Board Members
Minister Prefect - Br. Pio Francis
Vice Prefect - Br. Anthony
Master of Novices - Br. Silverius
Secretary - Br. Joseph Pio
Treasurer - Br. Joseph
Chronicler - Br. Benedict
Our Fr. Director and new Minister Prefect smile for the camera.Today is the big day. Our Fraternity will be officially erected by Fr. Freddy Mery and the election for board members will be held. Please pray that the electoral group of eight professed members will, by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, vote for the best members for the available positions, which are:
1) Minister Prefect - Will be the head of the Fraternity.
2) Vice Prefect - Will assist the Minister Prefect.
3) Master/Mistress of Novices - Will be in charge of all the Novices who enter the Order.
4) Secretary - Will take meeting minutes and keep records.
5) Treasurer - Will be in charge of the monies, finances, and accounting of the Fraternity.
6) Chronicler - Will act as the historian of the Fraternity.
The election results will be posted later today.
May God bless our Fraternity.
To Love Jesus and to Make Him Loved
Something perhaps not known all too well to the general public is the wonderful example of sanctity and Franciscan holiness which this mother of eight gave to the world. This mother was penetrated and possessed by the spirit of St. Francis which was of course that of the Spirit of Divine Love Himself. She was the mother of eight, five of which entered religion. One of which especially, is a stunning example of holiness and courage himself, being none other than his grace Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Her name is Gabrielle Lefebvre, she was a Franciscan Tertiary, as said above, a mother of eight children and like her holy Father Francis she was also a probable stigmatic (this was kept mysterious).
An article below goes into greater detail about her life, but the book sold by Angelus Press, Mother of a Family: The Life of Gabrielle Lefebvre is worth the read as this great Franciscan Tertiary is a model of holiness for all not just mothers raising children at home. We close with a few quotes from the article by the Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay. Just a comment though, the book which we have recommended goes much more into Madame Lefebvre's love of St. Francis and the Third Order. To really get a look at her life and Franciscan spirituality, it is necessary to read the book which is written by her spiritual director Fr. Le Crom.
“Like St Francis,” she had said, “I should like to die with nothing.”
“What an ideal death,” writes Fr Le Crom, “to crown her beautiful and saintly life. Like St Francis, she died without money or debts, her heart detached from all material wealth, glowing with the love of Jesus.”
Article by the Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay: http://www.thecatholic.org/2003_November/Mothers_History.htm
Below is an small dart of love from a Franciscan heart, which, in essence is the encouraging admonition to practice the Gospel text commanded by our beloved and adorable Redeemer: "These things I command you, that you love one another." John 15.V.17. The writing below was written by a traditional Franciscan Tertiary from New Zealand, Sr. Mary-Vianney. With her kind permission I send it to our readers for their edification and imitation.
Upon reading the account of St Stephen in the Butler's lives of the Fathers
tonight. It described beautifully the early church which was "illustrious
for the spirit and practices of all virtues, but especially for charity.
The faithful lived and loved one another as brethren, and were of one heart
and one soul. Love and charity were the common soul that animated the whole
body of believers." (Feast of St Stephen, M p376)
I could not help relating these words to the Third Order of St Francis,
which is small in comparison to the Church but which has a charity that
burns in the hearts of its members and binds them towards a common goal. I
firmly believe that by our example of charity among our family, we will
bring more and more members to the Third Order of St. Francis, and then we
will see the restoration of that charity that so bound the members of the
early church together. It was a source of strength then and courage even
unto death - so it will be again!
I also read the beautiful reading for the feast of the Circumcision of Our
Lord which gives beautiful reason why Our Lord submitted to this law. It
describes how the circumcision was a type for the true circumcision of the
spirit in cutting ourselves off from the world. "Though this sacrifice
required the last drop of our blood, we ought cheerfully to make it."
It goes on to say, "what more proper time to set about a thorough
reformation, by cutting off whatever is inconsistent with....the true
Christian spirit, than this very day, the first of the new year? ....we must
lay the axe to the root...Every year ought to find us more fervent in
charity; every day ought our soul to augment in strength, and be decked with
new flowers of virtue and good works."
