To Those Who Have Chosen Poverty

St. Clare's Original Habit and Mantle

Since the great and good Lord, on entering the Virgin's womb, chose to look despised, needy, and poor in this world, so that people in dire poverty and deprivation and in absolute need of heavenly nourishment might become rich in him by possessing the kingdom of heaven, then you who have chosen poverty should rejoice and be glad!

First Letter of St. Clare to Blessed Agnes of Prague - 19

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The Fear And Love Of God Had Died Out

Before Francis preached sermons to the people they met, in passing through towns and castles he exhorted all men and women to fear God and to do penance for their sins, while brother Giles exhorted them to believe and to follow the excellent counsels of Francis.

When people heard them, they said: "Who are these men, and who do they speak like this?" They made this comment because at that time the fear and love of God had died out in the country and no one spoke of penance which indeed was considered a folly. This attitude was caused by the temptations of the flesh, the cupidity of the world, and the pride of life; the whole of mankind seemed engulfed in these evil forces.

Opinions varied about these men who were so obviously set on following the Gospel: some people declared that they were fools or drunk, but others maintained such words were those of folly.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER IX

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A Servant Of God Should Be Cheerful

Francis used to censure those who went about with gloomy faces, and once rebuked a friar who appeared with a gloomy face, swaying, "Why are you making an outward display of grief and sorrow for your sin? This sorrow is between God and yourself alone...Always do your best to be cheerful when you are with me and the other brethren; it is not right for a servant of God to show a sad and gloomy face to his brother of to anyone else."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 96

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Prophesy Regarding Future Poverelli (Sounds All Too Familiar)

The brothers began at last to fawn upon men of the world; and they began to be wedded to them, as it were, that they might empty their purses, extend their own buildings, and multiply the very things they had completely renounced. They sold their words of advice to the rich and their visits to noble ladies; and they frequented the courts of kings and princes with great eagerness, so that they might join house to house and field to field. And they are grown great and rich and strong upon the earth, because they have proceeded from evil to evil and they have not known the Lord. They fell when they were lifted up, and they sprawled upon the ground before their birth; and still they say to me, 'We are your friends.'

Saint Francis of Assisi
Sacrum Commercium - 49

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Catholic Nun Commercial (For Real Nuns)

Removing Temptation

When Francis had been troubled by a very grave temptation for more than two years, he happened to be praying in the church of St. Mary one day, when he heard in spirit the words of the Gospel: If you have faith, though it be like a grain of mustard seed, you have only to say to this mountain, Remove from this place to that, and it will remove. At once blessed Francis asked, 'Lord, what is this mountain?' And the reply came, 'This mountain is your temptation.' 'In this case, Lord,' said blessed Francis, 'let it happen to me as You have said.' And from that moment he was so completely freed that it seemed to him as though he had never had any temptation.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 99

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The Stigmata of St. Francis

After he had received the stigmata, St. Francis' hands enjoyed such extraordinary power that their saving touch restored the sick to perfect health, and gave back life to limbs which had been paralyzed and withered. What is more, they even restored to life people who had been fatally injured.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Minor Life
CHAPTER VI
Seventh lesson

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Tau Cross

The first recorded reference to the TAU is from Ezekiel 9:4, "Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a TAU on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." The TAU is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet and looks very much like the letter "T".

At the Fourth Lateran Council, on November 11, 1215, Pope Innocent made reference to the TAU and quoted the above verse in reference to the profaning of the Holy Places by the Saracens. It is widely accepted that St. Francis was present at the Fourth Lateran Council and that he heard the words of Pope Innocent III when he said, "The TAU has exactly the same form as the Cross on which our Lord was crucified on Calvary, and only those will be marked with this sign and will obtain mercy who have mortified their flesh and conformed their life to that of the Crucified Savior. From then on, the TAU became Francis' own coat of arms.

Francis used the TAU in his writings, painted in on the walls and doors of the places where he stayed, and used it as his only signature on his writings.

St. Bonaventure said, "This TAU symbol had all the veneration and all the devotion of the saint: he spoke of it often in order to recommend it, and he traced it on himself before beginning each of his actions."

