"CUM GRANDE HUMILITATE!"
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
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Monday, May 30, 2011

The Mutilation of the Gospel

Original Tunic worn by St. Francis of Assisi found in Cortona, Italy

St. Francis, warned by the Holy Spirit of the mutilation of gospel perfection by the ministers, cried out: "Do the ministers think that they are making light of God and of me? Well, so that all the brothers may know and be forwarned that they are bound to observe the perfection of the gospel, I wish it to be written in the beginning and at the end of the Rule: the brothers are bound to observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so, that the brothers may always be inexcusable before God, I wish with God's help to put into practice and always observe the prescriptions which God has placed in my mouth for the salvation and usefulness of my soul and the soul of my brothers."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 69

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

The All-Consuming Fire of Contemplation




At St. Mary of the Angels ("Santa Maria degli Angeli" or "the Portiuncula") St. Francis had a table prepared on the bare ground, as was his custom. He and St. Clare sat down together, and one of his companions with St. Clare's companion, and all his other companions were grouped around that humble table. But at the first course, St. Francis began to speak about God in such a sweet and holy and profound and divine  and marvelous way that he himself and St. Clare and her companion and all the others who were at that poor little table were rapt in God by the overabundance of divine grace that descended upon them.

And while they were sitting there, in a rapture, with their eyes and hands raised to Heaven, it seemed to the men of Assisi and Bettona and the entire district that the church of St. Mary of the Angels and the whole Place and the forest which was at that time around the Place were all aflame and that an immense fire was burning over all of them. Consequently, the men of Assisi ran down there in great haste to save the Place and put out the fire, as they firmly believed that everything was burning up.

But when they reached the Place, they saw that nothing was on fire. Entering the Place, they found St. Francis with St. Clare and all the companions sitting around that very humble table, rapt in God by contemplation and invested with power from on high.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 15

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

How to Win Souls by Humility and Charity


 Borgo San Sepolcro

A party of bandits who used to hide in the woods and rob travellers occasionally came for food to a hermitage of the friars situated above Borgo San Sepolcro. Some of the friars said that it was not right to give them alms, while others did so out of compassion, and urged them to repent. Meanwhile blessed Francis came to this friary, and the brothers asked him whether it was right to give them alms. And he said to them: "If you do as I tell you, I trust in God that we shall win their souls. So go and bring some good bread and wine, and take it to the woods where they live. And shout to them, saying, 'Brother bandits, come to us. We are friars, and are bringing you some good bread and wine! ' "

"On a later day take them eggs and cheese with the bread and wine. And after the meal say to them, 'Why do you stay here all day to die of hunger, and suffer so much hardship? And why do you do so many evil things, for which you will lose your souls unless you turn to God? It is better to serve God, for He will both supply your bodily needs in this world, and save your souls at the last.' Then God will move them to repentance because of the humility and charity that you have shown them."

At length some the bandits entered the Order, while the others did penance for their sins and served the friars.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 66

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Friday, May 27, 2011

Contemplation: That Very Noble Heavenly Treasure!


One time it happened that while Brother Bernard was attending Mass in a church and his whole mind was on God, he became so absorbed and wrapt in contemplation that during the Elevation of the Body of Christ he was not at all aware of it and did not kneel down when the others knelt, and he did not draw his cowl back as did the others who were there, but he stayed motionless, without blinking his eyes, gazing straight ahead, from morning until none.

But after none he came back to himself and went through the Place shouting in a voice filled with wonder: Oh, Brothers! Oh, Brothers! There is no man in all this country, no matter how great and noble he is, if he were promised a very beautiful palace full of gold, would not willingly carry a sack full of the most filthy manure in order to obtain that very noble heavenly treasure!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 28

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

In The Silence Of The Heart, God Speaks


"To become holy we need humility and prayer. Jesus taught us how to pray, and He also told us to learn from Him to be meek and humble of heart. Neither of these can we do unless we know what silence is. Both humility and prayer grow from an ear, mind, and tongue that have lived in silence with God, for in the silence of the heart God speaks."

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Franciscan Cincture now available through Monastery Greetings

 

The Cincture, or White Cord, 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 the cincture in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. Certain Confraternities and Archconfraternities (groups of faithful 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-Bee-Anka) which translated means 'White Rope.' The three knots on the Franciscan Cincture represent Poverty, Chatity and Obedience, the three Conerstones of the Franciscan Order.


To order your very own
White Cord of St. Francis
From
The Portiuncula Hermitage 
simply go to
Monastery Greetings
at
http://www.monasterygreetings.com/prod_detail_list/Franciscan_Cincture





St. Dominic once asked St. Francis of Assisi for his White Cord he wore over his tunic. Dominic, the Founder of the Dominican Order,  wore this White Cord under his habit for the remainder of his life in honor of St. Francis, whom he so greatly admired and respected. This White Cord can be worn inside trousers or under a dress without anyone having knowledge that you are doing so.

