And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon all those men and women who have done and preserved in these things and will make a home and dwelling place in them. And they will be children of the heavenly Father, Whose works they do. And they are spouses, brothers, and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are spouses when the faithful soul is united by the Holy Spirit to our Lord Jesus Christ. We are brothers, moreover, when we do the will of His Father Who is in heaven; mothers when we carry Him in our heart and body through love and a pure and sincere conscience; and give Him birth through holy activity, which must shine before others by example."

These are the words our Father Francis in a later admonition and exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. We are an "Easter People" ~ living the new life that Christ won for us through his life, death, and resurrection. It is equally true that we are also a "Christmas People" ~ bringing this new life to a world through our daily saying YES to the will of the Father and giving birth to Him through our acts of charity. It was God's love for us - his divine charity, that came in the flesh for us in Bethlehem so many years ago. Now, as followers of Jesus, we are called to make that divine love physically present again ~ to make Yonkers another Bethlehem, where Christ can find a home through our acts of kindness. By loving our neighbors and being good to them we make Christ present and and will attract new members to the Body of Christ by our shining example.

May God bless you and your family this Christmas season and remember...

We are a Christmas People!
            ~ Fr. Andrew

Messages of the Saints, U.S. Bishops, and of Pope Benedict XVI

I chose a variety of resources from the Saints for our personal prayers and reflections. Our quiet moments to help us to be attentive to God's voice.
Enjoy the messages of the Saints and of our Pope and U.S. Bishops.
              - Erma

Without love, nothing is pleasing to God.
- Pope St. Clement of Rome

It is of no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our
preaching.
- St. Francis of Assisi

Watch how you live. Your lives may be the only Gospel your sisters and your brothers will ever read.
- St. Dom Helder Camara

We believe that the Word became flesh and that we receive His flesh in the
Lord’s Supper. How then can we fail to believe that he really dwells in us?
- St. Hilary of Poitiers

How different our world would be if everyone could accept the Good News of
Jesus and share the vision of faith.
- U.S. Bishops

Peace is the companion of humility.
- St. Hildegard of Bingen

If you are what you are meant to be, you will set the world on fire.
- St. Catherine of Siena

Never let the thought of Jesus leave your mind but meditate constantly on
the mysteries of the cross and the anguish of his mother as she stood
beneath the cross.
- St. Clare of Assisi

The cross of Christ is the true ground and chief cause of Christian hope.
- Pope St. Leo the Great

Washing one another’s feet means above all tirelessly forgiving one another, beginning together ever anew.
- Pope Benedict XVI

Advent : The season of HOPE

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.
                Isaiah 6:11  
  

    My St. James/ St. Joseph students in lower Manhattan have been collecting toilet and paper towel rolls in preparation for making their Advent wreaths. Some may be hand-crafted of real or artificial materials and the rolls turn into candles. The children will soon learn the candles symbolize the light of Christ coming into the world. The evergreen symbolizes renewal in Christ, the kind of renewal hoped for by those before Christ's first coming, and the ultimate renewal we long for in Christ's second coming. The circular shape symbolizes the completeness of God. It is likely the symbolism came after the actual wreath was conceived of, but that does not detract from the power of the symbols.
The candle colors are derived from the traditional liturgical colors of Advent and Christmas, purple and white respectively. The rose color likely is derived from an old Catholic custom of wearing rose colored vestments on the third Sunday in Advent (and fourth Sunday in Lent), called Gaudete Sunday, i.e. "Rejoice" Sunday. Each candle is first lit on the appropriate Sunday of Advent, and then the candles may be lit each day as a part of the individual or family's daily prayers. Certain candles have been given various names.

Candle 1. Hope (purple)
Candle 2. Peace (purple)

Candle 3. Joy (rose; the corresponding Sunday is "Gaudete Sunday")

Candle 4. Love (purple)

Candle 5. Christ (white)

Advent prayers are focused on waiting, watching, and hoping for the Lord's coming. As we compete with toy advertisements, Happy Holiday greetings (What ever happened to MERRY CHRISTMAS!) and yes, Santa Claus, Advent is needed! It reminds us and our children what we indeed are waiting for.

The God of Hope, has brought us Peace.
The God of Joy, Guide us with his Love,
With the Love our Father in Heaven He has given us His little child to lead us!  Let us be an example to our children and show them the “reason for the season!”
May the divine light of Christ's heart
 be with you and your family this Christmas
                                                                             Frances

Article brought to you by: Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
The Word took our nature from Mary
By St. Athanasius
10/1/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The body of the Lord was a true body: It was a true body because it was the same as ours. Mary, you see, is our sister, for we are all born from Adam.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) – We present an excerpt from a letter of St. Athanasius, considered one of the champions of the Council of Nicea in 325 AD:

A letter of St Athanasius

“The Word took to himself the sons of Abraham, says the Apostle, and so had to be like his brothers in all things. He had then to take a body like ours. This explains the fact of Mary’s presence: she is to provide him with a body of his own, to be offered for our sake. Scripture records her giving birth, and says: She wrapped him in swaddling clothes.

"Her breasts, which fed him, were called blessed. Sacrifice was offered because the child was her firstborn. Gabriel used careful and prudent language when he announced his birth. He did not speak of “what will be born in you” to avoid the impression that a body would be introduced into her womb from outside; he spoke of “what will be born from you,” so that we might know by faith that her child originated within her and from her.

