"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
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Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Sermon of Francis



by
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Up soared the lark into the air,
A shaft of song, a wing'ed prayer,
As if a soul, released from pain,
Were flying back to heaven again.

Saint Francis heard; it was to him
An emblem of the Seraphim;
The upward motion of the fire,
The light, the heat, the heart's desire.

Around Assisi's convent gate
The birds, God's poor who cannot wait,
From moor and mere and darksome wood
Came flocking for the dole of food.

"O brother birds," Saint Francis said,
"Ye come to me and ask for bread,
But not with bread alone today
Shall ye be fed and sent away.

"Ye shall be fed, ye happy birds,
With manna of celestial words;
Not mine, though mine they seem to be,
Not mine, though they be spoken through me.

"O doubly are ye bound to praise
The great Creator in your lays;
He giveth you your plumes of down,
Your cromson hoods, your cloaks of brown.

"He giveth you your wings to fly
And breathe a purer air on high,
And careth for you everywhere,
Who for yourselves so little care!"

With flutter of swift wings and songs
Together rose the feathered throngs,
And singing scattered far apart;
Deep peace was in St. Francis' heart.

He knew not if the brotherhood
His homily had understood;
He only knew that to one ear
The meaning of his words was clear.


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A Thief Climbs A Ladder To Rob And Steal

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A thief climbs a ladder to break into the vault where treasures are stored. The soul, too, ascends the secret contemplation to plunder the riches of heaven.

Dark Night of the Soul
St. John of the Cross
Chapter 18

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Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Who did Gary Varvel do best, me or Vice President Mike Pence?

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Footprints In The Water

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To say that the road the soul travels to God is through the sea (the Prophet Baruch) and that His footsteps are in the many waters and so unknowable is to say that the way to God is as hidden to the inner senses as would be footprints on the water of the outer senses. The traces God leaves on the souls He wants to bring to Himself are unrecognizable. Secret.

St. John of the Cross
Dark Night of the Soul
Night of the Spirit

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We Are Mirrors For Those Living In The World

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For the Lord Himself has not only placed us as examples and mirrors for others, but also for our own sisters whom the Lord has called to our way of life, so that they in their turn will be mirrors and examples for those living in the world.

Saint Clare of Assisi
The Testament of St. Clare - 6

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"My God And My All!"

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Looking up to heaven and raising his hands, he prayed with intense fervor and devotion, saying: "My God and my all!" And he sobbed out those words with so many tears and kept repeating them with such devout persistence that until matins he said nothing but "My God and my all!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 2 

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

With How Great Reverence Christ Is To Be Received

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"Many run to sundry places to visit the relics of saints, and are astonished to hear their wonderful works; they behold the noble church buildings and kiss their sacred bones, wrapt up in silk and gold. And behold I have Thee here present on the altar, my God, the Saint of saints, the Creator of men, and the Lord of angels...But here, in the Sacrament of the Altar, Thou art wholly present, my God, the man Christ Jesus; where also the fruit of eternal salvation is plentifully reaped, as often as Thou art worthily and devoutly received."

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
Thomas A' Kempis


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Saturday, November 09, 2019

No Long Winded Sermons: St. Francis of Assisi

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"St. Francis was convinced that leading sinners to conversion was more acceptable to the merciful Father than any sacrifice, particularly if it was done in a spirit of perfect charity, more by example than by preaching, more by fervent prayer than by long-winded sermons."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
Chapter VIII



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The Suffering And Death Of A Worldly Cleric


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At one time, when St. Francis of Assisi lay ill in the bishops' palace in Rieti, Italy, a certain cleric, a dissolute and worldly man, was struck ill and lay in bed in immense suffering. He instructed others to carry him on a gurney before St. Francis and tearfully begged Francis to bless him with the sign of the cross. Francis said to the cleric, "Since you lived in the past according to the desires of the flesh, not according to to the judgments of God, why should I sign you with the sign of the cross?" Francis continued, "I sign you in the name of Christ; but know that you will suffer worse things if after you are delivered to return to your vomit." Francis again continued, "Because of the sin of ingratitude worse things than the first are inflicted." After Francis had made the sign of the cross over the cleric, the man arose completely healed, and broke out into praise, proclaiming, "I am freed!" However, the bones in his loins popped and crackled like sticks of dry wood being broken by hand.

After a short time, the cleric gave his body again to impurity. Then one evening after dining with another of his fellow clerics and slept there that night, all of a sudden the roof of the house collapsed on top of them. Everyone escaped the house but the wretched cleric who was cut in half.

