Vol. 2 Issue 6 JUNE 2012 THE CABRINIAN IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PROVINCE OF THE OFM Monthly Fraternity Gathering June 24, 2012 The June gathering will be on the 4th Sunday due to Father s Day June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Written by Debbie Ventos, OFS Ongoing Formation during the May gathering was presented by our Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Vit Fiala, OFM. Father began by reading Article 8 in the Secular Franciscan Constitution. The Secular Franciscans commit themselves, by their profession, to live the Gospel according to Franciscan Spirituality in their secular condition. Franciscan Spirituality is Christocentric, broad and hopeful. We are called to submit to the will of God, and how it is ordained to be live in our lives. It is our responsibility, and should be our desire, to focus on union with God. We do this through prayer. The purpose of prayer is to meet the Beloved, and to do His will in a mystical way. The fruit of prayer gives birth to being a visible sign of God by how we speak, act, and behave. Franciscan Spirituality is broad. Father Vit said, If you have seen one Franciscans, you have seen one Franciscan. This is unlike other Orders where there is a specific spirituality embraced by the various groups. With the Franciscans, each is called to follow the will of God by making a Christian choice between the good and better. Choosing the better becomes the fruit of the love between God and us, and becomes affectionate. When we fill our hearts with God s divine love, then people see His love. When we feel we are getting empty we have to go back to solitude. In solitude we can get filled with the love of God. Christian hope is not based in this world, but in the next, as we know what happened to Jesus will also happen to us. Our hope is in the resurrection, and life in heaven in union with God. Welcome back, Deacon Fred & Joyce Browne, OFS. It was great to see both of you again and to have you at our May gathering.
PAGE 2 THE CABRINIAN Fraternity Actives & Notes from Fraternity Council For June: Ruth Older Joanne Angeletti Debbie Ventosa More people are needed for this apostolate. If you are able to take part in this please contact Debbie for information. Thank you to those who present at the abortion clinic(s), to let women know there are people who truly care about them and their unborn children, to know there are other life-giving options. If you can t be present at the clinic(s), please pray for these women and their children., and for those who do Stand for Life. New Web Address There is a new address for the St. Frances Cabrini Fraternity website. www.stfrancescabriniofs.catholicweb.com Eucharistic Adoration Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world. Every day of the week at least one member of our fraternity is making a visit with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. If you have an urgent prayer request, please contact the person who is visiting on that day. Sunday Ventosa, OFS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday P e p e Judy Hoyt, OFS Debbie Ventosa, OFS Bill Marshall, OFS Ruth Older, OFS Dorothy Takacs, OFS Joanne Angeletti, OFS Deacon Fred & Joyce Browne, OFS Bob Burtscher, OFS Dorothy Takacs, OFS If you go to the old address, which is the same as above except it is SFO rather than OFS, you will be re-directed to the new address. The new address uses the letters OFS after the fraternity name, as after our names, which stands for Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis (Latin). This change came from the International Fraternity so that throughout the world we all use the same initials for our Order. Everyone is encouraged to participate in Eucharistic Adoration, whenever possible, in whichever church one chooses. If you cannot make a commitment to a particular time, please stop and make a visit when you have time, even if it is just 15 minutes. Jesus is always awaiting visitors.
VOL 2, ISSUE 6 Fraternity Activities & Notes PAGE 3 Little Portion Food Pantry For June, Rose will prepare the snack and Bill will deliver it. Small religious items may be place in the bag with the food. Socks can always be used. Hospitality for June Bill Marshall and Ruth Older will provide the refreshments for the May gathering. We thank them for offering to do this for us. If you would like to provide refreshments for one of our gatherings, please talk with Kenny. Help is always appreciated. Your Council is continuing the work of updating our Fraternity Archives. We have two binders of The Cabrinian, the fraternity newsletter, dating from September 1992 to the present. We are missing issues from April 2007 until November 2010. If you have any of these issues, consider donating them for the archives. You may bring these to Pepe at our next gathering. Would like to borrow archived copies of the Cabrinian for a month to read and reminisce?? Please contact a Council members. On page 4 of this is a poem, written by Deanna Hurley, that was published in the January 1998 issue of our fraternity newsletter. Little Flower Parish was selected to receive donations for a food pantry. Among the items needed are: Pasta and Sauce Macaroni & Cheese Other food items such as soups and easy to prepare items are always welcome. All taxable items are always needed, such as: Paper Towels Toilet Tissue Laundry Detergent Dish Detergent Shampoo Body Wash Hand Soap Toothpaste Cleaning Products Taxable items cannot be purchased with food stamps, so there is a great need for these items. Thank you for your ongoing thoughtfulness, care and concern for our brothers and sisters who need some assistance. This is the Franciscan way.