"By taking our nature and offering it in sacrifice, the Word was to destroy it completely and then invest it with his own nature, and so prompt the Apostle to say: This corruptible body must put on incorruption; this mortal body must put on immortality.

"This was not done in outward show only, as some have imagined. This is not so. Our Savior truly became man, and from this has followed the salvation of man as a whole. Our salvation is in no way fictitious, nor does it apply only to the body. The salvation of the whole man, that is, of soul and body, has really been achieved in the Word himself.

"What was born of Mary was therefore human by nature, in accordance with the inspired Scriptures, and the body of the Lord was a true body: It was a true body because it was the same as ours. Mary, you see, is our sister, for we are all born from Adam.

"The words of St John, the Word was made flesh, bear the same meaning, as we may see from a similar turn of phrase in St Paul: Christ was made a curse for our sake. Man’s body has acquired something great through its communion and union with the Word. From being mortal it has been made immortal; though it was a living body it has become a spiritual one; though it was made from the earth it has passed through the gates of heaven.

"Even when the Word takes a body from Mary, the Trinity remains a Trinity, with neither increase nor decrease. It is for ever perfect. In the Trinity we acknowledge one Godhead, and thus one God, the Father of the Word, is proclaimed in the Church."

Read more...

I have been thinking and praying about the challenges offered to our fraternity during last I month’s visitation.  A major challenge to us was in the area of ministries.  Specifically, our regional minister asked us to reflect on:
“As a fraternity how do we engage with the poor?  Is it possible to bring our individual ministries to the whole fraternity and make them the source of our prayer?”

Rule 4 states: “Secular Franciscans should devote themselves especially to careful reading of the Gospel, and going from Gospel to life and life to Gospel.”  All our ministries are based on the Gospel ~ our ministries have Christ as their inspiration and foundation.  We should be very comfortable in moving from Gospel to ministry and from ministry to Gospel ~ both compliment and sustain each other. 
I would like to discuss these movements from “Gospel to life and life to Gospel” in future reflections.

A Short History of Our Father Francis

When Francis was a young man in his Italian hometown of Assisi, he loved parties and good times. He was very handsome and very rich, so he bought himself the finest clothes, and he spent money right and left. Francis had no desire to either study or learn his father¹s business. All he ever wanted was to just have fun. However, he was never selfish, nor was he impure. After having had two illnesses and other adventures in his life, Francis realized that he must serve Jesus Christ, and so he began by praying much more and by making sacrifices in order to grow strong in spirit. Once he kissed a horrible looking leper while he was giving him money. Often times he gave his clothes and money to the poor and served the sick in hospitals. Still, he felt he should do more than that, so he fasted and he prayed and began to go around with rags, in order to humble himself. It is not hard to imagine how his former rich friends must have looked at him now! His father became so angry with him that he beat him and locked him up at his home. Francis bore all of the suffering for the love of Christ, and when his father took everything from him in disgust, Francis put all his trust in God his Father in Heaven. He said that he was married to ‘Lady Poverty” and began to live as a beggar, with no shelter or food except what kind people gave him.

Everywhere he went, he urged people to stop sinning and to go back
to God. Soon many men began to realize how close to God this poor man was,
and they became his disciples. That is how our great Franciscan Order of
Priests and Brothers began.

Even after the order had spread all over Italy, Francis insisted that they should not own anything and should all love poverty as he did. The brothers helped the poor and sick and preached everywhere. St. Francis had a power of working miracles, and even of making birds and animals obey him. As a reward for his great love, Jesus gave him His own wounds in his hands and feet.
When Francis was sick for a long time, he was told he would live a few more weeks - he welcomed Sister Death. He urged his Brothers to love God, to love
poverty, and to obey the Holy Gospel. ³I have done my part. May Christ teach you to do yours. Amen!

I have a little note of interest: St. Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 in Italy and died in 1226 at the age of 45 years. On the 4th of October we celebrate his birth. We pray that God our Father will enable us to imitate
Jesus as Francis did and walk in the footsteps of our loving Father of Assisi. Amen!

- Erma Recine

Thanksgiving a prelude to Advent
Thanksgiving is the one-day that unites everyone in reflection.  We are grateful and mindful of the gifts God has given us, we remember those who have gone before us and we are thankful for those who surround us. It is a day filled with parades, football and most of all food! We sit around a bountiful table and enjoy each others company.

As wonderful as it is, this yearly event does not come close to the banquet we share daily in the Eucharist. It is in community that we show our gratitude in sharing Christ’s ultimate gift.  But we cannot discount that liturgically, Thanksgiving is a prelude to Advent. It is our mini “fat Tuesday”, our “little lent” that prepares us for the coming of Christ. We fast, we pray, we wait. So this Thanksgiving and everyday let us remember:

Happy thoughts, Praise God
Difficult Moments, Seek God
Quiet moments, Worship God
Painful moments, Trust God
EVERY MOMENT, Thank God!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving Prayer

This Thanksgiving let those of us who have much and those who have little gather at the welcoming table of the Lord. At this blessed feast, may rich and poor alike remember that we are called to serve on another and to walk together in God's gracious world. With thankful hearts we praise our God who like a loving parent denies us no good thing.

Today and every day, it pleases God for us to sit as brothers and sisters as we share the bounty of the earth and the grace God has placed in each blessed soul. For this we all give thanks and praise to our loving and gracious God.

