

May God bless you and your sacrifice. May he protect the life he has so lovingly fashioned.

Most Reverend R. Daniel Conlon

Bishop of Steubenville

N.B. This letter is to be read before or at the end of all Masses on the weekend of March 28 and 29, 2009.

"My God And My All!"

Looking up to heaven and raising his hands, he prayed with intense fervor and devotion, saying: "My God and my all!" And he sobbed out those words with so many tears and kept repeating them with such devout persistence that until matins he said nothing but "My God and my all!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 2

Salvation Of Souls vs "Social Issues"

St. Francis used to say that nothing should take precedence over the salvation of souls, because it was for souls that the only-begotten Son of God hung upon the Cross.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER IX

The Canticle of the Creatures - St. Francis of Assisi

il Cantico delle Creature by Angelo Branduardi


A te solo Buon Signore
Si confanno gloria e onore
A Te ogni laude et benedizione
A Te solo si confanno
Che laltissimo Tu sei
E nullomo degno e
Te mentovare.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Con le Tue creature
Specialmente Frate Sole
E la sua luce.
Tu ci illumini di lui
Che e bellezza e splendore
Di Te Altissimo Signore
Porta il segno.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorelle Luna e Stelle
Che Tu in cielo le hai formate
Chiare e belle.
Si laudato per Frate Vento
Aria, nuvole e maltempo
Che alle Tue creature dan sostentamento.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorella nostra Acqua
Ella e casta, molto utile
E preziosa.
Si laudato per Frate Foco
Che ci illumina la notte
Ed e bello, giocondo
E robusto e forte.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la nostra Madre Terra
Ella e che ci sostenta
E ci governa
Si laudato Mio Signore
Vari frutti lei produce
Molti fiori coloriti
E verde lerba.
Si laudato per coloro
Che perdonano per il Tuo amore
Sopportando infermite
E tribolazione
E beati sian coloro
Che cammineranno in pace
Che da Te Buon Signore
Avran corona.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la Morte Corporale
Che da lei nesun che vive
Pue scappare
E beati saran quelli
nella Tua volonte
che Sorella Morte
non gli fare male

Click to Play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYdepwbwbeY

Fired By The Brothers' Preaching

Not only men, but also women and unmarried virgins were fired by the brothers' preaching, and, on their advice, entered the prescribed convents to do penance; and one of the brothers was appointed as their visitor and guide. Married men and women, being bound by the marriage vow, were advised by the friars to dedicate themselves to a life of penance in their own houses.

Saint Francis of Assisi
legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER XIV

Woe To Those Who Applaud Themselves

Woe to those who applaud themselves for the mere appearance of the religious life; they will grow numb with sloth and they will not be able to resist steadfastly the temptations permitted as a trial for the elect; for only those who have been tried will receive the crown of life, those whom meanwhile the malice of the wicked has put to the test.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER CXVI

Exhorting Love And Fear Of The Creator

The people they met were extremely surprised because in dress and manner of life they were so different from all others, and appeared almost like wild men of the woods. Whenever they came to a town or village or castle or house, they spoke the words of peace, comforting all, and exhorting men and women to love and fear the Creator of heaven and earth, and to observe his commands.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER X - 37

Cleanness Of Heart And Purity Of Prayer

Therefore, my brothers, since this spiritual joy springs from cleanness of heart and the purity of constant prayer, it must be your first concern to acquire and preserve these two virtues, so as to possess this inward joy that I so greatly desire and love to see in you and myself, and which edify our neighbour and reproach our enemy. For it is the lot of the Devil and his minions to be sorrowful, but our always to be happy and rejoice in the Lord."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 95

Women Religious Leadership Conference Faces Investigation

"They are certainly religious women, but they are no longer women religious as it is defined by the Roman Catholic Church."

Toledo, Ohio, (CNA).- The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is being investigated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith because of the “tenor and doctrinal content” of various addresses at the organization’s annual assemblies since 2001. One such address described “moving beyond the Church, even beyond Jesus” as “the dynamic option” for religious life.

According to its web site, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) has more than 1,500 members representing about 95 percent of the 59,000 women religious in the U.S.

Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), announced the doctrinal review in a letter, the National Catholic Reporter says.

He noted that officials from the LCWR had met with the CDF in 2001. The officials were invited to report on LCWR members’ reception of Church teaching on the sacramental priesthood, the CDF document Dominus Iesus and “the problem of homosexuality.”

Dominus Iesus, published by the CDF in 2000 under then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, emphasized the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and established the differences between the Catholic Church and other religions. The document stated that only the Catholic Church possesses the fullness of the Christian faith.

“Given both the tenor and the doctrinal content of various addresses given at the annual assemblies of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the intervening years, this Dicastery can only conclude that the problems which had motivated its request in 2001 continue to be present,” Cardinal Levada said in his letter.

