True and Perfect Joy

True and Perfect Joy: Franciscans and Suffering

Even in suffering, Francis experienced confidence and joy from:

+ the experience of the fatherhood of God;

+ the invincible faith of rising with Christ to eternal life;

+ the experience of being able to meet and praise the Creator in the universal fraternity of all creatures.

 

(From the FUN Manual “Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order”-Theresa Baker, OFS)

Questions to Ponder  (for discussion)

+What were some of the sufferings St. Francis endured in his lifetime? What
can we learn from his sufferings?

+Would you know how to explain
“Perfect Joy?” (Read about “Perfect Joy” attached or in the Little Flowers.)

+What role does suffering play in our lives?

+How do you view suffering?

+Is suffering a punishment or an opportunity to enter into the sufferings of Christ?

 

 TRUE AND PERFECT JOY

 

https://franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/writings-of-francis/the-undated-writings/true-and-perfect-joy/182-fa-ed-1-page-166

 

 

One day at Saint Mary [of the Angels] blessed Francis called Brother Leo and said: “Brother Leo, write.” ²He responded: “Look, I’m ready!” 3“Write,” he said, “what true joy is.”

⁴“A messenger arrives and says that all the Masters of Paris have entered the Order. Write: this isn’t true joy! ⁵Or, that all the prelates, archbishops and bishops beyond the mountains, as well as the King of France and the King of England [have entered the Order]. Write: this isn’t true joy! 

⁶Again, that my brothers have gone to the non-believers and converted all of them to the faith; again, that I have so much grace from God that I heal the sick and perform many miracles. I tell you true joy doesn’t consist in any of these things.”

⁷“Then what is true joy?”

⁸“I return from Perugia and arrive here in the dead of night. It’s winter time, muddy, and so cold that icicles have formed on the edges of my habit and keep striking my legs and blood flows from such wounds. ⁹Freezing, covered with mud and ice, I come to the gate and, after I’ve knocked and called for some time, a brother comes and asks: ‘Who are you?’ ‘Brother Francis,’ I answer. ¹⁰‘Go away!’ he says. ‘This is not a decent hour to be wandering about! You may not come in!’ ¹¹When I insist, he replies: ‘Go away! You are simple and stupid! Don’t come back to us again! There are many of us here like you—we don’t need you!’ 

¹²I stand again at the door and say: ‘For the love of God, take me in tonight!" ¹³And he replies: ‘I will not! ¹⁴Go to the Crosiers’ place and ask there!’ ¹⁵“I tell you this: If I had patience and did not become upset, true joy, as well as true virtue and the salvation of my soul, would consist in this.”

 

Pax et bonum

Care for creation

Moreover they should respect all creatures, animate and inanimate, which “bear the imprint of the Most High,” and they should strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kinship. - #18 Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order

How do I care for creation?
Am I careful about littering or polluting?
Do I consider the environmental impact of the things I buy?
In what ways do I care for the living things I encounter? 

Pax et bonum

Gathering in Time of Pandemic

 

As Secular Franciscan, we are called to community, but in this time of the coronavirus, gathering to share that community has become difficult.



The Glory of the Most High Fraternity in Rochester N.Y. normally gathers the first Sunday of the month. With the closing of church buildings – we gather at St. Theodore’s Church – and with stay-at-home recommendations in place, we were not able to gather April 5. But we had planned to say The Way of the Cross According to the Method of St. Francis of Assisi, so we contacted the members of the Fraternity and suggested that each of us say it at 1 p.m. (our gathering time) that day.

As the closings continued, we realized we would not be able to gather May 3. Since May is the month of Mary, we had discussed saying the Franciscan Crown Rosary for the regular gathering, so we decided to repeat the April “distance gathering,” substituting the rosary at 1 p.m.

 

 

But then the suggestions was made that those of us who felt comfortable doing so gather to say the rosary at the St. Padre Pio Chapel in the Rochester suburb of Gates. The chapel is a private one, created in 2007 by a family with a devotion to St. Padre Pio. The building is the size of a small church, with plenty of room for people to practice social distancing. It has remained open daily for private devotions throughout the pandemic.

 

 

We therefore proposed to the Fraternity that we all say the Crown Rosary wherever we were most comfortable doing so, but noting that some of us would be at the chapel reciting it. Several of us did gather there May 3 – wearing masks and keeping social distance.

 

 

It was such a wonderful experience that the suggestion was made that we gather at the chapel every Sunday at 1 for the month of May, and invite the rest of the Fraternity who cannot join us to pray the rosary wherever they are. Meanwhile, members of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Fraternity from nearby Hilton heard about what we were doing and liked the idea, so we welcomed them to join us.

 

However many of us gather at the chapel, however many of us are saying the rosary at home, we will be united in prayer as a community. And among our prayers is that we will be able to have a regular gathering as soon as the pandemic begins to subside.

Pax et bonum

Epiphany Gathering

We held a small Epiphany Party January 3, at which we collected items for the Focus Pregnancy halp Center.

 

 

And, of course, there was socializing.

Pax et bonum

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year!

Pax et bonum

Transitus 2019

We held our Transitus celebration at St. Theodore's Church October 3. The celebration included a Mass and a social gathering - with representatives from the two Rochester-area fraternities and the parish. Between 45 and 50 people attended.

One of the ideas inspired by other Transitus celebrations was placing a Franciscan robe on the floor in front of the altar. Donated food items, and oil and salt to be blessed, were also placed there.

Pax et bonum

Fraternity Picnic 2019

Our Fraternity celebrated summer with a picnic August 11. Because it was the Feast of St. Clare, we added prayers and a renewal of our profession as part of gaining a Plenary Indulgence (we also need to get to confession and receive Communion on our own as part of fulfilling the criteria for the Indulgence). Then, we socialized and enjoyed the food brought by Fraternity members - including the lovely St. Clare cake above. 

Thank you to the Whites' for their hospitality.

Pax et bonum