"CUM GRANDE HUMILITATE!"

"Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."

A special "Thank you!"
Goes out to
John Michael Talbot
for giving us permission
to use his song on our
"Come to the Quiet"
You Tube Video
T
T
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Preserving Joy With Tribulation


From the beginning of his conversion to the day of his death, Francis had always been hard on his body. But his primary and main concern was always to possess and preserve spiritual joy within and without. He declared that if the servant of God strove to possess and preserve interior and external spiritual joy, which proceeds from purity of heart, the devils could do him no harm, but would be forced to admit: "Since this servant of God preserves his joy with tribulation as well as in prosperity, we can find no way to harm his soul."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 97

T

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Ther Words Penetrated Many Hearts

God gave them his Spirit and the manner of speech necessary to satisfy the needs of the time so that their words penetrated into many hearts; especially into those of the young rather than the old. Thus many youths left father and mother and all they possessed to follow the friars and to be clothed in their habit.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
Chapter XIV

T

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Possessing 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 hard and 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 weapons to protect them, since possessions are a cause of disputes and strife, and in many ways we should be hindered from loving God and our neighbor. "

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 33

T

Friday, March 26, 2010

GoodSearch: Please Help Build The Portiuncula Chapel


We need to raise $120,000 to duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel
at the Franciscan University of Steubenville


What if the Portiuncula Hermitage earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you made on-line went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

Although this may not sound like a lot of money, if only 1000 of our supporters use GoodSearch.com just 5 times per day for the year, the Portiuncula Hermitage would receive over $18,000 towards its mission of spreading God's love!

It's easy. Just download the GoodSearch – Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center toolbar at:



Website owners can also help by adding a customizable badge to their homepage or blog.

So please, make a commitment to browsing the Internet with GoodSearch.com with the Portiuncula Hermitage as your designated charity. Set it as your homepage, or bookmark it so using it becomes a habit.

As well, you can earn money for the Portiuncula Hermitage by doing your online shopping through GoodShop.com. It is a new online shopping mall which will donate up to 37 percent of each purchase to the Portiuncula Hermitage. Hundreds of popular stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop.com and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our valuable mission.

By simply surfing the web with GoodSearch.com and shopping with GoodShop.com you can raise much-needed funds for the Portiuncula Hermitage!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS PRAYER REQUEST TO
EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Pax Et Bonum!


T



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


Brother 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. Brother 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 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 coffee continues to keep minks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shared 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 Brother 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.

To Order Direct:
simply click on the
Mystic Monk Icon
at the
top of this page.



Please remember that the Portiuncula Hermitage tithes ten percent of all their Mystic Monk Coffee sales to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion).

Fra Chris

Insults and Scorn

St. Francis was still dressed as a layman, although he had already renounced the world, and for a long time he had been going around Assisi looking contemptible and so mortified by penance that many people thought he was simple-minded, and he was laughed at as a lunatic and driven away with many insults and stones and mud by his relatives and by strangers. Yet being nourished by the divine salt and firmly established in peace of soul by the Holy Spirit, he bore all the insults and scorn with great patience and with a joyful expression on his face, as if he were deaf and dumb.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Little Flowers of St. Francis
Chapter 2

T

Thursday, March 25, 2010

A New Kind Of Simpleton!

Photo of Brother Martin and Fra Chris at the Portiuncula Hermitage

St. Francis spoke to his brothers in the fervor and power of the Holy Spirit, saying, "The Lord told me that He wished me to be a new kind of simpleton in this world, and He does not wish us to live by any other wisdom but this."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 68

T

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Welcome To The Portiuncula Healing Ministry


"Only say the word Lord, and I shall be healed"



We are a

Franciscan Prayer Ministry

located in Jerusalem, Ohio.

Through prayer and Adoration before our Eucharistic Lord, we seek His awesome power, grace, and mercy, to bring His divine healing and peace into your life.

To receive prayer simply e-mail your Prayer Requests to:


We encourage you to participate in our

Healing Services

and

Retreats


Thank you for visiting.

Pax Et Bonum!


T



This Life Of Contemplation


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 Asssisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
Chapter X

T

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Bad Examples


Francis would say, "The time is coming when the Order beloved by God will be spoken ill of because of bad examples, so much so that it will be ashamed to show itself in public."

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

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
Chapter CXVI

T

Monday, March 22, 2010

SETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE


Fr. Gregory Bramlage,
"Word of God" Prayer Ministry
Invites you to:

SETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE

Saturday
March 27, 2010
(Palm Sunday Weekend)
East Central High School
St. Leon, Indiana



SPEAKERS:

Father Thomas J. Euteneuer is an exorcist of the Church and President of Human Life International, the worlds largest Pro-Life organization. His new book is titled, "Exorcism and the Church Militant." He has spoken directly to tens of thousands of people all over the world and has appeared numerous times on EWTN and other local, national and international media. Many of you may recall Fr. Tom when he appeared as our guest on "The Dickson/Chappell Report" live in our studios.