Saint Francis of Asasisi
Celano, Second Life




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Praise of Sister Death: Thirty Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

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Blessed Francis, despite the overpowering burden of his sickness, praised the Lord in a great joyful outburst of body and soul, saying to his companion: "Since I must soon die, have Brother Angelo and Brother Leo come and praise our Sister Death for me." Both arrived, and, forcing back their tears, sang the Canticle of Brother Sun and of other creatures, which the saint had composed during his sickness for the glory of God and for the consolation of his soul and of that of the others. Before the last strophe, they added a few verses on our Sister Death to his canticle:

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,

From whose embrace no mortal can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin!

Happy those She finds doing your will!

The second death can do no harm to them.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 100


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Wednesday, November 06, 2019

Lay The Axe To The Root!

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"But let us lay the axe to the root, that, being purged from passions, we may possess a quiet mind."

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
Thomas A' Kempis

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Gossipers Have No Time For God



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If we would simply withdraw ourselves from unnecessary chatter and lazy idleness with those around us, as listening to idle talk, news reports and poking our noses into other people's business, then we would be able to find sufficient time to concentrate more fully in meditating on holy things that are pleasing to God (as well as to our neighbors.)

Saint Francis of Assisi took said it best when he said, "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."

Chris Dickson

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Tuesday, November 05, 2019

An Admonition

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"In truth, sublime words make not a man holy and just: but a virtuous like maketh him dear to God. I would rather feel compunction, than know its definition."

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
Thomas A' Kempis

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Shepherds Don't Make Sheep, Sheep Make Sheep!






All one has to do is see what Kanye West's followers are doing. Now that Kanye has become a staunch Christian and has released his new Christian Album, thousands of young people have given their lives over to Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. 

You don't have to have an appreciation of his music in order to have an appreciation of his message and see the good that he is doing in people's lives.

I only wish more of our pastors could get half as fired up with the Holy Spirit and begin leading our youth to Christ as Kanye West is doing.

Pace e Bene, Kanye!

Chris Dickson

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Sunday, November 03, 2019

Do You Want Peace And Joy In Your Life?



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"For the Kingdom of God is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, which is not given to the wicked. "(Romans 14:17)

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
Thomas A' Kempis

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Justice And Mercy


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"The selfish, the petty, the cowardly are easily and accurately ranked inferior to the generous, the great souled, the recklessly gallant whose love does not count dollars, hours, sufferings, nor even life itself. In God, we see a love that measures up to the infinite lovableness of divinity, a love worthy of God...."

THE WAY OF LIFE
Confraternity of the Precious Blood

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PRAEPARATIO DONORUM


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Benedictus es, Domine, Deus universi,
quia de tua largitate accepimus panem,
quem tibi offerimus,
fructum terrae et operis manuum hominum:
ex quo nobis fiet panis vitae

Benedictus Deus in saecula.

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31st Week Of Ordinary Time: The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what is lost




Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel." In the Church's preaching this call is addressed first to those who do not yet know Christ and his Gospel. Also, Baptism is the principal place for the first and fundamental conversion. It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of a new life. (CCC1427)

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Wednesday, August 08, 2018

BEGGING FOR STONES FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST !!!!



The Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center​ spent this past week digging up the old foundations of my Great-Great-Great Grandfather Johnny Burkhard's old Barn, Garage, Chicken Coops, Tobacco House, and my Great-Uncles house foundation to come up with the stones to build our little Adoration Chapel. We still need an additional 100 stones and are asking our Monroe County, Ohio neighbors to drop off any extra cut sand stones they may have lying around their homes onto the property adjacent to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road .....

Around my Great Uncle Dutch Martin's homestead...




Clearing next to the cemetery to pour the footer.




Remnants of the old garage where we found around 20 cut sand stones.



Remnants of the old barn where we found nearly 40 cut sand stones.



We piled around 200 stones in the field next to the house while we searched for more.




Our biggest surprise was the number of giant cut stones we found in the old Tobacco House!





Once again, adding to the pile getting ready to run  them to the building site.






Spreading the stones out so the Stone Mason's can see them all and decide which one's should go where.






After we realized we were probably around 200 stones short to complete a 20' X 20' chapel, down the bulldozer went into the basement of Uncle Dutch's foundation to dig up all the field stones in the foundation so that we can mix both the cut sand stones and the field stones together to make it look beautiful!

We are begging the good people of Monroe County, Ohio who may have one or two cut stones on their property to please drop them off in the pile of stones next to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Ozark, Ohio so that we can complete our project. 

Thank you and may God bless you all !!!!

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Chris Dickson, Servant General of the Franciscan Lay Apostolate in Jerusalem, Ohio

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Fra Chris Dickson, F.L.A.
Servant General 
Franciscan Lay Apostolate

I want to take this opportunity to thank my friend, Russ Pulliam, who first introduced me to Gary Varvel almost 20 years ago in the offices of the Indianapolis Star. Russ is the Grandson of Eugene C. Pulliam of the Pulliam Newspaper Empire and the maternal Grandfather of Vice President Dan Quayle. all of whom are devout Christian men of faith.

