Living The Gospel

The original tunic of Saint Francis of Assisi is preserved in the Church of Saint Francis in Cortona, Italy. It is a relic of Saint Francis, according to scientists. Credit: INFN

But when on a certain day the Gospel was read in the church, how the Lord sent his disciples out to preach, the holy man of God... immediately put off his shoes from his feet, put aside the staff from his hands, was content with one tunic, and exchanged his leather girdle for a small cord. He designed for himself a tunic that bore a likeness to the cross...

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER IX

Brother Fly

In the early days of the Order, when the brothers lived at Rivo Torto, there was a brother who prayed little and did no work, who never went begging, for he was ahamed, but he ate well. Considering his behavior, Blessed Francis was warned by the Holy Spirit that this brother was a sensual man. One day he said to him: "Go your way, Brother Fly, for you wish to eat the fruit of the labor of your brothers, while you remain idle in the vineyard of God. You resemble Brother Drone who gathers nothing, does no work, but eats the fruit of the activity of the working bees." He left without asking forgiveness, for he was a sensual man.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 62

Miraculous Healings Taking Place In Ohio And Indiana

Do you believe in miracles? The Richmond Catholic Community does! Countless people in East Central Indiana, and East Central Ohio, have been experiencing miraculous healings!

Miracles happen when we encounter the healing power of God through the power of the Eucharist and of prayer. Healing points the way to a closer relationship with Jesus, greater knowledge of his love, and deeper faith in his power to do the impossible.

Please Help Build The Portiuncula Chapel

Above photo is of the Portiuncula Chapel at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

To duplicate this Chapel, the Portiuncula Hermitage needs to raise $120,000

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It's times like these that tempt Catholics to throw in the towel and give up on the culture of despair.

Greed and corruption have wreaked havoc on our nation's economy. Euthanasia just received Washington State's stamp of approval. And all the pro-life victories of the past decade are now in jeopardy. It's the perfect storm for despair. But despair is the last thing we should do.

In troubled times, Christ calls us to pray, to trust in his perfect will, and to cooperate with his grace.

Ultimately, Christ calls us to hope. He calls us to remember that for Christians, peace does not rest on who wins an election or on the value of our stock portfolios, but in a loving God who “in everything...works for good.”

Of course, God doesn't just call us to hope. He gives us reasons to hope and signs of the good things to come.

I truly believe one of those reasons, one of those signs, is the Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center.

While many other Catholic institutions have sold out to the culture of death, the Portiuncula, along with a few others, has fought steadfastly for a culture of life. It has faithfully stood alongside the Church, forming men and women capable of true leadership and committed to bringing Christ to the culture.

But the "Portiuncula Chapel" can't be built alone. To continue building, we need your help! And that is why I'm writing you today: To invite you to join me in helping our culture through these troubled times by helping build the Portiuncula Chapel.

United in the Roman Catholic tradition and obedient to the Magisterium of the Church and the Bishop of Steubenville, we are committed to our Lord and Savior in the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the Sacraments of the Church and in our Brothers and Sisters.

With God's grace and your help, I believe past Portiuncula retreatants and those soon to follow in their footsteps will lead our culture and our country out of these troubled times.

That is why I invite you to share the work of these Catholics and the Portiuncula Hermitage that is forming them.

First, allow them to pray for you.

Prayer is the lifeblood of the Portiuncula Hermitage, and the Franciscan family would be honored to include you in their prayers. Please e-mail your most pressing intentions to: dicksoncorp@parallax.ws

Everyone at the Portiuncula will pray for your intentions before the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and at Mass.

In turn, please pray for the Portiuncula, that it might continue to form leaders who can be salt and light to our world.

Finally, I would be grateful if you supported the work of building the Portiuncula Chapel with a generous financial contribution.

Your support of the Portiuncula will make it possible for the sons and daughters of the Church to grow in faith during their retreats, and become the courageous Catholic leaders the world desperately needs.

Today, I want to challenge you to become a partner in the Portiuncula's mission to build the Portiuncula Chapel by donating $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, or more.

PORTIUNCULA FRANCISCAN HERMITAGE/RETREAT CENTER

ON LINE DONATION

Please, become a part of the Portiuncula Hermitage's work today. Don't let this chance to turn the culture around pass you by.

Pax Et Bonum!


Brother Chris



P.S. Don't despair in troubled times. Join the work of building the Portiuncula Chapel. Your contributions will provide God's people with training that is unwaveringly Catholic and equip them to become the courageous Catholic leaders that our world needs.

The Portiuncula Chapter Held At Pentecost

This is how the Portiuncula looked originally, encircled by hermit's "cells"

After blessed Francis had been given the sanctuary of Saint Mary of the Angels, the Portiuncula, by the abbot of Saint Benedict, he decided that twice in the year, at Pentecost, and at the feast of Saint Michael in September, all the brothers should gather there and hold a chapter.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER XIV

The Devil Made Me Do It!