Father Gregory Bramlage is a 1996 graduate of Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in Emittsburg, MD, and is a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Father Bramlage pastors three parishes and a school. He is the Founder and Director of "Word of God" Prayer Ministry, which offers healing and deliverance as well as conferences and training. Every third Wednesday at 6:00 PM, he leads a healing prayer service at St. Nicholas Parish Sunman, IN.


Deacon Ralph Poyo has been in ministry for over 20 years, serving as a youth minister, catechist, and a deacon. A popular conference speaker, Deacon Poyo has a B.A. in Scripture and did graduate work in the field of Pastoral Ministry. He is Founder of a new ministry called "New Evangelization Ministries.


Please stop by our
Portiuncula Hermitage Booth
for a delicious cup of
Mystic Monk Coffee!

Please remember that ten percent of our gross sales goes directly to BirthRight (a loving alternate to abortion).

T

Subiaco, Italy


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.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

Christ the King Chapel at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

I said: Here I am! Here I am!
To a nation that did not call upon my name.
I have stretched out my hands all day
to a rebellious people,
Who walk in evil paths
and follow their own thoughts,
People who provoke me
continually, to my face.

Isaiah 65: 1b-3a

Friday, March 12, 2010

Northeastern High School Fountain City, Indiana

Hey, Peeps!


A Special Note To All My "Peeps"

at

Northeastern High School

Fountain City, Indiana


You can help me help the poor kids in Appalachia!

Simply download our


GoodSearch Toolbar

and then

E-MAIL THIS PAGE TO EVERYONE IN
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS BOOK
AND ASK THEM TO DO THE SAME!


We need to raise $120,000 to duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel
at the Franciscan University of Steubenville


What if the Portiuncula Hermitage earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you made on-line went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

Although this may not sound like a lot of money, if only 1000 of our supporters use GoodSearch.com just 5 times per day for the year, the Portiuncula Hermitage would receive over $18,000 towards its mission of spreading God's love!

It's easy. Just download the GoodSearch – Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center toolbar at:



Website owners can also help by adding a customizable badge to their homepage or blog.

So please, make a commitment to browsing the Internet with GoodSearch.com with the Portiuncula Hermitage as your designated charity. Set it as your homepage, or bookmark it so using it becomes a habit.

As well, you can earn money for the Portiuncula Hermitage by doing your online shopping through GoodShop.com. It is a new online shopping mall which will donate up to 37 percent of each purchase to the Portiuncula Hermitage. Hundreds of popular stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop.com and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our valuable mission.

By simply surfing the web with GoodSearch.com and shopping with GoodShop.com you can raise much-needed funds for the Portiuncula Hermitage!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS REQUEST TO
EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK!

Pax Et Bonum!


T



"Come To The Quiet" - Become A Monk Without Having To Leave Your Day Job!


Dr. Tom Ringenberg during personal prayer time at the
Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio


Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,

Having just experienced one of the most peaceful and fulfilling weekends of my Christian life, I feel led to write you and encourage you to take a fresh breath of the clean air at the Portiuncula Retreat in Jerusalem Ohio. Surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation in the hills of Appalachia, I was refreshed in God’s peace.

The initial reaction to a weekend of silence, fasting and prayer was mixed as I revel in the world’s flash of media and the madness of twenty-four hour news. I feared boredom and the lack of external stimulus. But God is good, and He provided plenty for me. Walks in the woods and fields, silent prayer and meditation, communal prayer with my Brothers in Christ, prayers of intercession, and theological discussion on the travel to and from Jerusalem, stimulated my spirit far more than my flesh has ever been stimulated.

It is my hope that the Portiuncula will become a haven for those who need a fresh touch of God. I will return soon to restore my soul with peace.

Please prayerfully consider joining me in supporting the Portiuncula Retreat Center by simply contributing $5.00 $10.00 $15.00 or more a month.


Simply Click On This
Parish Pay
Icon



Or mail payments to:

"Portiuncula Hermitage"

% 508 South 16th Street
Richmond, IN 47374.



Thank you and God bless!

Yours In Christ,


Dr. Tom Ringenberg

Centerville, IN

T

Cancelling A Multitude Of Sins


Remember this: the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins.