From Songs of Our Hearts, Meditations of Our Souls: Prayers for Black Catholics, edited by Cecilia A. Moor, Ph.D., C. Vanessa White, D.Min., and Paul M. Marshall, S.M.

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I was driving down N. Broadway the other day and noticed that the leaves on the trees are starting to turn.  I noticed one tree - a rather small, young tree was getting a head start on his taller, older neighbors.  This small tree was all blaze in bright red; there was not a single green leaf on it.  I laughed to myself as I imagined the more mature trees calling this young one and "up-start" and complaining to one another, "Who is he trying to impress?"

Well this young, very red tree did get my attention; I could not help but to be impressed by  beautiful colors of reds and deep orange.

We just celebrated the Transitus of Francis.  More mature and "wiser" neighbors thought Francis was an
"up-start" as well.  When Francis turned over his life to follow the Poor and Humble Christ he transformed into something beautiful - and many people where attracted to him.  Over 800 years later Franciscans still find meaning in that young man from Assisi with a huge  imagination trying to get a jump start on living the Gospel.

Fr. Andrew Nowak, OFM Cap

St. Francis, as we all know, was born in Assisi, Italy, on October 4, 1181.
He founded the Franciscan Order together with Saint Clare, and together they established the poor Clares. However, it was Francis who organized the
 Third Order of Franciscans (the SFO), for lay men and women.
As a young man in the town of Assisi, Francis loved parties and good times. He had no desire to study or learn his father¹s business. However, after two illnesses, he knew he must serve God and so his prayers and sacrifices helped him to grow strong. He fasted and prayed in order to humble himself
and bore his suffering for love of God. He urged people to stop sinning and to
go back to God. It was then that men began to realize how close to God Francis was and it was then they became his disciples. This is how the great Franciscan Order of Priests and Brothers began. The brothers helped the poor and the sick, and preached everywhere.
Francis had the power of working miracles, and even had animals obey him. Asa reward of great love, Jesus gave him His own wounds in his hands and feet but our humble Francis tried to hide them. When he was sick for a very long time, he knew he could only live for a few weeks. He welcomed Sister Death and asked to be laid down on the ground and be covered with an old habit. He urged his Brothers to love God through a life of poverty and to obey the Holy Gospel.
He then said: I have done my part may Christ teach you to do yours.

Francis died on October 3, 1226, on a Sunday in Ordinary time.

In closing:
Let us petition God through the intercession of our Father Francis, to help us form a new levento bring souls back to God just as our Father Francis did in
his time. May we walk in his footsteps, and as Secular Franciscans of Sacred Heart, may we be bound to God always.
Amen! Alleluia!

Erma

Celebrating Mary and our father Francis this month of October calls to mind St. Francis’ great devotion to our most blessed mother. This Marian Spirit is a great part of our Franciscan Spirituality.
“To live the life and poverty of Our Most High Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother, and to persevere in this to the end.” St. Francis began that devotion to the Immaculate Virgin and it began to grow with new vigor in the Church. He sung Her praises in his Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Hail O Lady, Holy Queen, Holy Mother of God, Virgin made church...” He adorned Her incomparable union with the Most Holy Trinity in his antiphon for the Office of the Passion: “Holy Virgin Mary, among women there is no one like You born into the world. You are the Daughter and the Handmaid of the Most High King and Father of Heaven, You are the Mother of Our Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ, Your are the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, .” Not only did St. Francis sing Her praises and invoke Her Maternal intercession every day, but he went so far as to confess his sins and failings to Her, so as to obtain more assuredly the forgiveness and pardon of Her Divine Son.

The Portiuncula is an ancient church dedicated to Mary under the title Our Lady of the Angels and is located in Assisi, Italy. It was a spot very dear to the heart of Saint Francis. Here he began and grew in his religious life; here he founded the Franciscan Order; here he manifested his love and great devotion to the Mother of God. When Francis knew he was dying, he requested to be brought to the Portiuncula to end his earthly life.

May we find inspiration this month for our own growth and development in the Gospel way of life that Saint Francis embraced and lived so completely.

Salutation Of The Blessed Virgin
( by Saint Francis of Assisi ) 

 
Hail Holy Lady most holy Queen,
Mary Mother of God.
Chosen by the Father in heaven
consecrated by Him.
With His most beloved Son and
Holy Spirit comforter,
On you descended and still remains
fullness of grace
And every good.
 

Hail His palace and His robe,
Mary Mother of God.
Hail His handmaid lowly and pure,
Loving servant of the Lord.
Hail holy virtues given by God
to all the faithful in the world,
So that no longer we faithless be,
And may become the
servants of the Lord. - AMEN

