THE CANTICLE
October 2002

DIVINE MERCY SECULAR FRANCISCAN FRATERNITY
(Website: franciscan-sfo.org)

• Meetings:    Regular: Sun., Oct. 13, 2002 - 1:30 pm, South (Emmaus) Rm., St. Helen's
                            Christian Living Ctr.
                        Council: Sat., Oct. 19, 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.
2:00 - Divine Mercy Chaplet to honor the devotion for which our fraternity was
           named.
2:20 - Mid-meeting break and Library Time (Please return any library
           materials you've borrowed.)

2:40 - ONGOING FORMATION. Donna Haro will lead us in the study and discussion of Article
          10 of the SFO Rule: "United themselves to the redemptive obedience of Jesus, who
          placed his will into the Father's hands, let them faithfully fulfill the duties proper to their
          various circumstances of life, Let them also follow the poor and crucified Christ, witness
          to Him even in difficulties and persecutions."
3:15 - The Liturgy of the Hours.
3:30 - Closing Prayer. Dismissal.


• Please Note:

* Refreshments Committee for October - Linda Allard and Andrea Cardoza. Thanks a Million!
* I am pleased to announce that the South Room, our meeting room, is now being called the
  Emmaus Room since a painting of Christ on the road to Emmaus now graces the walls...
  perfect for us who seek to live a Gospel-based life and "to recognize Him in the breaking of
  the bread."
* God bless you for your continued generosity to our fraternity apostolate, St. Helen's Food
  Pantry

• Remember to include in your prayers:
    * Please pray for the soul of Mary Murphy Rea, Fr. Tom's oldest sister, who died on 9/2/02. Fr.
      Tom, assisted by Deacon Ric Nagle, SFO, celebrated her funeral Mass in Brighton, MA. The
      Five Franciscan Martyrs' Region will send a memorial gift to WOMEN AFFIRMING LIFE (www.
      affirmlife.com), a pro-life organization found by her daughter (and Fr. Tom's niece), Mary Rea-
      Luthin.

        *  Our deceased members, Jean Kurtz, SFO, and Trudy Thomas, SFO, and all deceased
            Franciscans.  For 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)
 

• From the Minister's Desk:
   

  • If you can, please help out at our booth for St. Helen’s Parish Ministry Fair on Sat/Sun September 28/29 after the Saturday and Sunday Masses. Mass times are Sat. 4 & 6 pm /
    Sun. 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12, 6 & 7:30.

• A FRANCISCAN RETREAT for our region will be held on Jan. 3-5, 2003 at St. Leo's Abbey, St. Leo, Florida. The theme will be - "Our vow of commitment to our Franciscan profession." More info will be available at our October meeting. Cost is $125 and space is limited.

• On the reverse side of this issue of the Canticle you will find a short biography of St. Zita of Lucca, a most perfect personification of Article 10 of the SFO Rule. Please read it and meditate on the way St. Zita lived each day in prayer and holiness as she performed her daily duties for the greater glory of God.

  ---

  ST. ZITA OF LUCCA                                                             Patron Saint of Domestic Servants
  Feast: April 27                                                                        Patron Saint of Lucca

  Born in the early 13th century to a poor but religious family at Mont Sagrati, a village near Lucca in Italy. St. Zita was brought up by her virtuous mother. Her older sister entered a Cistercian convent and her Uncle Graziano was a hermit regarded as a saint by people in the area.

  Great attention was given to the task of instructing her daughter in the faith and to instill the love of God in the fertile soil or her daughters lender heart. By the age of seven, Zita found pleasure in nothing but doing God’s will. Her mother reinforced her lessons by saying, "This is most pleasing to God: this is the divine will", or, "That would displease God." As she grew, Zita was noted for her happy disposition,  her sweetness and modesty, she spoke only when necessary, worked very hard and prayed without interruption.

  At twelve Zita was sent to Lucca to work as a servant in the house of a rich weaver. The Fatinelli house was next to the church of St.  Frediano. Praising and thanking God for the opportunity to serve others obediently in humble house work Zita was grateful that her position provided all the necessities of life allowing her to avoid the worry caused by a less secure life. She considered her tasks to be a gift from God, and an opportunity for total obedience and joyful penance. From the first, Zita tried to anticipate what her employers would want her to do for them.

  Despite her dedication to her work, Zita was, for many years, taunted and disliked by her fellow servants for being affected and proud and was distrusted by her master and mistress as well. She never complained about the urjust treatment or the overwork, but was able to maintain her sweet disposition, her meekness and charity and her devotion to her duties. Eventually, when her virtues came to be valued by the Fatinelli household, Zita was fearful that it would be a snare for her Soul. Her sincere humility and modesty prevented her worst fears from being realized. Her life continued  to be one of devotion to God and to the smallest detail of her duties. Zita was promoted to the position or Housekeeper with the full confidence of her employers. She was scrupulous in every task remembering that she had to give an account to God for the way she spent every penny and every minute of  the day.. Signor Fatinelli seeing his assets multiply as a result of Zita's industry, gave her control of her work schedule and even allowed her to have great influence over him and his family. Given to great anger, he would often calm down upon a single word from her. Knowing that Zita gave away most of her meager belongings to the poor, Signor Fatinelli gave her permission to distribute some of his funds as alms, which she did with great discretion always keeping him informed.

  Zita believe that God would grant security and special blessings on the household In which the family and staff were pious, faithful to their duties, punctual, modest in speech and manner and set a good example for others. She said, "A servant cannot be holy if she is not busy". She treated all the staff with kindness never seeking revenge for the years of mistreatment at their hands, and excusing shortcomings although she could be severe in dealing with instances of evil and sinful behavior.

  Rising several hours before the rest of the household, she had time to pray and to attend Mass before her day's work began - a day filled with work and continual mental prayer and meditation. She fasted all year, slept on the bare floor or on  a board and prayed continuously during her work day, never complaining or procrastinating or speaking disparagingly of others. Whenever she had a little leisure, she went to a small attic room where she could spend time in quiet prayer and contemplation. Word spread throughout Lucca about her visits to the sick, to those in Prison, her good deeds and her heavenly vision and she was sought out by made people, rich and poor alike.

  St. Zita was always moved to tears when she received the Eucharist and experienced ecstasies at Mass or during her prayers. She foretold her own death, and after receiving the last sacraments, died on the 27th of April, in 1278 at sixty years of age The people of Lucca proclaimed her a saint and 150 miracles attributed to herr intercession have been approved. Dante's (Inferno XI 38) refers to the city of Lucca simply as St. Zita. Her body was found incorrupt in 1580 and is enshrined in St. Frediano's Church in Lucca next to the Fatinelli house where she lived and worked for 48 years. Her face and hands are exposed to view through a crystal glass. To this day, the city of Lucca pays great veneration to her memory as well as to the memory of St. Ferdiano, an Irishman who converted Lucca to Christianity. It is interesting that St. Zita, the second patron saint or Lucca, is buried in the church of that city’s first patron saint, both having witnessed to Christ throughout their lives. on April 27th, her feast day, everyone in Lucca brings bouquets of blessed narcissus to her crystal coffin laying in state in the Cathedral dedicated to St. Martin, (the third patron saint of the city)  - pictures and paintings of her showing her miracles are everywhere.

  St. Zita was beatified and devotion to her approved by Pope Innocent XII in 1696.

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