The Canticle
November, 2003
Divine Mercy Secular Franciscan Fraternity
Vero Beach, Florida
 www.franciscan-sfo.org

 Meetings 

   Regular: Sunday Nov. 9, 2003 - 2:00 pm, South Room, St. Helen Christian Living Center
   Council:  Saturday, Nov. 15, 2003 - 9:15 am, Hibiscus Cafe, Vero Beach

Agenda:  1:30 - Initial Formation for Inquirers and Candidates with Formation Team members.
                       Be prompt!

2:00 - Opening Prayer
2:05 - Secy/Treas./Commissioner Reports. Old and New business.

2:20 - Ongoing Formation: Study of the Rule - Article 15. "Let them individually and
    collectively be in the forefront in promoting justice by the testimony of their human
    lives and their courageous initiatives. Especially in the field of public life, they should
    make definite choices in harmony with their faith."

          Gene Caldarone has agreed to lead this lesson and discussion.

3:00 - Refreshment and short Social
3:20 - Office of St. Francis by Julian of Speyer (In Chapel, if possible).

3:40 - Franciscan Crown Rosary for the Special Intention of finding a Spiritual Assistant
          for our Fraternity

4:00 -  Dismissal

Please Note:
▪ Refreshment Committee for November: Snacks - Kathleen Van Buskirk, Peter Askin, Gene Caldarone
                                      Soda or fruit drinks - Helen Caldarone
▪ As always, remember our fraternity apostolate, St. Helen's Food Pantry. Non-perishable food items (no glass) and toiletries (small). Thanks!

Remember to include in your prayers:
▪  Julie McHugh who will be professed as a Secular Franciscan in November (see below for details).

▪  Our upcoming elections in January. Please pray for discernment in terms of saying "Yes" to a leadership role in your Franciscan Fraternity.
▪  Our Inquirers and Candidates: Ed, Pauline, Kathleen.

From the Minister's Desk:
▪ God continues to bless us abundantly! Julie's Profession at St. Lucie Church is our next cause for joy and thanksgiving. Fr. Brian Horgan,
   her Pastor, has graciously agreed to preside over Julie's Profession Ceremony on Sunday, November 16th at the 11:30 Parish Mass. Fr.
   Horgan is very enthusiastic about the opportunity to share this event in Julie's life with his congregation and has also offered to pick up
   the cost of the private reception for our fraternity and guests following the Mass. Please volunteer to help in the planning for this day as
   we discuss details at our November meeting.

▪ Peggy Rysdyke is chairing the Nominating Committee for the January Chapter of Elections. If you would like to serve on this committee,
   please call her at (772) 340-7641. In December, Peggy will present a slate of nominees for the offices of Minister, Vice-Minister, Treasurer,
   Formation Director, Secretary, and two Council Members-at-Large. Any Professed Member, interested in being a nominee for one of these
   offices should contact Peggy. The Regional Minister, Carlos Calderon, SFO, will preside over the election during our regular January meeting.

▪ While we have not yet received the report on our recent Regional Visitation, I can tell you that we were complimented on the warmth and
   friendliness the visitors observed. God bless you all!

Franciscan Saints and Blesseds in the month of November

  4   Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop of III Order.
  7   Saint Didacus of Alcala, religious of I Order.
 13   Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin of III Order. Founder. 
 14   Saint Nicholas Tavelic, priest & companions, martyrs of I Order.
 17   Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, widow, member and patron of the III Order.
 18   Blessed Salome, virgin of II Order.
 19   Saint Agnes of Assisi, virgin of II Order.
 24  Commemoration of all the Deceased of the Franciscan Orders.
 26  Saint Leonard of Port Maurice, priest of the I Order.
 27  Blessed Francis Anthony Fasani, priest of I Order. 
 28  Saint James of the March, priest of I Order.
 29  All Saints of the Franciscan Orders. 

(From our website)

Will you come and visit Me?

In His wisdom and love our Lord devised a way of remaining with us. While He remains in glory at the right hand of the Father, He is also with us in the Blessed Sacrament. The relationship He desires to have with us and we desire to have with Him is that of the tenderest mother and the most loving child. The Blessed Sacrament is the gift of Jesus Himself. He gave this Gift to us the night before he died.

"And whatever you ask in my name, I will do…." What a wonderful gift!!! But what does this statement imply? It implies that we love God. If people sin they do not love God. If people sin they cannot ask what they desire in His Name except forgiveness. Sinning and desiring to have prayers answered is a contradiction in terms. It is a breakdown in love!

People who do not sin often have a growing desire to be with Jesus. Those are the people who seek Him in the Blessed Sacrament and who will sit or kneel in front of the Tabernacle every day. They are the people who attend daily Mass (unless a very weighty reason prevents them from doing so.) They know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is really, truly, actually present in the Blessed Sacrament. Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. He is truly present, in a sense far transcending that of the divine power and grace which operates in the other sacraments. He is truly and really present! That’s why we speak of the Real Presence. He was just as present as He stood among His disciples after His resurrection as he was in the glorified condition at the Transfiguration.

He is present in the Tabernacle all day. He is our Brother, our Friend, Counselor and Teacher. But often he is, like a prisoner in solitary confinement, when there is no one who comes to the church to be with Him for an hour, even for just a half hour. Suppose that Pope John Paul II would come to our town…. Wouldn’t you do all that is possible to go see him? Sure, you would! Then why is it that so many people do not make an effort to attend daily Mass, or just make a visit? I pray that everyone reading this writing be blessed with His grace and that you may find great desire to go often to pay Jesus a visit. God bless you! (Written by Fred Schaeffer, while he was with The Monks of Adoration,  “Spiritual Essay #49”)

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