Thomas of Celano, another Franciscan historian writes, "Francis preferred the Tau above all other symbols: he utilized it as his only signature for his letters, and he painted the image of it on the walls of all the places in which he stayed."

In the famous blessing of Brother Leo, Francis wrote on parchment, "May the Lord bless you and keep you! May the Lord show His face to you and be merciful to you! May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace! God bless you Brother Leo!" Francis sketched a head (of Brother Leo) and then drew the TAU over this portrait.

THE TAU AS OUR FRANCISCAN SYMBOL

Where did the TAU come from and what does it mean? (Rhymes with "How") Simply and basically, the TAU represents the Cross. It is also the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. However, the two major influences on Francis concerning the TAU were the Antonians and the Fourth Lateran Council.

St. Francis borrowed the TAU and what it meant to him from the Antonians. They were a religious community of men founded in 1095 whose sole function was to care for lepers. They were disbanded as an Order by the Church in the 1500's because leprosy was no longer a problem and many of the religious orders had fallen into Theological problems. On their habit was painted a great TAU cross. Francis was very familiar with these men because they staffed the leper house in Assisi and the hospital of St. Blase in Rome where Francis went to stay. This is now the church of San Francisco A Ripa.

Every time you see St. Anthony, "the Abbot or Hermit" in art, he is portrayed with the TAU.

St. Francis was exposed to the TAU through the direct influence of the Antonians, but the greatest influence of all that made the TAU so dear to Francis, whereby it became his signature, was the Fourth Lateran Council.

Pope Innocent III opened the Council on November 11, 1215, with these words: "I have desired with great desire to eat this Passover with you." (Luke 22-15.) Innocent announced that for him, for the Church, and for every Catholic at the time, the symbol they were to take as the sign of their Passover was the TAU Cross.

He incorporated into his homily the statement from Ezekiel (9:4) that the elect, the chosen, those who are concerned will be marked with the sign of the TAU. He explained that this Passover is a three-fold Passover.

Every Catholic must be involved in this triple Passover: A Corporal Passover, a Spiritual Passover and an Eternal Passover.

These became some of the most precious themes of Francis' preaching. He must have taken them so deeply to heart that when Pope Innocent III ended his homily with "BE CHAMPIONS OF THE TAU", Francis evidently took that as a personal statement and made the TAU his own symbol: a symbol for his order, his signature, painted it everywhere, and had great devotion to it for the rest of his life.

Evangelical Perfection

(Photo of Original Tunic found in Assisi, Italy)

Until the work of restoring the church of Saint Damian was completed, blessed Francis still wore the garments of a hermit with a strap to serve as a belt, and he carried a staff and had sandals on his feet. Then, one day during the celebration of Mass he heard the words in which Christ bade his disciples to go out and preach, carrying neither gold nor silver, nor haversack for the journey, without staff, bread, or shoes, and having no second garment. After listening to the priest's explanation of these words of the Gospel, full of unspeakable joy, he exclaimed: "This is what my whole heart desires to accomplish."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VIII

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The Habit Is A Sign

(Photo of Original Tunic worn by St. Francis found in Cortona, Italy)

The habit is a sign of the religious state and an indication of a good life; a lustful person has no right to it.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER V

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Without Humility No Virtue Is Acceptable To God

St. Francis, seeing the charity of the brothers and Brother Masseo's humility, gave them a wonderful sermon on holy humility, teaching them that the greater the gifts and graces which God gives us, the greater is the obligation to be more humble, because without humility no virtue is acceptable to God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 12

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Idleness: The Enemy of the Soul

The brothers were constant in prayer and in working with their hands; this they did in order to banish idleness, the enemy of the soul.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 41

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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


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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:

The Blessed Sacrament

Every day he 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 I

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The Evil of Self Will

A man eats of the tree that brings knowledge of good (Genesis 2:16-17) when he claims that his good will comes from himself alone and prides himself on the good that God says and does in him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition II

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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 (cf. Proverbs 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

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The Office of Superior

Those who are put in charge of others should be no prouder of their office than if they had been appointed to wash the feet of the confreres. They should be no more upset at the loss of their authority than they would be if they were deprived of the task of washing feet. The more they are upset, the greater the risk they incur to their souls.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition IV