May we all work on being inflamed with that divine love which so burned in the hearts of the first Christians, and thus through our daily sacrifice and our love for God and neighbour set on fire a world grown cold!
* The Lives of the Saints can be read online at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/lots/index.htm
** Franciscan Tertiaries are also recommended to read The Franciscan Book of Saints by Marion A. Habig. This book is sublime for those who seek to imitate St. Francis and the saints who have done so in all three of his Orders.
May that blessed, holy, innocent, kingly, poor, marvelous, wonderful and unspeakably beautiful Babe of Bethlehem bless all of you! And may that holy Queen, mother and Virgin of virgins keep you! And may that great pillar of families and lover of holy Poverty, St. Joseph protect you!
To all those who have supported the poor souls who are trying to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis here in Toronto, thankyou for upholding us in your prayers, supporting us with your kind words and following and aiding us on our little way towards restoration of the Third Order Secular of St. Francis for the glory of God and his poor knight of Assisi.
To Love Jesus and to Make Him Loved.
"The enemy looks much if a soul is gross or delicate, and if it is delicate, he tries to make it more delicate in the extreme, to disturb and embarrass it more. For instance, if he sees that a soul does not consent to either mortal sin or venial or any appearance of deliberate sin, then the enemy, when he cannot make it fall into a thing that appears sin, aims at making it make out sin where there is not sin, as in a word or very small thought.
If the soul is gross, the enemy tries to make it more gross; for instance, if before it made no account of venial sins, he will try to have it make little account of mortal sins, and if before it made some account, he will try to have it now make much less or none." St. Ignatius of Loyola founder of the Jesuit Order. (Text taken from http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ignatius/exercises.xix.iv.html)
What will the soul who loves Jesus Christ, the Babe of Bethlehem give to Him on the feast of His Nativity? As St. Ignatius lays the axe to the root in his spiritual excercises in the quote above, we can be sure that those striving to serve Christ in the Way, can expect trouble and attacks from the enemy of man's salvation by means of scruples, doubts and anxieties of all sorts.
One thing which is most pleasing to Our Lord, and which would be a gift immesurable for His blessed feast is confidence and joy in His service. The devil seeing that a servant of God is resolved to serve the Lord in a state of habitual joy and peace, does everything in his cunning power to drive that soul into paralysis through the devices stated above.
The fact of the matter is, Christ the Son of the Living God, became Man and died for each and everyone of us. His Precious Blood and sufferings won for us the salvation of our souls. This salvation is in the grasp of all those who will do the Will of God and keep the word of His Christ. Those who die in grace live, those who choose to, can reject Christ and His doctrine and damn themselves to an eternity of suffering in Hell.
The evil one knows those who are of good will and strives to take this peace from them which the world could never give and which the angel announced in Bethlehem: "Gloria in excelsis Deo; Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis!" But in fact Jesus should be, and is our joy. He has come to save us poor sinners and has revealed His love and Will to save us all. Never did He repel a soul of good will, never did He cause souls to doubt Him, never did He drive away a soul who was sincere. In fact He cured, healed, consoled, raised up from death, loved and instructed poor sinful souls. He spent Himself continually, tirelessly and absolutely to win our love. However sentiments and thoughts such as these the devil will try his utmost to drive from your mind. It is the prince of this world, the demon who will continually present to your mind your offenses and transgressions, already forgiven and forgotten by Christ after a contrite confession. "You cannot imagine how artful is the cunning of the enemy in separating you from our Lord by the obsession of your sins" said the good Rev. Fr. Mateo Crawley Boevey in his magnificent book, Jesus King of Love. (Pg. 40) In all things the evil spirit will try to distract you from Jesus, to separate you from the One who truly knows you and your desires to serve Him.