Office of the Hours
Evening Prayer
a Reading from James 5




T

Thursday, March 11, 2010

GoodSearch for the Portiuncula Hermitage

We need to raise $120,000 to duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel
at the Franciscan University of Steubenville


What if the Portiuncula Hermitage earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you made on-line went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

Although this may not sound like a lot of money, if only 1000 of our supporters use GoodSearch.com just 5 times per day for the year, the Portiuncula Hermitage would receive over $18,000 towards its mission of spreading God's love!

It's easy. Just download the GoodSearch – Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center toolbar at:



Website owners can also help by adding a customizable badge to their homepage or blog.

So please, make a commitment to browsing the Internet with GoodSearch.com with the Portiuncula Hermitage as your designated charity. Set it as your homepage, or bookmark it so using it becomes a habit.

As well, you can earn money for the Portiuncula Hermitage by doing your online shopping through GoodShop.com. It is a new online shopping mall which will donate up to 37 percent of each purchase to the Portiuncula Hermitage. Hundreds of popular stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop.com and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our valuable mission.

By simply surfing the web with GoodSearch.com and shopping with GoodShop.com you can raise much-needed funds for the Portiuncula Hermitage!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS PRAYER REQUEST TO
EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Pax Et Bonum!


T



Penetrating The Dwelling Places Of Angels


Prayer was the chief comfort in this life of contemplation in which Francis 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

T

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Mystic Monk Coffee: A Perfect Holiday Gift!




Dear Brother Chris,

I hope you and your family are having a truly grace filled
Lent.

We only have a few more weeks until the Sacred Triduum when
we will enter into the mystery of Our Lord's Passion, Death
and Resurrection.

In preparation for the Resurrection, we have some good news
PASCHA JAVA IS BACK!

Pascha Java - also known in the Christmas Season as "Jingle
Bell Java" - is arguably our best flavor, with hints of
white chocolate, festive spices and bourbon, which you are
sure to enjoy. Even if you don't normally drink flavored
coffee, I invite you to try the Pascha Java - you might
just change your mind!

Pascha Java will be available only until the end of the
Easter season, and will not be available as a selection for
the coffee club, so I would suggest you take advantage of
the opportunity and order some now! Get it by clicking on
the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon.

On a more personal note, I was ordained a Deacon along with
my brother in Religion, Rev. Br. Joseph Marie on the 6th of
this month. We are currently finishing our priestly studies,
and God Willing, will be ordained sometime in the Fall. Your
support of our monastery has been a wonderful blessing for
us.

Please continue to pray for me, Rev. Br. Joseph Marie, and
all of my good brothers. Be assured of our humble prayers
for all of you.

May God Bless you!

Rev. Br. Michael Mary
Mystic Monk Coffee

P.S.

If flavored coffees are not for you, why not try our
Ethiopian Coffee? It's one of my favorites.

T

Let All Humanity Kneel In Fear!


Let humanity kneel in fear, let the whole universe tremble, and let heaven rejoice when Christ the Son of the Living God is on the altar in the hands of the priest!

Saint Francis of Assisi
Letter to the Whole Order

T

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Lay Franciscans

Virtue and Vice


Where there is Love and Wisdom,
there is neither Fear nor Ignorance.
Where there is Patience and Humility,
there is neither Anger nor Annoyance.
Where there is Poverty and Joy,
there is neither Cupidity nor Avarice.
Where there is Peace and Contemplation,
there is neither Care nor Restlessness.
Where there is the 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

T

Monday, March 08, 2010

Archconfraternity of the Cintura Bianca (White Rope)


The cincture, like the one priests wear at Mass, is a sign of chastity, and has been since the Church's beginning -- and before. Old Testament priests wore cinctures, consecrated Virgins and religious wear cinctures, and the wearing of cinctures in honor of a particular Saint is ancient, first spoken of in the life of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, and carried on by St. Dominic, who wore a cincture in honor of St. Francis. Certain Confraternities and Archconfraternities (groups of faithful devoted to a religious cause) also wear cinctures as signs of their affiliation and chastity.Franciscans wear a white cincture called a "Cintura Bianca" (pronounced chin-torah be-anka) which translated means "White Rope." The three knots on the Franciscan Cincture represent Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, the three vows every Franciscan makes.

The priest, vested in surplice and white stole, says:

V: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R: Who made heaven and earth.
V: The Lord be with you.
R: May He also be with you.
V: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, who inculcated the counsel and love of virginity, and gave the precept of chastity, we appeal to Thy kindness, asking that Thou bless and hallow this cincture as a token of purity. Let all who gird themselves with it as a safeguard of chastity be enabled, by the prayers of Saint Joseph, spouse of Thy holy Mother, to practice that continence which is so pleasing to Thee, and to live in obedience to Thy commandments. May they also obtain pardon of their sins, health in mind and body, and finally attain everlasting life. We ask this of Thee who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever.
R: Amen.
V: Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, grant, we pray, that those who revere the inviolate virginity of the most pure Virgin Mary and of Saint Joseph, her spouse, may by their prayers be pure in mind and body; through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who committed the boy Jesus and the most pure Mary, ever a Virgin, to the care of the chaste man Saint Joseph, we humbly entreat Thee that those who are girded with this cincture in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi and under his patronage may, by Thy help and his prayers, persevere in holy chastity for all time; through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.