Fra Michael Mary Francis

Many people blame the devil or their neighbor when they fall into sin or are offended. But that is not right. Everyone has his own enemy in his power and this enemy is his lower nature which leads him into sin. Blessed the religious who keeps this enemy a prisoner under his control and protects himself against it. As long as he does this no other enemy, visible or invisible, can harm him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XI

Barack's Big Abortion Bailout

Franciscan Cincture

The Cord of St. Francis

After his conversion St. Francis girded himself with a rough cord in memory of the cords with which Christ had been bound during His Passion, and a white girdle with three knots came subsequently to form part of the Franciscan habit. According to Wadding, St. Dominic received the cord from St. Francis and always wore it under his habit out of devotion to the saint, his example being followed by many of the faithful. In his Bull "Ex supernae dispositionis" (19 November, 1585), Sixtus V erected the Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Francis in the basilica of the Sacro Convento at Assisi, enriching it with many Indulgences, and conferred upon the minister general of the Conventuals the power of erecting confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his own order and of aggregating them to the archconfraternity at Assisi. The same pope, in his Bull "Divinae caritatis" (29 August, 1587), granted new Indulgences to the archconfraternity and empowered the minister general of the Friars Minor to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his own order in those places where they are no Conventuals. Paul V, in his Bull "Cum certas" (2 March, 1607), and "Nuper archiconfraternitati" (11 March, 1607) revoked all spiritual favours hitherto conceded to the archconfraternity and enriched it with new and more ample Indulgences. Both these Bulls were confirmed by the Brief of Clement X, "Dudum felicis" (13 July, 1673). Finally, Benedict XIII in his Constitution "Sacrosancti apostolatus" (30 September, 1724), conceded to the minister general of the Conventuals authority to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in churches not belonging to his own order in those places where there are no Franciscans. New privileges and Indulgences were conceded to the archconfraternity by two decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences dated 22 March, 1879, and 26 May, 1883. Besides the ordinary requirements necessary for the gaining of all plenary and partial Indulgences, the wearing of the cord and enrollment in the records of the archconfraternity are the only conditions imposed on the members.

Silly Gossip

Blessed that religious who finds all his joy and happiness in the words and deeds of our Lord and uses them to make people love God gladly. Woe to the religious who amuses himself with silly gossip, trying to make people laugh.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXI

Embracing The Lepers In Our Own Lives

Among all the unhappy spectacles of the world Francis naturally abhorred lepers; but one day he met a leper while he was riding near Assisi. Though the leper caused him no small disgust and horror, nevertheless, lest like a transgressor of a commandment he should break his given word, he got off the horse and prepared to kiss the leper. But when the leper put out his hand as though to receive something, he received money along with a kiss. And immediately mounting his horse, Francis looked here and there about him; but though the plain lay open and clear on all sides, and there were no obstacles about, he could not see the leper anywhere.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER V

181 Franciscan Friars Arrive in Assisi

Fra Giles Mary Christopher

Franciscans Begin 187th General Chapter

ASSISI, Italy, (Zenit.org).- Franciscan friars are in Assisi for the order's 187th general chapter as they celebrate 800 years since St. Francis founded the group.

In representation of 15,000 religious working in more than 110 nations, 181 friars (152 delegates and 29 support personnel including translators and assistants) arrived this week for the start of the month-long meeting. The chapter ends June 20.

The Franciscans are considering the theme "Verbum Domini nuntiantes in universo mundo" (Announcing the Gospel of the Lord all over the world).

The friars processed together into a Mass on Sunday, during which the current minister-general, Father José Rodríguez Carballo, highlighted the need to announce the Gospel with the force of St. Paul and the directness of St. Francis, even where this causes problems and suffering.

"Go out, friars minor, the Spirit of the Lord continues telling us today, not as owners of the truth, but as humble servants, and what you have received freely, give freely," he said in the homily. "Go out and announce to those you find along the way and in the plazas of the cities, their condition as sons and daughters of the same Father, your brothers. Go and evangelize in collaboration with laypeople, men and women, young and old."

Father Rodríguez Carballo acknowledged, "Certainly there will be no lack of difficulties but it is the Lord who says: 'Take courage. Do not be afraid.'"

During the second week of the chapter, a new minister-general will be elected by absolute majority, in the presence of the pontifical delegate, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins. The third and fourth weeks will involve discussions on orientations for the order for the next six years.

Speaking the message

In a May 22 press conference in Rome to present the general chapter, Father Rodríguez Carballo emphasized "missionary challenges," particularly inculturation and a renewal of the language of evangelization: "more humble, more wise and less pompous," and accompanied by a coherent life testimony.

He mentioned the efforts of evangelization made by the order not only in parishes, but also in some 800 educational institutions run by the Franciscans.

The minister-general noted that St. Francis was "above all a believer," even though many times he is portrayed as "a social and political revolutionary. Francis was a revolutionary of the Gospel."

