Living
Stones Notes #3
My past, O Lord, to your mercy; my
present, to your love; my future, to your providence.
. – St. Padre Pio
It was delightful seeing so many able to make our first
gathering in six months. Fifteen of us joined together for fellowship,
formation, and prayer at the St. Padre Pio Chapel September 13.
Our next gathering at the Chapel will be October 4, from
1-3. We will celebrate the Feast of St. Francis that day.
Remember that for ongoing formation one of the resources
we are using is Live Like Francis:
Reflections on Franciscan Life in the World
by Jovian Weigel OFM and Leonard Foley OFM. We are asked to read Chapter
2 of the book in preparation for the October 4 gathering..
...
September 13, we renewed our professions. If you were not
able to be there, here is renewal pledge we said:
Renewal
of profession
MINISTER:
Today with great joy we are
celebrating the renewal of our profession in the Secular Franciscan Order.
During the time we have been professed
we have made a sincere effort “to make present the charism of our seraphic
Father in the life and mission of the Church” and to build “a more fraternal
and evangelical world so that the kingdom of God may be brought about more
effectively.”
Let us, therefore, join in giving
thanks and in recommitting to ongoing change of heart.
TOGETHER:
We thank you, Lord, for calling us to the Secular Franciscan Order.
We ask your pardon for all our shortcomings, weaknesses and
transgressions against our commitment to the gospel life and against the Rule.
We pray that you will allow us to experience once again the fervor and
readiness of that first day when we entered the fraternity.
We renew once again our commitment to the gospel life, according to the
Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order, until the end of our days.
Grant also that we may live in harmony with our brothers and sisters,
and may give witness to younger people of the great gift we received from our
Franciscan calling to “go forth as witnesses and instruments of the Church’s
mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by our life and words.”
Amen.
MINISTER:
Lord our Lord, Father of all, we thank
you for the love and goodwill
that you have shown toward your
people.
And so we ask you to help us who today
celebrate our profession in the Secular Franciscan Order, and our efforts to
fulfil our commitment to the gospel life which we took upon ourselves.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
ALL :Amen.
...
The region sent out the following “Formation Friday” suggestion
for this Thursday:
As members of the
Franciscan family, our culture includes important events in the life of our
founder. We will celebrate one of these important moments (this week).
What do you know about
the Stigmata of St. Francis?
·
+ St. Francis received
the Stigmata around the feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross in September of 1224--two years before his
death.
+ He was praying on Mt. La Verna preparing for the feast of St. Michael the Archangel.
+ Brother Leo was nearby.
+ While praying, Francis
saw a Seraph with six wings. (Seraphs are angels of the highest order who are
closest to God and most passionate in praising Him.) Between the wings was the
image of a crucified man. When the vision disappeared, Francis was marked with
the wounds of Christ. (St. Francis’s encounter with the Seraph and his passion
in praising the Father has caused the Franciscan Order to be called the
Seraphic Order and Francis our Seraphic Father.)
+ Francis had asked to experience the love Jesus felt for us and also the pain he suffered for us.
+ We celebrate the Feast of the Stigmata on September 17th
+ St. Francis is the first person in recorded Christian history to receive the Stigmata.
O St Francis, stigmatized on La Verna,
Pope St, John Paul II
(On a visit to Mt. La Verna in 1983)
Diane F. Menditto, OFS
Chair, National
Formation Commission
Minister, Our Lady of
the Angels Region
Pax
et bonum,
Lee
