Updated Version of "The Geste of the Great King" is Available

An updated version of "The Geste of the Great King" is available from Tau Publishing. Just released. Price: $39.95. On the Tau Publishing web site look for "The Office of the Passion of St. Francis."

The book is remarkable in the sense that it has given me an entirely new understanding of "The Office of the Passion." The keyword to reflect on is "geste." You also will immediately note that "The Geste of the Great King," written by Laurent Gallant, OFM and Andre Cirino, OFM begins with the Our Father prayer. In contrast, William R. Hugo, OFM Cap begins the office with the The Prayer Inspired by the Our Father. 

New Developments

Three new developments:

1. For the first time, yesterday, Sunday, October 2, 2011, the People of Peace SFO fraternity prayed together using "Franciscan Morning and Evening Praise."  It went really well. For the occasion, we borrowed the books from Marian University's Office of Campus Ministry.
2. And, for its ongoing formation the fraternity is listening to "St. Francis of Assisi: A New Way of Being Christian" by Brother Bill Short, OFM. Next month, we will be listening to his third 20-minute lecture.
3. Tentatively, formation meetings for inquirers and candidates will be moving to the first Sunday of the month. Formation will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by mass at 11:30, followed by the fraternity meeting at 12:30. (Still working out the details.)

Praying "The Office of the Passion" using the "Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order"

"The Office of the Passion" is a devotional office written by St. Francis of Assisi. (Note: It was not intended to replace the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the official prayer of the church.) It is one of the prayers that fulfill a Secular Franciscan's responsibility to join in liturgical prayer of the Church. See SFO Rule article 8.

I found a straightforward guide on how to pray the office in "Studying the Life of Francis of Assisi: A Beginner's Workbook" by William R. Hugo, OFM Cap. The various parts of the office are in the "Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order," but without Hugo's guide, I never would have figured out how to put them all together in a meaningful way.

Referencing the pages and text found in the Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order, you would pray the office in this order.

• The Prayer Inspired by the Our Father, p. 101
• The Praises to be Said at All the Hours, p. 99
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 83
• Psalm (see table below)
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 83
• Closing prayer: Let us bless the Lord…., p. 84

Referencing pages and text found in "Francis and Clare: The Complete Works," you would pray the office in this order.

• The Prayer Inspired by the Our Father, p. 104
• The Praises to be Said at All the Hours, p. 101
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 82
• Psalm (see table below)
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 82
• Closing prayer: Let us bless the Lord…., p. 83

Alternatively, here are the pages and text found in "Francis of Assisi: Early Document, Vol. I, The Saint" (Armstrong, Hellmann, and Short).

• The Prayer Inspired by the Our Father, p. 158
• The Praises to be Said at All the Hours, p. 161
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 141
• Psalm (see table below)
• Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary, p. 141
• Closing prayer: Let us bless the Lord…., p. 141

In the "Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order" you will find the psalms to pray on pages 81 to 102. (Some prayers are in their, too.) In "Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" you will find the psalms composed by St. Francis on pages 81 to 98. In "Francis of Assisi: Early Document, Vol. I, The Saint" you will find his psalms on pages 140 to 157. The times are from St. Francis' era.

Psalms composed by St. Francis	Part I: Triduum and Weekdays During the Year	Part II: Easter Season	Part III: Sundays and Principle Feasts	Part IV: Advent	Part V: Christmas Season
Compline (bedtime)	1	8	8	13	15
Matins (midnight)	2	9	9	14	15
Prime (sunrise)	3	3	3	3	15
Terce (9:00 a.m.)	4	9	10	10	15
Sext (noon)	5	9	11	11	15
None (3:00 p.m.)	6	9	12	12	15
Vespers (sunset)	7	7	7	7	15

A Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi (from "A Letter to the Entire Order)

This prayer by St. Francis can be found at the end of "A Letter to the Entire Order." It is one of my favorites because it underscores the importance of God's grace and the work of the Holy Spirit in St. Francis' life.

Prayer (from "A Letter to the Entire Order)

Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God,
give us miserable ones
the grace to do for You alone
what we know you want us to do
and always to desire what pleases You.
Inwardly cleansed,
interiorly enlightened
and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit,
may we be able to follow
in the footprints of Your beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and, by Your grace alone,
may we make our way to You,
Most High,
Who live and rule
in perfect Trinity and simple Unity,
and are glorified
God almighty,
forever and ever.
Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

Why Secular Franciscans Living in Indiana Should Participate in the Upcoming S.A.L.T. Conference

As a member of the Secular Franciscan Order, you may be asking yourself:

          “Why should I participate in the S.A.L.T. program?” 

          “What is it all about?”

You should come to:

• spend time with your sisters and brothers in Christ and Francis examining your vocation as Secular Franciscans. 
• begin challenging yourself to live your vocation more fully both in fraternity and as an individual. 
• relive a few memories and face the present realities. 
• challenge yourself to better set priorities and to make choices more  consistent with our Rule. 
• join your spiritual ancestors as they leave their captivity and venture into the promised land. 
• spend time in prayer, reflection, sharing, and fraternity and to lend support as each of us face the challenges that lie ahead.