At the end of the press conference, Father Rodríguez Carballo presented the commemorative medal struck for the 800th anniversary of the Franciscans (1209-2009).

We Have Been Called To Heal Wounds

..."We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way. Many who may seem to us to be children of the Devil will still become Christ's disciples."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 58

Nothing Is More Important Than The Salvation Of Souls

Francis used to say that nothing is more important than the salvation of souls. ..

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER CXXXI

Judge Sonia Sotomayor - Obamma's SCOTUS Pick

The President has nominated a highly-credentialed judge
with an inspiring life story.

Regrettably he also tainted the nomination from its start by suggesting that his
nominee would judge based on personal feelings and background, or be biased
with empathy for particular classes of litigants.  Judge Sotomayor now has a
much higher hurdle to climb than any nominee before her. The President's taint
combined with her aggressive record present an ample stage for a great debate
 in the Senate."

"The fact that Sonia Sotomayor is a Latina should not give Repubilcan senators
any pause. There is no larger demographic group in America today that could
better understand what it means to have courts and judges who favor one side
over another without an argument being made, than do Hispanics.  It is among
the reasons why we came here.  This nomination offers a great opportunity to
explain to Hispanic Americans why the Constitution must be defended against
a judge who would rewrite it according to personal biases and politics."   

Manuel Miranda
Chairman
Third Branch Conference

Living The Life Of The Gospel

When God gave me some friars, there was no one to tell me what I should do; but the Most High himself made it clear to me that I must live the life of the Gospel. I had this written down briefly and simply and his holiness the Pope confirmed it for me. Those who embraced this life gave everything they had to the poor. They were satisfied with one habit which was patched inside and outside, and a cord, and trousers. We refused to have anything more.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Testament of St. Francis

Keep Clear Of All Evil

It is well for those who die repentant; they shall have a place in the kingdom of heaven. Woe to those who die unrepentant; they shall be the children of the devil whose work they do, and they shall go into everlasting fire. Be on your guard and keep clear of all evil, standing firm to the last.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 21

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:

San Benedetto Monastery, Subiaco

A magnificent full-length fresco portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, protected under glass in St. Gregory's Chapel. It is labeled Fr. Franciscus and the saint is shown without the stigmata or a halo, indicating it was painted during his lifetime and before 1224.

The eastern influence of the chapel's Roman painters can especially be seen in this portrait - Francis is shown facing front and with one eye larger than the other, recalling the famous icon of Christ at St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.

A magnificent portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, painted during his lifetime.

Consecration of St. Gregory's Chapel, with St. Francis looking on.

View of St. Benedict's Monastery at Subiaco, clinging to a mountain cliff.
Click to enlarge and see our Subiaco Photo Gallery for many more views

View of St. Benedict's Monastery at Subiaco, clinging to a mountain cliff.
Click to enlarge and see our Subiaco Photo Gallery for many more views

St. Gregory's Chapel

A spiral stairway leads from just outside the Cave Chapel up to St. Gregory's Chapel, which contains some of the oldest frescoes at San Benedetto. The frescoes date from the early 13th century and were done by Byzantine-influenced Roman painters.

Protected under glass in the corner is a magnificent full-length fresco portrait of St. Francis of Assisi. It is labeled Fr. Franciscus and the saint is shown without the stigmata or a halo, indicating it was painted during his lifetime, before 1224. The eastern influence of the chapel's painters can especially be seen in this portrait - Francis is shown facing front and with one eye larger than the other, recalling the famous icon of Christ at St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.

A fresco to the left of the window shows Cardinal Ugolino (later Pope Gregory IX) consecrating this chapel. A friar is standing behind him, who appears also to be St. Francis; if so, this means he was present at the consecration.

Other frescoes in the chapel depict the Apparition of the Angel to Fr. Oddone; St. Michael the Archangel; the Crucifixion with Longinus, the sponge-bearer, the Virgin and St. John; the Savior Blessing; St. Peter and St. Paul; and the head of St. Onufrius. The vault is decorated with the Symbols of the Four Evangelists and Four Cherubim. The mural of the wounded Christ to the right of the window is an ex-voto of the 15th century. Outside the entrance is a fresco of St. Gregory the Great and Job, by the same school as the interior of the chapel. The vault in the entrance hall is decorated with peacocks and white swans.

When You See A Beggar

Portrait of St. Francis of Assisi found in Subiaco

St. Francis' soul melted at the sight of the poor or infirm and where he could not offer material assistance he lavished with his affection. A friar once brusquely refused a beggar who had asked for an alms at an awkward moment. When Francis heard about it, he made the friar take off his habit in his love for the poor, and cast himself at the feet of the beggar, confessing his fault and begging his prayers and forgiveness. The friar obeyed him humbly and Francis remarked gently, "My dear brother, when you see a beggar, you are looking at the image of our Lord and his poor Mother. When you see a sick person, remember the infirmities he bore for us."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VIII

Franciscan Chapter Meeting In Assisi To Elect Superior

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley would be my choice!