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Boasting

There is one thing of which we can all boast; we can boast of our humiliations (cf. 2 Cor. 12:15) and in taking up daily the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition V

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Imitating Christ

We ought to be ashamed of ourselves; the saints endured persecutions, in ignominy, hunger, and thirst, in humiliations and temptations, but we who are servants of God try to win honor and glory by recounting and making known what they have done.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition VI

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Knowledge

A man has been killed by the letter when he wants to know quotations only so that people will think he is very learned and he can make money to give to his relatives and friends.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition VII

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Beware The Sin Of Envy

When a man envies his brother the good God says or does through him, it is like committing a sin of blasphemy, because he is really envying God, who is the only source of every good.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition VIII

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Charity

Our Lord says in the Gospel, Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). A man really loves his enemy when he is not offended by the injury done to himself, but for love of God feels burning sorrow for the sin his enemy has brought on his own soul, and proves his love in a practical way.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition IX

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Exterior Mortification

Everyone has his own enemy in his power and this enemy is his lower nature wich leads him to 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 X

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No One Should Be Scandalized By Another's Fall

Nothing should upset a religious but sin.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XI

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How To Know The Spirit Of God

We can be sure that a person is a true religious and has the spirit of God if their lower nature does not give way to pride when God accomplishes some good through them, and if they seem all the more worthless and inferior to others in their own eyes.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XII

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Patience

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

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XIII

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Poverty of Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). A person is really poor in spirit when he hates himself and loves those who strike him in the face (Matthew 5:39).

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XIV

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Blessed Are The Peacemakers (Mt. 5:9)

They are truly peacemakers who are able to preserve their peace of mind and heart for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, despite all they suffer in this world.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XV

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Purity of Heart

A man is really clean of heart when he has no time for the things of this world but is always searching for the things of heaven, never failing to keep God before his eyes and always adoring him with a clean heart and soul.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XVI

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The Humble Person

It is wrong for anyone to be anxious to receive more from his neighbor than he himself is willing to give to God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XVII

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Compassion For One's Neighbor

Blessed the man who is patient with his neighbor's shortcomings as he would like him to be if he were in a similar position.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XVIII

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The Happy and the Unhappy

Blessed those who refer all good they have to their Lord and God. Those who attribute anything to themselves hides the master's money (Matthew 25:18) in themselves, and even what they think they have shall be taken away (Luke 8:18).

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XIX

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The Virtuous and Humble

Blessed is the one who has no more regard for themselves when people praise them and make much of them than when they despise and revile them and say they are ignorant. What a man is before God, that he is and no more!

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XX

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The Happy and the Silly Religious

Blessed that religious who finds 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

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The Talkative Religious

Woe to the religious who does not keep the favors God has given him to himself; people should see them only through his good works, but he wants to tell everybody about them, hoping he will get something out of it.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXII

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True Correction

Blessed the religious who is in no hurry to make excuses, but accepts embarrassment and blame for some fault he did not commit.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonition
Admonition XXIII

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True Humility

Blessed the religious who is always willing to be corrected. A man is a faithful and prudent servant (Matthew 24:25) when he is quick to atone for all his offenses, interiorly by contrition, exteriorly by confessing them and making reparation.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXIV

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True Love

Blessed that friar who loves and respects his brother as much when he is absent as when he is present and who would not say anything behind his back that he could not say charitably to his face.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonition
Admonition XXV

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Religious Should Be Respectful Towards The Clergy

Woe to those who despise priests. Even if they fall into sin, no one may pass judgment on them, for God has reserved judgment on them to himself. They are in a privileged position because they have charge of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and which they alone administer to others, and so anyone who sins against them commits a greater crime than if he sinned against anyone else in the whole world.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXVI

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Virtue And Vice

Where there is Love and Wisdom,
there is neither Fear not Ignorance.
Where there is Patience and Humility,
there is neither Anger nor Annoyance.
Where there is Poverty and Joy,
there is neither Cupidity or Avarice.
Where there is Peace and Contemplation,
there is neither Care nor Restlessness.
Where there is Fear of God to guard the dwelling,
there no enemy can enter.
Where there is Mercy and Prudence,
there is neither Excess nor Harshness.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXVII

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Virtue Should Be Concealed Or Be Lost

Blessed the religious who treasures up for heaven (Matthew 6:20) the favors God has given him and does not want to show them off for what he can get out of them.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XXVIII

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Seraphic Order

Original habit of St. Francis found in Assisi, Italy

"The prophecies say that the day will come when the religious will throw off their habits and move from their poor hermitages in the woods into large houses in the cities, and that seculars will pick up their habits and move away from the materialism of the city back into the gospel poverty of the hermitages in the country. There is no doubt that this is again happening today. Let us be open to the Spirit's calling of all people into the Seraphic Order of a monasticism of the future!"

John Michael Talbot
HERMITAGE

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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


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The Virtue Of Joy

It is not fitting that a servant of God appear before the brothers or other men with a sad and glum face.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 97

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Cells

Photo of Skellig Michael's Cells: home to the Monks of Ireland

Francis said: "When the Lord withdrew into solitude to pray and fast for forty days and nights, he did not have a cell or a house built for himself but he took shelter under a rock in the mountain." That is why, following his example, he refused to have either a house or cell on this earth and forbade that they be built for him.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 13

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Penetrating The Dwelling Places Of Heaven

Photo of La Verna, Italy, where St. Francis received the Stigmata

Francis tried to keep his spirit always in the presence of God, by praying to him without intermission, so that he might not be without some comfort from his Beloved. 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

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Franciscans re-elect Minister General

by Catholic News Service

ASSISI, Italy (CNS) -- Spanish Father Jose Rodriguez Carballo was re-elected to head the Franciscan order during a general chapter May 24-June 20 in Assisi, Italy, the birthplace of St. Francis.

Father Carballo, 55, was elected to a second six-year term as minister general of the Order of Friars Minor June 4. Some 152 representatives of the order reconfirmed the Spanish friar during the Assisi meeting as the leader of the 15,000 Franciscans who live in 113 countries.

Father Carballo is the 119th successor of St. Francis and will lead the Order of the Friars Minor until 2015.

The delegates will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of their order June 9.

Father Carballo told reporters at the end of May that during the general chapter the delegates were looking 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 would try to find new ways to meet the challenge of being missionaries in the modern world.

Father Carballo said, "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, according to OFM figures. As of Dec. 31, 2008, the number had declined to 14,724.

However, 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.

Father Carballo has been minister general since 2003. He had been a member of the Franciscans' governing board and the head of the section in charge of formation and studies. Before that he served as minister of the Franciscan province of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, as president of the Union of Friars Minor in Europe and as formation director for young religious.

Quiet and Meditation: A "Radical Sabbatical"

Portiuncula Hermitage and Retreat Center

Where there is quiet and meditation, there is neither preoccupation nor dissipation.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE ADMONITIONS
Admonition 27

Please keep all of us in your prayers this weekend. I will be leading a Contemplative Retreat at the Portiuncula beginning tomorrow and won't be back until late Sunday evening. Three days of Quiet and Meditation, coupled with a hard fast on Bread and Water only! (And now you know why we affectionately refer to this Retreat as a "Radical Sabbatical!")

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Stigmata

Photograph of St. Padre Pio's Stigmata

Although Francis tried hard to hide and conceal from the brothers those glorious Stigmata, which had thus been clearly imprinted in the flesh, on the other hand he saw that he could scarcely hide them from his intimate companions. Nevertheless he feared to make public the secrets of God. So he was in an agony of doubt as to whether or not he should reveal the vision of the Seraph and the imprinting of the Stigmata.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis
Part Two
THE CONSIDERATIONS ON
THE HOLY STIGMATA

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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:

Concealing God's Gifts

Francis was careful to conceal the gifts which God showered upon him as closely guarded secrets and refused to expose them to the praise of others, which might lead to a fall.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER VI

When Temptation Comes

But as often as you are tempted say with my permission seven Padre Nostro (Our Father).