The Franciscan Crown and the Rosary

Our Lord Himself commanded us to pray unceasingly (Luke 18:1), so right from the beginning various traditions in the Church have gotten started with this command in mind. Early monks threw pebbles in piles as they kept count of repetitive Our Fathers. Later, prayers were counted on knotted cords. And, by the 12th century, beads—usually of wood or clay, and sometimes even of precious jewels—replaced the knotted cords.
Over the centuries, many approved devotions have developed from these circlets of beads.
The Rosary as we know it today evolved from the custom of monks who, not having learned to read, and therefore having been unable to recite the one hundred and fifty psalms of the Daily Office, recited, in place of the Office, one hundred and fifty Our Fathers each day. In time, many Christian faithful began to recite one hundred and fifty Hail Marys each day as an expression of Marian devotion. By the beginning of the 15th century it was common to recite the Hail Marys in decades (groups of ten) punctuated with fifteen Our Fathers; and by the end of the 15th century an additional custom developed: meditating on the central Gospel “Mysteries” of the life of Christ and Mary while praying the Hail Marys.
The Franciscan historian Luke Wadding (1588-1657) dates the origin of the Franciscan Crown to the year 1422. He tells the story of a young novice in the Franciscan Order who, previously accustomed to express his devotion to the Blessed Virgin by adorning her statue with a wreath of fresh flowers, was prevented from continuing this practice in the novitiate. In distress, he considered leaving the Order. But the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and instructed him to recite a rosary of seven decades in honour of her seven joys; thus, he might weave a “crown” more pleasing to her than flowers on her statue.
From that time the practice of reciting the “crown of the seven joys“ became general in the order. Thus it became known as the Franciscan Crown—or the Seraphic Rosary.

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Brothers and Sisters:

Francis writes in his Testament:

"We must honor all theologians and those who minister the most holy divine words and regard them as those who minister to us spirit and life."

I want to honor your previous Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Charles, a true theologian and minister of God's Word.  As I meet people in the parish they share with me their own experiences of Fr. Charles, who brought a humble spirit and life giving encouragement to all he encountered.  I too am grateful for his joyful spirit and sense of fraternity.  When Fr. Charles told me that one of my new responsibilities included being Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscans I must admit that I was a bit anxious.  Fr. Charles eased my anxiety by telling me of the wonderful, gentle, and hardworking brother and sisters who make up your fraternity.  I am honored to be with you and call you my sisters and brothers.  I look forward to our meetings together.  Please know of my prayers for all of you.  I only hope that I too can minister to you a humble and joyful spirit that brings life.

Fr. Andrew

Selections from Little Francis Love Notes

By Erma Recine


    The inspiration for Little Francis Love Notes comes from the life of St. Francis and his spirituality. He always made time and effort to see Jesus in everyone and everything. Here are a few pithy examples of how he did so!
So, let us put aside our own agenda for a while and let God's spirit lead us. That is what our Francis did ­ and amazing things happened. So, I invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as our Father Francis did!

I can't fill God's shoes, but I can follow His steps. (I can handle one step at a time.)
I will celebrate that which I like most about myself.(Unless we're happy with who we are, we'll never be happy with what we have.)
I can't remake who I am, but I can strive to be the best that God made me. (If you can't sing ­ hum.)
Even if I had everything in the world that I wanted, where in the world would I put it?
(Lead me not into temptation, I can get there by myself.)
To be more loving takes practice. I need to practice, practice, practice.
Everyday!!! (I can't do everything. But everything I do, I can do it with love.)
Hurtful things wrinkle my heart, but forgiveness puts it back into shape. (Sometimes we need a change of heart.) It's best to try and look at others from the inside out.
(God made everyone's heart the same color.)
Hope you enjoyed the few notes, which I thought you might like. How true ­ we can't fill God's shoes, but we surely can follow His steps.

Closing:
May we all welcome our Lord Jesus and open our hearts to His love. Let us remember that Jesus came to conquer the darkness of sin and led us into the
light of His glorious Kingdom. May we always remember to pray for our priests and for the support of those who strive to fulfill their call to the
priesthood. May our dear Lord God, who enlightens our hearts be with you all. I pray you will be filled with peace, joy and lots of love.
          Erma         

Reflection on the Scriptures


“You are precious in my eyes and I love you”
                            Isaiah 43:1-7

    Sometimes it is hard to separate yourself from the world. For the world has a set of its own rules we seem to follow.
    What is in.
    Who is in.
    Who or what is out!
    What we should have and what we can not live without.
    What is beautiful etc.
When we see with the eyes of the world, we are never good enough. We are never satisfied.We will always be seeking the things to make us feel and look better-perfect.
But when we see with the eyes of God, we see true beauty, perfection. If only we can create that “magic mirror” and have the ability to see what God sees.
It is our faith that helps us! The challenge is not letting the influences of the world infiltrate our minds and heart. When we let our faith lead us in our choices, in our thoughts we truly “reflect”  the beauty God has bestowed upon each of us!  Because with God we are always in and surely He is one we cannot live without!
 If we are true to our faith, the world would have no influence at all!
                    Frances

Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God,
heralded joy to all the world.
For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice,


Christ our God.
Destroying the curse, He gave blessing;
and damning death, He bestowed on us
life everlasting.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice,


Christ our God.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Feast Day September 8th

The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated in the Church at least since the 8th Century. The Church's calendar observes the birthdays of only two saints: Saint John the Baptist (June 24), and Mary, Mother of Jesus.
 

John the Baptist is considered especially sanctified even before his birth. His birth to Elizabeth and Zachariah is foretold in the first chapter of Luke, and it is also recorded (Lk 1:41) that Elizabeth felt the infant John "leap in her womb" when Mary approached her soon after the Annunciation.
The birth of Mary was also miraculous. She was conceived without sin as a special grace because God had selected her to become the mother of His Son (the feast of her Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8). The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, though generally believed throughout the Church for many centuries, was formally declared by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
 

There is nothing contained in Scripture about the birth of Mary or her parentage, though Joseph's lineage is given in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, appear in the apocryphal "Gospel of James", a book dating from the 2nd Century AD, not part of the authentic canon of Scripture. According to this account, Joachim and Anna were also beyond the years of child-bearing, but prayed and fasted that God would grant their desire for a child.
According to one tradition, the house in which Mary was born in Nazareth is the same one in which the Annunciation took place. By another tradition, the Annunciation site is beneath the Crusader church of Saint Anna in Jerusalem, under a 3rd Century oratory known as the "Gate of Mary".
In celebrating the nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and birth of her Divine Son, and give honor to the mother of Our Lord and Savior.