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- To coincide with the 800th anniversary of their founding, representatives of the almost 15,000 Franciscans of the Order of Friars Minor will gather in Assisi to elect a superior and plan for their future.

The 152 delegates to the Franciscan general chapter will meet May 24-June 20 in the city of St. Francis' birth. They will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the order June 9.

Father Jose Rodriguez Carballo, elected minister general of the Franciscans in 2003, is eligible for a second six-year term when delegates hold elections June 4.

"But ours is an unpredictable order," Father Francesco Patton, secretary of the chapter, told reporters during a May 22 press conference. Two of Father Carballo's predecessors were elected to two terms; two were not, he said.

Father Carballo told reporters the delegates will look at how well the order has met the priorities set in 2003 for deepening spirituality, improving fraternal life and living as poor among the poor and in solidarity with all those in need.

Second, he said, they will try to find new ways to meet the challenge of being missionaries in the modern world.

Father Mirko A. Sellitto, head of the order's press office, said video of the main liturgical celebrations of the chapter meeting will be posted on the video-sharing Web site YouTube, and some of the talks and interviews with delegates will be packaged as podcasts that can be downloaded from iTunes.

Father Carballo told reporters, "Even if numerically our order is diminishing, that does not mean we are not opening new mission," including ones in Sudan and Myanmar.

In 1930, the Franciscan Friars Minor numbered 22,000, said Father Francesco Bravi. As of Dec. 31, 2008, the number had declined to 14,724.

However, he said, like many of the church's oldest religious orders, the Franciscans are growing in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, holding steady in Latin America, and declining in Western Europe and North America.

Rivotorto

A reconstruction of the shed that Francis and the first friars called home

In Italian, Rivotorto means crooked stream. Flowing meekly through the Spoleto Valley – only several kilometers from Assisi – the Rivotorto knows Francis well. After Pope Innocent’s initial approval of Franciscan life in 1209, Francis and his brothers found a small old shed near the stream where they settled for a period of time. No one lived in the shed. Its sad, unassuming state fit the group’s need to live poor, humble lives.

When a local farmer returned to the shed with his donkey (allowing the animal to roam throughout the shed), the Franciscans – with permission from the Benedictines – relocated to the Porziuncola (the Church of St. Mary of the Angels). They had already been attending mass at the Porziuncola for some time.

Rivotorto

Today Rivotorto is regarded by many as the “protoconvento”. Here the community took another big step in its development. Plus Francis’ presence at Rivotorto almost immediately made it a place of pilgrimage. By 1250, an altar already stood where the first Franciscans had once lived.

From the altar, over several centuries, a chapel grew. In their 1491 General Chapter, the Franciscans expressed their wish to maintain the Rivotorto chapel as a place of devotion. Today the church at Rivotorto is precisely that. Pilgrims and parishioners now also have the opportunity to see reconstructions inside the church of the shed that Francis and his followers once called home.

We Must Be Born Again Of Water And The Spirit

The brothers who are missionaries can conduct themselves among them spiritually in two ways. One way is to avoid quarrels or disputes and be subject to every human creature for God's sake (1 Peter 2:13), so bearing witness to the fact that they are Christians. Another way is to proclaim the word of God openly, when they see that is God's will, calling on their hearers to believe in God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Creator of all, and in the Son, the Redeemer and Savior, that they may be baptized and become Christians, because unless a man be born again of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Nuns Without Habits

Franciscan Sisters, TOR, Toronto, Ohio

Franciscan Sisters, TOR, "First Vows"



(Franciscan Sisters, TOR, is one of the fastest growing Franciscan Orders in America)

"Women who satisfy their vanity in their dress can never put on the life of Jesus Christ; moreover they even lose the ornaments of their soul as soon as this idol enters into their heart."

Saint Padre Pio

What did St. Padre Pio mean by that? Let's see:


Nuns Without Habits In Houston

by CVSTOS FIDEI

Today in the Houston Chronicle's Religion section there were two articles about nuns. What makes this story stick out, like most liberal articles, is that of course they interviewed "new age" nuns.

The reporter asks these nuns, the Dominican Sisters of Houston, "So, do you have to give up everything?"

The Sister responds to this question with "Do we look as if we have given up everything?",

Can I presume they have given up much more? Like contemplation, praying, and suffering in solitude?

The next question coming from the reporter is "Can you ever get married". Which the nuns never reply to but whimsically respond that questions such as these gave them reason to update their website so as to clear any confusion. The title on their website pretty much says it all, "Our habits have changed. But not our mission".

Sister Niehaus continues on by saying, "We sort of discovered that people don't know we are here or don't recognize us,". Is that because you don't look, behave, or lead a nuns life?

Here's another nun's intonation on the need to update their (web)site with emphasis mine:

Sister Hubbard, who spearheaded the project, said the sisters spent more than six months developing the site, which launched earlier this month. When they began discussing ways to update their public image, the Internet seemed the ideal place to start, said Sister Hubbard, a BlackBerry user who uses words like "hard core" and "rockin' with the music."

