DIFFERENT PATHS ONE DESTINATION

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1 DIFFERENT PATHS ONE DESTINATION July 26, 2015 Franciscan Spirituality As part of our series on spirituality, we asked Father Jordan Hite to describe what makes Franciscan spirituality unique. Father Jordan Hite, TOR, JD, LLM, JCL, is a civil and canon lawyer who serves as a judge in the Harrisburg Diocesan Tribunal. Father Jordan is a past Provincial Minister of his Order, the Third Order Regular Franciscans, and a past president of the Canon Law Society of America. Francis was born in 1182 and died in He was born at the time of the rise in the merchant class, of which his father, a cloth trader, was a member. Francis was baptized with the name of John, and it is believed that his father probably gave him the nickname of Francis after returning home from one of his business trips to France. As a young man, Francis was a member of a group that was known for having a good time. Then, in a war between Assisi and Perugia, he was captured and held prisoner. He became very ill, and his father ransomed him. This was a time when Francis reflected about his life and how he would live in the future. (continued on next page)

2 (continued from cover) Francis had a dream of being a knight and enlisted in a crusade. One evening, he had a dream in which a voice asked who could give him more; the master or the servant. Francis responded, The master. The voice told him to return home, where he would be told what to do. Francis returned home to the embarrassment of his family. He visited a priest and asked to live within the church building, offering a large donation. To obtain the money, Francis sold his father s merchandise without his father s permission. His father had him arrested, and the bishop presiding at the hearing ruled that Francis must return the proceeds to his father. Francis removed his clothing and said he would no longer be known as the son of his father but rather as the son of his Father in heaven. Francis returned to the chapel in which he was staying (San Damiano) and, there, Jesus spoke from the Crucifix and told Francis to go and repair His Church. In response, Francis became a penitent wearing a simple garment, engaging in works of mercy, and rebuilding churches). His first followers joined him at this time. Francis had a particular revulsion to people suffering from leprosy. As he continued to pray and ask for God s direction, he had an encounter with a leper, whom he was able to embrace. This became an extremely important moment in Francis s conversion. Many young men admired Francis and joined him in a group that later became the Order of Friars Minor. The Order grew rapidly to several thousand men with a mission to preach the gospel. During his life, Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor (the Little Brothers); the Poor Clares (a contemplative order of women co-founded with Saint Clare), and the Third Order Secular (for laity), now known as the Secular Franciscan Order. Not long after Francis died, a fourth group of Franciscans individuals desiring a consecrated religious life developed out of the lay Franciscans. Today several hundred autonomous religious institutes follow the rule of the Third Order Regular Franciscans. Francis desired a martyr s death, but it was not to be. He accompanied a crusade to the Holy Land, but, after a peaceful conversation with the Sultan, was dismissed and returned home. Francis received the stigmata about two years before he died, but this remained largely unknown until the wounds were discovered when he was being prepared for burial. (continued on next page) The O.F.S. (Ordo Franciscanum Saecularis) Rule calls people to nurture gospel qualities in our lives. We learn about contemplative prayer. We deal with issues of peace and justice in the Church, in the world and in our own lives. We go 'from Gospel to life and life to Gospel' (OFS Rule #4). We understand that we are stewards of material goods. A realistic sense of poverty leads to a simple lifestyle and trust in God. We use material goods as needed but also find ourselves ready to share with others who are in need. We imitate God's generosity and accept the loving generosity of others. Our entire life is lived in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi. Franciscans develop a sense of freedom, guided by the Holy Spirit, following the words of Jesus, and loved with an eternal passion by Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As love relationships blossom in our lives, we discard things that hinder our love of God, the Church, the world, all people, and all of creation. God gives us a sense of community-love that brings us joy and moves us to serve others, especially those in greatest need. We learn to graciously accept such love when we are the needy ones. The OFS is our primary commitment. Joining other groups must not interfere with our Franciscan way of life which is a 24/7 commitment. (Adapted from The Franciscan Journey, by Lester Bach, OFM Cap.) Parish contacts for the OFS: Terry and Dawn Grib ( ) terry.grib@gmail.com

