St. Kateri Tekakwitha Region’s OFS Saint?

Brothers and sisters, greetings and great peace always….

     Minister Ray Porzio OFS of St. Marianne Cope Fraternity located in Syracuse, informed me that the Servant of God, Brother Joseph Dutton OSF whose cause for sainthood was opened in 2015 by Bishop Silva of Honolulu was a member of their Fraternity in Syracuse.  (Born in Vermont) He was a Civil War veteran who later in his life became a Catholic and a penitent.  He worked alongside Saints Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope.  Although he never left Kalaupapa or Molokai (after arriving there to help), Mother Marianne arranged for him to become a Secular Franciscan in the Syracuse Fraternity.

     That Syracuse Fraternity is so very blessed with a Saint (Mother Marianne Cope) and now the Servant of God Joseph Dutton OSF.

     Let us shower Heaven with our prayers so the title of “Saint” will be accorded to our brother Secular Franciscan Joseph Dutton.    

 

      Great peace and abundant blessings to all,

Al Picogna, OFS, Regional Minister

Pax et bonum

The Franciscan Crown Rosary

From: Al Picogna, OFS, Regional Minister

FW: [TAU-Daily] October

     The Franciscan Crown Rosary is a Rosary consisting of seven decades in commemoration of the seven joys of the Blessed Virgin (the Annunciation, Visitation, Birth of our Lord, Adoration of the Magi, Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, the Resurrection of Our Lord, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and her Coronation in heaven), in use among the members of the three orders of St. Francis.

     The Franciscan Crown dates back to the year 1422. A young novice who had that year been received into the Franciscan Order had, previous to his reception, been accustomed to adorn a statue of the Blessed Virgin with a wreath of fresh and beautiful flowers as a mark of his piety and devotion. Not being able to continue this practice in the novitiate, he decided to return to the world. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him and prevented him from carrying out his purpose. She then instructed him how, by reciting daily a rosary of seven decades in honor of her seven joys, he might weave a crown that would be more pleasing to her than the material wreath of flowers he had been wont to place on her statue. From that time the practice of reciting the crown of the seven joys became general in the order.

     The manner of reciting the Franciscan Rosary is as follows: The Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and three Hail Marys having been said as usual, the mystery to be meditated upon is introduced after the word Jesus of the first Hail Mary of each decade, thus: "Jesus, whom thou didst joyfully conceive", "Jesus, whom thou didst joyfully carry to Elizabeth", and so on for the remaining five decades, which are given in most manuals of Franciscan devotion. At the end of the seventh decade two Hail Marys are added to complete the number of years (72) that the Blessed Virgin is said to have lived on earth.

     There are other ways of reciting the Crown but the one given seems to be in more general use. The plenary Indulgence attached to the recitation of the Franciscan Crown, and applicable to the dead, may be gained as often* as the crown is recited.

     It is not required that the beads be blessed, or in fact that beads be used at all, since the Indulgence is not attached to the material rosary, but to the recitation of the prayers as such. In 1905 Pope Pius X, in response to the petition of the Procurator General of the Friars Minor, enriched the Franciscan Crown with several new Indulgences that may be gained by all the faithful. Those who assist at a public recitation of the Franciscan Crown participate in all the Indulgences attached to the Seraphic Rosary that are gained by the members of the Franciscan Order. It is required, however, that beads be used and that they be blessed by a priest having the proper faculties. A translation of the pontifical Brief is given in "St. Anthony's Almanac" for 1909.

Pax et bonum

Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Gain Pontifical Recognition

A statement for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal -

With gratitude to the Most High God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Francis, and with heartfelt appreciation to our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Franciscans of the Renewal rejoice on this day, December 8, 2016, for having received notice from Rome in being granted recognition as a religious institute of pontifical right. The decree was signed by his Eminence, João Cardinal Bráz de Aviz, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and his Archbishop Secretary, José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, on 13 June 2016, Feast of St. Anthony of Padua.

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal were founded in 1987, in the Archdiocese of New York, when eight American Capuchins desired a form of Franciscan life dedicated specifically to service of the poor and evangelization. The group was established as an institute of diocesan right by Cardinal John O’Connor in 1999. Currently, there are about 100 perpetually professed members of the institute serving in 10 dioceses and archdioceses, in six countries, committed to the mission of serving the poor and most vulnerable, and passionately preaching the Gospel in the New Evangelization.

The Holy See describes the Institute’s charism: “After the manner of St. Francis of Assisi, the friars seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, as a prophetic witness that life is a pilgrimage to the Father, of faith, hope, and love of God and neighbor, made possible by the Holy Spirit. They participate in Christ’s renewal of all things through their prayer, fraternal life, service of the poor, and evangelization, as a complement to the work of those whose mission is to serve parochially.”

Fr. John Paul Ouellette, the General Servant (superior), expressed his thoughts: “After having been
nurtured so faithfully by the Archdiocese of New York throughout these years, most recently in the person of His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and now receiving this confirmation of our charism of renewal from our Holy Father, Pope Francis, we now commit ourselves ever more urgently and zealously to the living out of our consecrated life, in faithful prayer, devoted fraternity, and service to the most poor and needy among us. Please pray with us in praise and gratitude to God, on this special occasion, for his continued blessings on our Community and His Church.”

Pax et bonum

Jill Robinson and Nancy Strong Profess 9/23/16

From left, Jill Robinson and Nancy Strong profess September 23, 2016, as Formation Directors Joe Madonia and Betty Carmen conduct the ceremony.

Father Steve Kraus, pastor St. Theodore's Church, celebrated the profession Mass for Nancy and Jill.

Pax et bonum

Simple Holiness: A Day in the Life of a Capuchin Franciscan Novice

Simple Holiness: A Day in the Life of a Capuchin Franciscan Novice

Pax et bonum

A Day in the Life of a Franciscan Novice

https://churchpop.com/2016/08/20/a-day-in-the-life-of-capuchin-franciscan-novice/

Pax et bonum

The Gaze of God - Bishop Robert Barron

What is it about a face? When we meet someone, we study that person’s face. The face gives away the soul. We can read so much in a person’s facial expression… When we want to be honest and direct, we look someone in the face. When we resolve to meet a difficult situation, we face up to it.

     On other hand, standing before the face of another can be threatening and shaming, but also sometimes enlivening.

     In the book of Numbers, the Lord instructs Moses how he wants the priests to bless the people…this is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace” (Numbers 6:23-26).  (Sound familiar? Ed.) This is all about the face of Yahweh. We often speak about man's search for God. But the thrust here is in a different direction. It is much more interested in God’s quest for us. God looks upon us with love and searches us out when we run from him.

     Think of Psalm 139…“Lord, you search me and you know me;…you discern my purpose from afar. Before ever a word is on my lips, you know it, O Lord, through and through…”
     Many of us are, despite ourselves, deists. That is, we think of God…as a distant force, a creative power indifferent to the world.

     But that just isn’t biblical religion. God knows us, loves us, searches us out, and makes his face to shine upon us, looking upon us kindly.

     Think of the experience of being gazed upon by someone who loves you and whom you love. In that gaze—penetrating, knowing, benign—you find, not oppression, but joy and peace. That's how God looks upon you.

Pax et bonum