To view their website click here.

In the other 'nun' article also aptly titled, "This sister's spiritual journey includes study of cosmos". The Houston Chronicle reporter interviews Sister Linda Gibler who recently earned her doctorate in "philosophy and religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies, with a concentration in philosophy, cosmology and consciousness."

Yes, you read that right, "cosmology and consciousness". Oh, the article gets even better, read this very "incisive" selection (emphasis mine):

"I call myself a cosmologist, which basically is the study of the cosmos. But I studied with Brian Swimme, and he calls it 'functional cosmology,' " she said. "It's not only 'Ain't that grand?' but it's also the 'so what' of it."

Huh? So what what? Forgive me, but maybe I'm just a neanderthal Catholic with a limited vocabulary, but was anything said at all in that last sentence?

Now I wonder why people would get confused with her on this or on here appearance? (emphasis mine):

She smiles when people get confused and think she's a hairstylist. Sister Gibler patiently explains the difference between a cosmetologist and a cosmologist.

Maybe not wearing habit could be a clue to the confusion


And here's the best part of the article (again, emphasis mine):

"Long before we had Scriptures, we had Earth. God was present and taught us through Earth. That's not some pagan or New Age notion. So, how do we read this first book of revelation?"

She's already protesting what we already think!

Classic.

Give Alms For The Love Of God

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

In Troubled Times, Christ Calls Us To Pray

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It's times like these that tempt Catholics to throw in the towel and give up on the culture of despair.

Greed and corruption have wreaked havoc on our nation's economy. Euthanasia just received Washington State's stamp of approval. And all the pro-life victories of the past decade are now in jeopardy. It's the perfect storm for despair. But despair is the last thing we should do.

In troubled times, Christ calls us to pray, to trust in his perfect will, and to cooperate with his grace.

Ultimately, Christ calls us to hope. He calls us to remember that for Christians, peace does not rest on who wins an election or on the value of our stock portfolios, but in a loving God who “in everything...works for good.”

Of course, God doesn't just call us to hope. He gives us reasons to hope and signs of the good things to come.

I truly believe one of those reasons, one of those signs, is the Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center.

While many other Catholic institutions have sold out to the culture of death, the Portiuncula, along with a few others, has fought steadfastly for a culture of life. It has faithfully stood alongside the Church, forming men and women capable of true leadership and committed to bringing Christ to the culture.

But the Portiuncula can't do that work alone. To continue building its retreat center it needs your help.

And that is why I'm writing you today: To invite you to join me in helping our culture through these troubled times by helping the Portiuncula.

United in the Roman Catholic tradition and obedient to the Magisterium of the Church and the Bishop of Steubenville, we are committed to our Lord and Savior in the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the Sacraments of the Church and in our Brothers and Sisters.

With God's grace and your help, I believe past Portiuncula retreatants and those soon to follow in their footsteps will lead our culture and our country out of these troubled times.

That is why I invite you to share the work of these Catholics and the Portiuncula that is forming them.

First, allow them to pray for you.

Prayer is the lifeblood of the Portiuncula Hermitage, and the Franciscan family would be honored to include you in their prayers. Please e-mail your most pressing intentions to: dicksoncorp@parallax.ws

Everyone at the Portiuncula will pray for your intentions before the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and at Mass.

In turn, please pray for the Portiuncula, that it might continue to form leaders who can be salt and light to our world.

Finally, I would be grateful if you supported the work of the Portiuncula with a generous financial contribution.

Your support of the Portiuncula makes it possible for the sons and daughters of the Church to grow in faith during their retreats, and become the courageous Catholic leaders the world desperately needs

Today, I want to challenge you to become a partner in the Portiuncula's mission by donating $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, or more.

Please, become a part of the Portiuncula Hermitage's work today. Don't let this chance to turn the culture around pass you by.

Pax Et Bonum!


Chris

The Portiuncula
508 South 16th Street
Richmond, IN 47374



P.S. Don't despair in troubled times. Join the work of the Portiuncula. Your contributions will provide God's people with training that is unwaveringly Catholic and equip them to become the courageous Catholic leaders that our world needs.