Let us pray.

God, the lover and restorer of innocence, we pray that Thy faithful who are to wear this cincture may, by the prayers of Saint Joseph, spouse of Thy holy Mother, have their loins girded and hold burning lamps in their hands, and thus be likened to men who wait for their Lord when He shall return for a wedding, that when He comes and knocks they may open to Him, and be found worthy of being taken into everlasting joys; through Thee who lives and reigns forever and ever.
R: Amen

Then the priest puts incense into the censer, sprinkles the cincture with holy water, and says:


Sprinkle me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

After this he incenses the cincture, and continues:

V: Save Thy servants.
R: Who trust in Thee, my God.
V: Lord, send them aid from Thy holy place.
R: And watch over them from Sion.
V: Lord, heed my prayer.
R: And let my cry be heard by Thee.
V: The Lord be with you.
R: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.

O God of mercy, God of goodness, Thou art pleased with all good things, and without whom no good work is begun, no good work is finished; kindly hear our prayers, and defend Thy faithful, who are to wear this blessed cincture in honour of Saint Francis and under his protection, from the snares of this world and all its lusts. Help them to persist in their holy resolution and to obtain pardon of their sins, and thus merit to be numbered amongst Thy elect; through Christ our Lord.

Amen

T


Active or Contemplative?

The Grotto of Brother Leo near Eremodi Carceri

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

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER XII

T

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Jacob's Ladder


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

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER XIII

T

Saturday, March 06, 2010

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


Photobucket

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

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER X

T

Hey, Brother Vito! Think: Mystic Monk Coffee..Mystic Monk Coffee.


I ran across this photo of some of my brothers over at "Stumbling After Francis" blogspot and couldn't help but notice that only one of them was drinking our Mystic Monk Coffee, preferably the "Midnight Vigils Blend"... can you tell which one it is?


Pax Et Bonum, Brother Vito!

T

Friday, March 05, 2010

Northeastern High School Fountain City, Indiana


A Special Note To All My "Fave" Students

at

Northeastern High School

Fountain City, Indiana


You can help me help the poor kids in Appalachia!

Simply download our


GoodSearch Toolbar

and then

E-MAIL THIS PAGE TO EVERYONE IN
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS BOOK
AND ASK THEM TO DO THE SAME!


We need to raise $120,000 to duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel
at the Franciscan University of Steubenville


What if the Portiuncula Hermitage earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you made on-line went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

Although this may not sound like a lot of money, if only 1000 of our supporters use GoodSearch.com just 5 times per day for the year, the Portiuncula Hermitage would receive over $18,000 towards its mission of spreading God's love!

It's easy. Just download the GoodSearch – Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center toolbar at:



Website owners can also help by adding a customizable badge to their homepage or blog.

So please, make a commitment to browsing the Internet with GoodSearch.com with the Portiuncula Hermitage as your designated charity. Set it as your homepage, or bookmark it so using it becomes a habit.

As well, you can earn money for the Portiuncula Hermitage by doing your online shopping through GoodShop.com. It is a new online shopping mall which will donate up to 37 percent of each purchase to the Portiuncula Hermitage. Hundreds of popular stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop.com and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our valuable mission.

By simply surfing the web with GoodSearch.com and shopping with GoodShop.com you can raise much-needed funds for the Portiuncula Hermitage!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS REQUEST TO
EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK!

Pax Et Bonum!


T



Offering To Others The Love Of God


Francis would say that in exchange for an alms, the servant of God offers the love of God to those who give, in comparison with which all things of earth and even of heaven are nothing.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia

T

Thursday, March 04, 2010

How The Men Of The Third Order (Tertiaries) Are To Dress


Pattern for Cowl of St. Francis of Assisi

francis.gif (4163 bytes)
After Flury -Lembergh

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

  • Garment Material Length (to the shoulder):126.5 cm (")
  • Width at the top: 97 cm (")
  • Width at the Bottom: 167 cm (")
Torso Material Thread Count
  • Warp is 8 Z-spun threads/cm (21.6 threads per inch)
  • Weft is 10 Z-spun theads/cm ( threads per inch)

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

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

FIRST RULE OF THE THIRD ORDER
Chapter I



T