The Catholic Key reported that the keynote address at the LCWR 2007 annual assembly has aroused “particular concern and discussion.”

In that keynote, titled “A Marginal Life: Pursuing Holiness in the 21st Century,” Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Laurie Brink commented on the decline of many religious orders. She characterized some successful new orders as being “acquiescent” to others’ expectations and also discussed the possible future of women religious.

She described a “sojourning congregation” as “the dynamic option for Religious Life.”

In Sister Laurie’s words, such a congregation involves “moving beyond the Church, even beyond Jesus.”

“A sojourning congregation is no longer ecclesiastical. It has grown beyond the bounds of institutional religion. Its search for the Holy may have begun rooted in Jesus as the Christ, but deep reflection, study and prayer have opened it up to the spirit of the Holy in all of creation. Religious titles, institutional limitations, ecclesiastical authorities no longer fit this congregation, which in most respects is Post-Christian.”

She described the Benedictine Women of Madison as having a commitment to “ecumenism” which led them “beyond the exclusivity of the Catholic Church into a new inclusivity, where all manner of seeking God is welcomed. They are certainly religious women, but they are no longer women religious as it is defined by the Roman Catholic Church. They choose as a congregation to step outside the Church in order to step into a greater sense of holiness. Theirs was a choice of integrity, insight and courage.”

Cardinal Levada said that the assessment of the LCWR will be conducted by Bishop of Toledo, Ohio Leonard P. Blair. Bishop Blair is a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine.

Cardinal Levada said Bishop Blair’s principal purpose would be to “review the work of the LCWR in supporting its membership as communities of faith and witness to Christ in today’s church, and to offer any useful assistance.”

CNA contacted Sally Oberski, Director of Communications at the Diocese of Toledo, for further comment on the investigation.

Reiterating Cardinal Levada’s description of Bishop Blair’s work, she said in a Friday e-mail:

“Bishop Blair has been in contact with the leadership of the LCWR, and has nothing further to add at this time."

Pope Benedict: Franciscans Continue To Beautify the Face of the Church

VATICAN CITY, (VIS) - Saturday in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Castelgandolfo, Benedict XVI received 3,000 members of the Franciscan Family who recently participated in the "Chapter of the Mats" in Assisi, Italy, commemorating the birth of the Franciscan order on the eighth centenary of the approval of St. Francis' "Protoregula" by Pope Innocent III.

The dozen friars who first followed St. Francis of Assisi, said the Pope, have over the centuries become "a multitude scattered throughout the world. ... And I, as Pastor of the universal Church, wish to thank [God] for the precious gift you yourselves represent for all Christian people. From the brook that sprang up at the base of Monte Subasio, a great river was born which has made a notable contribution to the universal spread of the Gospel".

Francis, the Holy Father continued, "experienced the power of divine grace, as if he had died and been raised again. All his earlier wealth, all his reasons for feeling proud and secure, everything became a 'loss' from the moment he encountered the crucified and risen Christ. At that point abandoning everything became almost a necessity, in order to express the superabundance of the gift he had received".

Pope Benedict then went on to describe the focus of his meeting with the Franciscans as "the Gospel as a rule for life", and he highlighted how St. Francis "viewed himself entirely in the light of the Gospel. This is his appeal. This is his perennial relevance", he said. "Thus the 'Poverello' became a living Gospel, capable of attracting men and women of all times to Christ, especially the young who prefer radical commitment to half measures. Bishop Guido of Assisi, and later Pope Innocent III, recognised evangelical authenticity in the projects of Francis and his companions, and encouraged their efforts, also with a view to the good of the Church".

However, the Pope noted, "Francis could also simply not have come to the Pope. Many religious groups and movements were formed in that period and some of them stood against the Church as an institution, or at least they did not seek her approbation. A polemical attitude towards the hierarchy would certainly have brought Francis many followers. Yet his first thought was to place his own and his companions' development in the hands of the Bishop of Rome, Peter's Successor. This fact demonstrates his true ecclesial spirit. From the beginning he saw the little 'us' he had begun with his first friars as being part of the great 'us' of the one universal Church.

"The Pope recognised and appreciated this", added Benedict XVI. "In fact, he too could have failed to approve Francis' plans. And indeed, we may well imagine that among Innocent III's collaborators some advised him to do just that, perhaps fearing that the little group of friars resembled other heretical and pauperist groups of the period. However, the Roman Pontiff, well-informed by the bishop of Assisi and by Cardinal Giovanni di San Paolo, was able to discern the initiative of the Holy Spirit and welcomed, blessed and encouraged the nascent community of 'Friars Minor'".

"Eight centuries have passed and today you wish to renew your Founder's gesture", the Pope told his audience. "You are all children and heirs of those origins. ... Like Francis and Clare of Assisi, ... always begin again from Christ ... in order to see His face in our brothers and sisters who suffer, and to bring everyone His peace. Be witnesses of the beauty of God, whose praises Francis sang while contemplating the wonders of creation".