To Preachers Who Sell What They Do For Praise

Francis said that preachers who often sell what they do for the price of empty praise are to be pitied. The abnormal growth of such men he at times cured with such an antidote as this: "Why do you glory over men who have been converted when it was my simple brothers who converted them by their prayers?"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER CXXIII

The Son Of Man Has Nowhere To Lay His Head

After St. Francis had lived and prayed in a cell for some time, one day when he had gone out and was near a friary of the brothers, one of them came up to him. "Where do you come from?" blessed Francis asked. "From your cell," the brother answered. Blessed Francis immediately responded, "Since you have called it my cell, someone else will occupy it from now on, not I!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 13

Patience

We can never tell how patient or humble a person is when everything is going well with him. But when those who should co-operate with him do the exact opposite, then we can tell. A man has as much patience and humility as he has then, and no more.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XIII

The Food Which Is God Himself

"If the body likes to take its food in peace and at ease, although it becomes food for worms, how much greater should be the soul's reverence and devotion when it receives the food which is God Himself."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 94

Disarming The World By Our Humility

One day St. Francis arrived at Imola where he went to the bishop and humbly asked him for permission to summon the people and preach to them. "It is enough, brother, that I should preach to my own flock," the bishop replied abruptly. Francis bowed his head in genuine humility and took his leave. Less than an hour later, however, he returned once more. The bishop was annoyed and asked him what he was looking for this time. Then Francis replied respectfully and without the slightest arrogance, "My lord, when a father throws his son out one door, he must come in by another." The bishop was disarmed by his humility; he smiled and put his arm around him and said, "Henceforth you and all your friars have general permission to preach in my diocese. Holy humility deserves that."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VI

Melting Love And Compassion For The Passion Of Christ

St. Francis' heart was stricken and wounded with melting love and compassion for the passion of Christ; and for the rest of his life he carried in it the wounds of the Lord Jesus.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER V

Thirsting After Christ

Although the man of God, Francis, was exiled from the Lord while in the body, he strove constantly to have his spirit present in heaven and thus he was already a citizen with the angels and only a wall of flesh separated him from them. His whole soul thirsted after Christ, and he dedicated not only his whole heart, but his whole body as well, to him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER LXI

Seculsion

St Francis not only despised arrogance with regard to houses, but he also had a great horror of many and exquisite furnishings in the houses. He wanted nothing on the table, nothing in the utensils, that would bring back memories of the world. Everything should show forth our state as pilgrims, everything bespeak our exile.

I am leaving for four days of seclusion at the Portiuncula Hermitage.

Please know that you will all be in my prayers this weekend!

Pax Et Bonum!

Fra Giles Mary Christopher

The Beginning Of Holiness

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

Fra Giles Mary Christopher

The Portiuncula Hermitage is committed to tithing ten percent of their Mystic Monk Coffee Sales Commissions 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:

Hidden In The Wounds Of The Savior

With fruitful devotion, St. Francis frequented only heavenly dwellings, and he who had totally emptied himself remained so much the longer hidden in the wounds of the Savior. He therefore frequently chose solitary places so that he could direct his mind completely to God...

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life - 71

Our Brother Body Is Our Cell

Wherever we are, wherever we go, we bring our cell with us. Our brother body is our 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

Owning Nothing

Francis wanted nothing to do with ownership, in order that he might possess all things more fully in God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XVI

Prepare Your Hearts To Suffer Everything Humbly And Patiently

Do not be afraid to preach penance even though we appear ignorant and of no account. Put your trust in God who overcame the world; hope steadfastly in him who, by the Holy Spirit, speaks through you to exhort all to be converted to him and to observe his commandments. You will find some men to be faithful and kind and they will receive you gladly; but you will also find many who are unfaithful, proud, and blasphemous, and they will insult and injure you and your words. Therefore prepare your hearts to suffer everything humbly and patiently.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER X

Never Deny Anyone An Alms

Another time, when St. Francis was staying at Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, a poor woman, who had two sons in the Order, came to the friary asking alms of blessed Francis. He immediately asked Brother Peter Catanii, who was then Minister General, 'Have we anything to give our mother?' For he used to say that the mother of any friar was mother to himself and to all the friars. Brother Peter said to him, 'There is nothing in the house that we can give her, for she wants the kind of alms that can sustain her bodily needs. But in the church we have a single New Testament, from which we read the lessons at Matins.' (For at that time the brothers had no brevaries and few psalters.) So blessed Francis said to him, 'Give the New Testament to our mother, so that she can sell it for ther needs. I am sure that this will please our Lord and the Blessed Virgin better than if we were to read it.'

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 38

The Truth of Holy Simplicity, Holy Prayer and Poverty

'But those who have cared for nothing except to know and point out the way of salvation to others, and have made no effort to follow it themselves, will stand naked and empty-handed before the judgment-seat of Christ, bearing only the sheaves of confusion, shame, and grief. Then shall the truth of holy simplicity, of holy prayer and poverty, which is our vocation, be exalted, glorified, and proclaimed; the truth which those who were swollen with the wind of their learning betrayed by their own lives and by the words of their empty learning'...

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 72

Preach The Need To Do Penance In Every Sermon

In all your sermons you shall tell the people of the need to do penance, impressing on them that no one can be saved unless they receive the Body and Blood of the Lord.