Read more...

 July/August


Brothers and Sisters,

The life of the Franciscan Friar is an itinerant, mendicant life. We imitate the homelessness of the Lord himself and refuse to get too comfortable in any particular place in this passing world. After all, our home is not here, but in heaven. It has been my joy and my honor to have the journey of your fraternity intersect with my own for this short time, and I take courage from your good example and witness to the Franciscan life. Let us pray for each other, and let the knowledge of the prayer of each be our courage in every struggle and difficulty to come. May the Lord give you peace and continue to bless the fraternity in every way.  -

-Fr. Charles

Reflections on Our Beloved Priests
by Erma Recine



When Pope Benedict XVI declared a year for priests, running from June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010, it was to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, who was a ³true example of a pastor at the service of the Flock of Christ.²

           St John Vianney, as we all know, is the patron saint of all priests. I would like to share a few stories of priestly grace in action.


Story #1 reveals A Prodigal Daughter who comes home.  As a teenager, the daughter was not being raised in a Christian home and was on the path of destruction. It was through God¹s miraculous hand that she found faith in a small Catholic prayer meeting in her town.  The priest who provided church leadership and guidance became her confidante and catechist who listened to her problems and pains.  Soon after, when the Prodigal Daughter turned 18, he baptized her in the Catholic faith. She was certain that God saved her life through the priest¹s ministry.  He is still in Maine, and he continues to serve the Catholic Faith.



Story #2  It reveals a fallen Catholic who finds his footing after having been away from the Church for 15 years, and who lived a very sinful life. He began attending Mass with a priest friend who was a great mentor for him, and such an influence on his wife, who was Baptist, that she was confirmed at the last Easter Vigil.  Fr. Bollinger is a wonderful priest who always seemed to put things in modern terms that made sense to everyone.  Both husband and wife are so grateful for the priest and thank him every day for everything.



Closing: In Praise of Priests  Much of what's been written about the Church in the past several years has been negative.  I have known many priests throughout my life, including a brother, who is now with God, and some who have been an inspiration, and some who were difficult, but they were all great people.  We are blessed and absolved through them.  I always say, Find Christ through a priest, and it works for me. God bless our Priests. We are all blessed and absolved through them.

Prayer Reflection
 

Do I see You Lord?

Do I see You Lord?
Do I see You Lord in the face of the child?
Do I see You Lord in the eyes of the elderly?
Do I see You Lord in the face of the homeless?
Do I see You Lord and walk away?
Do I see  an d choose to look away?
Why? Do You see me Lord?
Do see Me Lord as I stare in the Mirror?
What do You see, that I can not
see in the eyes of others or myself?
Help Me see with Your eyes.
Help Me see with your heart,
so when I look around I see You!
Help Me be mindful.
Help Me be able to Act and not just look.
To Do!
So when I look in the mirror 
 the reflection I see is YOU!

                                                                                                                                                            Frances Acosta

Saints.SQPN.com

Saint Clare of Assisi

Memorial

• 11 August
• formerly 12 August
• 23 September, feast of the finding of her body
• 3 October, feast of her first translation, celebrated within the Poor Clares

Profile

Clare’s father was a count, her mother the countess Blessed Orsolana. Her father died when the girl was very young. After hearing Saint Francis of Assisi preach in the streets, Clare confided to him her desire to live for God, and the two became close friends. On Palm Sunday in 1212, her bishop presented Clare with a palm, which she apparently took as a sign. With her cousin Pacifica, Clare ran away from her mother’s palace during the night to enter religious life. She eventually took the veil from Saint Francis at the Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Assisi, Italy.
Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) at San Damiano, and led it for 40 years. Everywhere the Franciscans established themselves throughout Europe, there also went the Poor Clares, depending solely on alms, forced to have complete faith on God to provide through people; this lack of land-based revenues was a new idea at the time. Clare’s mother and sisters later joined the order, and there are still thousands of members living lives of silence and prayer.
Clare loved music and well-composed sermons. She was humble, merciful, charming, optimistic, chivalrous, and every day she meditated on the Passion of Jesus. She would get up late at night to tuck in her sisters who’d kicked off their blankets. When she learned of the Franciscan martyrs in Morrocco in 1221, she tried to go there to give her own life for God, but was restrained. Once when her convent was about to be attacked, she displayed the Sacrament in a monstrace at the convent gates, and prayed before it; the attackers left, the house was saved, and the image of her holding a monstrance became one of her emblems. Her patronage of eyes and against their problems may have developed from her name which has overtones from clearness, brightness, brilliance - like healthy eyes.
Toward the end of her life, when she was too ill to attend Mass, an image of the service would display on the wall of her cell; thus her patronage of television. She was ever the close friend and spiritual student of Francis, who apparently led her soul into the light at her death.

