The Canticle
November 2002
Divine Mercy Secular Franciscan Fraternity · Vero Beach, Florida
 

Meetings:  Regular:  Sun., Nov. 10, 2002 - 1:30 pm, South (Emmaus) Rm., St. Helen’s Christian Liv. Ctr.
                   Council:   Sat., Nov. 16, 2002 - 9:15 am, Hibiscus Cafe, Vero Beach

Agenda:

1:00 - INITIAL FORMATION: For inquirers and candidates before the meeting.
1:30 - Opening prayer and Business meeting. Sec’y, Treas., Commission reports; old/new business.
2:10 - Rite of Admission in the Chapel for Julie McHugh
2:40 - Reception & refreshments for OUR NEWEST CANDIDATE, Julie McHugh, in the Emmaus Room.
3:00 - The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary (with appropriate Scripture Readings)
3.10 - The Liturgy of the Hours.
3:30 - Closing Prayer.  Dismissal.

Please Note:

  · Our thanks to the Refreshment Committee for November - Please call a substitute if you won’t be present!
                   Snacks - Jerry Carey and Jim Catrambone
                   Soda or fruit drinks - Caroline DiGennaro.
  · God bless you for your continued generosity to our fraternity apostolate, St. Helen’s Food Pantry.

Remember to include in your prayers:

· Our new diocesan Bishop, Sean Patrick O’Malley OFM Cap. each and every day.
· Our deceased members, Jean Kurtz SFO and Trudy Thomas SFO and all deceased franciscans.
· All those in formation in our fraternity and in other fraternities of the Five Franciscan Martyrs Region that
  God will “keep them as the apple of His eye and protect them in the shadow of His wings” (Ps.17)
· Julie McHugh who is ready for the Rite of Admission. With great joy, we will celebrate Julie’s love of God
  and St. Francis as she becomes a Candidate (or Novice) at our November meeting.

From the Minister’s Desk:

·        Our Pope, John Paul II, is so awesome. Just when I think he can’t possibly devise more ways to inspire and renew my journey to holiness, he announces something so simple and so beautiful that I am truly stunned. John Paul II, on the 24th anniversary (Oct. 16) of his election to the Papacy, announced the start of the “Year of the Rosary” (mid-October 2002 to mid-October 2003) and has added a fourth set of Mysteries to the Rosary - the Luminous Mysteries or the Mysteries of Light! According to the “Florida Catholic” (10/17/02, pg. A49), it is to be said on Sundays in place of the Glorious mysteries. Of course, it may be prayed every day by those who say the complete 15 decades daily (now 20 decades). EWTN’s coverage on “The World Over” had a few different details but nothing of substance.
     The new decades are — (1) The Baptism of Christ (2) the Marriage at Cana and the beginning of Christ’s public ministry (3) the Announcement of the Kingdom and the commissioning of the Apostles to evangelize all nations (4) the Glory of Christ’s Transfiguration revealed to the apostles (5) The Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper and the entire Paschal Mystery.
     Let’s all pray this “new mystery” with great joy and enthusiasm for the conversion of the world and for world peace.

 

I AM AMONG YOU...

St. Francis "once wanted to talk about God and the salvation of souls when he was with those holy and apostolic companions of his, who had come together in one place to converse about God, at the beginning of the Order when they were still few. The devout Father was sitting with his very blessed sons, and in fervor of spirit he commanded one of them in the name of the Lord to open his mouth and say about God whatever the Holy Spirit suggested to him. But after that friar had at once obediently began and uttered marvelous words under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Saint Francis told him to be quiet. And he ordered another to speak similarly about God according to the grace which the Holy Spirit gave him. And as he obeyed and was speaking very profoundly about the Lord by the grace of God, Saint Francis imposed silence on him as he had on the first. And he ordered a third to say something without preparation in praise of Our Lord Jesus Christ. And this third one, following the example of the others and humbly obeying, likewise began to speak so profoundly about hidden mysteries that there was no doubt the Holy Spirit was speaking through him and the others, and that Saint Francis certainly knew it. And this was also proved by a specific sign, for while those holy and simple men were thus, at their Father's command, one after another speaking sweetly about God and spreading the perfume of divine grace, Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared among them in the form of a very handsome young man." (From: "The Little Flowers of St. Francis," Raphael Brown, SFO)

Where two or three gather in my Name, there I am amongst you...