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO ALL SUPERIORS OF THE FRIARS MINOR

We Continue Crucifying Christ

Every creature under heaven serves and acknowledges and obeys its Creator in its own way better than you do. Even the devils were not solely responsible for crucifying him; it was you who crucified him with them and you continue to crucify him by taking pleasure in your vices and sins.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition V

Concerning Those Determined To Live According To The Flesh

If a friar is clearly determined to live according to the flesh and not according to the spirit, no matter where he is, the others are bound to warn, insrtuct and correct him with humble charity.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 5

Choosing Holy Poverty As Our Spouce

Once, when he had met a poor man and considered his poverty, he said to his companions, 'This man's poverty brings great shame on us, and is a stern rebuke to our own. For since I have chosen holy poverty as my lady, my delight, and my spiritual and bodily treasure, I feel the greatest shame when I find someone poorer than myself.'

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 18

Mount Nebo: Looking with Faith and Hope to the Future

VATICAN CITY, (VIS) - Having celebrated a private Mass at the apostolic nunciature in the Jordanian capital of Amman, the Holy Father travelled by car to Mount Nebo. The mountain, 806 metres above sea level, is the site of the Basilica of the Memorial of Moses, a fourth century structure built over an earlier monument dating from the classical age.

Since the year 1933 there has been a Franciscan monastery at Siyagha on Mount Nebo. It has areas in which faithful from the nearby city of Madaba can pray, and special buildings for archaeologists. The top of the mountain affords a unique view over the Holy Land.

At the beginning of his address, the Pope mentioned the Franciscan Fr. Michele Piccirillo, who died last year having "devoted his life to the study of Christian antiquity, and is buried in this shrine which was so dear to him". The Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land have had a presence on this site since 1932.

"It is appropriate that my pilgrimage should begin on this mountain, where Moses contemplated the Promised Land from afar", said the Holy Father. "Here, on the heights of Mount Nebo, the memory of Moses invites us to 'lift up our eyes' to embrace with gratitude not only God's mighty works in the past, but also to look with faith and hope to the future which He holds out to us and to our world".

Like the prophets, the apostles and the saints, we too, said Benedict XVI, "are called to welcome the coming of Christ's Kingdom by our charity, our service to the poor, and our efforts to be a leaven of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace in the world around us. ... And we know that the God Who revealed His name to Moses as a pledge that He would always be at our side will give us the strength to persevere in joyful hope even amid suffering, trial and tribulation".

"Here, in the footsteps of the countless pilgrims who have preceded us in every century, we are challenged to appreciate more fully the gift of our faith and to grow in that communion which transcends every limit of language, race and culture".

The Pope recalled how "from the beginning the Church in these lands has commemorated in her liturgy the great figures of the Old Testament, as a sign of her profound appreciation of the unity of the two Testaments. MORE

1209 to 2009 - Celebrating 800 Years of Franciscan Life

Poggio Bustone

The Rieti Valley in Italy is a mountainous region just over 60 miles northeast of Rome. In the early 13th century, Francis of Assisi visited the area on several occasions. Seeking a place of isolation where he could meditate and get closer to the Lord. He found exactly what he was looking for in the Rieti Valley. One specific place, amongst several, where Francis spent a fair bit of time when he was in the Rieti Valley was a village called Poggio Bustone. Here a tiny abandoned hermitage served Francis and his brothers as a home where they could pray and fast.

Convento di San Giacomo

Although Francis thrived spiritually in the isolation of the hermiate, he was not one to distance himself completely from society. When he first entered Poggio Bustone in 1209, curious residents peaked from their houses, wondering who had visited them. To all of these people Francis offered a gregarious, “Buon giorno, buona gente (good morning, good people).” Today every October 4th – the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi – a local man will walk through the village, knock on doors, and yell out the same greeting Francis used so many centuries ago.

Poggio Bustone

Around his 1217 visit to Poggio Bustone, Francis founded the Convento di San Giacomo, which today houses several friars and welcomes pilgrims. From the convento one can walk for about a half hour up an inclined path to the hermitage where Francis prayed upon his first visit to Poggio Bustone in 1209. Along this path stand six little chapels dedicated to Francis. The sanctuary, pilgrims discover, is a chapel hewn out in rock. A little farther on is a small cave. In this very special place an angel appeared to Francis and said, “Francis, here your sins are forgiven as you have asked” while handing him a book. A picture in the cave commemorates this event.

The Rieti Valley

Fr. Corapi, Cardinal Newman Society Launch Prayer Campaign for Notre Dame "Travesty" on National Day of Prayer

MANASSAS, Virginia, May 8, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Televangelist priest Rev. John Corapi, S.O.L.T. and The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) are leading a national prayer campaign for Catholic higher education and an end to the scandal caused by the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor pro-abortion President Barack Obama at commencement on May 17, 20

The campaign began yesterday, the National Day of Prayer, when Americans are invited to pray for their country.

In a video released on the Internet, Fr. Corapi, on behalf of the Cardinal Newman Society, is calling for prayer for Catholic higher education. In particular, Corapi urged supplication for the University of Notre Dame, which he said "dishonored itself, and to some extent the entire Catholic world" by deciding to honor President Obama with the commencement address and an honorary law degree May 17.