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Wednesday, May 03, 2017

A Very Kind And Generous Benefactor Has Just Gifted The Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center The Blueprints For Our Adoration Chapel

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A very special "Thank You!" goes out to Mr. Jack Schaffer and the St. Francis of Assisi Portiuncula at St. Alphonsus Campus in Norwalk, Ohio, for donating these blueprints so that we can begin duplicating this Chapel on the grounds of the Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center in Jerusalem, Ohio.

We can't begin to thank you enough for your kind generosity. 

God bless you all and Pace e Bene!

Fra Chris Dickson, FLA
Servant General
Franciscan Lay Apostolate

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Sunday, February 19, 2017

The Catholic Church vs. Liberation Theology

by Chris Dickson, F.L.A.



I am appalled by the naivete of our Church being duped into anti-Christian communism. Liberation theology is a threat to free society by its undermining of the Church and its Magisterium through attempting to redefine moral issues (changing the Gospel to support theology opposed to shaping theology as a result of the Gospel.)

Ignorance is not bliss and unless we familiarize ourselves with the dangers, then future generations will demand answers as to why we threw away our freedom in lieu of communism.

To quote Gustavo Gutierrez (the "father" of liberation theology,) "There is no evil in being subversive, struggling against the capitalist system...Liberation leads to reinterpreting the Gospel...As I have witnessed the power of Marxism to provide motivation for a life of service where none existed before, I have come to a new appreciation of this part of my own history. I cannot settle for any story of America that fails to give a central place to this vision."

Again, Roger Garaudy (one of France's foremost Marxist intellectuals) wrote, "Socialism is a traditional stage in the passage from capitalism to communism." Also, "When the established order involves such injustice that millions of men are exploited, oppressed, mutilated, and humiliated by this order, a revolution, even armed revolution, can be less costly and in the long run less 'violent' than this established disorder, which has become pure violence. Of this, incidentally, many Christians are today becoming conscious, including, for example, even priests and bishops in Latin America."

Charles E. Curran, no longer permitted by the Church to teach moral theology at Catholic universities, has stated,"Questions arise in the light of both the importance and the limitations of Scriptures. In the light of the most striking development has been the emergence of dissent within the Roman Catholic theological community from the teachings of the hierarchical magisterium on specific moral issues."

One cannot help but feel an air of approval when local archdiocesan newspapers print articles written by these people. Already we have seen a swing by our priests and educators away from the Church's doctrine of "norma normans non normata"(the Scriptures being the norm above all other norms by which all norms are taken) and are thus shown to question the Scripture's relevance in our daily lives.

Perhaps we need to seek the definition of a couple terms which seem to have taken on good and bad connotations in complete reversal of their intended meanings:

First of all, the term orthodoxy means "right praise," or consistency with the faith of the Church as embodied in Sacred Scripture, the Fathers, official teachings and the liturgy.

Libertaion theology, on the other hand, is defined as a new type of theology which emphasizes the motif of liberation in both Old and New Testaments and which reinterprets all doctrines in terms of that motif. Forms of liberation theology include Latin American, black and feminist.

Jesus "liberated" all of us from the bonds of oppression. Rather than reinterpreting the Gospel, perhaps we would be better served to "live it." This idea may not be popular with some in the Church today, but by returning to the basics of our faith, we will be truly liberated through the instruction of Sacred Scriptures if only we would accept Jesus as the catalyst of our lives.


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Saturday, February 18, 2017

The Suffering And Death of a Worldly Cleric



At one time, when St. Francis of Assisi lay ill in the bishops' palace in Rieti, Italy, a certain cleric, a dissolute and worldly man, was struck ill and lay in bed in immense suffering. He instructed others to carry him on a gurney before St. Francis and tearfully begged Francis to bless him with the sign of the cross. Francis said to the cleric, "Since you lived in the past according to the desires of the flesh, not according to to the judgments of God, why should I sign you with the sign of the cross?" Francis continued, "I sign you in the name of Christ; but know that you will suffer worse things if after you are delivered to return to your vomit." Francis again continued, "Because of the sin of ingratitude worse things than the first are inflicted." After Francis had made the sign of the cross over the cleric, the man arose completely healed, and broke out into praise, proclaiming, "I am freed!" However, the bones in his loins popped and crackled like sticks of dry wood being broken by hand.

After a short time, the cleric gave his body again to impurity. Then one evening after dining with another of his fellow clerics and slept there that night, all of a sudden the roof of the house collapsed on top of them. Everyone escaped the house but the wretched cleric who was cut in half.