3 Primary elements of Franciscan spirituality The Scriptures Francis was a man of the Word of God. He would open the book of the Gospels to seek direction in his life, and when the Friars professed vows, they professed to live the gospel. His brief writings are filled with the words of the Scriptures. His love of the story of the birth of Jesus led him to do a live Nativity to celebrate Christmas at Greccio. Christ Crucified The focus of Francis on Jesus Christ crucified is part of what many theologians described as his incarnational spirituality. The great desire of Francis was to live the life of Christ. Because Jesus died for our sins, Francis wanted to follow him in the way of martyrdom. God did not answer his prayer to be a martyr, but instead gave Francis the stigmata so that the wounds of Christ were present in his body. Constantly in Prayer Francis called himself the spouse of the Holy Spirit. He often retreated to remote places to pray and be with God. He was torn between the contemplative life or an active ministerial life. He went to his good friends, Sylvester of Assisi and Saint Clare, to help him discern the plan of God for his life. They both told him that God wanted him to proclaim the good news; however, for Francis this meant abundant time in prayer to refresh himself in order to understand the good news he was to preach. According to Saint Bonaventure, Francis believed that no one can make progress in the service of God without prayer. The Peacemaker Although the Peace Prayer which is attributed to Francis seems to have a much later origin, Francis was a peacemaker. He tried to make peace between the Christians and the Muslims during the Crusades. That was unsuccessful, but he was successful in making peace between a bishop and the mayor of a town. Love of Nature Francis appreciated that creation is God s handiwork and had a great reverence for nature. In his Canticle of the Sun (Laudato Sí, the name of the recent papal encyclical on the environment), Francis sees the elements as his brothers and sisters. For him it was Brother Sun and Sister Moon, Brother Fire and Sister Water. Penance Francis originally belonged to the Penitents of Assisi and saw penance not so much as doing acts of penance, but living a life of constant conversion to the ideal of the gospel. The original meaning of the word penance means to turn around or to leave the life of sin in order to live the life of the gospel. The Simple Life After his conversion, Francis embraced Lady Poverty. The Friars depended on the goodwill of those to whom they ministered to support them. They believed that God would provide whatever they needed. The simple lifestyle is important in a culture that is focused on material wealth and comforts. Jordan Hite, TOR (References: Readable biographies of Saint Francis include that of O. Engelbert and G.K. Chesterton. The writings of Francis and the writings about Francis are collected in a threevolume set titled Francis of Assisi Early Documents.)