Have no fear though servant of Christ. Jesus is the answer, Jesus is the cure, Jesus is the Divine remedy for these plagues of the spiritual life. Jesus, our joy should be our focus and our goal. It is Jesus who invites us to His Heart: "Him that cometh to me, I will not cast out. John 6.v.37. Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Matt. 11 v.28. If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. John 7 v.37. Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1. v.17. Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Apoc. 3. v.20" It is Christ who will give to you the life of your soul, the graces needed to cooperate with His desires and the who will Shepherd your soul in the narrow path which leads to our Father in Heaven and the shores of eternal beatitude. It is He who will work with your good resolutions to bring your soul to sanctity, for we are capable of nothing without His grace and Fatherly hand. He has invited you, you have accepted, abandon yourself into His arms and see what He can do with you, oh soul bought by the infinite expense of the Precious Blood of God! Have confidence, not in yourself, sinful and weak and poor, but in Him, and the strength, the power of His grace. His delight is to have His mercy glorified. You are a sinner, made muddy and black with the most abominable sins? His trophy and joy are to find and save the lost sheep! You are the excretment and slime of the earth? It is His delight and gives glory to His mercy to make you whole, holy and entirely His. He created you, He died for you, He wants you in Heaven, He would come again and again be tortured and hung on the Cross, even if you were the only sinner left on this earth willing to be pardoned.
For Christmas, lets give the gift of total confidence in the good Lord to the good Lord. Trusting that after making our heartfelt confession, He has obliterated our sins. Trusting that He has come to save us. Trusting in Him and ignoring the demon who wishes to discourage and depress the servant of Christ. Lets listen to the voice of the gentle Jesus and for Christmas give him our hearts full of trust, in Him who is our Brother and Father.
Closing is a text from the Rule of the Friars Minor, written by our holy Father Francis, Father of the poor of Christ and a prince and apostle of peace and total trust in God:
"Let us therefore desire nothing else, wish for nothing else, and let nothing please and delight us except our Creator and Redeemer, and Saviour, the only true God, who is full of good, all good, entire good, the true and supreme good, who alone is good, merciful and kind, gentle and sweet, who alone is holy, just, true, and upright, who alone is benign, pure, and clean, from whom, and through whom, and in whom is all mercy, all grace, all glory of all penitents and of the just, and of all the blessed rejoicing in heaven. Let nothing therefore hinder us, let nothing separate us, let nothing come between us. Let us all, everywhere, in every place, at every hour, and at all times, daily and continually believe, truly and humbly, and let us hold in our hearts, and love, honor, adore, serve, praise and bless, glorify and exalt, magnify and give thanks to the most High and Supreme, Eternal God, in Trinity and Unity, to the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, to the Creator of all, to the Saviour of all who believe and hope in Him, and love Him, who, without beginning or end, is immutable, invisible, unerring, ineffable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, blessed, praiseworthy, glorious, exalted, sublime, most high, sweet, amiable, lovable, and always wholly desirable above all forever and ever." (Taken from: http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/wosf/wosf06.htm)
What a masterpiece of love and joy, what a testament from the heart of one wholly possessed by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, God give us the grace to follow him and put into practice this sublime prayer and admonition.
To Love Jesus and To Make Him Loved
In the beginning of the forming of the Franciscan Order St. Francis with Bernard of Quintavalle his first and loyal son, searching for the will of God concerning the future, had a holy Mass said for this intention; and after the Mass they approached the Holy Gospel for an answer. The Seraphic Father enlightened as to the way this should take place opened the Sacred Scriptures three times and read:
1st Opening: “IF THOU WILT BE PERFECT, GO SELL ALL THOU HAST, AND GIVE IT TO THE POOR.”
2nd Opening: “TAKE NOTHING FOR THE JOURNEY.”
3rd Opening: “IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”
The holy and Seraphic Father Francis then concluded: “There is the life we must lead, the rule we must follow, you and I, and all those who shall desire to join us. Go thou and put in execution what thou hast just heard.” (Taken from the Life and Legends of St. Francis of Assisi, Father Candide Chalippe, O.F.M. )
These are the ideals, the way and the life of all those who follow il Poverello. In this time of Advent, a time when we renew our resolutions or make new ones, these text of Holy Writ could be the guide wherewith our Franciscans in the world could base their attack on self. In their state, they could strive manfully to put into practice the Gospel after the example of Christ and St. Francis of Assisi. Gospel Poverty, Self-Abandonment, the Cross. "All those who shall desire to join us" says the Seraphic Patriarch, should literally to the letter, follow these counsels of our Blessed Lord, as far as possible in their state of life. The first and second Order base their lives on these ideals in their fullest sense. The Tertiary however is also called by St. Francis to live the Gospel and these counsels. God give us His peace and the graces needed to put these beautiful and lofty ideals into practice, with joy. May Jesus Christ and Mary ever a Virgin be praised!
