A Gift Pleasing To God

Page from an Antique Italian Bible

Once the mother of two of the brothers came to the saint confidently asking an alms. The holy father had pity on her and said to his vicar, Brother Peter of Catania: "Can we give some alms to our mother?" Francis was accustomed to call the mother of any brother as his mother and the mother of all the brothers. Brother Peter answered him: "There is nothing left in the house that could be given her." And he added: "We have one New Testament from which we read the lessons at Matins since we do not have a breviary." Blessed Francis said to him: "Give the New Testament to our mother that she might sell it to take care of her needs, since we are admonished by it to help the poor. I believe indeed that the gift of it will be more pleasing to Go than our reading from it."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
Chapger LVIII

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The Portiuncula (the Little Portion)

Saint Mary of the Angels, or Portiuncula, in Assisi, Italy

Francis and his two companions had no fixed dwelling; so they went to a poor, derelict church called Saint Mary of the Angels, or the Portiuncula, that is, the Little Portion, where they built a hut to serve as a shelter. Not many days later a man of Assisi named Giles came to them, and kneeling down with great reverence and devotion, he begged the servant of God to receive him as a companion. Seeing him so faithful and devout, Francis admitted him most willingly; and he realized that God would grant them many graces through Giles; this also came true.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER IX

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Let 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!

"O wonderful ascent, O stupendous ascent! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity, that the Lord of the Universe, God and Son of God, should humbly hide Himself, for our salvation, in what seems to be only a small piece of bread! Look, then, upon the humility of God! And pour out your hearts before Him. Humble yourselves that He might exalt you. Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He may receive your all who gave His all for you!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Letter to the Whole Order

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Exchanging God's Love For Alms

El Greco: St. Francis and Brother Leo

"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....In exchange for the alms that you solicit, you will offer the love of God, since you will say: 'Give us alms for the love of God!' and heaven and earth are nothing when compared to this love."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 3

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The Fear And Love Of God Has Died Out In Our Country

When the people heard St. Francis and his brothers preach, they said: "Who are these men, and why do they speak like this?" They made this comment because at the time the fear and love of God had died out in the country and no one spoke of penance which indeed was considered folly.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VIII

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Regard Money As Dust

We should have no more use or regard for money in any of its forms than for dust. Those who think it is worth more or who are greedy for it, expose themselves to the danger of being deceived by the devil. We have left everything we had behind us; we must be very careful now not to lose the kingdom of heaven for so little.

Saint Francis of Assisi
RULE OF 1221
Chapter 8

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Mocking The Poor

Once blessed Francis had gone to the hermitage of the brothers near Roccabrizia to preach to the people of that region. Now, on the day of the sermon, a poor, miserable and sick man came in search of him. Blessed Francis was moved by his distress and spoke to his companion of his poverty and sickness. His companion answered him: "Brother, it is true, he is very poor, but perhaps there in no other man richer in desire in all providence than he." The saint chided him for having spoken so uncharitably, and the brother admitted his sin. Blessed Francis then said to him: "Are you willing to perform a penance I shall give you?" "Gladly," he said. "Well, take off your tunic and go throw yourself half clothed at the feet of the poor man; tell him how you have sinned against him, and ask him to pray that God may forgive you." The brother went and did what blessed Francis had prescribed...

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 89

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No Honeyed Words Of Flattery Or Blandishment

Photo of Sanctuario Rivotorto, an abandoned hut, where Francis and his brothers were living at the time this account took place.

Saint Francis wandered through cities, villages, and hamlets, and began to preach with increasing perfection, not using words of human wisdom, but through the doctrine and virtue of the Holy Spirit most confidently proclaiming the kingdom of God. He was a genuine preacher confirmed by apostolic authority; therefore he spoke no honeyed words of flattery or blandishment; what he preached to others he had already put into practice himself and his teaching of the truth was full of assurance.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER XIII

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Can You Afford $5.00 A Month?

Photo 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 ask you to become a partner in the Portiuncula's mission to build the Portiuncula Chapel by simply donating $5.00 $10.00 $15.00 a month.