See the earlier post to learn how to register!

Still Time to Register for Upcoming S.A.L.T. Conference

Our Lady of Indiana Regional Fraternity

SPIRIT AND LIFE TEAM CONFERENCE

(S.A.L.T.)

Location:  University of St. Francis, Fort Wayne, IN

Date:  Friday, July 15, 2011 to Sunday, July 17, 2011

Arrival/Registration: Friday, July 15 @ 7:00 p.m.

Departure: Sunday, July 17 – around noon

***DUE TO THE FOCUS OF THIS FORMATION EXPERIENCE MEMBERS SHOULD ATTEND ALL SESSIONS***

Name___________________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________

City ________________________ Zip ____________ 

Phone _______________

Cell _________________

Fraternity: _______________________________________________________

Email address: ___________________________________________________

Do you have special dietary needs? ___________________________________

     

________________________________________________________________

Do you have mobility difficulties (e.g. do you need elevator, etc?) ____________

________________________________________________________________

Please include payment with registration form

Full conference – no overnight:                              $30.00 ____________

(Includes Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday morning conferences and 4 meals)

With overnight accommodations (two nights):          $60.00 ____________

(Please bring towels - Microwave and refrigerators will be available

 for food prep and storage if desired.)

Shared conference meals provided will be Saturday breakfast,

 lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast.

Coffee and juice provided Saturday and Sunday morning at conference site.

Any questions contact Frank Vargo 574-304-4362 or bfjvargo2@comcast.net

Return completed registration by JULY 1, 2011 to:   Sharon Roberts

                                                                               4300 W. Friar Drive

                                                                               Muncie, IN 47304

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO “OUR LADY OF INDIANA REGION”


Suggestion: To avoid printing a lot of unnecessary information, copy the above text and paste it into your favorite word processor.
 Then print it out.

__._,_.___

The Most Popular Writings of St. Francis of Assisi

I was re-reading the Introduction to my all time, hands down, favorite book: Francis and Clare: The Complete Works. According to Father John Vaugh, OFM, a former Minister General of the entire Order of Friars Minor who wrote the Introduction, the most popular writing of St. Francis are:

• Rule of 1223
• Testament
• Canticle of Brother Sun
• True and Perfect Joy

I bet you will find these four documents interesting. They have fascinated historians, scholars, and just regular folks for 800 years.

My list is a little different. I like the others, but here are my favorites:

• First Version of the Letter to the Faithful
• Admonitions
• Office of the Passion
• The Prayer Inspired by the Our Father

I like logic. Three of the early Franciscan intellectuals, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure, and Blessed John Duns Scotus were all scholastically trained, so they probably were quite adept at logic. Here is a bit of logical reasoning.  If Bob, who is a Secular Franciscan, really wants to be a good Secular Franciscan then he needs to be very familiar with the Gospels and the writings of the early Franciscans. Bob is not very familiar with the Gospels and the writing of the early Franciscans. Therefore, Bob does not really want to be a good Secular Franciscan. (Uh oh!)

Here is a little more logic. If Bob, who is a Secular Franciscan, is very familiar with the Gospels and the writing of the early Franciscan then he can be a good Secular Franciscan. Bob is very familiar with the Gospels and the writings of the early Franciscans. Therefore, he can be a good Secular Franciscan. (Whew, what a relief!)

The last word: READ!

New Leadership for the People of Peace Fraternity

On June 5, 2011, the People of Peace fraternity elected new leadership that will serve for three years. Here are the results of the election:

• Minister: Gary Ziegler, SFO
• Vice Minister: Mary Stickelmaier, SFO
• Secretary: Helen Burke, SFO
• Treasurer: Jack Hill, SFO
• Formation Director: Bob Golobish, SFO
• Councilor: Clare Bain, SFO
• Councilor: Mary Jane Blankenship, SFO

The election was held in the community room of the Ruth Lilly Student Center at Marian University. Twenty-three members were present. Jan Stezel, SFO and Mary Stickelmaier, SFO served as tellers and Jim Walsh, SFO served as the secretary. Kathleen White, SFO from the Our Lady of Indiana Regional Fraternity was the presider. After their election, the new leadership stood before the fraternity and recited The Apostle's Creed. 

Three cheers for Joe Stetzel, SFO the outgoing minister and the others for their service to the fraternity. 

A Pragmatist's Arguments for the Existence of God

I like logical reasoning, which I must admit is a bit unusual for a Franciscan. I like this argument for free will from William James, an American pragmatist philosopher. It would be true for the universe of discourse of beliefs.

Anything not disproved that is of practical value to one's life to believe ought to be believed.
Free will isn't disproved.
If free will is of practical value to one's life to believe, then it ought to be believed.

I applied the same line of reasoning to the existence of a personal God.