4 T h e W e e k A h e a d SUNDAY 26 PARISH MISSION PROJECT WEEKEND 5:00 PM Life Teen 6:00 PM Eucharistic Adoration 6:00 PM Let s Play Cards! MONDAY 27 TUESDAY 28 7:30 AM Gospel Reflection 6:30 PM That Man Is You! WEDNESDAY 29 9:45 AM RCIA 6:00 PM Columbiettes Social THURSDAY 30 11:30 AM Lunch and a Movie FRIDAY 31 SATURDAY 1 NEW HOPE FOOD COLLECTION Journey4Josie (Mechanicsburg Memorial Park) WYD Krakow (Bishop McDevitt) 3:30 PM Confessions SUNDAY 2 NEW HOPE FOOD COLLECTION 4:00 PM Life Teen Road Trip 6:00 PM Eucharistic Adoration 6:00 PM Let s Play Cards! CONTACTS Main Office (717) parish_office@steas.net Religious Education Volunteer Coordinator Deacon Hall (cell) Bulletin bulletin@steas.net LOST & FOUND RETRIEVE NOW OR BUY BACK LATER! Please check the Lost and Found box in the Parish Center for any of your missing items. Deadline for picking up your things is Friday, July 31. All remaining items will be donated to Community Aid so check the boxes this week!! SENIORS LUNCHEON & MOVIE SERIES: Thursday, July 30, 11:30 AM in the Parish Center. Please call Colleen ( ) to register. FAITH MATTERS MORNING: We are taking a short summer break. Learning and living our faith involves time, study and action. There are so many great resources available to help us on our journey. A survey form of fall/winter study options is available for review by all parishioners in the Bayley Conference Room. Please take a few moments to stop by and fill out an interest form. Your input would be greatly appreciated! CCD REGISTRATION : Please fill out and return forms as soon as possible. Updated registration forms are available at church entrances and at The fee for current members of the parish is $45 per student with a maximum of $100 per family. LIFE TEEN: Sunday@5 come talk about What Nourishes You? Manna from Heaven, or a steady stream of stuff? What you nourish yourself with is what you have to nourish others. Pass on your faith! NEXT WEEK, 8/2, ROAD TRIP: Mass and Summer Olympics at St Pat's in Carlisle! Join us at 4 to carpool and defend our Silver Medal! See the webpage for details, or grab a permission slip at Life Night. Life Teen is open to any Teen entering grades 9-12 in the fall. Join us for Food ~ Faith ~ Fellowship! WE NEED YOU! To join the fun in feeding our Teens! This is a great opportunity to get to know some of the teens in our parish by providing a dinner for Life Night. Do it alone, with your family or grab a friend. Keep it simple it is the breaking of bread that begins each Sunday@5, and we could use your help. There is a stipend available. Contact Bev James ( , bevjames13@comcast.net) and find out more!

5 READINGS FOR THE WEEK MON Ex 32:15-24, 30-34; Ps 106; Mt 13:31-35 TUE Ex 33:7-11, 34:5b-9, 28; Ps 103; Mt 13:36-43 WED Ex 34:29-35; Ps 99; Jn 11:19-27 THU Ex 40:16-21, 34-38; Ps 84; Mt 13:47-53 FRI Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37; Ps 81; Mt 13:54-58 SAT Lv 25:1, 8-17; Ps 67; Mt 14:1-12 SUN Ex 16:2-4, 12-15; Ps 78; Eph 4:17, 20-24; Jn 6:24-35 ALTAR SERVERS August 1-2 5:30 PM Mathew Portko, Kaitlyn Portko, Kolby Portko, Bryant Portko 7:15 AM Drew Tanguay, Joseph Tanguay, Jacob Saar, Kylie Saar 9:00 AM Carly Holencik, J.R. Mizerak, Jonah Jaroch, Tess French 11:30 AM Gracen Hilsinger, Emily Dwyer, Garrett Brownawell, John Dwyer + M A S S E S + SATURDAY JULY 25 VIGIL, 17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 5:30 PM People of the Parish SUNDAY JULY 26 17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the Cumberland/Perry Day of Prayer and Care Saturday, September 12, 9:30AM to 4:30PM at Saint Katharine Drexel Church, for men and women caregivers of family members or friends. Free; but registration is required. Includes Continental breakfast, catered lunch, Hand Blessing, spa-type pampering, demonstrations and tastings, games, and crafts; 4:30 PM Vigil Mass. Reconciliation and spiritual counseling resources will be available. Register online at or contact Carol Smith ( , cas35@psu.edu. Links and information at THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS is a bereavement group offering support to individuals and families following the death of a child, grandchild or sibling, no matter the age, no matter the circumstance. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the All Purpose Room at Good Shepherd Church, Camp Hill. Enter by the statue of the Good Shepherd in the back of the church. There is no cost to attend. Please join us on July 28. For more information, call Mary Kay Alleman, ( ). I N T E R E S T E D I N B E N E D I C T I N E SPIRITUALITY? Our apologies, we omitted information about last week s wonderful contributor. Parishioner Dr. Michael Kinney is a clinical psychologist and has been an Oblate of Saint Benedict for Saint Vincent Archabbey since He is also a Saint Vincent College graduate. He and Judy have been married for 45 years and have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Mike represented our parish on the Trinity board of directors for more than 20 years; he also served on the Bishop's Committee for Youth Protection. An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, he has done volunteer work from RCIA to Easter eggs. Contact him at ( ). STEWARDSHIP COLLECTION July 19 $12, SPONSOR OF THE WEEK We wish to thank Westy Beer Distributor, Inc., for sponsoring an ad in our weekly bulletin. 7:15AM Joseph Hollister 9:00 AM George Harpster 11:30 AM Georgianna Sincavage MONDAY JULY 27 WEEKDAY 9:00 AM Intentions of Cory Brown TUESDAY JULY 28 WEEKDAY 7:00 AM Sophie Bundle WEDNESDAY JULY 29 MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARTHA 7:00 AM Walter Szymanski 9:00 AM James Spade THURSDAY JULY 30 WEEKDAY 7:00 AM Nancy Sullivan 9:00 AM Patrick Hephner FRIDAY JULY 31 MEMORIAL OF SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, PRIEST 7:00 AM Nick Verratti 9:00 AM Helen Grudzinski SATURDAY AUGUST 1 MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH 8:30 AM Helen Mock VIGIL, 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 5:30 PM Helen Marco SUNDAY AUGUST 2 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 7:15AM People of the Parish 9:00 AM Barbara Keane 11:30 AM Nora Baldini