Born

• 16 July 1194 at Assisi, Italy

Died

• 11 August 1253 of natural causes

Canonized

• 26 September 1255 by Pope Alexander IV

Name Meaning

• bright; brilliant

Patronage

• against eye disease
• Assisi, Italy
• embroiderers
• eyes
• for good weather
• gilders
• gold workers
• goldsmiths
• laundry workers
• needle workers
• Santa Clara Indian Pueblo
• telegraphs
• telephones
• television
• television writers

Representation

• host
• monstrance
• woman with a monstrance in her hand(s)

Storefront

• Commercial Links related to Saint Clare

Images

• Gallery of images of Saint Clare of Assisi

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Golden Legend
• Google Directory
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson
• Saint Clare Church of Assisi
• Wikipedia

Readings

Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me. - Saint Clare of Assisi
O wondrous blessed clarity of Clare!
In life she shone to a few;
after death she shines on the whole world!
On earth she was a clear light;
Now in heaven she is a brilliant sun.
O how great the vehemence of the
brilliance of this clarity!
On earth this light was indeed kept
within cloistered walls,
yet shed abroad its shining rays;
It was confined within a convent cell,
yet spread itself through the wide world.
- Pope Innocent IV
He, Christ, is the splendor of eternal glory, “the brightness of eternal light, and the mirror without cloud.” Behold, I say, the birth of this mirror. Behold Christ’s poverty even as he was laid in the manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. What wondrous humility, what marvelous poverty! The King of angels, the Lord of heaven and earth resting in a manger! Look more deeply into the mirror and meditate on his humility, or simply on his poverty. Behold the many labors and sufferings he endured to redeem the human race. Then, in the depths of this very mirror, ponder his unspeakable love which caused him to suffer on the wood of the cross and to endure the most shameful kind of death. The mirror himself, from his position on the cross, warned passers-by to weigh carefully this act, as he said: “All of you who pass by this way, behold and see if there is any sorrow like mine.” Let us answer his cries and lamentations with one voice and one spirit: “I will be mindful and remember, and my soul will be consumed within me.” - from a letter to Blessed Agnes of Prague by Saint Clare of Assisi
MLA Citation

• “Saint Clare of Assisi”. Saints.SQPN.com. 3 April 2010. Web. {today’s date}.

Category: Saints Beati and Venerables, Saints who were Franciscans, Saints who were Nuns, Saints who were Poor Clares  |  Trackback

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Dear friends,
Let us not let the month of June come and go without recalling to ourselves its special dedication to the Lord's Most Sacred Heart. Our worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us that God's passionate love for his creatures has come to live among us, embedding divine love in our very humanity. Let us in turn place our hearts within His, that we may love one another with the Love with which God has loved us first.
 Brother Charles

Blog: friarminor.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/FrCharles
Facebook: facebook.com/people/Charles_Sammons/667525245
Parish Website: sacredheartyonkers.org

The Popes of Our Time
by Erma Recine

Our reading shares with us the fifth anniversary of the memory of Pope John Paul II and of the election of our Pope Benedict XVI to the throne of Peter. We will share a few notes on the two Popes whom we honor on this occasion. 

Pope John Paul II, known for reaching out to other nations, traveled to 126 countries during his pontificate, often addressing the congregation in their native language. He was the first pope to set foot in a Jewish synagogue and showed humility in his travels by kissing the ground of each nation he visited. His outreach and emphasis on social justice helped end Communism in Poland and eventually the Cold War.

A prolific and profound writer and orator, Pope Benedict XVI continues the initiatives of John Paul II while always emphasizing the importance of the Mass as a “weekly Easter” where the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of Eucharist are bridged by the homily, transforming the rites of Mass into an active celebration of the miracle of Mass.

We are grateful for the lives and work of John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI for their contributions to the Church. 

Through the intercession of our Blessed Virgin Mary, we unite our prayers and sacrifices with the Popes past and present for good of the Church. We are happy to share with you that the Academy of the Immaculate, who are publishers for the Franciscans, recall with pious affection, the life and work of John Paul II on this anniversary – and also – to offer prayers and solidarity to Pope Benedict XVI as he continues his good work leading the Church.  We pray that our Mother Mary will watch over our Holy Father, and that our prayers are with him always.

How blessed are we to have shared John Paul II and Benedict XVI on the Chair of Peter during our lifetime. We are grateful for their lives and works. We are also grateful for the chaplains, clergy, and the staff of the Archdiocese for serving the cause of peace and justice throughout the world.  Amen!

In conclusion, we pray that:

John Paul II – the Venerable will accept our affection and gratitude, and as dear friends of him, whose gifts and abilities changed the course of history in our often troubled world.

Let us express our profound gratitude for the blessing of Pope Benedict XVI. May he continue to move the Holy See toward the same goals of achieving the rich gifts of religious reconciliation, forgiveness, and love.

Let us join together in offering prayers of gratitude for His Holiness Pope John Paul II on the fifth anniversary of his death – and for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on the fifth anniversary of his Pontificate.  Amen!