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Spiritual Envy


"Certain beginners feel disappointed when they perceive the goodness of another. They suffer from profound envy and can hardly bear it when they realize that someone else is ahead of them on the spiritual path. They would rather not hear another be praised. When they find that another's virtues are being celebrated, they can't stand it and are compelled to contradict them. Because no one is saying such great things about them, their annoyance grows; they yearn for preference in all things."


Saint John of the Cross
Dark Night of the Soul
Chapter 7

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Working In Harmony With The Clergy



Remember that the winning of souls is what pleases God most, and we can do this better by working in harmony with the clergy than in opposition. If you are people of peace, you will win both clergy and people, and this will be more pleasing to God than if you were to win the people alone and alienate the clergy.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 54

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Monday, May 23, 2011

The Lord Has Called Us To Reawaken The Faith



St. Francis said: "The Lord has called us (Franciscans) to reawaken the faith and to assist the prelates and clerics of our holy Mother the Church."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 13

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Thursday, May 19, 2011

Jerusalem, Ohio - Begging for Stones!




Jerusalem, Ohio Catholics are being asked to collect all their field stones and drop them off at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road so that we can duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel located at the Franciscan University of Steubenville


Francis set to begging for stones with which to restore the church of San Damiano. He called to the passers-by: "Whoever gives me one stone will have one reward; two stones, two rewards; three stones, a treble reward!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VII


Please note : We are begging our Christian brothers and sisters in Monroe County, Ohio to round up all their field stones and dump them into the woods next to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road (in the direction of the large white house towards Woodsfield). These stones will be used to erect the Portiuncula Chapel.

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Franciscus Christificatus















FRANCIS THOMPSON

Thief that has leaped Heaven's star-spiked wall!
Christ's exultant bacchanal!
Wine-smears on thy hand and foot
Of the Vine that struck its root
Deep in Virgin soul, and was
Trained against the reared Cross:
Nay, thy very side its stain
Hath, to make it redly plain
How in the wassail quaffed full part
That flown vintager, thy heart.
Christ in blood stamps Himself afresh
On thy Veronical-veil of flesh.

Lovers, looking with amaze on
Each other, would be that they gaze on:
So for man's love God would be
Man, and man for His love He:
What God in Christ, man has in thee.
God gazed on man and grew embodied,
Thou, on Him gazing, turn'st engodded!
But though he held thy brow-spread tent
His little Heaven above Him bent,
Thy scept'ring reed suffices thee,
Which smote Him into sovereignty.

Thou who thoughtest thee too low
Fir His priest, thou shalt not so
'Scape Him and unpriested go!
In thy hand thou wouldst not hold Him,
In thy flesh thou shalt enfold Him;
Bread wouldst not change into Him...ah see!
How He doth change Himself to thee!

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Alien


MARY BRENT WHITESIDE


He crouches in the chapel, on his knees,

With matted hair that hangs in dusky strands;

Apart and strange, among the little bands

Of worshipers, for he is not as these.
Alone! and yet a deeper vision sees
That near this alien with his grimy hands,

The Little Poor Man of Assisi stands,
As Giotto painted him upon a friese.


I know one luminous Italian spring!
"Your province? Is it Umbria?" I ask.
The weariness falls from him like a mask,
And all his visage is a shining thing,
As though some deathless master of his race
Inscribed a sudden message on his face.


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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Let Not The Sun Go Down Upon Your Wrath



For all who came to him, Saint Antony of the Desert always had this advice: to trust in the Lord, ande to love Him, to keep themselves from bad thoughts and bodily pleasures, and not to be led astray by the feasting of the stomach, (as it is written in Proverbs), to flee vainglory, to pray always, to sing psalms before sleeping and after, to repeat by heart the Commandments of the Scriptures and to remember the deeds of the Saints, that by their example the soul may train itself under the guidance of the Commandments. Especially did he advise them to give continual heed to the Apostle's word: Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Saint Antony of the Desert
(251-356)
By St. Athanasius
Chapter 13

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Monday, May 16, 2011

When You See A Poor Man



Blessed Francis said, "When you see a poor man, you must consider the One in whose Name he comes, namely, Christ, who took upon Himself our poverty and weakness. The poverty and sickness of this man are, therefore, a mirror in which we ought to contemplate lovingly the poverty and weakness which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in His body to save the human race."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 90

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Sunday, May 15, 2011

The Praise of Mendicancy



"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."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia
The Praise of Mendicancy

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

A Life Of Penance; There Is No Other Way To Be Saved



We Friars Minor, servants and worthless as we are, humbly beg and implore everyone to persevere in the true faith and in a life of penance; there is no other way to be saved.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 23

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Friday, May 13, 2011

We Are Bound To Warn, Instruct, and Correct With Humble Charity



If a brother or sister is clearly determined to live according to the flesh and not according to the spirit, no matter where they are, the others are bound to warn, instruct and correct them with humble charity...They are bound to give the sinner spiritual aid, as best they can. It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick (Matthew 9:12).

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 5

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Reflection Of Our Self-Esteem



There are many people who spend all their time at their prayers and other religious exercises and mortify themselves by long fasts and so on. But if anyone says as much as a word that implies a reflection on their self-esteem or takes something from them, they are immediately up in arms and annoyed. These people are not really poor in spirit. A person is really poor in spirit when he hates himself and loves those who strike him in the face (cf Matthew 5:39).

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition XIV

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Aim To Please God By Purity Of Heart



See that the Rule is observed inviolably by all, and that the Office be said  devoutly, not concentrating on the melody of the chant, but being careful that their hearts are in harmony so that their words may be in harmony with their hearts and their hearts with God. Our aim should be to please God by purity of heart, not to soothe the ears of the congregation by our sweet singing.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Letter to a General Chapter

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Monday, May 09, 2011

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.
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!

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An Outward Display Of Grief



"St. Francis used to censure those who went about with gloomy faces, and once rebuked a friar who appeared with a gloomy face, saying, 'Why are you making an outward display of grief and sorrow for your sin? This sorrow is between God and yourself alone. So pray Him in His mercy to pardon you and restore your soul the joy of His salvation, of which the guilt of sins has deprived it. 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 or anyone else.' "

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 96

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Sunday, May 08, 2011

Claiming No Other Merit Than What We Are; Wood and Paint



St. Francis said: "An artist who paints our Lord or the Blessed Virgin Mary honors them and recalls them to our mind; nevertheless, the painting claims no other merit than what it is, a creation made of wood and color. God's servant is like a painting: a creature of God, through whom God is honored because of His blessings. He must not lay claim to any merit than the wood and color do. Honor and glory must be given to God Alone. The only thing we must retain for ourselves, as long as we live, is shame and confusion, for as long as we live, our flesh is always hostile to the grace of God."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 104

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Saturday, May 07, 2011

Observing Silence Constantly



Let all do as the old bothers did. The Portiuncula was already a holy place; they preserved its holiness by praying there continually night and day and by observing silence there constantly.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia
Chapter 8
The Portiuncula, the Mirror of the Order

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Thursday, May 05, 2011

White Cord of St. Francis of Assisi now available through the Portiuncula Hermitage

The Cincture, or White Cord, 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 the cincture in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. Certain Confraternities and Archconfraternities (groups of faithful 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-Bee-Anka) which translated means 'White Rope.' The three knots on the Franciscan Cincture represent Poverty, Chatity and Obedience, the three Conerstones of the Franciscan Order.


To order your own 
White Cord of St. Francis 
The Portiuncula Hermitage 
simply go to 
Penance Cilice 
http://www.cilice.co.uk/hairshirts.php





St. Dominic once asked St. Francis of Assisi for his White Cord he wore over his tunic. Dominic, the Founder of the Dominican Order,  wore this White Cord under his habit for the remainder of his life in honor of St. Francis, whom he so greatly admired and respected. This White Cord can be worn inside trousers or under a dress without anyone having knowledge that you are doing so.

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Are You "Searching" for Jesus?



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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 Click on the GoodSearch Icon below and download the GoodSearch Toolbar – Then type "Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center" into the toolbar:


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!


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Strip the Altar Bare!


Altar inside the Portiuncula in Assisi, Italy

Strip the altar bare of the Blessed Virgin and take away its many ornaments, since you cannot otherwise come to the help of the needy. Believe me, the Blessed Virgin Mary would be more pleased to have the Gospel of her Son kept and her altar stripped bare than that the altar should be ornamented and her Son despised!

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER XXXVII


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Wednesday, May 04, 2011

How Virtue Is Measured



St. Antony of the Desert had also this strange-seeming principle: he held that not by length of time is the way of virtue measured and our progress therein, but by desire and by strong resolve. Accordingly, he himself gave no thought to the bygone time, but each day, he made greater effort to advance...

Saint Antony of the Desert (251-356 A.D.)
by
St. Athanasius

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Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Woe To Those Who Don't Respect Priests!



"Blessed is that servant of God who has confidence in priests who live according to the laws of the holy Roman Church. Woe to those who despise them. Even if they fall into sin, no one should 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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Monday, May 02, 2011

Separated From the World

 Photo taken at the 
Portiuncula Hermitage and Retreat Center 
Jerusalem, Ohio

"The more they were separated from the world, the closer became their union with God"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
Chapter XI

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