Anything not disproved that is of practical value to one's life to believe ought to be believed.
The existence of a personal God isn't disproved
If the existence of a personal God is of practical value to one's life to believe, then it ought to be believed.

I like this argument from James, as well.

The belief in God gives practical life benefits (courage, peace, zeal, love, compassion, mercy, etc.)
All beliefs that give practical life benefits are pragmatically justifiable.
The belief in God is pragmatically justifiable.

Prescription for a Well-balanced Local SFO Fraternity

St. Rose of Viterbo SFO Fraternity in Terre Haute hosted Friar Martin Bitzer, OFM, Conv., General Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order on Saturday, April 2. He was visiting from Rome, Italy. Friar Martin is in Terre Haute to attend a brief course at Indiana State University. 


Friar Martin urged those attending his presentation to "live and love the SFO rule." He also encouraged everyone to work hard to strengthen the foundation of the SFO, i.e., local fraternities. Like a well-balanced four-legged chair, a fraternity should spend equal amounts of time 1) praying together, e.g., celebrating mass, 2) ongoing education, i.e., learning more about Franciscan spirituality 3) just being together, and 4) either individually or collectively engaged in apostolic activities . (If the former, it is important to share with other fraternity members what they are doing.) He also suggested that a local fraternity should meet four (4) times a month, devoting each gathering to one of the four activities.

What is the Secular Franciscan Order?

The Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) has been around for about 800 years. There are about 14,500 professed Secular Franciscans in the United States. The order was founded by St. Francis of Assisi to help lay people follow Christ. To learn more about the SFO read the Welcome Letter from Tom Bello, SFO, the National Minister. Pax!

National Prayer for Vocations to the Secular Franciscan Order

O good and gracious God,
God of mercy, compassion, generosity, and love
As we live our lives today in the model of St. Francis,
  choosing daily to live the Gospel life,
Help us to help others hear your call.
Help us to help other recognize their vocation
  as a Secular Franciscan
  that you have already planted in their heart.
Help us, so that together we all may work
  to bring the Gospel to life.
Amen.

(Composed by Marian R. Crosby, SFO, at the 2010 NAFRA gathering in Scottsdale,AZ)

General Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order to Speak in Terre Haute, Indiana

St. Rose of Viterbo SFO Fraternity cordially invites OLIR SFOs and Spiritual Assistants to a special presentation on April 2 by Friar Martin Bitzer, OFM, Conv., General Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order, who is visiting from Rome, Italy. Friar Martin is in Terre Haute to attend a brief course at Indiana State University.

"The New Spiritual Assistant for the New Secular Franciscan Order" is the topic of Friar Martin's program which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Gregorian Room at St. Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute. St. Rose of Viterbo SFOs are hosting the event and will provide day-long refreshments and lunch.

Friar Martin's presentation on what the ideal spiritual assistant should be in today's SFO is not merely based on research. During the time of his initial formation, he founded a Youth Franciscan (YouFra) fraternity and collaborated in the running of an SFO fraternity from 1982 to 1986. From 1996 to 2004 he worked as the national Assistant of the SFO in Argentina and Uruguay. 

He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1958 and joined the Conventuals in 1979. Perpetually professed in 1985, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1987. After studying philosophy and theology at Cordoba, Argentina, he obtained his license in biblical theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He worked in formation, first as Rector of the International College, "Seraphicum," in Rome( 1989-1993) and then in his province as Master of Novices( 1994-1995).

The Minister General of the Order, Fr. Joachim A Giermek, appointed Friar Martin General Spiritual Assistant for the SFO in July 2004, and Fr. Marco Tasca confirmed this appointment in July 2009 for another six years until 2016.

Responding to the Gospel Challenge

Secular Franciscans are called to bring the Gospel to life and life to the the Gospel.  Back and forth. To and fro.  Here are five ways Secular Franciscans seeks to respond to the challenges of the Gospel:

1. Esteeming work as both a gift and as a sharing in creation, redemption, and service to the human family. 
2. Respecting all creation both animate and inanimate which reveals the love of God for us, thus fostering in us an attitude of environmental sensitivity and limiting our needs in order to live simply. 
3. Making family life a sign of peace, fidelity, respect for life, and a world renewed in Christ. 
4. Individually and collectively being in the forefront in promoting peace and justice.
5. Promoting the development and growth of youth and young Franciscans.

We try. We work at it. We help each other.

Reflection on "A Prayer Inspired by the Our Father"

This morning, I discovered the web site of Br. Cathal Duddy ofm in Galway, Ireland. I like what he did with "A Prayer Inspired by the Our Father," which St. Francis wrote. Francis' version reflects his particular view of God. The scholars say it is not an original work. Back then, i.e., the 13th century, it was common to reflect on the "Our Father" prayer. Borrowing from the reflections of theologians and religious thinkers and putting together your own reflective version was accepted practice. Here is an idea: set aside some time this month and write your own version. Or, following Br. Cathal's example, select your own pictures to accompany Francis' version. I am sure you will find it rewarding. Pax!

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