Prayer Reflection

I can rest in Him who is “the Beginning”Jesus came and stays in humanity. He chooses to heap gifts on me.
            John 1:1-18

He Who Is

He who is
I rest my soul
He who is
I rest my faith
He who is
I give my life
He who is
I come to do your will
He who is and shall always be
the air I breathe
For He has given me life,
 for whom I can always rely
With whom I cannot live without
Feed my mind,
Feed my soul
with wisdom and love
That I may be an instrument in the Orchestra of Life

                                                          Frances Acosta

-Pray During the Summer-

Great God,
you dress the world in summertime and paint the sky with stars. You write
your story on our lives and guide the ways of all. Give us a wider sense of
wonder, that we may unwrap the world like a gift, always thanking you for
your goodness and living in love with our neighbors in Jesus Christ Our
Lord. Amen.
Written in 1972--WLP

Maureen Brennan-

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The Lord is risen" and "Seek the things that are above" are the great slogans of the Easter season, the first from the early witnesses and the second from St. Paul. It is our joy and our spiritual work to put them together, to realize that Jesus' resurrection is our rising as well. We were buried with him in baptism so that we also might rise to newness of life. Let us step into the Presence of the Risen Lord and let him unburden us from anything that holds us back from the lightness and flourishing for which God created each of us..

Peace
Fr. C

From the Franciscan Family:
 

We celebrate the May 4th feast of our Blessed Ceferino G. Malla, SFO. Blessed Ceferino was the first gypsy ever to be beatified a martyr and a Secular Franciscan. Blessed Ceferino was born in Spain and had a wife and no children. However, they adopted a niece. Ceferino was well known to all. He attended Mass frequently and was known for his generosity to the poor. During the Spanish Civil War, he was arrested for defending a priest who was to be killed for having had a rosary. As the firing squad prepared to kill Ceferino, he called out, “Long live Christ the King,” while clutching his own rosary.

In 1997, on the 4th of May, at Ceferino’s beatification, Pope John Paul II said, “His life shows how Christ is present in various people and races, and how they are called to holiness by keeping His Commandments, and remaining in His Love.” Blessed Ceferino shows us that God’s love is unlimited to race or to culture. His feast day is May 4th. Amen!


A Few Words of Interest from our Pope Benedict XVI, when he said:

St. Francis is a model of dialogue and respect for Creation. He said that our 13th Century saint offers a very clear demonstration that “the saints are the best interpreters of the Gospel for people of every age.” Our Holy Father asks our priests to get on line and spread the Gospel. That they must live what they preach and avoid charism. Also, that Christian faith without love cannot live and that Catholic teaching is not a list of “No’s.” We thank our Pope Benedict for sharing his words of interest with us, and for sharing with us the words of our Holy Father St. Francis. Amen!!

Erma

Month of Mary

 The month of May  is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God's mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1).
 

This Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize the secular feasts which were wont to take place at that time. In the 16th century, books appeared and fostered this devotion.
The practice became especially popular among the members of the Jesuit Order — by 1700 it took hold among their students at the Roman College and a bit later it was publicly practiced in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the whole Church.
 

The practice was granted a partial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary indulgence by Pius IX in 1859. With the complete revision of indulgences in 1966 and the decreased emphasis on specific indulgences, it no longer carries an indulgence; however it certainly falls within the category of the First General Grant of Indulgences. (A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding — even if only mentally — some pious invocation.
  Excerpted from Enchiridion of Indulgences.

 

             

Prayer for May
 
An Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Mary, Mother of God and Virgin, I choose thee this day for my queen, patron, and advocate, and firmly resolve and purpose never to abandon thee, never to say or do anything against thee, nor to permit that aught be done by others to dishonor thee. Receive me, then, I conjure thee, as thy perpetual servant; assist me in all my actions, and do not abandon me at the hour of my death. Amen. —
 St. John Berchmans

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"The Lord is risen" and "Seek the things that are above" are the great slogans of the Easter season, the first from the early witnesses and the second from St. Paul. It is our joy and our spiritual work to put them together, to realize that Jesus' resurrection is our rising as well. We were buried with him in baptism so that we also might rise to newness of life. Let us step into the Presence of the Risen Lord and let him unburden us from anything that holds us back from the lightness and flourishing for which God created each of us..

Peace
Fr. C

God Is Love

Many times children ask their parents, "What is love?" We as adults know that love is the most precious thing in Heaven and on earth. We are taught that love is to wish what is good for another who is in need of it. We love when we care about others who are in need of our generous and unselfish caring for them.

Our Father Francis thought of God as our good Father. In his discovery of Christ in the Gospel, Francis found that Christ was continually called on by His Father, doing all things for love of His Father. Jesus makes all of us His brothers and sisters, and He gives us His Father.

So very often, people do ask, "What is love?"  We all know that love is the most precious thing in Heaven and here on earth. In order to love someone is really to wish and to want what is good for him or her. Truly, to love is to will what is good for another. We can't give them what they wish, we have to make a judgment as to what is really good. Therefore, we must always be alert and caring about the needs for others. We must be generous and unselfish in fulfilling them, and we need to remember that greatest love has its limits. Christ deals with people according to the time He had.

We have said from our Franciscan hearts that the very first emphasis of Franciscan spirituality is the fact that God is love. The second is that our Lord Jesus Christ is our brother in the love of God -- and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. So, let us always remember that Christ is not only God; He is man with a real body, mind, will, and emotions. He is just like all of us here -- as Secular Franciscans and all of His brothers and sisters -- except in sin and any personal result of sin.  So, let us never forget the theme: "Behind it all -- in it all -- through it all -- is the God who is love."  Blessed be our God because He is good.

May we always remember the words of our Father Francis when he sang this song of the Good News from the King of Kings: "God is love, God is my Father, Christ is my Brother, who gives us life, saves us, and brings us to the Kingdom of the Good God, our Father."  Every action we perform, therefore, must somehow be an act of loyal love for the King.

In closing, let us pray with our Father Francis for all priests, that they may continue to carry on the work of Jesus which we all need so very much. We pray that through the intercession of our Lady, she will wrap our mantle around all our priests and strengthen them for their ministry. May our priests be holy and seek always the greater glory and salvation of souls. We thank God for all priests who responded to His call to the priestly ministry, and may St. John Vianney -- our Universal Patron of Priests, pray for all priests, especially those of our Sacred Heart Church. Amen!
Erma

Faith the Waltz of Life

    I remember my first dance lesson. The instructor kept telling me to relax and let him lead; but somehow I could not do it. I needed to be in charge. My dance lesson became a reflection on how I lived my life, always wanting to be control. Unlike dancing, we need to loosen up, trust in your partner, and let him lead. Soon with practice the once rigid movement becomes a fluid beautiful dance, you and your partner become one.

    Faith is like learning to dance. You must learn to trust your partner, the Lord. Let go, abandon your fears and let Him take the lead. Faith needs to be practiced. The more you practice the more united you become. Soon after, united with the Lord become one through the Waltz of life.

Like the Waltz there are ups and downs, twists ad turns but with Jesus as your partner you can’t go wrong. So relax, let him lead, you may step on his toes every now and then it does not matter. He wants you to keep practicing!

Keep dancing, practice and live your faith
Blessings!
Frances

Prayer for Imitating St. Francis

Collect from St. Francis’ Feast Day, October 4th

Loving God,
You helped our seraphic father Francis
reflect the image of Christ
through a life of poverty and humility.
May we follow your Son
by walking in the footsteps
of Francis of Assisi
and by imitating his joyful love.
Grant it through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
forever and ever.

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Sisters and brothers, the great days of our salvation are upon us. Let us stand before the mystery of the Cross once again, as it comes to us in all who suffer in this world. May our contemplation fill us with the mixture of joy and sorrow felt by Francis as he received the marks of the Lord's Passion in his body. With our hearts thus softened in prayer, may we be ready to renew the promises of our baptism at Easter.

Peace
Fr. C

We Are Called to Be God's Holy Ones

We Secular Franciscans belong to a very large family. We honor our ancestors in the faith, and especially those whose heroic witness in faith and action have inspired us. The reading from Revelation describes a dramatic heavenly scene, gathering all saints who persevered faithfully through life's trials. While we rejoice over the wonderful heritage of known saints in the church, we also celebrate the saintly witness of our beloved relatives and our dear friends whom we truly believe and pray are with God interceding for us. Our basic Christian vocation in life is to be good holy people. In the Gospel, Jesus highlights the Beatitudes as our guide. Each Beatitude offers us a very unique window on how we are to evangelize for the Kingdom of God. In 2002, on World Youth Day, Pope John Paul II urged the Toronto participants to become "People of the Beatitudes" like Jesus. Many, I am sure, still hear his words echoing within us. Let us all remember that we are all beloved children whose destiny is an incredible future of living with God, and seeing God as God is.  Truly, what motivation we all have to be saintly children of God. Let us remember that when we celebrate the feasts of our Saints on their feast days, it is a reminder to us that we here on Earth hear only our own slightly off-key music. However, God hears the true beauty of our songs of praise which blends in harmony with those of the angels and of the saints.

Erma

A Message from the Desk of Erma

Let us pray to our Lord, that everything we do will begin with His inspiration and His help, and that we as Secular Franciscans will reach perfection under His guidance. It is through our observance of Lent that we truly understand the meaning of our Lord Jesus's death and resurrection.  Let us always remember that without God our Father, we can do nothing. If we draw close to God, he will always draw close to us -- therefore -- let us always twin our hearts to Jesus. Remember, that without God, we are bound to fail.

 

PRAYER FOR A LENTEN JOURNEY

   It has begun, our Spiritual Lenten journey is well on its way. The time of repentance and soul searching has us seeking ways to bring us closer to God. We have been marked with ashes and are reminded that we must repent and spread the Good News through our words and actions. It is a time to clean out our hearts closet to make room for Christ. Francis sought often and always kept his heart open to Christ. He so wished and I believe still wishes that for all. He wrote a letter for his entire order which can help all of us follow in the footsteps of Christ during our Lenten Journey.

Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God,
give us miserable ones
the grace to do for You alone
what we know you want us to do
and always to desire what pleases You.
Inwardly cleansed,
interiorly enlightened
and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit,
may we be able to follow
in the footprints of Your beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and, by Your grace alone,
may we make our way to You,
Most High,
Who live and rule
in perfect Trinity and simple Unity,
and are glorified
God almighty,
forever and ever.
Amen.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI,

“A LETTER TO THE ENTIRE ORDER,” 120-121

Blessings!

Frances

Lenten Miracle…
       
When I was growing up, I would always see a wooden helmet with ONE bullet hole in one side hanging by the wall in our living room. My Mom told me the story that happened one HOLY WEEK…
       
My family had been taking care of a statue of the Black Nazarene carrying the Cross .Everyday of the Holy week, we have a procession around town. When the Japanese occupied our country, my family fled to the mountains to avoid them.  They left behind the statue, so Mom told my oldest brother to go back to town to get the statue’s head. While carrying it, a Japanese soldier shot him and the bullet went into the wooden helmet but miraculously did not go through. God saved my brother. Since then, the tradition continued every Holy Week. Nothing is impossible with God, so trust in Him…..
                                                                                                                                                       Benedicta

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