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!

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Preach Penance To All

Pope Innocent III and St. Francis of Assisi

It was Pope Innocent III who was at that time the head of the Church, a famous man, greatly learned, renowned in discourse, burning with zeal for justice in all the things that the cause of the Christian faith demanded...said to them: "Go with the Lord, brothers, and as the Lord will deign to inspire you, preach penance to all..."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XIII

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Madmen

One listener said, "Either these men are following the Lord in great perfection, or they must be demented, since their way of life appears desperate, with little food and going about barefoot and clad in the poorest garments." For the moment the brothers' manner of holy life frightened those who saw them, and as yet no one was ready to join them. Indeed, the young women fled when they saw them approaching from afar for fear of their being madmen.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
Chapter VIII

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How The Soul In Its Senses Finds God In All Creatures

Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306)
An Early Companion of St. Francis of Assisi


O Love, divine Love, why do You lay siege to me?
In a frenzy of love for me, You find no rest.

From five sides You move against me,
Hearing, sight, taste, touch, and scent.
To come out is to be caught; I cannot hide from You.

If I come out through sight I see Love
Painted in every form and color,
Inviting me to come to You, to dwell in You.

If I leave through the door of hearing,
What I hear points only to You, Lord;
I cannot escape Love through this gage.

If I come out through taste, every flavor proclaims:
"Love, divine Love, hungering Love!
You have caught me on Your hook, for you want to reign in me."

If I leave through the door of scent
I sense You in all creation; You have caught me
And wounded me through that fragrance.

If I come out through the sense of touch
I find Your lineaments in every creature;
To try to flee from You is madness.

Love, I flee from You, afraid to give You my heart:
I see that You make me one with You,
I cease to be me and can no longer find myself.

If I see evil in a man or defect or temptation,
You fuse me with him, and make me suffer;
O Love without limits, who is it You love?

It is You, O Crucified Christ,
Who take possession of me,
Drawing me out of the sea to the shore;

There I suffer to see Your wounded heart.
Why did You endure the pain?
So that I might be healed.

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How We Sin Against The Poor

While staying in the hermitage near Roccabrizia, a poor, miserable, sick man came in search of St. Francis. Regarding him, Francis said to his companions, "Do you want to know in which way you sinned against this poor man, or better still, against Christ himself? 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 our 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 - 88

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Exalting In Tribulations

The brothers suffered all this, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, and many immense tribulations, firmly and patiently, as St. Francis had bidden them. They were not dejected, they never cursed their tormentors; but like men whose faces are set to a great reward they exulted in tribulations and joyfully prayed to God for their persecutors.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions - 40

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How The Friars Are To Travel

And this is my advice, my counsel, and my earnest plea to my friars in our Lord Jesus Christ that, when they travel about the world, they should not be quarrelsome or take part in disputes with words (cf. 2 Timothy 2:14) or criticize others; but they should be gentle, peaceful, and unassuming, courteous and humble, speaking respectfully to everyone, as is expected of them.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1223
Chapter 3

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LETTER TO BROTHER LEO

This short letter to Brother Leo is preserved in Francis' own handwriting.

Translation:

Brother Leo, send greetings and peace to your Brother Francis.

As a mother to her child, I speak to you, my son. In this one word, this one piece of advice, I want to sum up all that we said on our journey, and, in case hereafter you still find it necessary to come to me for advice, I want to say this to you: In whatever way you think you will best please our Lord God and follow in his footsteps and in poverty, take that way with the Lord God's blessing and my obedience. And if you find it necessary for your peace of soul or your own consolation until you want to come to me, Leo, then come.

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO BROTHER LEO

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Saint Teresa of Avila Feast Day

Bernini's St. Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa was born in Avila in Spain in 1515. She joined the Carmelite Order, made great progress in the way of perfection and enjoyed mystical revelations. When she reformed the Order, she met with much resistance, but she succeeded with undaunted courage. She also wrote books filled with sublime doctrine, the fruit of her own spiritual life. She died in Avila in 1582.

