St. Francis and the sinful priest

One version of the story ...

By the time Francis was an old man, he was widely known as a saintly man. He was afflicted by a disease that robbed him of his sight and he suffered so severely from the stigmata that he could not walk. He rode a donkey from town to town.

There was a town who's priest was living in sin with a woman. When the townspeople heard Francis of Assisi was coming to their town, they rejoiced, hoping the holy man would rid them of their sinful priest.

When Francis arrived, the people carried him to the door of the rectory and demanded the priest come out to face the chastisement of the saintly Francis. When the priest opened the door Francis dropped to his knees and raised his hands up until he clasped the hands of the sinful priest.

Francis kissed the priest's hands and said "All I care about is that these hands can bring me Jesus."

Pax et bonum

Questions for the rule

RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER             Prologue: Chapters 1 and 2

The Prologue begins with the title “Concerning those who Do Penance” - What does “penance” mean here? How does that compare with other understandings of penance?

What is the purpose and value of penance?

What kinds of penances do I do?

How does Francis weave the Trinity into this prologue?

When you examine your life, who are the people who gave you your idea of love?

Why does all personal sin have social consequences?

What procedure do I use to work on my characteristic fault(s)?

How does spiritual blindness hurt us and deprive us of so much good?

Do we need to offer satisfaction for our own sins and those of others?

What blinds those who do not do penance?

Do we have a responsibility to those who do not do penance? If so, what?

CHAPTER ONE- ARTICLE ONE

What do you consider the primary purpose of the Secular Franciscan Order?

What other purposes might the SFO fulfill?

Does membership in an Order call us to make changes in our lives?

How do we explain to ourselves and to others that we are called to develop a spirituality and lifestyle “in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi”?

Who are included in the term: “the Franciscan family”? Do we interact as a family?

In what ways is your local fraternity a “spiritual family”?

 

How did you recognize that you were called to follow Francis?

Did a person or event awake you to that call

What charism of Francis speaks the loudest to you?

As a member of the Secular Franciscan Order, what are some of the blessings you experience by belonging to a fraternity?

What are some ways “to follow Christ in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi”?

CHAPTER ONE-ARTICLE TWO

SFO fraternities are not to be “isolated” and “autonomous” - what does that mean?

      If we have become so, why did we?

     What can we do as a fraternity and as individuals to overcome that?

Did profession change your life? And if so, how?

How does an Order differ from a parish society?

What is meant by the common adage: “From Gospel to life and life to Gospel”?

Do I regularly wear the external sign of my membership in this Order-the Tau Cross?

Article 2 states: ”In these fraternities the brothers and sisters, led by the Spirit, strive for perfect charity in their own secular state.” What does “strive for perfect charity” mean to you personally?

What are some ways our fraternity and our order as a whole help us to strive for perfect charity?

Pax et bonum