"Go forth and continue 'to repair the house' of the Lord Jesus Christ: His Church", cried the Holy Father. "Yet there is another ruin, an even more serious ruin: that of people and of communities", he said.

"Like St. Francis, always begin with yourselves", he concluded. "If you prove capable of renewing yourselves in the spirit of the Gospel, you will continue to help the pastors of the Church to make her face, as the bride of Christ, ever more beautiful. Now as at your beginnings, this is what the Pope expects from you".

Preach Repentance and Penance

Have no fear of being thought insignificant or unbalanced, but preach repentance with courage and simplicity.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 36

Churches

"The Lord gave me such faith in churches that I used to simply pray these words: "We adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, in all your churches in the whole world, and we bless you because through your holy cross you have redeemed the world." Portiuncula Chapel at Franciscan University of Steubenville

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Testament of St. Francis

The Clever And The Powerful

The more clever and powerful you have been in the world, so much greater will be the punishment of hell that you will have to endure.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Letter to the Rulers of the People

Ladola Capellata (the Hooded Lark)

Above all birds, St. Francis loved the little lark, known in the language of the country as lodola capellata (the hooded lark). He used to say, "Sister lark has a hood like a Religious and is a humble bird, for she walks contentedly along the road to find grain, and even if she finds it among the rubbish, she pecks it out and eats it. As she flies she praises God very sweetly, like good Religious who despise earthly things, whose minds are set on the things of heaven, and whose constant purpose is to praise God. Her plumage resembles the earth, and she sets an example for to Religious not to wear fine and gaudy clothing, but cloth of a humble price3 and colour, just as earth is inferior to the other elements."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 113

For Pope, St. Francis Was More Than "Tree Hugger"

For pope, St. Francis offers conversion lesson for modern times

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At first glance, the scholarly Pope Benedict XVI -- sometimes dubbed "the pope of reason" -- might seem an unlikely devotee of St. Francis of Assisi, the mystic friar of simple faith.

Yet the German pope has found in St. Francis something that goes beyond the saint's popular image as the patron of peace, the environment and animals. For him, St. Francis offers a model of radical conversion to Christ.

An earlier pontiff, Pope Innocent III, approved the founding of St. Francis' religious order 800 years ago, and in mid-April Franciscans from all over the world converged on the Italian hill town of Assisi to celebrate the anniversary.

Assisi has gained a reputation as a place for spiritual seekers of every stripe, and its interreligious gatherings in recent years have drawn criticism from some conservative quarters of the church.

Pope Benedict, however, has lauded the "spirit of Assisi" and its emphasis on dialogue and interfaith bridge-building.

At the same time, he has encouraged Franciscans to highlight the fact that St. Francis' spiritual path began with a life-changing encounter with Christ. Today's pilgrims need to understand that connection, he said.

"It's not enough that they admire Francis: Through him they should be able to encounter Christ," the pope said during a visit to Assisi in 2007.

It's instructive to see how Pope Benedict views the life of St. Francis. During the same visit, the pope described the young Francis as a "king of partying" who grew disillusioned with the clothes, music and relatively easy life afforded him by his economic status in the 13th century.

In his first 25 years, the pope said, Francis was mainly out for fun and entertainment in life. He was vain and placed a lot of emphasis on image.

The pope's portrait of the young Francis was not a flattering one: a self-absorbed man who wandered the towns of central Italy looking for material pleasure. Then a change came, as tradition recounts, triggered by small encounters with the poor and the sick.

The pope compared Francis' conversion to that of St. Paul. Although Francis' journey was more gradual, he said, it was just as intense as St. Paul being knocked off his horse and blinded by the light of Christ.

Francis began to have visions and to withdraw in prayerful solitude. He told friends he was about to be married -- to a bride called "Lady Poverty." He encountered a leper on the road and, after first drawing away in disgust, went toward him and embraced him. He came to Rome, prayed at the tomb of St. Peter and gave away all his money.

His conversion is sometimes pinpointed to the moment when, praying before a crucifix, he heard God's voice telling him to "repair my house." He then wandered the hills trying to rebuild churches, but this was far from an idyllic lifestyle: Francis was mocked as a madman, pelted with stones, locked up at times by his angry father and often went hungry and cold.

It was in 1208 that Francis clearly understood his vocation, while listening to the Gospel account of Christ's instructions to his disciples: to renounce all material things and to roam the land, calling people to penance and peace. He experienced these words of Scripture as a personal calling.

By now, ridicule among the local people was turning to respect, and Francis began to attract followers. He wrote the first "rule," a collection of Gospel principles on which his order would be founded; the exact form of that text is unknown today, but it was approved orally by Pope Innocent III in 1209 -- despite reported resistance by the Roman Curia to such a radical mode of religious life.