While Notre Dame has honored many past U.S. presidents, said Corapi, Obama is the first "that has such an obviously public and pernicious anti-life and anti-Catholic Christian bias.

"No president in history has been so damaging to the cause of respect for life than this one, and he's only just begun." President Obama's hostility to pro-life laws, including regulations protecting the conscience rights of doctors objecting to performing abortions, "marks him as a singular enemy of essential elements of the Catholic Church's moral teaching."

"Metaphorically and morally," he said, the Notre Dame invitation "is like shooting yourself in the foot. But Notre Dame limps on.

"Many of you did what you could to prevent this travesty from actually happening, and at this moment, barring a bolt of lightning or divine intervention, it looks like it will happen."

Fr. John Corapi thanked the signers to the petition at NotreDameScandal.com, which now holds nearly 355,000 signatures. Fr. Corapi also urged Catholics to continue the fight for the renewal of Catholic campuses across the country.

“Authentic Catholic identity needs to be restored in our Catholic universities and other institutions of learning," Corapi warned. "If it is restored our nation will be restored. If it is not restored, we will have much to answer for in the moral unraveling of a great nation.

“If we chose prestige over principles and popularity over morality then we become part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

“The Cardinal Newman Society’s work to renew Catholic higher education has been ongoing for 16 years,” commented Patrick J. Reilly, President of CNS. “We encourage prayers from Catholics across the nation that the energy of protest will be directed to the larger task of reform and renewal of Catholic higher education.”

Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X89_XLYbpxU

Taking Nothing With Us But Christ Crucified

Because St. Francis and his companions had been called by God and chosen to bear the Cross of Christ in their hearts and in their actions and to preach it by their words, they appeared to be and they were crucified men, both in their habit and their austere life and their deeds and their actions. Therefore, they had a greater desire to receive shame and insults for the love of Christ than the vain honors or respect or praise of the world. On the contrary, they rejoiced in being insulted, and they were made sad by being honored. And so they went through the world as pilgrims and strangers, taking with them nothing but Christ Crucified.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 5

Possessions Require Weapons

The brothers often asked the advice of the Bishop, who received Francis with kindness, but said, "It seems to me that it is very difficult to possess nothing in the world." To this blessed Francis replied, "My Lord, if we had any possessions we should also be forced to have arms to protect them, since possessions are a cause of disputes and strife, and in many ways we should be hindered from loving God and neighbor. Therefore in this life we wish to have no temporal possessions."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 33

Perfect and Imperfect Obedience

There are many religious who under the pretext of doing something more perfect than what their superior commands look behind and go back to their own will that they have given up (Prov. 26:11). People like that are murderers, and by their bad example they cause the loss of many souls.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition III

Never Cease Doing Good

Even though people may call them hypocrites, the friars should never cease doing good. They should avoid expensive clothes in this world in order that they may have something to wear in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 22:11).

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 2

The Canticle of the Creatures - St. Francis of Assisi

il Cantico delle Creature

by
Angelo Branduardi

Lyrics

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

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

Fra Giles

The Portiuncula Hermitage is committed to tithing ten percent of their Mystic Monk Coffee Sales Commissions 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:

The Seven Canonical Hours

All are to say the seven canonical Hours, that is, Matins, Prime, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. The clerics are to say them after the manner of the clergy. Those who know the Psalter are to say the Deus in nomine tuo and the Beati immaculati up to the Legem pone for Prime, and the other psalms of the Hours, with the Glory be to the Father...

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

For The Love Of God!

St. Francis said, "In truth I say to you, many nobles and scholars of this world will enter our Order and will consider themselves highly honored to beg for alms. Go therefore and beg with confidence, with a joyful heart, and with the blessing of the Lord God. You ought to ask for alms with more cheerfulness and joy than a man who would offer a hundred pennies for one; in exchange for alms that you solicit, you will offer the love of God, since you will say, 'Give us an alms for the love of God!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 3

Lesser Brothers

St. Francis said, "The Lord has willed that the brothers be called 'lesser' because they are this people whom the Son of God asked of his Father and of whom he said in the Gospel: 'There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased the Father to give you the kingdom,' and again: 'In so far as you did this to one of the least (minor) of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.' "

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 67

Insensible To All Earthly Desires

St. Francis felt like an exile, as long as he remained in this earthly life separated from God and, at the same time, his love of Christ had left him insensible to all earthly desires.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER IV

Poverty, Chastity and Obedience

The Rule and life of the Friars Minor is this, namely, to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without property, and in chastity.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Rule of 1223
Chapter 1

The Friars Should Not Say, This Is Another Rule

The friars should not say, this is another Rule...The Minister General and all the other ministers and custodes are bound in virtue of obedience not to add anything to these words or subtract from them. They should always have this writing with them as well as the Rule and at the chapters they hold, when the Rule is read, they should read these words also.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Testament of St. Francis