This article has been written for the good of those Tertiaries serving Almighty God in the world, while not being of the world. The quotes below were counsels given to me by a Capuchin Friar Minor. The question asked was how does one practice perfect poverty in the world. Below are quotes of his response, with commentary by myself relating to it, below the quote. Please note, any of the counsels below are to be taken up with one's confessor before being put into practice, that the Tertiary may have the double merit of obedience to be married with the practice of holy poverty.
POVERTY OF SPIRIT.
“But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.” Matt. 6. V.20.
“Firstly, I have found it notable that St Francis refers to disobedience as holding on to the money-bag of one's own opinion - from which we can gather that he saw obedience as an element of spiritual poverty. Indeed, reading his writings and the stories about him, we can see that obedience was highly important to him. He is just as vehement against disobedient friars as he is against those who betray poverty. Thus I recommend first of all that Tertiaries too practice obedience, according to your state of life.”
Obedience to ones spouse, obedience to ones lawful superior ie. priest, spiritual director, or bishop. Submitting one’s will and opinion to another is difficult, and is in many ways much more difficult than giving away a personal material possession. This is a very important factor for practicing poverty.
“My main recommendation in the matter of obedience is that everyone has a spiritual director (usually, but not necessarily, a priest), to whom one submits all decisions regarding one's Christian life. I realise that you may well have such a director already. I have dwelt first upon this form of spiritual poverty because it is an excellent safeguard for material poverty, which can otherwise all too easily become a cause of pride. The ways in which you live perfect poverty in the world will be all the more fruitful if they are done under obedience.”
MATERIAL POVERTY FOR THOSE IN THE WORLD.
Luke 9. V. 3. “And he said to them: Take nothing for your journey; neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats."
“I have dwelt first upon this form of spiritual poverty because it is an excellent safeguard for material poverty, which can otherwise all too easily become a cause of pride. The ways in which you live perfect poverty in the world will be all the more fruitful if they are done under obedience. With regard to material poverty, I want to advise you to leave everything but I do not want to be presumptuous (St Gregory the Great). As you are well aware, the complete renunciation of possessions is not the vocation of all. It is certainly not compatible with married life and the raising of children. But there are ways in which poverty can be observed without leaving everything. I have noted that Jesus, when He first sent out the Apostles, told them to take nothing for the journey; but later, when He is instructing them just before His Passion, He tells them to take provisions, including money (and even a sword ). I interpret this as meaning that He is sending them out to the whole world, where they can no longer rely on Jewish hospitality to keep them. When He was sending them only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, they would only need food and money on the off-chance that hospitality failed them - they would be taking such provisions 'just in case'. Hence I recommend that you make it your practice, when going out on a journey (whether short or long), to take only what you can reasonably expect to need. Only take money if you are intending to buy something, not if it's just in case of emergencies, or in case you just happen to see something you like. Only take a raincoat/umbrella if rain is forecast. Whatever you have in your pockets or bag, ask yourself, Am I likely to need this? Do you really need to take a cell phone with you, for example? This means you run the 'risk' of being caught out if something unexpected does crop up - but this is a good spiritual experience, and increases your reliance on Divine Providence, which also often comes with help in unexpected ways. The same principle can be applied to your journey through life, and hence to the possessions you have at home. How many things do you have 'just in case' you need them in the future? You can go through your possessions, especially anything in storage, asking yourselves, Are we likely to need this? But it's OK, for example, to keep the Christmas decorations for next year, because one can reasonably expect next Christmas to come round (our Lord's return being the only thing we might expect to prevent it).”
