Feeling Sorrow For Our Sins

T

Often it is a lack of spirit that makes us so willing to complain; therefore, humbly pray to the Lord that he may help you feel sorrow for your sins, and say with the prophet: "Feed me, Lord, with the bread of tears, and give me a measure of tears to drink."

The Imitation of Christ
Thomas A' Kempis
Chapter 22

T

Modesty Is An Ornament Of All Ages

T

Modesty is an ornament of all ages, the witness of innocence, the sign of a virtuous mind, and the badge of all uprightness.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
Chapter VI

T

Prophesy Of St. Francis For This Day And Time

T

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

T

Virtue And Vice

T

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


T

Lodola Capellata (The Hooded Lark)

T

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

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 113

T

Keeping Devotions Private

T

My friend, it is more to your advantage - and it is safer, too - to keep your private devotions to yourself. The way you worship God on your own is a great grace; do not flaunt it or talk much about it or think much about it. Instead, keep it to yourself, and be wary of it as a thing given to someone who does not deserve it. Never cling too tightly to these holy feelings, for they can quickly change to the opposite.

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
THOMAS A' KEMPIS
Chapter 7

T

Intoxicated By Love

T

Intoxicated by love and compassion for Christ, blessed Francis sometimes used to act in ways like these. For the sweetest of spiritual melodies would often well up within him and found expression in French melodies, and the murmurs of God's voice, heard by him alone, would joyfully pour forth in the French tongue. Sometimes he would pick up a stick from the ground, and laying it on his left arm, he would draw another stick across it with his right hand like a bow, as though he were playing a viol or some other instrument; and he would imitate the movements of a musician and sing in French to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 93

T

Prayer Of St. Francis Before The Cross

T





Most High, Glorious God,
enlighten the darkness in my heart,
and give me correct FAITH,
sure HOPE and perfect CHARITY,
with understanding and knowledge, Lord,
so that I may fulfill Your true and holy command,
Amen.

T

Let Your Nose Hit The Dirt

T

A friar once said to Brother Giles, "Father, tell me, how can we avoid this pride?" To whom Brother Giles made this reply, "Rest assured, my brother, that thou canst never hope to be free from pride until thou hast first placed thy mouth where thou dost set thy feet; but if thou wilt well consider the gifts of God, thou wilt clearly see that thou hast reason to bow down thy head..."

Little Flowers of St. Francis
PART FOUR: Chapter III

T

The Dark Night Of Contemplation

T

The soul is singing about the fire of love. In this night of painful contemplation, the soul is ignited! Although the burning in some ways resembles what unfolded in the sensory part of the soul, in other ways it is as different as the soul is from the body. This is the love that blazes in the spirit! In the middle of her dark predicament, the soul feels herself vividly wounded by the flaming blade of divine love!

St. John of the Cross
Dark Night of the Soul

T

Adoro Te Devote

T

Truly Holy.

These are Third Order (Secular) Franciscans from Campinas, Brazil. They are called Brotherhood of Toca de Assis and their charism is to care for the poorest of the poor, (beggars and street people), the permanent Adoration of  the Holy Sacrament  and living as sparingly as possible.  

T 

Deep Union

T

In the inner wine cellar
I drank of my Beloved, when I went abroad
Through all this valley
I no longer know anything,
And lost the herd that I was following.

Now I occupy my soul
And all my energy in his service;
I no longer tend to the herd,
Nor have I any work
Now that my every act is LOVE.

Saint John of the Cross
Spiritual Canticle



T

We Are Not To Judge? Oh really? Tell That To St. Francis Of Assisi

T

"Francis denounced evil wherever he found it, and made no effort to palliate it; from him a life of sin met with outspoken rebuke, not support. By the efficacy of his preaching he moved hearts which had become hardened to repentance and restored health to bodies and souls."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure - Major Life
Chapter XII

T

Padre Pio Speaks Out Concerning Modernists In The Catholic Church

T

Saint Padre Pio's reactions to the aggiornamento (literally "bringing up to date" or "Modernizing" it) the religious orders concocted in the wake of Vatican II:

In 1966, the Father General [of the Franciscans] came to Rome prior to the special Chapter on the Constitutions in order to ask Padre Pio for his prayers and benedictions. He met Padre Pio in the cloister. "Padre, I came to recommend to your prayers the special chapter for the new Constitutions..." He had scarcely gotten the words "special Chapter"..."new Constitutions" out of his mouth when Padre Pio made a violent gesture and cried out: "That is all nothing but destructive nonsense." "But Padre, after all, there is the younger generation to take into account... the youth evolve after their own fashion... there are new demands..." "The only thing missing is mind and heart, that’s all, understanding and love." Then he proceeded to his cell, did a half-turn, and pointed his finger, saying: "We must not denature ourselves, we must not denature ourselves! At the Lord’s judgment, St. Francis will not recognize us as his sons!"

Saint Padre Pio

T

Gloomy Hypocrites

T

Anyone who comes to the brothers, friend or enemy, thief or robber, is to be received with kindness. And wherever the brothers are and anywhere they meet other brothers, they are to greet one another wholeheartedly and lovingly, and honor on another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9). And they are to be careful not to look outwardly sad, like gloomy hypocrites, but they are to show themselves happy in the Lord (Philippians 4:4), and cheerful and truly gracious.

St.Francis
Rule of 1221
Chapter VII

T

A Franciscan Prayer

T

by
ENID DINNIS


When I am old and tutored by
The grim experience of days;
When I have proved men in their ways,
Oh, do not let the dreamer die.


When I have learned aside to toss
The foolish things that wise men hate,
Lest Littleness should hold me great,
Be mine the folly of the Cross.


When comes detachment's strength to me,
Let mine the weakness be that wept
O'er Lazarus' grave and kept
Three comrades in Gethsemane.


When head bids heart herself forget,
When Reason's lure would love deceive,
May my poor foolish heart achieve
A few life-giving blunders yet.


When I have grown too sane, too sad,
To join the angels' faerie ring
And serve the playtime of the King,
Then, Sweet Francis, make me mad.


T

Rivotorto Assisi, Italy

T

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

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

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

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

Chris Dickson, F.L.A.

T

Do you Believe In Miracles?

T

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

Chris Dickson, F.L.A.

T

Brother Fly - Thirty Third Sunday Of Ordinary Time

T

A reading from 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 "If anyone is unwilling to work, neither should that one eat."

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

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 62

T

It's CCHD Sunday Once Again: Communist Campaign For Humanist Development

T

It is important to note that this money was provided by every diocese in the United States that participates in the CCHD collection. Whenever a diocese takes up the CCHD collection (typically the third Sunday of November), 25% of that funding remains with the diocese while the other 75% goes to the National CCHD and is redistributed to groups like these.

IPJC received an award from the CCHD, and was featured in the book, Beyond Empowerment: A Pilgrimage with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development by Jeffry Odell Korgen.

Some notable titles in the IPJC library include talks and works by the heretical organization FutureChurch, the Women's Ordination Conference, Hans Kung and an entire section devoted to Marxist Liberation Theology. Also featured are books such as "Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex and Politics" by the notorious witch, Starhawk. Just to illustrate how evil this book is, this is Amazon's description of it:

"Featuring narrative, chants, songs, and rituals, Dreaming the Dark has helped many thousands of women use magic, spirituality, and community to bring about political and social change. This anniversary edition of the best-selling classic includes a new preface reflecting on the fifteen years since the book's original publication."

T