This year's commemoration in Assisi marks the approval of the first rule of St. Francis, and it will no doubt be followed by others in a kind of "rolling anniversary" of Franciscan milestones, including Francis' death in 1226. He was canonized only two years after he died, and has become the patron saint of Italy, of the Italian lay movement Catholic Action and many other groups, as well as of animals and the environment.

For Pope Benedict, St. Francis is relevant today not only because of his eco-friendly image. The key to his vocation was the figure of Christ, the pope said, and if seen strictly through the lens of social activism the saint suffers a "type of mutilation."

That St. Francis suffered the stigmata -- the wounds of Christ -- was an eloquent sign of this, he said.

"He fell in love with Christ. The wounds of the crucified one wounded his heart before leaving their marks on his body on Mount La Verna. He could truly say with Paul: 'It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,'" the pope said.

It wouldn't be surprising to see the figure of St. Francis appear in Pope Benedict's upcoming social encyclical, which is expected to treat the questions of charity and the Christian response to economic injustice. As the pope has said, St. Francis's radical rejection of material comfort was part of his "quest for Christ in the faces of the poor."

Remain In The Presence Of God

St. Francis would say, "If the servant of God, as may happen, is disturbed in any way, he should rise immediately to pray and he should remain in the presence of the heavenly Father until he restores the joy of salvation."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER LXXXVIII

Poverty Is A Special Way To Salvation

St. Francis once said, "Believe me, my brothers, poverty is a special way to salvation. It is the source of humility and the root of all perfection and its fruit is manifold, though unseen. This is the treasure hidden in the field in the Gospel to buy which we must sell all - and anything that cannot be sold should be abandoned for love of it."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VII

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.


The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticoulosly roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.


The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.


Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all their commission sales is donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To order direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon on the Left Side of this page:

Preferring Insults To Praise

For his part, Francis preferred insult to praise, because he knew that insult leads to self-improvement, praise to downfall. And so when people praised his merits and holiness, he would command one of the brothers to assault his ears with phrases that humiliated and mortified him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VI

Spiritual Joy

If the devil can obtain a hold over one of God's servants, he will soon transform a single hair into a log to hurl at him unless he is a wise man and takes care to remove and destroy it as quickly as possible by the power of holy prayer, contrition, and satisfaction.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 95

The Bread We Beg Is Holy Bread

The bread we beg is holy bread. It is made holy by our praise and love of God. When a Lesser Brother goes begging, his first words are, "Praised and blessed be the Lord our God," and then, "Give us alms for the love of the Lord our God."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 61

Choosing Between The Active And Contemplative Life

On one occasion St. Francis said to the brothers who were closest to him, "What do you think? Should I give my time to prayer or should I go about preaching? I am a poor little simple one, with no skill in speaking; I have received a gift of prayer rather than that of preaching. Besides, in prayer we acquire graces while in preaching we deal out the graces we've received. In prayer we purify the desires of our hearts and enter into union with the one, true, and supreme Good, and we grow in virtue. In preaching, on the other hand, the dust of distraction and relaxed discipline enters the soul."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER XII

Newt Gringrich's Catholic Conversion

Washington D.C., (CNA).- The Catholic Church welcomed another high profile politician into the fold recently when former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was welcomed into the faith on Sunday, March 29.

Gingrich, who has had two well documented divorces outside the Catholic Church, appeared on Fox News to discuss North Korea’s recent defiance, but also spoke briefly about his conversion.

The conservative leader said that “reading the literature” and “meeting with Monsignor Rossi” gave him “peace” in his soul and a “sense of well being in the Catholic Church.” He referred to his confirmation as “one of the most powerful moments of [his] life.”

When questioned about his past marriages, he said “we have done everything within the law of the Church over the last 10 years, and it’s been a process.” Gingrich also pointed to Pope Benedict XVI as a contributor to his conversion.

He said that “seeing the joy in his eyes, listening to his message” led him to “really believe” in the Church’s message.

Gingrich also echoed Benedict XVI’s Palm Sunday message about self sacrifice and denial as the way to a successful life by saying that he believed that “much of what’s wrong with our country” can be solved not with more selfishness and greed, but rather by “looking inside ourselves, not just looking at money or looking at our wallets.”

Special note:

We can only hope and pray that Newt doesn't fall prey to Tony Blair recent conversion to Catholicism where he immediately turned around and chastised the Pope for the Catholic Church's stand on homosexuality...!!! If Blair disagreed, he should have never converted. Since he has already converted and finds our denomination so disagreeable to his liberal mindset, perhaps he should make the decision to "hit the bricks!"

Going About The Countryside Weeping

When he was asked why he went about the countryside weeping, St. Francis said, "I should travel through all the world and, without any false shame, cry and moan over the passion of my Lord!"


Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 37

Are We Too Busy To Pray? Then We're Too Busy!

We need to be especially alert to the evil subtlety of Satan. His one desire is to keep people from having a mind and heart disposed to their Lord and God.