Pondering on these wonderful words really brings light to the fact that in this world and in this age, many of us live in a spirit of “self preservation” and “self reliance”. Looking at the things which my family in particular could do away with left me feeling a little blush with shame. Instead of depending solely on God and His loving Providence, in many, many ways we store up things for tomorrow and leave God out of the picture. But how free one feels when ridding oneself of unnecessary “things” which just put an obstacle between us and God. Its really amazing how these things stood there blinding us without really thinking of the reality of it. Things, created, unneeded are an obstacle to union with God This is why our holy Father Francis was all a blush to look upon a beggar more poor than himself. In his eyes that beggar was free Closer to Christ and a very image of the poor Crucified. Like a great wall these created things we pack up and hold onto, block the Great Light of the Divinity. As we peel these bricks out of this wall and toss them away (give them to the poor), we find that where before there stood a blockage, now, blazing through, there is God waiting to fill us with Himself and thus give us true happiness No wonder the followers of the Poverello would sing for joy through the countryside of the Marches, they had found the pearl of great price, and a cause of great joy. Holy poverty.
POVERTY AND SELF ABANDONMENT TO HOLY PROVIDENCE.
Matt. 6. V. 26-30 “Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they? And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature by one cubit? And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?”
“Getting more radical, what about insurance? It's OK to have some health insurance, for example, because one can reasonably expect to need some healthcare during your life. But what about insurance against accidents such as fire and flood, or car breakdowns? These are 'just in case' scenarios, which do not accord with the approach to poverty I'm recommending.”
Indeed this may not be a counsel possible for all of our Tertiaries to practice, but it seems impossible that God would not reward a leap of faith and trust such as this. It seems impossible that the good Lord would not smile upon souls who wished to rest trustingly in His arms and rely totally in Him. The souls of the poor who abandon themselves to such a degree, can infallibly trust that God will not be outdone in generosity.
POVERTY AND CHARITY
Luke 6 v.30. “Give to everyone that asketh thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again.”
“Another Franciscan practice, however, is to give to everyone who asks , in accordance with the Gospel. I recommend you never refuse to give to a beggar, even if prudence dictates you give very little (although if you follow my above recommendation, you might not have anything with you to give anyway), and give them time if you possibly can.”
This counsel has the Tertiary beaming with joy when approached with an opportunity to put it into practice. An alms to the poor is an alms to Christ and “covers a multitude of sins” at the same time. In fact, when St. John of God walked through the streets begging alms, understanding that in helping the poor, those who gave really would receive, he exclaimed: “Who wants to do good to himself? Do good to yourselves brothers, for the love of God ”
POVERTY IN MEDIA.
Matt.18.v.9. “And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire.”
“Finally, a practice very relevant to today's world is poverty in media. We are a culture beset with images and noise, especially through television and radio. The pervasive power of images is particularly worrying, given the sexualisation and violence often portrayed. It is, I think, an excellent practice to be without a TV altogether. But one should at least restrict one's use of television and attendance at theatres, not just because of the dodgy character of some much that is portrayed, but as a means of giving more space to God.”
This counsel is something we have looked at in past articles. TV is to be avoided by our Tertiaries and anyone serious about serving Almighty God. A servant of Christ said, and personally I agree, that one cannot serve God and watch TV at the same time. This soul found it impossible to have the TV cable hooked up, and not watch it. It sucks the life out of virtue, it is a tool used by Satan and can lead to sin. Save your family, cut the cable
In a future article we will focus on specific details on poverty in our daily lives. For example, dress, furnishings, food etc. Until then, please offer prayers that all of our Tertiaries may put into practice these wonderful fragrant counsels and thus serve Christ our King in the footsteps of the Poverello our Seraphic Father St. Francis, for the glory of God and souls. Knowing your generous hearts, we ask you also to offer many supplications to the good Lord for the Friar Minor who gave his time to relate these treasures above. May Jesus Christ be Praised
To Love Jesus and to Make Him Loved.
From Article 44. of the Constitutions of the Third Order of St. Francis:
"Led by the spirit of submission, and with hearts full of joyous gratitude, tertiaries shall regard as outstanding gifts of God the benefits of the Creation, of the Incarnation, and of the Redemption."
One thing which our holy Father St. Francis abhored was a sad and gloomy Brother. Truly the holy Father wished all of his children to be joyous in the Lord, to be filled with an interior joy and to practice this virtue habitually.
It is a constant trick of the devil to communicate his eternal sadness to his victims. If the devil cannot get a devout servant of Christ to sin, he will try his utmost to plunge it into severe sadness, regret, scruples and other fallacious reasonings which ultimately lead the victim to doing his will instead of the Will of Christ our Lord.
