ST. CLARE of ASSISI FRATERNITY

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1 The ST. CLARE of ASSISI FRATERNITY West Stockbridge, MA ORDO FRANCISCANUS SÆCULARIS Janet Cantarella, OFS Minister Box 216 Lanesboro, MA Fr. Samuel Fuller, OFM Cap. Manchester, NH Capuchin Regional Spiritual Assistant Fr. Cidouane Joseph, OFM Hartford, CT Friar Minor Regional Spiritual Assistant The Fraternity meets for Teaching, Fellowship, Prayer and Formation on the 2nd Wednesday every month at St. Patrick s Parish Center 30 Albany Road W. Stockbridge, MA The rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this: To observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of St. Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and center of his life with God and people. The Rule of the OFS, 4 We dedicate this publication and the Apostolate which brings it to you monthly to the memory of the beloved deceased of the St. Clare of Assisi Fraternity. Blessed Fr. Solanus Casey, Pray for Us! THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER BLESSED FR. SOLANUS CASEY REGION Vol. 7, No. 2 February 2018 FEBRUARY SCHEDULE Meeting Day/Date: Wednesday, 14 February 12:00 pm The Council meets 1:00 pm The Fraternity meets 1:30 pm Fellowship 2:00 pm Initial Formation The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order with Catechism and Instructions Instructions for Postulants (Inquirers): Chapter 6 (pp ) Within the Gates of Assisi The Period of Formation On-Going Formation Exploring the Spirit: Reading & Reflection The Imitation of Christ Book I Useful Admonitions for the Spiritual Life Chapter 24: Leader: Nancy On the Last Judgment and the Punishment for Sins Readers: 1-2: Janet 3-4: Sally 5-6: Corinne 7 : Nancy 3:00 pm Prayer, including the Liturgy of the Hours (Evening Prayer) led by Janet... FROM GOSPEL TO LIFE AND LIFE TO THE GOSPEL. Friday 2 FEBRUARY PRESENTATION of the LORD OFS RULE, 4 MY GOD AND MY ALL!

2 The ADMONITIONS OF ST. FRANCIS ADMONITION IX TRUE LOVE 1. The Lord says: Love your enemies [do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecute and blame you]. (Matthew 5:44). 2. That person truly loves his enemy who is not upset at any injury which is done to himself, 3. but out of love of God is disturbed at the sin of the other s soul. 4. And let him show his love for the other by his deeds. (continued next month) Feasts of the Roman Calendar for February 2. Presentation of the Lord 3. Blase, Bishop and Martyr Ansgar, Bishop 5. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr 6. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs 8. Jerome Emiliani 10. Scholastica, Virgin 11. Our Lady of Lourdes 14. Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop 17. Seven Founders of the Order of Servites 21. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor 22. Chair of Peter, Apostle 23. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr February Anniversaries PROFESSION Fr. James Joyce IN MEMORIAM Eugene Foldeaki Elizabeth Ryder Paul Martin Claire Leydet The Feasts of Secular Franciscan Saints and Blesseds Celebrated during February 3. Martyrs of Japan, religious of the 1st Order, lay brothers and Secular Franciscans, Blessed Pius IX, Pope, Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, Bishop, Blessed Andre Ferrari, Bishop, Blessed Veridiana, Virgin, St. Conrad de Plaisance, Confessor, St. Margaret of Cortona, penitent, 1297; Plenary Indulgence possible for renewal of engagements, Secular Franciscans 24. Blessed Innocent XI, Pope, Blessed Antonia of Florence, Virgin, Blessed Louise Albertoni, Virgin, 1533 Blessed Pope Pius IX Third Order of St. Francis, Secular Blessed Pope Innocent XI Third Order of St. Francis, Secular 2