He circles, lusting to snatch away the human heart by the ruse of some gain or assistance and to stifle remembrance of the word and precepts of the Lord.

He wants to extinguish the light of the human heart, and so he moves in by means of worldly business and worry.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Rule of 1221
CHAPTER XXII

Do Not Provoke Others To Anger Or Give Scandal

The peace which you proclaim with words must dwell even more abundantly in your hearts. Do not provoke others to anger or give scandal. Rather, let your gentleness draw them to peace, goodness, and concord. This is our vocation: to heal wounds, to bind what is broken, to bring home those who are lost. And remember that many who may now seem to be of the devil can one day become disciples of Christ.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companion - 58

We Have No Need Of Weapons

The Bishop of Assisi once said to St. Francis, "I think your life is too hard, too rough. You don't possess anything in this world."

And Francis replied: "My Lord, if we had possessions, we would need weapons to defend them."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 17

Of What Avail Is It To Live In A Man-made Cell?

Wherever we are, wherever we go, we bring our cell with us. Our brother body is our cell and our soul is the hermit living in that cell in order to pray to God and meditate. If our soul does not live in peace and solitude within its cell, of what avail is it to live in a man-made cell?

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 80

Heavenly Dwellings

With fruitful devotion St Francis frequented only heavenly dwellings, and he who had totally emptied himself remained so much the longer in the wounds of the Savior.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XXVII

Open Letter To Fr. John Jenkins from Chris Dickson

Oh please, Father, don't argue what the meaning of "is" is. That is so unbecoming of a Christian leader. As President of a once prestigious college, you should do the right thing. By dis-inviting Obama, perhaps that could be the "wake-up call" that could lead to his (Obama's) Christian conversion. The lives of countless unborn are in your hands right now, Father, and like Pontius Pilate, you will not be able to simply "wash your hands" and claim no responsibility of the murder of innocents!

Pax Et Bonum!

Chris Dickson
http://portiunculathelittleportion.blogspot.com

Please e-mail your thoughts to the President of Notre Dame University today!

Father John Jenkins
President
Notre Dame University
president@nd.edu

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.


The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticoulosly roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.


The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.


Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all their commission sales is donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To order direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon on the Left Side of this page:

I Am A Sinner And Unworthy

When you are visited by the Lord, you should say, "Lord, you have sent me this comfort from heaven, even though I am a sinner and unworthy, and I entrust it to your keeping because I feel like a thief of your treasures." And when you leave your prayer, you should seem to be only a poor little sinner, and not someone especially graced by God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
St. Bonaventure, Major Life

Environmentalists: Lost In Slavery To A False god

For created things are less than the human person. They are made for you, not you for them, and so they can never satisfy you. Only I can satisfy you...These souls in one way or another have identified with the earth in their love, and so they have in fact become earth themselves...Some lose me in their slavery to creatures...And the more disordered their love in possessing, the greater is their grief in loss....They suffer because they do not have what they long for.

Catherine of Siena

If through delight in the beauty of these things
men assumed them to be gods,
let them know how much better than these is the Lord,
for the author of beauty created them...
For from the greatness and beauty of created things
comes a corresponding perception of their Creator...
and they trust in what they see,
because the things that are seen are beautiful.
Yet again, not even they are to be excused;
for if they had the power to know so much
they could investigate the world,
how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

Wisdom 13:3, 5, 7b-9

What Wonderful Majesty!

"What wonderful majesty!
What stupendous condescension!
O sublime humility!
That the Lord of the whole universe,
God and the Son of God,
should humble Himself like this
under the form of a little bread,
for our salvation"

"...In this world I cannot see
the Most High Son of God
with my own eyes, except
for His Most Holy Body and Blood."


St Francis of Assisi

Congressman Mike Pence Calls On President To Withdraw Appointment For Faith-Based Advisory Council

WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, released the following
statement today in response to President Obama's appointment of Harry
Knox to the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood
Partnerships:


"For years the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives has made available
taxpayer resources to private faith-based organizations who offer
critical support to their local communities.



"Unfortunately, the President's recent appointment to his advisory
council makes a mockery out of the religious beliefs of countless
Americans. This selection furthers the divisive politics the American
people have rejected and the President promised to abandon.  Appointing
a man who has publicly attacked the Pope and other religious leaders for
their support of traditional marriage is deeply offensive to millions of
Americans and the faith-based community he is appointed to serve.



"I call on the President to withdraw this appointment and select a
person who can serve the faith-based community with the respect and
dignity it deserves."

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley Comments on New Franciscan Constitution

"The present constitutions emerged from a long process and the hard work of commissions and General Chapters. We also had the advantage of the newly composed Constitutions of the OFMs and the scholarly work of the legendary Father Cajetan Esser, O.F.M. Each Chapter of the present Capuchin Constitutions adopted a format which takes the Revelation of the Church and then Francis’ genius and then our fraternity and then develops the topic of the Chapter. It is a wonderfully constructed ecclesial vision of religious life and Franciscan spirituality. It locates us in the context of the Church and not as a sideshow of charismatic wonder.