Reading the quotation, above, there can be no question in anyone's mind that Saint Francis was very charismatic. When we pray together as Franciscans or simply as members of the Body of Christ, God is always amongst us. In the above story of Saint Francis, the brothers were together in community, and Jesus was amongst them in the form of the Holy Spirit. This reading is very interesting because the early friars had received the spiritual gifts of Wisdom and Prophecy as they were slain (e.g. dormant) in the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which we receive when we are confirmed. These gifts, according to 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10 are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment of gifts and other gifts. The only problem is that when we are confirmed we're usually very young and all this serious stuff generally doesn't seem as important as growing up. I remember that I was confirmed on June 28, 1949, and I can assure you that at the age of nine, I had no idea whatsoever about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In order for us to be conscious of these gifts, we need to yield to the action of the Holy Spirit. We need to make time to listen deep within us for that soft and gentle voice of the Holy Spirit and then discern what God wishes us to do at that very moment or even over the long term. Charismatics have a beautiful ritual for that. It is called the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit," and they refer to that 7-week experience as being "born again." These 7 weeks involves a complete and conscious surrender of our lives to Him, and through this, we come to know Jesus personally and we pursue this interior life relationship that we as Franciscans strive for.

Every Christian should strive for a personal relationship with Jesus! But then once such a relationship is blooming, His love which overflows in us, should be our love to our brothers, sisters, and enemies as well. The prayer of Saint Francis, which you all know, says it all!

Saint John (1:12) says it so well: But to all who received Him, who believe in His Name, He gave power to become children of God. And in the Gospel of Mark (1:8, also see Acts 1:5), You heard from me that John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Pope John Paul II reminds Catholics to ask Jesus: "Renew in our day, O Lord, your wonders as in a new Pentecost." Indeed there has been a resurgence of the Renewal in the Holy Spirit, and if many more Catholics would yield to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, then there would be less division in the Church, and less strife in the world.

Saint Francis and his early followers were cognizant of the Holy Spirit, and it is clear from Franciscan writings that they fully realized, as we should, that where two or three gather in God's name that He is amongst them. In fact, that's what drew me to the community life of the cloister, the prayer and works of many gathered in God's Name. The SFO is a strong community in the Church, fully Canonically Established (1996). When we come together be it once a month or more often, we are co-equal with other Franciscan groups, whether they be communities of friars, sisters, or other lay Franciscans. Let's not forget that, especially when we're hesitant if we want to get out on a rainy day to attend the monthly Fraternity meeting. We do things together as a group, and we love each other in Jesus' Name as Franciscans.  Jesus also said: The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you. If we haven't already... shouldn't we be getting ready for that? That's what we are trying to do as Franciscans, who serve the Lord, while fighting temptation on a daily basis, by trying to live that beautiful model (The Rule) written by the Holy Spirit at the hand of Saint Francis. You see, my friends, it all ties together. (Based on The Canticle, December 1995.)

Page Three

Franciscan Retreat
 "Commitment to the Call"
Retreat at St. Leo's Abbey in Saint Leo, Pasco County, FL.
January 3rd-5th, 2003

Guest Speaker: Fr. Joseph Gurdak, OFM

For a reservations form, please check with us at our next meeting.

When Are We His Servant and When Are We Not?

One time, Saint Francis called his companions to him in the cell where he was staying and said, “Listen and give careful attention. I have asked the Lord in his mercy that he deign to make it clear to me when I am his servant and when I’m not, for I want always to be found his servant.

“I was told me in the spirit, ‘What will you give me if I make clear to you what you ask?’ And I said, ‘Lord, I have given you my body and my soul; after this I have nothing left to offer you.’ The Lord said, ‘Such being the case, learn and know that you are truly the servant when you think what is good, speak what is good, and do what is good.’” (from: “We were with St. Francis” – Three Companions)

Lord,
Where there is sadness,
Let us sow joy.