Our September Gathering
We will hold our monthly gathering on Sunday, September 13th 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.
- Terry: Better Hearing
- William: Tumors in Stomach
- Al & Nick: Drug Addiction
- Rita: Colon Cancer
- Eleanor: Brain Cancer
- Anna & Cliff: Upcoming Marriage
- Bill: Kidney Stones
- My Brother: Mental Health Issues
- James & Keith: Return to Sacraments
- Karen: Change Negative Attitude
- Claire & John: Find Nursing Home
- Steve: Grace To Forgive Friend
- Bob: Open Heart Surgery
- Brittany: Safe Delivery (Baby)
- Larry: Heart Surgery
- Frank: Back Injury
- Dominic: Return To Sacraments
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)
Annual Day of Recollection
This year’s retreat will be on Saturday October 17th. Our retreat master will be Fr. Dennis Weber. The Day of Recollection will be held at Divine Providence Village in Springfield from 9am to 3pm. We will bring our own lunches. Beverages will be provided. More details to follow.
Formation Information
In September, we will be continuing our journey through the Secular Franciscan Rule with a discussion of Article 10. 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
This life-style is basically typified by littleness and openness on a personal level (obedience, poverty, and purity of heart), together with others (community), and in an out-reach of service after the example of Jesus Christ the “Man for Others.â€
“Littleness†is the quality which expresses the Secular Franciscans’ desire to be conformed to Christ in his self-emptying and to follow the Lord in humility and meekness, at the service of everyone, even to the point of taking the lowest place, not vying for power or prestige, and out of boldness risking ‘misunderstanding and non-acceptance for the sake of the gospel.
“Openness” is the quality which expresses the Secular Franciscans’ desire to be receptive and adaptable to the creative, inspiring, and transforming power of God’s presence revealed to us in the word and sacraments, the Church and the Social situation, other people and all of nature.
~ Benet A. Fonck, OFM
• • •
As Franciscans we are called by God to love. This love is a total surrender to God, manifested in how we serve God in one another, even those who are not one of us (cfr. Mark 9: 38). Our availability to respond “yes†whenever we are called by God’s will depends on how much, little, or not we are attached, subject, and ultimately controlled by persons, places, things in our life. They become the “center†and the “focus†of what we do and at times who we believe we are. Our “Center†must always be God, the Lord, Jesus!
~ Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M.Cap., From the Desk of Fr. Francis – August, 2015
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