"Capitular fathers were grateful to the fine work of the Italian Friar Guiseppe Santorelli from the Province of Ancora who helped incorporate more of the original Capuchin constitutions into the new Constitutions. All in all the Chapters that worked on the Constitutions did a remarkable job. I was present for some of those Chapters as a lowly translator and witnessed firsthand the hard work of the Capitulars.

"The new Constitutions despite its many strengths does have some flaws in my opinion. It is my hope that the call to re-look at the Constitutions might address some of these concerns:

• The new Constitutions dropped too much of our life of penance and the contemplative side of our life.
• The new Constitutions fail to give a clear formula for living a life of poverty “with explanations.”
• The new Constitutions favor generalities to honor an ill-conceived notion of pluriformity that has robbed the Constitutions of its fire.
• The new Constitutions needed to say more about the friars’ love for the Church and the fidelity to her moral and dogmatic teaching. Francis was so devoted to the Church, despite all the defects and shortcomings of the clergy and leadership.
•Our Constitutions should not be a bland description of how we are living our vocation in the 3rd millennium, but rather a description of how we should be living our life in a concrete program of radical poverty, radical prayer, radical love. Constitutions should not be easily tempered with. Performance and stability are important to inspire people with a sense of awe and seriousness. In today’s world young people see how everything is expendable, “throw-away.” Technology has created a world where everything is experimental or obsolete.

"The Constitutions are our identity as Capuchins and need to be firmly grounded in our history. We do not need a document that is modern and trendy that will soon seem dated and passe.

"Conclusion:

"Capuchin Identity is safeguarded by the Constitutions only in as much as it inspires us to live the Rule and Testament in a radical way. Generalities will never do. The Gospel Life of the Capuchin Brotherhood is about radical love. It is a life that begins with contemplative prayer. This allows one to imitate the self-emptying of Christ’s kenosis and leads to a radical witness that invites people to renounce the extreme individualism and materialism of our age in order to follow Christ poor and crucified.

"Some people are advocating removing some of the concrete directives on prayer that are in the Constitutions and place them in the Ordinances. This would be a fatal mistake. The ordinances are unknown and irrelevant to most of the friars. The Rule and Constitutions will always be the documents that form us and teach us our identity. The Constitutions cannot be a weak exhortation to live a vague ideal of the most common denominator. Rather, the Constitutions should be a challenging document that incorporates concrete directives about the life of prayer, poverty, and austerity. We need more boldness in our Constitutions if we are going to inspire young men to join our ranks.

"If we embrace or institutionalize a comfortable, bourgeois life style, the Order will die out, no matter how much lip service we give to a liberal social agenda. Our way of life lived in all its radical renunciation is capable of producing men whose witness of prayer, poverty and love will help transform society by calling people back to God, calling them to come home to the Church, by helping people to have a sense of personal vocation and to be part of a communal mission.

"It is my conviction that the contemplative aspects of our life should be addressed first of all. The Capuchin charism begins with the eremitical emphasis of the first friars as reflected in the document of Albacena, the subsequent Constitutions elaborate more on ministry and mission. The point of departure however is the contemplative basis of our vocation. When the life of prayer is carefully delineated, then the other aspects of our life take shape. The centrality of the Eucharist and mental prayer needs to be very clear. Daily celebration of a communal Eucharist, two periods of meditation, and the communal praying of the entire liturgy of the hours needs to be enshrined in the Constitutions as a bare minimum. To leave that up to local communities to legislate is too risky. By leaving things out of the Constitutions we are sending a signal that they are not really important and we encourage a take it or leave it attitude.

"The subjective mood, weak exhortations and mild recommendations do not communicate the sense of urgency that Francis wants to communicate in the Rule. It is a matter of life and death. St. Paul says no one will follow an uncertain trumpet blast. Our legislation should not be an exercise in subtleties. The directives about prayer and poverty need to be concrete, airtight and unyielding."

Cardinal Sean

http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/

Consider How Inadequate And Meager Is Our Virtue

Lifting his eyes and hands to heaven, Francis prayed with the greatest devotion and fervor, saying, "My God and my all! My God and my all!" And he continued saying nothing but "My God and my all!" and weeping profusely until matins.

St. Francis said this prayer while contemplating in awe the excellence of the Divine Majesty which had bent down to this perishing world and was about to provide a saving remedy for Francis and others through the little poor man, Francis himself. For, enlightened by the Holy Spirit through a prophetic spirit, Francis saw the great things God was going to accomplish through him and his Order. But when he considered how inadequate he was and how meager was his virtue, he cried out in prayer to God that in his mercy, without which human frailty can do nothing, he would supply, help, and fill up what was lacking in Francis.

St. Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis
CHAPTER 2

Lesser Brothers Are To Become Models Of Humility

Francis, the model of humility, wanted his brothers to be called Lesser and the superiors of the Order to bear the name "servants," thereby preserving the very words used in the Gospel which he had promised to observe. At the same time he enabled his followers to learn from their very name that they had come to the school of the humble Christ to learn humility. Jesus Christ, the teacher of humility, intending to form his disciples in true humility, said, "Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to become the first among you must be your slave" (Matthew 20:26-27).

Saint Francis of Assisi
St. Bonaventure,Major Life
CHAPTER 6

Franciscans ready to celebrate 800th anniversary of order's founding

By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Some 1,800 Franciscan friars from all over the world were expected to converge on the Umbrian hill town of Assisi, Italy, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of papal approval of the Franciscan rule.

For the first time, representatives from the four main Franciscan branches were to meet in Assisi -- the birthplace of their founder, St. Francis -- to take part in an International Chapter of Mats April 15-18.

A Chapter of Mats gets its name from the time in 1221 St. Francis called more than 3,000 friars to the Portiuncula chapel in Assisi for a general meeting or chapter.

Because the small town could not accommodate the large number of visitors, the friars lived in huts made out of reeds and slept on mats, said Father Jose Rodriguez Carballo, minister general of the Order of Friars Minor.

The three other Franciscan groups participating are the Capuchins, the Conventual Franciscans and the Third Order Regular Franciscans.

The chapter falls on the 800th anniversary of the formal founding of the Franciscan order when St. Francis presented his rule to Pope Innocent III for approval in 1209.

During a press conference April 7 at Vatican Radio, Father Rodriguez underlined the spiritual nature of the gathering and said organizers hope it will be an occasion for "coming together as a family, offering the church and the world our witness of brotherhood and celebrating our beginnings."

With days dedicated to testimonials, penance, fasting, prayer and pilgrimage, the gathering will also be a call to conversion and to live the Gospel as St. Francis asked his disciples to, the minister general said.

Men and women religious will have an occasion to profess their continued fidelity to the pope when they meet with Pope Benedict XVI April 18 during a special audience at Castel Gandolfo, he said.

St. Francis, who was born to a wealthy family in Assisi sometime around 1181, dedicated himself to the poor and preached living a way of peace. He founded three religious orders -- the Friars Minor, the Poor Clares, and the Brothers and Sisters of Penance -- giving each one a special rule.

The orders evolved over time and today include:

-- The first order, which is made up of three separate bodies -- the Friars Minor, the Conventual Franciscans and the Capuchins.

-- The second order, the Poor Clares, which includes all monasteries of cloistered nuns professing the Rule of St. Clare as well as the Sisters of the Annunciation and the Conceptionists.

-- The third order, which is made up of the Third Order Regular Franciscans, a secular order and new foundations.

Father Rodriguez said while the Franciscan branches are juridically separate from one another they are united spiritually and collaborate on a number of projects around the world.

Instead of considering the orders as divided, he said they represent the diversity and plurality in the world.

"The Franciscan order flows from a very rich charism" that can find expression in many people and places, he said.

There are also countless groups, including Anglicans, Lutherans and Presbyterians, who find inspiration in St. Francis and live according to his rule, he said.

Even some Buddhists and Muslims have a special devotion to the Franciscan St. Anthony of Padua, Capuchin Father Mariano Steffan said at the April 7 press conference.

The Franciscan charism "is very open; it doesn't make distinctions, create barriers or segregate," he said.

However, this causes some difficulty in discernment "because when there is such a diversity of expression it's hard to tell when you have the right balance and when you've gone too far," he said.

Our Governing Must Be Spiritual

My office of governing the brothers is spiritual, in that I must overcome and correct vices. If I cannot do this by my preaching and example, then I surely do not want to do it like a taskmaster, beating and flogging the brothers the way a worldly master does.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 23

On Judging Others

One day St. Francis heard a brother insinuate to a poor little man who was begging an alms, "How do I know you're not really rich and pretending to be in need?"

When Francis, the Father of the Poor, heard this, he was deeply saddened. He severely rebuked the brother who had dared utter such words and ordered him to strip before the beggar and beg his pardon, kissing his feet.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XXVIII

Seven More U.S. Bishops Make 24 Against Notre Dame Scandal

By Kathleen Gilbert

NOTRE DAME, Indiana, April 7, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Seven more bishops have publicly spoken out against the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President Barack Obama to give the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17. In total 24 U.S. bishops have condemned the scandal (see list at bottom).

LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) today obtained Bishop William Higi's statement in Sunday's print edition of The Catholic Moment, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Lafayette, IN.

"Many people, including myself, who consider the University of Notre Dame the prestigious Catholic university in the United States, are most upset that the university has extended an invitation to President Obama to give its commencement address and receive an honorary degree," wrote Bishop Higi.

