Minister:  Helen Caldarone, SFO
Vice-Minister: Fred Schaeffer, SFO
Secretary: Jennie Donlin, SFO
Treasurer: Sarah Hardy, SFO
Formation Dir.: Gene Caldarone, SFO
Councillors-at-Large
    George Thomas, SFO
    Marguerite Rysdyke, SFO
Spiritual Assisitant
    Fr. Richard P. LaCorte, SFO
Webmaster & Canticle Editor
Fred Schaeffer, SFO

The Canticle
 May 2005

Divine Mercy Fraternity
Secular Franciscan Order
Vero Beach, Florida

 

 Commissioners
Work: Jack Solloway, SFO
Family:  Susan Solloway, SFO
Peace and Justice: Sarah Hardy, SFO
Youth: Jim Catrambone, SFO
Ecology: Fred Schaeffer, SFO

 Formation
Assistant Director: Donna M. Haro, SFO
Team Member: Caroline DiGennaro, SFO
Team Member: Carmela LaMarttina, SFO
Team Member: Jennie Donlin, SFO
    

Our May meeting will be on the third Sunday to avoid any conflict with your Mother' s Day plans.

Regular Meeting: Sun., May 15- South Rm., St. Helen' s Christian Living Ctr.,Vero Bch. 2 pm.
Council meeting: Sat., May 21 - Hibiscus Café in Vero Beach at 9 am.

Agenda and Schedule for meeting:
 

 

1:30 pm - Initial Formation sessions before the meeting.
2:00 - Meeting called to order. Opening Prayer, Reports, Old/New Business.
2:20 - Ongoing Formation: Ongoing Study of the SFO Rule: Article 18. A 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.
2:50 - Refreshments
3:05 - Rite of Admission for Marie Louis-Jacques (if she is able to attend)
3:20 - Liturgy of the Hours and Rosary
4:00 - Closing Prayer and Dismissal
Refreshment Committee for May: Peter Askin, Elizabeth Smith - Snacks; George Thomas - Soda and/or fruit drinks

Remember in your prayers: -Marcella Richard, John Matthews, Jerry Carey and all those for whom we have been asked to pray. - Marie Louis-Jacques whose Admission to Candidacy will be celebrated as soon as she is able to return from dental surgery in NYC;

Annual Regional Meeting: Call me if you would like a registration form. They are now available for this meeting at San Pedro Center in Winter Park (Friday evening May 27 to midday Sunday May 29). Regional elections will be held on Saturday and the spiritual theme for the weekend will be A Stay with us Lord@ in keeping with the Year of the Eucharist culminating on Sunday with Mass celebrating the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

From the Minister' s Desk: Our hearts are so full of gratitude and joy as April draws to a close . . .where do I begin?. . . for the powerful witness of Pope John Paul II both in life and in death, for the outpouring of grief and love which astounded the world and for the remarkable media coverage - it is said to have been the largest funeral in history; for the (almost anti-climactic) election of Pope Benedict XVI who will not only be a faithful shepherd of those entrusted to his care but also a humble A servant of the servants of God ; for a beautiful celebration of Marcella Richard' s 25th anniversary of profession in the SFO last Sunday with so many of you in attendance; for Fr. Richard who celebrated his 24th anniversary in the SFO on 4/27; for Marie Fee' s continuing recovery (Marie marked the 57th anniversary of her profession into the SFO on 4/18); for the dedicated leaders of the Five Franciscan Martyrs Region (Fr. Tom, Deacon Ric and Pam Nagle) who were with us to give honor to Marcella on 4/17. A Eternal Father, we praise You and we thank You for all Your gifts to us.

Franciscan Calendar - MAY

1. Bl. Arthur Bell, Henry Heath, John Woodcock, et al., I O.
7 Bl. Agnellus of Pisa, religious of I Order.
8 Bl. Jeremiah of Valacchia, religious of I Order Capuchin
9 St. Catherine of Bologna, virgin of II Order.
10 St. Ivo of Brittany, III Order
11 St. Ignatius of Laconi, religious of I Order.
12 St. Leopold Mandic of Herzegovina, priest I Order
16 St. Margaret of Cortona, III Order.
17 St. Paschal Baylon, religious of I Order. 		18 St. Felix of Cantalice, religious of I Order.
19 St. Crispin of Viterbo, religious of I Order
19 St. Theophilus of Corte, I Order
20 St. Bernardine of Siena, priest of I Order.
21 St. Crispin of Viterbo, I Order
24 Dedication of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.
28 St. Mariana of Jesus de Paredes, virgin of III Order.
30 Bl. Baptista Varano, virgin of II Order.
30 St. Ferdinand, King, member of the III Order.

The Church is very clear about Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, and we' ve heard a lot about this at the death of Terry Schiavo, who was starved to death. There is a website at the following address:

http://www.internationaltaskforce.org/ - here you can find some thought-provoking articles about the definitions of both Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. However, if you' re not a computer person, you can write to them for more information. Here' s the address:

International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
P.O. Box 760
Steubenville, OH 43952

Tel: 740-282-3810 or 800-958-5678 (8:30 am - 4:30 pm)
e-mail: feedback@internationaltaskforce.org

As Franciscans, we are charged with evangelization, spreading the Word of the Lord, living the Gospel and being an example to those who have lost their love for God, a love that is given them even though they have given up on God. But if we do not go the extra mile, and form an enthusiastic fraternity, nothing will happen. The fraternity will wither. It will dry up. Yes, people will come together but no new person will join. To the formation director of such a fraternity we would recommend to start from the beginning. To read the life of St. Francis, through ongoing formation. And for all professed in that fraternity to become truly involved. I know when the Holy Spirit appeared to the Apostles and others on the first Pentecost, there were flames above their heads. Oh, how I wish, that these same flames would liven up Franciscans who are stagnant, who attend meetings but who bring nothing to the unity of the group. If you don't go out and minister in one way or another, people will not know about you. We are to be examples of brothers and sisters of our Seraphic Father, St. Francis - and like the Saint, have this enthusiasm of the Holy Spirit, the love of God, to tell the world "I am a Franciscan and a friend of Jesus and His Holy Mother," and be able to get this idea across without words! Our behavior should exemplify the love of God to our fellow brothers and sisters on this earth, regardless who they are, where they are from, where they are at spiritually, and, treat them as you would wish to be treated yourself, with mercy and compassion and friendliness. Go the extra mile! Do it now; you may not get another chance to be Christian to everyone. There are many parishes up north where life is gone; let us pray that they may begin again and, and as our Franciscans, accept the fire of the Holy Spirit this coming Pentecost.

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