3 FRATERNITY NEWS Calendar Update There s only one more Initial Formation session left before our Inquirers will be eligible for Admission to the Order. We are looking forward to celebrating the Admission of these three new Secular Franciscans (Ed and Jean Kollmer, Lisa Thorne) during our March gathering. Since we had to defer our Christmas celebration in December because of the weather, we will be going all out in March, to celebrate in fitting fashion the addition of three new members to the St. Clare Fraternity. Pot luck fare, prayer, and... perhaps a surprise or two. Looking farther out, June is our Community Outreach month and our Council members will be putting together a program that focuses on Franciscan Prayer. It is anticipated that our Councilor Central Corinne Lorenzet, OFS, will be visiting in August. Saint Partners 2018 Our Fraternity members would have ordinarily been paired up with their special saints for the year at our December meeting but, best laid plans... we drew the lottery at our January gathering. This year, all partner saints are Franciscan martyrs, and the results of the lottery are below. Since many of these names are unfamiliar to most, and because they fall into one of four major categories (St. Thomas More is the outlier, but he has been featured many times in our newsletter), a brief bit of biography is given on the next page. Your Special Franciscan Saint Partner for 2018 Mary Boland, OFS Janet Cantarella, OFS Fred Conforti, OFS Peter Feudo, OFS Mike Guertin, OFS Deacon Jim Hager, OFS Fr. Jim Joyce, OFS Deacon George Keator, OFS Ed Kollmer Jean Kollmer St. Peter of Narbonne St. Adjustus St. Thomas More St. Otto St. Deodatus of Aquitaine St. Daniel St. Nicholas Travelíc St. Accursius St. Leo St. Stephen of Cuneo Sally Kusek, OFS Betty LaVigne, OFS Joan Martin, OFS Corrine Mays, OFS Janice Mironchuk, OFS Theresa Murphy, OFS Nancy Prezenik, OFS Lisa Thorne John O Connor, OFS Gilberte Victor, OFS HD St. Nicholas Pick St. Samuel St. Peter HD St. Anthony Hornaer St. Nicholas St. Domnus St. Angelo St. Hugolinus HD St. Anthony of Weert St. Berard = The Protomarytyrs (First Martyrs) of the Franciscan Order (16 January 1220) = The Franciscan Martyrs of Africa (10 October 1227) = The Franciscan Martyrs of the Holy Land (14 November 1391) HD = The Franciscan Martyrs of Holland (9 July 1572) KEY (See the next page for a brief description of the lives of these saints.) A WORD ABOUT MARTYRDOM Martyrdom is something very difficult to get our heads around these days, isn t it? But if we try to understand the intensity of the personal relationship that the early believers had with Christ, more notably, if we are moved to achieve it, then the personal claim made upon us to be a follower, an imitator, not only begins to make sense, it becomes an imperative, something that we must do. The martyrs are our predecessors, we are here today because of them, and we do well to remember them and to imitate them especially in the qualities that will allow us to succeed in our own search for that intense, personal relationship with Christ that is the attribute of the true follower. Francis understood this. And his relationship with Christ became so intensely personal that he wanted to die as a martyr. He was spared the death we usually associate with a martyr but, make no mistake about it, he did suffer martyrdom: For the last two years of his life he suffered the pain and humiliation of the marks of the crucifixion, the Stigmata, and he was the first to be given this gift. He bore Christ s pain. The relationship doesn t get more personal than that. FPC 3

4 Who Are the Early Franciscan Martyrs? The Protomartyrs The term protomartyrs refers to the first Franciscan martyrs. They were sent to Spain by Francis in 1219 and suffered martyrdom in Morocco in 1220 at the hands of the Muslims after being expelled from Seville, Spain. When Francis heard of their deaths, he determined to go to Morocco through Spain, for he himself desired martyrdom. But the good God, whom it pleased in his kindness to be mindful of me... withstood him to his face (Galatians 2: 11) when he had traveled as far as Spain... [and] he recalled him from the journey by a prolonged illness (I Celano XX, 56). St. Berard (Berardus) was a native of Carbio, Italy, a member of the Leopardi Family. With two Franciscan priests, Peter and Odo (Otto), and the lay brothers Accursius and Adjustus, Berard was sent by Francis to convert the Muslims in Spain in After banishment from Seville, they went to Morocco where they were arrested by the sultan and beheaded. They were canonized in 1481 and their feast day is 16 January. The Martyrs of Africa St. Daniel, with Samuel, Angelo, Domnus, Leo, Nicholas, and Hugolinus, also went on a mission to Morocco to preach to the Muslims. They were arrested in Ceuta, North Africa, and termed madmen. When they refused to convert to Islam, they were beheaded. They were canonized in Their feast day is 10 October. The Martyrs of the Holy Land Nicholas Tavigli (Tavelíc) was native of Dalmatia who entered the Franciscan Order and worked in the area around Bosnia, especially among the Paterine heretics. When he went to the Holy Land to preach to the Muslims, he was martyred at Jerusalem. He was canonized in 1970 by Bl. Pope Paul VI. His companion Franciscans martyrs who died with him on 14 November 1391 were Deodatus of Aquitaine, Peter of Narbonne, and Stephen of Cuneo. The Martyrs of Holland (Gorkum) St. Nicholas Pick was the guardian of the friary at Gorkum, in the Netherlands, and devoted himself to converting Calvinists. He was martyred with nine other Franciscans, among them Anthony Hornaer, Anthony of Weert, and Cornelius on 9 July They were canonized in ASH WEDNESDAY 14 FEBRUARY FOCUS FOR THE BEGINNING OF LENT I am Responsible for Myself Many people seem to worry themselves a great deal more over the things they cannot help than over the things that they can.... This want of proportion is doubtless observable in myself. Do I think more of the accidents of birth, fortune, and personal appearance than of the self that I have created? For I myself am responsible for myself. 'To be born a gentleman is an accident; to die one is an achievement.' Other things, then, I may not be able to help; but myself, I can. As I am at this very moment, as my character is truthful or untruthful, pure or impure, patient or impatient, slow to wrath or quick-tempered, eager, enthusiastic, energetic, or lazy and dull and wasteful of time I have no one to thank but myself... the fact remains that I myself alone am responsible for my own character; for character is an artificial thing that is not born, but made. Fr. Bede Jarrett, OP 4

5 UPDATE God bless Sr. Caritas and the continuing effort to establish the primary school at the Holy Family Vocational Orphanage in Uganda. This was one of our Fraternity apostolates last year, an effort to enrich the lives of those on the margin who would otherwise be lost to God, to their community, perhaps to themselves. Thank you, Sister Caritas, for your efforts and your prayers. Be assured of a special remembrance in our daily prayers. (continued on the next page) 5

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7 ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH S WORD FIND THANK GOD AHEAD OF TIME! Barney Bronx Brooklyn Capuchin Dairy Farmer Deo Gratias Detroit Heroic Virtue Lumberjack Oak Grove Porter Prison Guard St. Bonaventure Seraphic Father Simplex Priest Solanus Streetcar Violinist 7