St. Francis stated that, "The devil rejoices most when he can rob the servant of God of the joy of spirit. Satan's game is won when the heart is opened ever so little to allow him to inject a speck of dust with which to tarnish the candour of the mind and the purity of life. But as long as the heart is filled with spiritual joy, the serpent endeavors in vain to instill his deadly poison. The devils cannot harm the servant of Christ so long as they behold him filled with holy joy. But when the soul is in ill humor, if discouraged and desolate, it easily becomes a prey to complete unhappiness or turns to vain pleasures." (Ideals of St. Francis of Assisi by Hilarin Felder OFM. Cap. pg. 232.)
Joy is a gift, but it is also a virtue which must be cultivated. A smile, a joyous countenace can in fact be made habitual. To think well of all, wish well to all, to look at our neighbour as a soul destined to be happy with God forever. To make a genuine and sincere effort to be courteous and friendly with those whose temperments run contrary to our own, this takes alot of work! Indeed it may take heroic efforts in certain cases, but with God's never failing grace, habitual joy is possible. You who are called to live the Franciscan ideal of life, you are called to be heralds of the Great King. You have been called by the Seraphic Francis to bring peace and joy to this afflicted world dominated by Satan. "Joyous ministrels of the Lord he styled his disciples, for this reason: that they had tuned the harp of the troubadour to the praise and love of God." (Ideals of St. Francis pg. 235.) All who have studied the Franciscan life know that from the beginning of the Order, spiritual joy was one of the most noticable attributes of the Friars, and the Order itself seemed to radiate this joy of the Lord.
Make no mistake, the joy which our holy Father Francis wishes us to carry within and without us is not a sentimental joy, a joy of the feelings. It is a joy in the Lord, from the Lord and of the Lord. It is God, the beauty and goodness and love and perfection of God which is the reason for our happiness. It is God present in all things which causes us to rejoice. It is God, who like the burning Sun, gives life to all and causes all to exult in Him. It is God who will not fail us, who will give us a Kingdom if we are faithful to His Holy and Divine Will, it is God that is the essential reason and cause for this spiritual joy which we are expected and called to have.
Our holy Father Francis was a living vibrating being of true joy. How many Saints have you heard of dear brethren, who died singing praises to the Lord? "A few hours before his death he summoned all his remaining strength and intoned the One Hundred and Forty-Second Psalm. When he had finished, evening had fallen, the day of his life had drawn to a close. Singing he passed into eternity." (Hilarin Felder: Ideals of St. Francis of Assisi pg. 231). What a sublime and unspeakable testament to true Christian joy. Hilarin Felder relates in his book that the famous Zurbaran portrayed the Saint (Francis) meditating on a skull, and since this painting was completed, the impression given was one that St. Francis in fact had this attitude which was one of the saint absorbed in prayer on death, dark and a little sad. Felder states that this attitude was "impossible, and warranted neither by his life nor his death." (pg. 231 of the Ideals)
Holy Francis was not morose. He did not wish to appear before his Brothers without a countenance of joy. He counselled his children to pray if sadness afflicted them. To beg the Lord to restore unto them the joy of His salvation. He strongly resounded: "It behooves not a servant of God to show himself sad and ill-humored." In fact joy was so important to the Saint that in his first Rule he placed these words: "Let them take care not to appear exteriorly sad and gloomy like hypocrites, but let them show themselves to be joyful and contented in the Lord, merry and becomingly courteous." (pg. 233 Ideals). This was of course taken directly from the Gospel admonition: "Be not, as the hypocrites, sad," (Matt.vi.16.)
