From Our November 2015 Newsletter

Our November Gathering

We will hold our monthly gathering on Sunday, November 8th at 12:30 pm in Conway Hall. We will have ongoing formation followed by social time. Around 2:15 we will proceed to St. Francis Church for our annual Mass of Remembrance. Father Tran will be our celebrant.

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.”
–from The Lay Franciscan* Monthly Pledge

Regional Council’s Fraternal/Pastoral Visit

The Pastoral Visit has been postponed and will be rescheduled for sometime in early 2016.

NAFRA Elections

On October 17th, Regional Secular Franciscan leaders met to hold elections for the national executive council of the Secular Franciscan Order in the U.S.

Here are the results: National Vice Minister MARY BITTNER, OFS; National Minister JAN PARKER, OFS; National Councilor JOAN GEIGER, OFS; National Councilor AWILDA GUADALUPE, OFS; National Treasurer JERRY ROUSSEAU, OFS; International Councilor MARY STRONACH, OFS; National Councilor MARY FRANCES CHARSKY, OFS, and Br. BOB BRADY, OFM, president-in-turn of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants. And I am pleased to announce that our regional minister MATTIE WARD, OFS, has been elected to the office National Secretary.

The SFO constitution requires that Mattie immeadiately reliquish her regional office upon election to national office, so I am also pleased to announce that our own Kate Kleinert will be serving as Regional Minister until the elections take place this January.

Please keep all of these brothers and sisters in your prayers.

Prayer Petitions

Please contact Antoinette if you would like to include a petition in the newsletter. A new list will be generated each month.

• Ray – COPD & Kidney Stones
• Marie – Pulmonary Heart Disease
• My Adult Children – Conversion
• Joe To Know God’s Will
• Frank (Son) – Healing of Wounds
• My Friend – End Of Cancer
• Grace – Breast Cancer
• My Nephew – Return To Church
• Mike – Employment
• Lisa Cancer
• Cynthia – Employment
• Larry – Health Issues
• Bill – Repeating Infections

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

I was taken a little bit by surprise this month when regional asked to reschedule their pastoral visit. I also have unexpectedly been away for work twice in during two weeks leading up to our November gathering. All of this is leading up to me saying that I’m not exactly sure what we are going to be doing for ongoing formation this month. I do know that I think, given we are having our traditional Mass of Rememberence, that perhaps we should talk about the Franciscan approach to death. Please prayerfully meditate on this subject and be prepared to contribute to a lively discussion when we gather.

Food for Thought

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing Your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.

~ St. Francis, Canticle of the Sun

Even death itself, considered by all to be so terrible and hateful, was exhorted to give praise, while he himself, going joyfully to meet it, invited it to make its abode with him. “Welcome,” he said, “my sister death.”

~ Thomas of Celano, The Second Life of St. Francis of Assisi

As he approached his own earthly end, Francis, recalling the love of God made manifest in the gift of creation, looked forward with hope to his share in the resurrection of Christ. There was no longer a need to avoid or exploit death, because death was his sister, closer to him than the fear of the unknown. With arms extended, Francis did not cower from his destiny in fear and anxiety but embraced his sister bodily death with his whole heart and left this world in peace. abode with him. “Welcome,” he said, “my sister death.”

~ Daniel P. Horan, Embracing Sister Death: The Fraternal Worldview of Francis of Assisi as a Source for Christian Eschatological Hope