Saint Francis of Asasisi
Celano, Second Life

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Sunday, October 30, 2016

RICHMOND CATHOLIC COMMUNITY IN RICHMOND, INDIANA TAKES UP COLLECTIONS FOR ABORTION-PROVIDERS

Image result for abortion catholic church

As a member of the Richmond Catholic Community Gospel of Life Committee, it is with a heavy heart that I come forward with the unsettling truth that the Richmond Catholic Community in Richmond, Indiana takes "Second Collections" at Sunday Masses that goes to fund Abortion Referral Groups, groups that fund Aborted Baby Stem Cell Research, and groups that distribute condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancies,  both in the United States and abroad. This is in clear violation of the teachings of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church and must come to an immediate and abrupt halt. 

Before I go any further, I would like to say that there are many extremely worthwhile organizations that our Community takes up collections for and the Pro-Life Committee wholeheartedly endorses these outstanding groups. Please note that some of these were mistakenly placed in the wrong category but they have since been corrected. We apologize for any inconvenience this mistake may have caused anyone. These magnificent organizations include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.  Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA)

2.  Hope House

3.  Open Arms Ministry

4.  Community Food Pantry

5.  U.S.O.

6.  Special Olympics of Wayne County

7.  Shepard's Way Christian Ministry

8.  Sunrise, Inc. Therapeutic Riding Center

9.  Wernle Youth

10. Richmond Knights ofr Columbus

11. Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County

12. Community Kitchen - St. Paul Episcopal Church

13. Circle U Help Center

14. Jacey House

15. Rock Solid Ministeries

(To name but a few)




Two years ago the Committee heads asked that I research some of the groups we are taking collections for. Here is a brief listing of those organizations who provide Abortion Referrals, Abortifacients and Embryonic Stem Cell Research (from Aborted babies):

1. Wounded Warrior Project
    As a retired Infantry Major, I have a dog in the hunt here. Although this sounds warm and fuzzy, the Wounded Warrior Project provides funding for Aborted Babies' Stem Cell Research and therefore has no business asking for our donations.

2.  Campaign for Human Development
    Provides funding for Planned Parenthood, the nations number one provider of Abortions in the United States as well as distribution of condoms to low income families and African nations.

3. Immigrant Welcome Center of Indiana
   Upon review of their web page, it was discovered that this group lists 5 Abortion clinics they refer their clients to

4. Parkinson's Research
    Another group heavily involved in Aborted Baby Stem Cell Research.

5.  Catholic Relief Services
        As the U.S. Bishops’ development agency was taking heat last summer for handing out over $5 million to the abortion-supporting group CARE, they were in the midst of giving a total of $13.8 million in grants to the same pro-abortion group during 2012, according to its recently-published IRS filings.

6. CCHD (U.S. Bishops Campaign for Human Development
    As the U.S. Bishops’ development agency was taking heat last summer for handing out over $5 million to the abortion-supporting group CARE, they were in the midst of giving a total of $13.8 million in grants to the same pro-abortion group during 2012, according to its recently-published IRS filings.

7. United Way
     United way is number one in funding to Planned Parenthood International, the number one provider of Abortions in the United States of America and Europe/Africa. They say that you can earmark your giving to specific groups. However, upon further review, it was discovered that ten percent of all local donations are automatically sent to United Way corporate headquarters for re-distribution. 


Image result for mother teresa quotes pro life




Please keep this in mind the next time the collection basket gets handed to you at Mass. 

Thank you and may our Eucharistic Lord continue to bless each and every one of you and your families.

Pace e Bene! (Peace and All Good!)




Chris Dickson, F.L.A.,  is the Servant General of the Franciscan Lay Apostolate located in Jerusalem, Ohio, the diocese of Steubenville, Ohio 


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Sunday, October 02, 2016

Pro-Life Sunday

October 2, 2016

The First Sunday of October is always Pro-Life Sunday. It is also the day we do the "Life Chain" in our local communities throughout America. What a magnificent group of young adults from the Richmond Catholic Community Youth Group in Richmond, Indiana. 

They are our future and our future is NOW!



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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

PORTIUNCULA JEEP WRANGLER ROAD RALLY FUNDRAISER 




October 7, 2017 08:00 A.M. to 08:00 P.M.

Proceeds go to:

The Portiuncula Adoration Chapel Building Fund
Jerusalem, Ohio

And

The Sisters of The Family of Jacopa Association 
Steubenville, Ohio

The Bishop of Steubenville has given us permission to duplicate the Portiuncula Chapel located on the Franciscan University of Steubenville on our land in Monroe County, Ohio. We will be asking each participating Jeep Wrangler to donate $10.00 to our building fund but it is strictly voluntary (Free Will Offering). We will also be gathering for dinner in Woodsfield, Ohio. 

We will be departing from the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville at 08:00 A.M., run down to Clarington, Ohio on Route 7 (along the Ohio River) and then take the back roads to Ozark, with the final leg of the Rally taking us along Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road.


Hog Roast and Raffle at our destination. 
(Stay tuned for particulars)



Sponsors for the event are greatly appreciated.






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