6 OUR 23RD ANNUAL GOLF OUTING will be held at Range End Country Club on Friday, August 14, at 8:30 AM. We are encouraging all parishioners who love the game to consider participating in this event. The event is open to everyone. (Download flyer at Special discounts are available for family foursomes and players 16 years and under. Play will be a scramble format. Fee Includes: coffee & donuts upon arrival, greens fees with cart, awards, prizes, beverages and a buffet style luncheon. Play starts at 8:30. Cost: $65.00 per person payable to: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Mail to: Joel Kostelac SEAS Golf Tournament 509 Nursery Dr. South Mechanicsburg, Pa If you cannot participate in the golf, join us for lunch, which will begin about 1:00 PM. Cost: $10 Tee and Green Sponsorships are also available at $100. Friend of SEAS Sponsorships are available at $50. Gifts to be used as door prizes are also welcomed. Forms are available on the Golf Table in the Seton Center. If you have any questions please call Joel Kostelac at or Hugh Rozman ( ). Don t forget If you wish to participate but do not play golf you can join us for lunch at $10 per person! 5 TH ANNUAL JOURNEY4JOSIE WALK/RUN Registration forms are available at journey4josie.org. Josie is a teen parishioner who suffers from Lyme Disease and is undergoing multiple joint replacements. The Walk/Run is Saturday, August 1, at 9:00 AM at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Park (pool area), Mechanicsburg. Please help raise money for her medical costs and for the Harrisburg Area Lyme Disease Support Group. If you are unable to participate, please consider a donation. RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) Has a family member or friend ever expressed an interest in the Catholic Church? Or maybe you yourself have never been baptized or have been baptized in another Christian tradition and feel that God may be now calling you toward the Church? If so, RCIA is here to help. Each year our parish offers the RCIA program, which is a process that is concerned with the total formation of the individual considering membership in the Catholic Church. The program will begin in September and continue until Easter. Classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the Bayley Conference Room. If you or someone you know can benefit from a deeper spirituality rooted in the person of Jesus, please contact: Sue Fletcher (sfletcher@steas.net; home, ; office: ). You can also complete the form below and send it to the Parish Office or place it in the collection basket. Someone will contact you with further information. NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE:

7 An Alphabet of Ideas: Creative Ways of Giving to the CAPITAL CAMPAIGN! U is for Used cars, Use an item longer and donate the cost of a new item to the Capital Campaign, Unwanted gifts (sell and donate the proceeds)... To convert any of the above into a Capital Campaign donation, complete this form, tear off, and drop into the collection plate. Thank you! I would like a contact from someone on the Capital Campaign Committee to discuss a donation: NAME: PHONE: (optional):