If we dear brethren can, through a union of prayer, strive habitually daily to have a burning love for each other, "Dearly beloved let us love one another, for charity is of God," (1 John chp.4 v.7.) spiritually united and formed as Brothers and Sisters of the Seraphic Francis, then we can form a chain and link which will be very hard for the demon to separate and divide. "We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John. chp. 3 v.16.) If we can with all of our hearts pray the Lord to give us a Franciscan spirit of joy and unity, then a body of light will envelope us, safe-guarding us from any serious wounds from the evil one. For, "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just, is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother. For this is the declaration which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another" (1 John chp.3 v.10-11.) Let us pray daily for this Seraphic spirit, for ourselves and our Brothers and Sisters. The Lord has given us such a wonderful sign of His immense Love. He has given us the chance to live the life of a religious in the world, He has preserved the Third Order of St. Francis for us. He has made us, all unworthy children, Franciscan Tertiaries, living in our homes the religious life. With gratitude lets pray for one another, and suffer for the Order and its restoration!
Let many, many prayers and sacrifices reach Heaven daily for the restoration of this unspeakable gift which is the Third Order in its beautiful traditional observance! Who will thank God if not us? Who will work for the restoration if not us? Will we wait for a king or prince or dashing hero to fall from the sky to restore the Order? God gives this chance to you! He has given you the vocation, you with all your weaknesses and failings which the devil will not fail to throw in your face. You are called to restore the Order, to uphold the Church as Pius XII asked of Franciscan Tertiaries. Do not listen to the discouraging voice of that moronic, and charred Angel who is the devil! With God's grace you can do much, and starting with your santification through the living of the Rule and Constitutions of the Third Order, you will infallibly spread the good odour of Christ to other souls through your daily example and life, all done for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Through the grace of God, you can do much, all with joy! May Jesus Christ be Praised!
Here are some more pictures from the Profession Ceremony. Click on a picture for a larger image.
To Love Jesus and to Make Him Loved, Through Mary!
The antiphon of first Vespers for the Immaculate Conception resounds thus: Thou art all fair, O Mary, and the stain of original sin is not in thee! Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te!
Indeed the stain of sin, the mark of satan never, ever touched the Immaculata, the most pure and inviolate Virgin Mary Mother of God. From Her very conception in the womb of St. Anne, She, the divine Mother, was pure and free of original sin. The Immaculate One, the tabernacle of the Most High, the only human creature who was not under the domain of the devil; She conquered with Christ our King and crushed the head of the demon from the moment her Immaculate Heart was conceived!
Chosen to reign as the Mother of God, She, Mary most holy was filled with grace and possessed perfect holiness, more than all the Angels and Saints put together, from the moment of Her conception. Indeed She enjoyed perfect union with Almighty God from that very moment. Mary was an Immaculate mirror perfectly reflecting the image of God.
In short, God, the Creator of Heaven and earth chose and created for Himself, His own Mother, and thus prepared a worthy dwelling place for the Eternal Word of God in the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us celebrate and rejoice in this feast! A feast of feasts, the Immaculate Conception! How wonderful and beautiful is God, who gives us the opportunity on earth to unite with the Angels and Saints in Heaven in celebrating this masterpiece that is Mary and Her conception.
A thought on the Heart of Mary Immaculate, this Heart in the womb of Her mother at the time of conception, burned with a perfect love of God. It is the Heart which will provide Jesus Christ with nourishment and life. This Heart of Mary, will give to God Himself, a Heart of flesh! It will provide Jesus Christ with His most Precious Blood! It will give to God that which He could never have in Heaven, frail and perfect human flesh, with which He will be able to suffer with. Indeed, Mary was the mold as St. Louis de Montfort calls Her. She formed through the power of the Holy Ghost, the Members of Christ our King. How grateful we are to thee O Mary, for giving us the Heart of Jesus! How grateful we are in that you have, in a way, given to God His ability to have compassion! St. Alphonsus de Liguori tells us that the good Lord could not have compassion for us before taking human flesh. This is because compassion implies suffering and this was not possible for God before the Incarnation. Oh unspeakable grace! Oh what incomparable gift! Mary, our Queen and Mother, gentle Virgin of compassion, You gave to God His ability to compassionate poor man in his sins and miseries! Never will we be able to repay Her for what Her fiat has accomplished, never will we be sufficiently grateful to Her.
