Our August Gathering
We will hold our monthly gathering on Sunday, August 9th at 12:30 pm in Conway Hall. We will participate in ongoing formation, recite the Franciscan Crown Rosary and, after our regular meeting and prayers, we will proceed to St. Francis Church for Benediction.
If you are unable to fulfill your obligation to attend the monthly meeting, please call Pat Simon at 610-352-5390
“And we will be involved in the monthly meeting as an act of worship and a building of community.â€
–from The Lay Franciscan Monthly Pledge
Prayer Petitions
Please contact Antoinette if you would like to include a petition in the newsletter. A new list will be generated each month.
- Rich — Return To Sacraments
- Mary Louise — Broken Hip
- Terry — Healing: Left Eye
- Charles — Dialysis: Cycler
- Pat — Lungs: Fluid
- Christine — Dementia
- Michael — Lime Disease
- John — Alzheimer’s
- Cathy — Back Pain
- Mary — Leg Pain
- Kathleen — Peace: Acceptance
- J & T — Sobriety: Drugs
- Fraternity Sister — Grief: Brother’s Death
- Rose — Left Shoulder: Surgery
- Frank — Skin Cancer
St. Francis Inn Needs
- Powdered Milk
- Presweetened Drink Mix
- Ketchup
- Baby Formula
- Toilet Paper
- Disposable Razors
- Deodorant
- Men’s Underwear (S, M)
- Men’s Undershirt (L, XL)
- Men’s T-Shirts (L, XL, 2X)
Formation Information
In August, after a six month break we will be continuing our journey through the Secular Franciscan Rule with a discussion of Article 9. Readings and questions for comtemplation are included with this newsletter and are available on our website. Please be sure to take time to prayerfully review this material in preparation.
Food for Thought
On the left side of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Madonna at the sanctuary of La Verna there is a beautiful work by Andrea Della Robbia that depicts the scene of the Annunciation. Mary is portrayed seated on the left meditating on the Word of God, shown as an open book on her lap. The angel Gabriel is kneeling before her while God the Father is pictured in the upper right with His hands raised in supplication and surrounded by angels while He stares intently at Mary. The Holy Spirit is hovering in the air between Gabriel and the Virgin. The artist is trying to portray t he time in the Annunciation after the angel had explained God’s plan to her and was waiting for her response. Every one in the scene is in state of tense expectation – even God and the angels seem to be holding their breath in suspense. The most important event in salvation history awaits the response of a young girl in Nazareth. What will her answer be? It is a wonderful way of portraying the essential interaction and cooperation between God and humanity in the work of salvation. God expects and await s a human response before acting in the world – even the great event of the Incarnation required a simple yet radical human willingness to cooperate with the Divine will. The caption under the masterpiece provides Mary’s answer to God: “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say†(Lk. 1:38). The Incarnation took place as a result of an incredible interplay between the Divine and the human.
~ Letter of the Minister General and General Council to All The Brothers and Sisters of the Third Regular Order of Saint Francis on The Occasion of the Solemnity of Nativity, 2011
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Holy Virgin Mary, among the women born into the world, there is no one like you. Daughter and servant of the most high and supreme King and of the Father in heaven, Mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us with Saint Michael the Archangel, all the powers of heaven and all the saints, at the side of your most holy beloved Son, our Lord and Teacher.
~ St. Francis, The Office of the Passion of the Lord, Marian Antiphon
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