A few profession pictures (Dick and Ann Marie Kunz)

Dick and Ann Marie Kunz were professed September 19, 2014, at the St. Padre Pio Chapel, the newest members of the Franciscan family. (Though they have been active in the fraternity for several years.)

 

And, of course, being a Franciscan celebration it had to include food! 

 

Congratulations!

Pax et bonum

I Thirst - For You (St. Theresa of Calcutta)

     …Jesus wants me to tell you…how much love He has for each of you – beyond all you can imagine.  I worry some of you still have not really met Jesus – one to one – you and Jesus alone.  We may spend time in the chapel – but have you seen with the eyes of your soul how He looks at you with love?  Do you really know the living Jesus – not from books but from being with Him in your heart?  …Ask for the grace, He is longing to give it.  Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will not be able to hear Him saying “I thirst” in the hearts of the poor.
 

     Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person – not just the idea.  How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say “I love you” – impossible?  Our soul needs that as much as the body needs air.  If not, prayer is dead – meditation is only thinking.  Jesus wants each of you to hear Him – speaking in the silence of your heart.

   Be careful of all that can block that personal contact with the living Jesus.  The Devil may try to use the hurts of life, and sometimes our own mistakes – to make you feel it is impossible that Jesus really loves you, is cleaving to you.  This is a danger for all of us.  And so sad, because it is completely the opposite of what Jesus is really wanting, waiting to tell you.  Not only that He loves you, but even more – that He longs for you.  He misses you when you don’t come close.  He thirsts for you.  He loves you always, even when you don’t feel worthy.  When not accepted by others, even by yourselves sometimes – He is the one who always accepts you.

     My children, you don’t have to be different for Jesus to love you.  Only believe – you are precious to Him.  Bring all your suffering to His feet – only open your heart to be loved by Him as you are.  He will do the rest. 

     You all know in your mind that Jesus loves you – but in this letter Mother wants to touch your hearts instead…That is why I ask you to read this letter before the Blessed Sacrament, the same place it was written, so Jesus Himself can speak to you each one.

     His words on the wall of every MC chapel [“I Thirst”], they are not from the past only, but alive here and now, spoken to you.  Do you believe it?  If so, you will hear, you will feel His presence.  Let it become as intimate for each of you, just as for Mother. – This is the greatest joy you could give me.  Mother will try to help you understand – but Jesus Himself must be the one to say to you “I thirst.”

Pax et bonum

Peter Maurin on St. Francis

Peter Maurin, co-founder (with Dorothy Day) of the Catholic Worker movement, was often called a modern-day St. Francis. Maurin wrote a number of poetry-lie essay called Easy Essays in which he outlined a vision of Catholicism that St. Francis might have celebrated. in several of those essays, Maurin cited St. Francis. Below is an excerpt from one essay:

What St. Francis Desired

According to Johannes Jorgenson,

a Danish convert living in Assisi,

St. Francis desired

that men should give up

superfluous possessions,

St. Francis desired

that men should work with

their hands.

St. Francis desired

that men should
offer  their services
as a gift.
St. Francis desired
that men should ask
other people for help
when work failed them.
St. Francis desired
that men should live
as free as birds.
St. Francis desired
that men should go through life
giving thanks to God for His gifts.

The Third Order

"We are perfectly certain

that the Third Order of St. Francis
is the most powerful antidote
against the evils that harass
the present age."

Leo XIII.

"Oh, how many benefits

would not the Third Order of St. Francis
have conferred on the Church
if it had been everywhere organized
in accordance with the wishes
of Leo XIII."

Pius X.

"We believe that the spirit of

the Third Order,
thoroughly redolent of Gospel wisdom,
will do very much
to reform public and private morals."
 
Benedict XV.

"The general restoration of peace and morals

was advanced very much by the
Third Order of St. Francis,
which was a religious order indeed,
yet something unexampled up to that time."

Pius XII

(From “The Case for Utopia”)

 

Pax et bonum

A Prayer from St. John XXIII

 

 

Prayer by Pope St. John XXIII

 

O Jesus, come back into our society, our family life, our souls, and reign there as our peaceful sovereign. Enlighten with the splendor of faith and the charity of your tender heart the souls of those who work for the good of the people, for your poor. Impart in them your own spirit, preserving the flame of enthusiasm ever alight in their hearts.  

 

Amen. 

 

Pax et bonum

Strive to be joyful every day

We know that we aren’t always going to be happy. Sadness, even tragedy, is going to cross our paths more than once. But if we strive to be joyful on a daily basis, we seem to develop reserves upon which we can draw.

-from Pope Francis and our Call to Joy -(Diane Houdek)

Pax et bonum

Local Franciscan rises to CFR leadership

In June, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal met in General Chapter and Father Anthony Baetzold  of St. Leo's Parish in Hilton was elected Vicar. We know him from so many days of prayer he's led for the local Secular fraternities over the last few years.

The entire leadership team is:

Servant – Fr. John Paul Ouellete, CFR
Vicar – Fr. Anthony Baetzold, CFR
Council – Br. John Joseph Brice, CFR
Fr. Solanus Benfatti, CFR
Fr. Isaac Spinharney, CFR
Fr. Emmanuel Mansford, CFR

May God be with Father Anthony and all the other members of the leadership team.

Pax et bonum

Socializing with Franciscans 2

Here are more pictures from our fraternity picnic July 26.

Pax et bonum