"Others have explained why so many object to this action. It need not be repeated here. In simple fact, the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who stand in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions. The sanctity of life from conception to natural death heads that list of fundamental principles."

The bishop encouraged readers to file their protest at http://www.notredamescandal.com, where a petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society has reached over 248,000 signatures.

Read entire article:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html

The Wedding Ring

Temptation overcome is the ring by which the Lord espouses the soul of his servant to himself.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER LXXXIII

Holy Bread

The bread we beg is holy bread. It is made holy by our praise and love of God. When a Lesser Brother goes begging, his first words are, "Praised and blessed be the Lord our God," and then, "Give us alms for the love of the Lord our God."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 61

Become Hidden In The Wounds Of The Savior

Fall Photo taken at the Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio

With joy-filled devotion Francis dwelt in the heavenly mansions and in complete self-emptying he remained for long periods hidden, as it were, in the wounds of the Savior. He therefore sought out solitary places where he could cast his soul entirely upon God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XXVII

Singing The Praises Of The Lord

When the sweetest melody of spirit would flame up in his heart, St. Francis would release it by singing in French, and the trickle of divine inspiration which his inner ear had caught would begin to overflow like a minstrel's song.

At times, as I have seen with my own eyes, he would pick up a stick from the ground and, holding it in his left arm, would draw across it another stick bent by means of a string, as if he were playing a violin. Then pretending to play, he would sing in French the praises of the Lord.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER XC

Faithful Observers Of The Holy Gospel

"You want to pass in the eyes of men as Friars Minor and be called faithful observers of the holy gospel, but in practice what you want is to keep your treasures."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 68

The Virtues Of One Saint

St. Francis would say that the very great multitude of imperfect brothers would be overcome by the virtues of one saint, for the deepest darkness is dispersed by even a single ray of light.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER CXII

Seek Out Lonely Places

Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio

Francis learned in his prayer that the presence of the Holy Spirit for which he longed was granted more intimately when he was far from the rush of worldly affairs. Therefore, he used to seek out lonely places in the wilderness and go into abandoned churches to pray at night.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER X

What Have You To Be Proud Of?

What have you to be proud of? I you were so clever and learned that you knew everything and could speak every language, so that the things of heaven were an open book to you, still you could not boast of that. Any of the devils knew more about the things of heaven, and knows more about the things of earth, than any human being...

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition V

Whatever the Doms do we can do better or just as well.

Thank you, Brother Frederick Francis, OFM, Cap for this:
http://breathingwithbothlungs.blogspot.com/

The English Dominicans have photos and an article about their Bro. Ursus. Well we Irish Capuchin Franciscans here in Raheny have Bro. Frederick Francis (his friends call him Freddy or Frank depending on the mood). He does not aspire to ordination as he is not valid matter (not a human male) and will go, in humble obedience, wherever he is sent. Bro. Freddy lives a contemplative life as a hermit (i.e. he never leaves his room), eats little and spends much of his day in silent contemplation of God's goodness and human foibles. He is mortified that I am publicizing him in this way as he prefers the littleness of anonymity.

Posted by Br. Tom Forde OFMCap

Separated Only By A Partition Of Flesh

Saint Francis realized that he was an exile from the Lord's presence as long as he was at home in the body (2Cor. 5,6,8), and his love of Christ had left him with no desire for the things of this earth...Prayer was his chief comfort in this life of contemplation in which he became a fellow-citizen of the angels, as he penetrated the dwelling places of heaven in his eager search for his Beloved, from whom he was separated only by a partition of flesh.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure - Major Life
Chapter X

The Vow Of Obedience: To The Pope, Bishops, Priests And Magisterium

A member of the Franciscan Order takes leave of all that they possess and loses both their body and their life when they give themselves up completely to obedience in the hands of Church superiors.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition III

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.

The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticoulosly roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.

The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.

Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all their commission sales is donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To order direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon on the Left Side of this page:

Wrapt In Divine Contemplation

Wrapt in divine contemplation, blessed Francis was absorbed in seraphic love and desire; and the the tenderness of his compassion he was transformed into a living crucifix. Thus the inmost desire of his burning love was fulfilled.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER XVII

Into The Virgin's Womb

Every day the Son of God humbles himself just as he did when he came from his heavenly throne (Wisdom 18:15) into the Virgin's womb; every day he comes to us and lets us see him in abjection, when he descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition 1

Intellectual Arrogance

There are many in the Order who day and night put all their energy and all their attention into the pursuit of knowledge, thereby abandoning prayer and their holy vocation.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 70

Many Noble And Wise Men Will Join The Order

Do not fear; before long many noble and wise men will join us, kings and princes too, with numbers of men, and very many people will be converted to the Lord and he will multiply and increase this his family in the whole world.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER X