Mega Churches Provoke Criticism And Set A Bad Example

The Portiuncula Chapel at the 

Little Portion Friary Berryville, AR

Photo courtesy of John Michael Talbot

St. Francis taught that churches are to be small; we are not to build great churches in order to preach to the people, or for any other reason, for they show greater humility and a better example when they visit other churches to preach. Religious or secular, visit their houses, their humble little dwellings, cells, and tiny churches will speak for themselves, and these things will edify them more than any words.

Francis also said, 'Friars often raise large buildings, and violate our holy poverty, and by doing so provoke criticism and set a bad example. And sometimes, in order to obtain a better or holier place, or larger congregation, they abandon their own house out of covetousness and greed; or they will pull them down and build others that are large and pretentious. Consequently, those who have contributed to their cost, and others who see it, are greatly offended and distressed.'

Saint Francis of Assisi

Mirror of Perfection - 10

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Come to the Quiet

St. Francis considered it harmful for himself and for the brothers to lose the benefit of prayer, which had been obtained through grace, by indulging in useless conversation after praying. In order to avoid this, he made the following regulation which all the brothers were to observe:

If a brother, either while travelling or working with others engages in some useless talk, he will be obliged to recite the Our Father together with the Praises of God at the beginning and end of prayer...

He shall recite these Praises of the Lord loud enough and clear enough for all brothers present to hear and understand; during that time they must be quiet and listen.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 78

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Sensory Pleasure and Desire Obscures Spiritual Experience

Tunic worn by St. Francis of Assisi

found in Cortona, Italy

Sensory pleasure and desire, even in spiritual experience, obscures and obstructs the spirit. A state of predicament quickens and illumines the understanding. Vexation makes us see how, through the blessing of this dark, dry night of contemplation. God supernaturally imparts His divine Wisdom to an empty and unburdened soul. God did not share this inflow along with those first suite juices because the soul was too crowded.

The Prophet Isaiah asks: "To whom shall God teach His knowledge? And to whom shall He make to understand His message?" To those, He answers, who are drawn away from the breasts and weaned from their milk. The first milk of spiritual sweetness fosters attachment to the succulent breasts of mental prayer. This is the realm of the senses. It cannot prepare the soul for the direct inflow of the divine.

Saint John of the Cross
Dark Night of the Soul
Night of Sense

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Sister Briege McKenna - The Power of the Sacraments

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Prayer - Our Safe Haven

Francis's safe haven was prayer, not prayer of a few minutes, or empty, presumptuous prayer, but prolonged prayer, full of devotion and the serenity of humility. If he began late, it would be dawn before he finished. Whether walking, sitting, eating or driking, he was rapt in prayer. At night he would retire alone to pray in abandoned, neglected churches. That was how, by God's grace, he overcame many fears and anxieties.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano - First Life 

Chapter XXVII

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Elder Beerman "Community Day" Booklets Benefit BirthRight and the Portiuncula Hermitage

What is Community Day?

Community Day is our annual fundraising event designed to provide 501c3 organizations with a fun and easy way to raise money. Since 1999, the event has raised over $80 Million!

When is it?

Community Day takes place on Saturday, February 26, 2011 Elder-Beerman Stores open at 7 am, and stay open late. 

How does it work?

The Portiuncula Hermitage sells a coupon booklet to the public for $5 each, keeping 100% of the proceeds! Each booklet contains coupons valid during our Community Day One Day Sale on February 26th. The Portiuncula Hermitage then gives 10% of their sales to BirthRight (a loving alternative to Abortion)!

What will customers receive in each booklet?

• All coupons now include Yellow Dot!
• 1- $10 off on a $10 or more item.
• NEW (1) 20%* off shopping pass — use the pass over and over
• 1- 30% Early bird coupon, valid 7am-10am
• 7- Bonus buys
• 3-Web Exclusive Offers

How do we get booklets?

Contact Chris Dickson through the Portiuncula Hermitage at:

Email: hermitage@parallax.ws

or 

Cell Phone: 765.220.1623

Above all, remember that the Portiuncula Hermitage gives 10% of all their income to BirthRight (a loving alternative to Abortion)!

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Contemplation Is A Divine Fire

Several herds of Whitetail Deer share their home with us at 

Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center 

Jerusalem, Ohio

Then Brother Giles said to a certain friar, "Father, I would fain know what is contemplation?" And the friar answered: "Father, truly I know not." Then Brother Giles said: "To me it seems that contemplation is a divine fire, a sweet devotion infused by the Holy Ghost, a rapture and suspension of the mind inebriated by the unspeakable savor of divine sweetness, and a sweet and tranquil enjoyment of the soul which is rapt and suspended in loving admiration of the glories of heaven, and an inward burning consciousness of that celestial and unspeakable glory."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Little Flowers of St. Francis
Part Four - Chapter XI


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The Bread of Alms is a Sacred Bread

The bread of alms is, in fact, a sacred bread, sanctified by the praise and love of God, since the brother who goes begging must begin by saying: "Praised and blessed be the Lord God!" Then he must say: "Give us alms for the love of the Lord God!"

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 61

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Adoration

The Pond at the Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio

Adoration is a way of life with us, and therefore we are never idle. St. Francis taught us how idle busyness is because it is never totally present to anything. Sometimes the brothers and sisters spend entire afternoons enrapt by the melody of a waterfall, and praises spontaneously rise from our innermost being and roll out our mouths. Because we are present to the water, we are present to God, and we are all called to be present to God who dwells in every creature.

A Franciscan Brother

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The Reign Of Untruth

...the chaos of greed, violence, ambition and lust which the New Testament calls 'the World,' (1 John 2:16) is to a great extent the reign of untruth. It is a place of confusion and falsehood where the spirit is enslaved and where one does not easily learn God's ways."

Thomas Merton

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Feast Day of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Hail, Queen Wisdom! May the Lord preserve you,
with your sister, pure and holy Simplicity.

Holy Lady Poverty! May the Lord preserve you,

with your sister, holy Humility.

Holy Lady Charity! May the Lord preserve you,

with your sister, holy Obedience.

Salutation of the Virtues

Saint Francis of Assisi

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How St. Francis Preached To The Birds

 

Meanwhile, while many were joining the brothers, as was said, the most blessed father Francis was making a trip through the Spoleto valley. He came to a certain place near Bevagna where a very great number of birds of various kinds had congregated, namely, doves, crows, and some others popularly called daws. When the most blessed servant of God, Francis, saw them, being a man of very great fervor and great tenderness toward lower and irrational creatures, he left his companions in the road and ran eagerly toward the birds. When he was close enough to them, seeing that they were waiting for him, he greeted them in the usual way. But, not a little surprised that the birds did not rise in flight, as they usually do, he was filled with great joy and humbly begged them to listen to the word of God...

At these words, as Francis himself used to say and those too who were there with him, the birds, rejoicing in a wonderful way according to their nature, began to stretch their necks, extend their wings, open their mouths and gaze at thim. And Francis, passing through their midst, went on his way and returned, touching their heads and bodies with his tunic. Finally he blessed them, and then, after he made the sign of the cross over them, he gave them permission to fly away to some other place.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XXI

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This Poor, Humble, and Unlettered Man

One day when Francis was preaching to the people of Terni in the town square in front of the bishop's palace, the bishop of the city, a discerning and spiritual man, listened to the sermon. When it was over, he rose and among other words of exhortation said, "From the time He planted and built His Church, the Lord has always endowed her with holy persons to make her grow by word and example. And in these latter days, He has shed luster on her through this poor, humble, and unlettered man."

Then blessed Francis bowed before the bishop, threw himself at his feet and said to him, "In truth, lord bishop, I say to you,'No man in this world has ever paid me the honor you have today. Other men say,'He is a saint!' Thereby they attributed glory and holiness to a creature and not the Creator. You, on the contrary, as a discerning man, have made the distinction between what is base and what is precious.' "

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 103

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Parents: You Can't Give Away What You Ain't Got!

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Kissing The Lepers In Our Lives - Whom Or What Do We Abhor Most?

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

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano - Second Life

Chapter V

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Simplicity

For holy simplicity had so filled them, innocence of life was so instructing them, purity of heart so possessed them, that they knew nothing of duplicitous mind. For, as there was one faith in them, one will, one love; there was unity of souls among them, harmony of behavior, the practice of virtues, conformity of minds, and piety of actions.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XVII

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Remaining Pure And Holy

"Let the brothers of this friary speak to no one, except to those who serve them and the minister general when he visits them. It is also my wish that the lay people who serve them bring them no word or news of the world that is not beneficial to their souls. If it is my wish that no one enter this friary, I do so in order to make it easier for the brothers to keep their purity and holiness; if no useless or harmful word to the soul is uttered there, this place will remain pure and holy to the sound of hymns and the praises of the Lord."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 10

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Lovingly Contemplate Poverty And Weakness

Appalachian Poverty

The Portiuncula Hermitage is located in Jerusalem, Ohio, 

in the foothills of Appalachia

(experiencing the country's highest unemployment rate)

Once Blessed Francis  had gone to the hermitage of the brothers near Roccabrizia. A poor, miserable and sick man came in search of him. Francis said to the brothers, "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 mankind are, therefore, a mirror in which we ought to contemplate lovingly the poverty and weakness which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in his body for the human race."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Legend of Perugia - 89

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The Gift Of Healing

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Please email your prayer requests to the 

Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage & Retreat Center

at:

hermitage@parallax.ws

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The Two Small Coins Of St. Francis

Body           Soul

Christ's Poor One, Francis, possessed nothing but two small coins (Mark 12:42) which he could dispose of with largesse and charity: his body and his soul. But those two mites he offered to God continually, for the love of Christ; he seemed always to be immolating his body with rigor and fasting and his soul with the flame of desire: his body, a holocaust outside in the court of the temple; his soul, incense offering in the inner temple.

Saint Francis of Assisi

St. Bonaventure, Major Life

Chapter 9

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Merry Christmas From The Portiuncula!

Brother Francis would recall with an abundance of tears what great want surrounded the poor Virgin on that day. Once when he was sitting at dinner, a certain brother talked about the poverty of the Blessed Virgin and recalled the want of Christ, her Son. Francis immediately rose from the table and, with great sighs and many tears, ate the rest of the meal on the bare ground, telling the brothers, "Know, my sons, that poverty is the special way to salvation; its fruit is manifold, but it is really well known to only a few."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano, Second Life - 200

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The Daily Nativity Of The Lord

Every day he humbles himself just as he did when he came from his heavenly throne (Wis. 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 1

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Christmas - The Feast Of Feasts

The Christmas Creche at the 

Franciscan University of Steubenville 

(adjacent to the Port)

Francis observed the birthday of the Child Jesus with inexpressible eagerness over all other feasts, saying that it was the feast of feasts, on which God, having become a tiny infant, clung to human breasts. Pictures of those infant members he kissed with thoughts filled with yearning, and his compassion for the Child flooded his heart and made in stammer wordes of sweetness after the manner of infants.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano, Second Life - 199

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The Walls Should Be Smeared With Meat!

Cardinal Sean O'Malley (a Capuchin Monk)

When the question arose about eating meat on Christmas Day, because it fell on a Friday.  St. Francis replied to Brother Morico, "You sin, Brother, calling the day on which the Child was born to us a day of fast. It is my wish," he said, "that even the walls should eat meat on such a day, and if they cannot, they should be smeared with meat on the outside."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano, Second Life

Chapter CLI

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The First Christmas Crib - Greccio, Italy

Pace e bene! Peace and all good!

May the peace and love and joy of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you this Christmas and every day of your lives. We offer this little story about St. Francis at Greccio—from the Major Legend of St. Francis-- for your reflection and meditation. The tradition of the crèche (or crib) originates with St. Francis and is uniquely Franciscan contribution to the celebration of Christmas. Know that we, your Franciscan brothers, are keeping you in our prayers at this most sacred time as you continue to discern God’s will for you in your hearts and in your lives. Merry Christmas!

“It happened, three years prior to his death, that he (Francis) decided to celebrate at the town of Greccio the memory of the birth of the Child Jesus with the greatest possible solemnity, in order to arouse devotion. So that this would not be considered a type of novelty, he petitioned for and obtained permission from the Supreme Pontiff.

"He had a manger prepared, hay carried in and an ox and an ass led to the spot. The brethren are summoned, the people arrive, the forest amplifies with their cries, and that venerable night is rendered brilliant and solemn by a multitude of bright lights and by resonant and harmonious hymns of praise. The man of God stands before the manger, filled with piety, bathed in tears, and overcome with joy.

"A solemn Mass is celebrated over the manger, with Francis, a levite of Christ, chanting the holy Gospel. Then he preaches to the people standing around him about the birth of the poor King, whom, whenever he means to call him, he called in his tender love, the Babe from Bethlehem.

"A certain virtuous and truthful knight, Sir John of Greccio, who had abandoned worldly military activity out of love of Christ and had become an intimate friend of the man of God, claimed that he saw a beautiful little child asleep in that manger whom the blessed father Francis embraced in both of his arms and seemed to wake it from sleep.

"Not only does the holiness of the witness make credible the vision of the devout knight, but also the truth it expresses proves its validity and the subsequent miracles confirm it. For Francis's example, when considered by the world, is capable of arousing the hearts of those who are sluggish in the faith of Christ.

The hay from the crib was kept by the people and miraculously cured sick animals and drove away different kinds of pestilence. Thus God glorified his servant in every way and demonstrated the efficacy of his holy prayer by the evident signs of wonderful miracles.”

St. Francis of Assisi

Celano, First Life

Chapter XXX

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With Our Whole Soul Melted

To those who have experienced it knowledge is given, not to those who have not experienced it. Thus, filled with a glowing fervor of spirit and his whole appearance and his whole soul melted, St. Francis dwelt already in the highest realms of the heavenly kingdom.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Celano, Second Life

Chapter LXI

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Possessions Are ANYTHING That We Appropriate To Ourselves

"When we think of possessions, we usually have material things in mind, but St. Francis used to remind us that possessions are material and spiritual, ANYTHING we appropriate to ourselves."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Admonition 2

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Those Whose Sanctity Is Known Only To God

These brothers are my Knights of the Round Table, who remain hidden in deserts and lonely places in order to devote themselves more completely to prayer and meditation, lamenting their own sins and the sins of others, living simply and behaving humbly, whose sanctity is known only to God, and at times to other brothers, but unknown to the world.

Saint Francis of Assisi

 Mirror of Perfection - 72

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Catch The Wind!

A brother came to Abba Poemen and said, "Abba, a variety of thoughts are coming into my mind and I am in danger!" The old man took him out into the air and said, "Open your robe and take hold of the wind." The young brother answered, "No, I cannot do it." The old man said, "If you cannot do it, neither can you prevent those thoughts from entering into your mind. What you should do is stand firm against them."

Sayings of the Desert Fathers

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When People Refuse You Alms

If people insult you and refuse to give you or your ministry alms, you should thank God for it, because you will be honored before the judgment-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! Alms are an inheritance and a right which is due to the poor because our Lord Jesus Christ acquired this inheritance for us.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1221
Chapter 9

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