Think not that this is the only boon, the only effect of the Immaculate Conception. Every time we kneel in quiet reverence before the Living God in His Sacramental Presence, we kneel before the Flesh, the Body which Mary formed for us! It was of Her very Immaculate flesh that the Word took His. Verily, it is the same Flesh and Blood present in the tabernacles of our Churches that Mary formed for us. It is the same Body taken of the Virgin Mary that we devour with burning desire at Holy Communion time. How, how can we be sufficiently thankful to thee O Mary for giving to us, the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Body and Blood of God Himself? And due to the fact that Almighty God had preserved Her from sin, She was a perfect and worthy tabernacle for the Divine Word.
Practically, how can we return to the King of Love and the Immaculate Mary thanks and love for these and many other tremendous graces? Of course, the holy Rule recommends the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the twelve Paters and Aves. These prayers are very pleasing to Our Lady, and Jesus Christ Himself told St. Gertrude that there was no devotion which pleased Him better than the devout recitation of the Hours of the Office of His Blessed Mother. (From the Little Office 1997 Carmel Books Little Office of the BVM. Explained pg. 4.) King Louis of France Patron of the Third Order of St. Francis, recited this Office daily. Perhaps, many of us could say some of the Hours of the Little Office for the love of Mary daily?
The practice of the Three Hail Mary’s said morning and night on one’s knees is a devotion highly recommended by St. Anthony of Padua, St. Alphonsus, St. Gertrude and the like. St. Leonard of Port Maurice promised salvation in a special manner to all those who were constant in the practice of the three Hail Mary’s. This little devotion persevered in, is one which has many graces attached to it. No soul however steeped in sin, can be lost if they just continue in devotion to the divine Mother Mary. Many Saints assure us of this. So how can we, after seeing the great gifts left to us by our sweet Mother Mary, how can we not take up a small devotion like this for love of Her?
The Holy Rosary, the weapon of the Immaculate Queen is an absolute must in our times of wickedness. The Rosary is the simple and magnificent devotion which has been brought to our poor world by the divine Mother Herself. She has requested its recitation in all the approved and true apparitions. It is simple, but it is powerful. It is the scourge of the demon and calls down to those who are devout in its recitation, many graces and blessings. May all Catholic families preserve themselves by reciting Our Lady’s Psalter (the Rosary) daily in a family group. The holy Rosary can be said on the way to work, in the car, walking on the street. It is like a divine dew which falls on the soul who says it. It showers Heaven's blessings on the soul and protects it from sin. Only in Heaven will we realize what the recitation of the Rosary has done for us. How many evils it has protected us from. How many snares it has pulled us out of through the Immaculate hands of Mary! May God see to it that this beautiful devotion one day, be raised to the height of a Liturgical Prayer of the Church. Truly it is a divine prayer, composed of words from the Gospel and of the Church. Mary smiles on those who say it, and promises Her protection to those who are constant in it. Say your Rosary!
May these practices be the consequence of your love for Mary dear brethren! May the Immaculate Conception be a feast which is celebrated with hearts burning with Marian love. May we renew our consecration to this sweet Mother on this feast day, and perhaps we can resolve to put into practice one of the devotions above if we do not say them already, starting on Dec. 8th? Let the world rejoice and the sweet name of the Mother of God ring in every ear, and love for Her burn in every heart! Mary Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
With input from a blogger and after discussion with fraternity members, we have modified the name of our fraternity. It shall be called:
The Fraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Our Beloved and Most Blessed Mother and Queen, we consecrate our fraternity to Thy Immaculate Heart. We are Thine and Thine we wish to be, now and forever!
To Love Jesus and to Make Him Loved!
It is refreshing to hear words like this coming from our friends who have left the SFO to embrace the holy Rule of 1883 and follow the Poverello and the Tradition of the Church without compromise. May Jesus Christ be praised forever. Amen.
"As a former member of the SFO, I am really impressed with how accurately Brother Pio Francis has analyzed the differences between the rules. One of the major reasons I left was that the SFO seemed to me to be becoming much more "corporate" and far less traditional and holy. There are many fine people in the SFO, but I began to feel my spiritual life slipping away, slowly, slowly, as too many compromises were called for. I am now active at my SSPX chapel and another woman and I are hoping to join the TOSF. Meanwhile, my prayers and congratulations go to those of you who are newly professed! I am currently making the novena to The Immaculate Conception for your intention. Oremus pro invicem! Sidney Jude"