Father,
by your Spirit you raised up Saint Teresa of Avila
to show your Church the way to perfection.
May he inspired teaching
awaken in us a longing for true holiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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The Marvelous Chapter That St. Francis Held At St. Mary of the Angels

Pope Gregory IX

Once the most faithful servant of Christ, St. Francis, held a General Chapter on the plain at St. Mary of the Angels, where more than five thousand friars gathered together. . .

There was also present at that Chapter the Lord Hugolin, Cardinal of Ostia, who was very devoted to St. Francis and his friars. St. Francis prophesied that he would be Pope, and so it happened: he was later the Pope called Gregory the Ninth. As the Court of the Lord Pope was then in Perugia, that Cardinal deliberately came to Assisi, and he used to come every day to see St. Francis and his friars, and sometimes he sang the Mass, and sometimes he gave a sermon to the friars at Chapter.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 18

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The Poor Man Is Provided With A More Abundant Table Than The Tyrant

The eye of the Father never despises His children, but rather, the more poor they are, the more richly does providence provide for them. The poor man is provided with a more abundant table than the tyrant, in as much as God is more generous in his gifts than man.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER XV

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Mystic Monk Coffee: Order In Time For Christmas!

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.)

Fra Chris

Have coffee shipped anywhere in the world!

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.

Have it shipped anywhere in the world!

Order in time for Christmas!

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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
For 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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Forgiveness

There should be no one in the whole world who has fallen into sin, no matter how far they have fallen, who will ever fail to find your forgiveness for the asking, if they will only look into your eyes. And if they do not ask forgiveness, you should ask them if they want it. And should they appear before you again a thousand times, you should love them more than you love me, so that you may draw them to God; you should always have pity on such people.

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO A MINISTER

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Idleness: The Enemy of the Soul

Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road in Jerusalem, Ohio

The friars to whom God has given the grace of working should work in a spirit of faith and devotion and avoid idleness, which is the enemy of the soul, without however extinguishing the spirit of prayer and devotion, to which every temporal consideration must be subordinate.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1223
Chapter 5

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Devotion To Prayer

San Guistino, Italy at twilight

On another occasion the abbot of the monastery of San Guistino in the diocese of Perugia met St. Francis and immediately dismounted to pay him his respects and discuss his spiritual life with him. When they had conversed pleasantly for some time, the abbot took his leave and humbly asked Francis to pray for him. "I shall be glad to pray for you," the saint replied. After the abbot had gone a little way, Francis turned to his companion and said, "Wait a little while, brother. I want to keep the promise I have made." Then, as Francis prayed, the abbot suddenly felt a warmth and joy of spirit he had never experienced before, so that he was lost in ecstacy and completely rapt out of himself in God. He remained like that for a short while and then, coming back to himself, he recognized the power of Francis' prayer. Ever afterwards he had greater love for the Order than before and he told the story to many people as a miracle.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER X

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Finding Joy And Happiness In God

Father Guido Sarducci

Blessed that religious who finds all 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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"Come To The Quiet" Become A Monastic Without Having To Leave Your Day Job!

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

Dear Christian Brothers,

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 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 project by contributing either a one time gift or a monthly donation. A gift of any amount will help enrich the lives of fellow Christians by simply clicking on the ParishPay Icon on the Left of this screen, or making checks payable to "Portiuncula Hermitage" and mail them to: 508 south 16th Street Richmond, IN 47374.

Thank you and God bless!

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Tom Ringenberg
Centerville, IN

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Alien

Painting by Giotto of St. Francis praying inside San Damiano

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 dethless master of his race
Inscribed a sudden message on his face.

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In The Hands Of The Priest

"Our whole being should be seized with fear, the whole world should tremble and heaven rejoice, when Christ the Son of the loving God is present on the altar in the hands of the priest."

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO A GENERAL CHAPTER

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Penetrating The Dwelling Places Of Heaven

Prayer was the chief comfort for Francis 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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Resta Qui - (Stay With Me) Andrea Bocelli

Who cannot help but fall in love with Tuscany?

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