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER LXXXVII

Padre nostro, che sei nei cieli!
Sia santificato il tuo nome.
Venga il tuo regno.
Sia fatta la tua volontá.
Come in cielo cosí in terra.
Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano,
E rimetti a noi i nostri debiti,
Come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori.
E non ci indurre in tentazione,
Ma liberaci dal male.
(MATTHEW 6:9-13)

Tuo il regno, Tua la potenza e la gloria nei secoli dei secoli.

Amen.

Tau Cross

The first recorded reference to the TAU is from Ezekiel 9:4, "Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a TAU on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." The TAU is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet and looks very much like the letter "T".

At the Fourth Lateran Council, on November 11, 1215, Pope Innocent made reference to the TAU and quoted the above verse in reference to the profaning of the Holy Places by the Saracens. It is widely accepted that St. Francis was present at the Fourth Lateran Council and that he heard the words of Pope Innocent III when he said, "The TAU has exactly the same form as the Cross on which our Lord was crucified on Calvary, and only those will be marked with this sign and will obtain mercy who have mortified their flesh and conformed their life to that of the Crucified Savior. From then on, the TAU became Francis' own coat of arms.

Francis used the TAU in his writings, painted in on the walls and doors of the places where he stayed, and used it as his only signature on his writings.

St. Bonaventure said, "This TAU symbol had all the veneration and all the devotion of the saint: he spoke of it often in order to recommend it, and he traced it on himself before beginning each of his actions."

Thomas of Celano, another Franciscan historian writes, "Francis preferred the Tau above all other symbols: he utilized it as his only signature for his letters, and he painted the image of it on the walls of all the places in which he stayed."

In the famous blessing of Brother Leo, Francis wrote on parchment, "May the Lord bless you and keep you! May the Lord show His face to you and be merciful to you! May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace! God bless you Brother Leo!" Francis sketched a head (of Brother Leo) and then drew the TAU over this portrait.

THE TAU AS OUR FRANCISCAN SYMBOL

Where did the TAU come from and what does it mean? (Rhymes with "How") Simply and basically, the TAU represents the Cross. It is also the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. However, the two major influences on Francis concerning the TAU were the Antonians and the Fourth Lateran Council.

St. Francis borrowed the TAU and what it meant to him from the Antonians. They were a religious community of men founded in 1095 whose sole function was to care for lepers. They were disbanded as an Order by the Church in the 1500's because leprosy was no longer a problem and many of the religious orders had fallen into Theological problems. On their habit was painted a great TAU cross. Francis was very familiar with these men because they staffed the leper house in Assisi and the hospital of St. Blase in Rome where Francis went to stay. This is now the church of San Francisco A Ripa.

Every time you see St. Anthony, "the Abbot or Hermit" in art, he is portrayed with the TAU.

St. Francis was exposed to the TAU through the direct influence of the Antonians, but the greatest influence of all that made the TAU so dear to Francis, whereby it became his signature, was the Fourth Lateran Council.

Pope Innocent III opened the Council on November 11, 1215, with these words: "I have desired with great desire to eat this Passover with you." (Luke 22-15.) Innocent announced that for him, for the Church, and for every Catholic at the time, the symbol they were to take as the sign of their Passover was the TAU Cross.

He incorporated into his homily the statement from Ezekiel (9:4) that the elect, the chosen, those who are concerned will be marked with the sign of the TAU. He explained that this Passover is a three-fold Passover.

Every Catholic must be involved in this triple Passover: A Corporal Passover, a Spiritual Passover and an Eternal Passover.

These became some of the most precious themes of Francis' preaching. He must have taken them so deeply to heart that when Pope Innocent III ended his homily with "BE CHAMPIONS OF THE TAU", Francis evidently took that as a personal statement and made the TAU his own symbol: a symbol for his order, his signature, painted it everywhere, and had great devotion to it for the rest of his life.

We Are Honored By Insults

If people insult you and refuse to give you alms, you should thank God for it, because you will be honoured before the judgement-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ for these insults. The shame will be imputed to those who cause it, not to those who suffer it.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Rule of 1221
Chapter 9