VOL 2, ISSUE 6 A Beautiful Poem PAGE 4 Follow Me by Deanna Hurley, OFS St. Francis, a man from Assisi, a son of a cloth merchant, quite rich, dressed in the finest of garments but gave them away, every stitch. One day, as he rode down the highway, upon a poor leper he came. He stopped and gave him his clothing, without even asking his name. He felt pity and love for the poor man. He knew he was feeble and week, so he gave to him all is belongings, and placed a kiss upon his cheek. As Francis did not know this was Jesus, just as we often don t recognize. But if we open our hearts up to Jesus, then Jesus will open our eyes. He loved all of God s creatures, each one. He called the Sun Brother, and the Moon Sister. He asked not much to live, and gave all he had to give. He carried the wounds of our Savior, in his side, hands and feet. He started a group called the Lesser Brothers, St. Clare founded the Poor ladies. A TAU Cross and a brown robe is our garb, to follow Christ s work, it is not hard. We sign after our name O.F.S., we wear the Tau wherever we go. After we pass through our life-time, and meet up in heaven somewhere, we will stand with St. Francis, and be thankful that we found time to care. Come, follow us. His life was to change at that instant, to be as our Lord was in his way, to suffer the paint of the stigmata, and to earnestly pray every day. Amen
PAGE 5 THE CABRINIAN I MMACULATE HEART OF MARY My son, keep the commandments of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. Proverbs 6:20 As we should all be very aware, our Father St. Francis had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother, the mother of our Savior Jesus Christ. He entrusted his three Orders to the protection of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. In her, after Christ, he put his chief trust, making her his own patron and that of his brethren. It is written that when Francis saw the abandoned Portiuncula,...by reason of his ardent devotion that he had toward the Sovereign Lady of the world, he took up abode there, that he might diligently labor to repair it. (Leg. Mai II 8) In another area we read, Now Francis, the servant of God, abiding at the church of the Virgin Mother of God, with continuous sighing besought her that had conceived the Word full of grace and truth that she would deign to become his advocate. (Leg. Mai. IX 3). For St. Francis, the Blessed Virgin was his Mother, Advocate and Queen. May is Mary s month. During the month of May we celebrate Mother s Day, in honor of our earthly mothers. which is right and good. This is also a time to especially honor our Blessed Mother Mary. In years past many parishes held May Crownings, and some fraternities do the same today. We can crown our Blessed Mother in a different way: by following the teachings of her son Jesus, more closely, by prayer, and by caring in a special way for those who are less fortunate. These acts, filled with love, would be gifts most welcome by our Mother. St. Bonaventure wrote, He loved with an unspeakable affection the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, forasmuch as that she made the Lord of glory our brother, and that through here we have obtained mercy. For who can make the Lord our brother, if she not also be our mother? Like all mothers, she cares for each and everyone of us, but in a very special way. She said Yes to God s call, that the Savior of the world would come and live among us.
PAGE 6 Important Information Eucharistic Fraternity Saturday, July 14 Sancta Clara Monastery, Canton Profession at the 9 AM Mass We are invited to join this fraternity for this wonderful celebration. The rosary will be prayed at 8:30 AM. This will be at the Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton. Deacon Fred Browne, OFS 6/3 Joyce Browne 4/12 Sorry Joyce, I missed your BD earlier! Our Lady of Consolation Shrine Carey, OH Sept. 23, 23 Celebrating 100 years of the Franciscan Presence there. More information will be shared. Phyllis Tuscan is exploring the possibility of bus transportation to this special occasion. Blessed Giles Fraternity July 15, 2012 50th Anniversary of Canonical Establishment This celebration will be held at: St. Anthony of Padua Church 6750 State Rd. Parma, OH Mass will be at 2 P.M. in the Church. There will be refreshments served in the Community Room. Perhaps a car pool could be arranged. Consider attending this celebration with our brothers & sisters in St. Francis. Bob Burtscher Council Members Kenny Green, Minister 330-203-205 Pepe Ventosa, Vice-minister 330-497-8403 Bill Marshall, Treasurer 330-864-7463 Bob Burtscher, Councilor 330-628-2211 Debbie Ventosa, Formation 330-497-8403 Elizabeth Francis, Acting Sec. 330-297-5647 Editor 7 years lizfrancisofs@yahoo.com (note the new e-mail address). Please feel free to contact any council member if you have questions or concerns. The council is here to help you and to share information.