"CUM GRANDE HUMILITATE!"

"Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."

A special "Thank you!"
Goes out to
John Michael Talbot
for giving us permission
to use his song on our
"Come to the Quiet"
You Tube Video
T
T
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
Showing posts with label Digg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Digg. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

The Canticle of the Creatures - St. Francis of Assisi

il Cantico delle Creature

by
Angelo Branduardi



Lyrics

A te solo Buon Signore
Si confanno gloria e onore
A Te ogni laude et benedizione
A Te solo si confanno
Che laltissimo Tu sei
E nullomo degno e
Te mentovare.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Con le Tue creature
Specialmente Frate Sole
E la sua luce.
Tu ci illumini di lui
Che e bellezza e splendore
Di Te Altissimo Signore
Porta il segno.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorelle Luna e Stelle
Che Tu in cielo le hai formate
Chiare e belle.
Si laudato per Frate Vento
Aria, nuvole e maltempo
Che alle Tue creature dan sostentamento.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorella nostra Acqua
Ella e casta, molto utile
E preziosa.
Si laudato per Frate Foco
Che ci illumina la notte
Ed e bello, giocondo
E robusto e forte.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la nostra Madre Terra
Ella e che ci sostenta
E ci governa
Si laudato Mio Signore
Vari frutti lei produce
Molti fiori coloriti
E verde lerba.
Si laudato per coloro
Che perdonano per il Tuo amore
Sopportando infermite
E tribolazione
E beati sian coloro
Che cammineranno in pace
Che da Te Buon Signore
Avran corona.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la Morte Corporale
Che da lei nesun che vive
Pue scappare
E beati saran quelli
nella Tua volonte
che Sorella Morte
non gli fare male



T


Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Our Body Is Our Cell

A monk in his cell

Wherever we are, wherever we go, we bring our cell with us. Our brother body is our Cell and our soul is the hermit living in that cell in order to pray to God and meditate. If our soul does not live in peace and solitude within its cell, of what avail is it to live in a man-made cell?

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 80

T

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Blessing of the Cincture



The cincture, like the one priests wear at Mass, is a sign of chastity, and has been since the Church's beginning -- and before. Old Testament priests wore cinctures, consecrated Virgins and religious wear cinctures, and the wearing of cinctures in honor of a particular Saint is ancient, first spoken of in the life of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, and carried on by St. Dominic, who wore a cincture in honor of St. Francis. Certain Confraternities and Archconfraternities (groups of faithful devoted to a religious cause) also wear cinctures as signs of their affiliation and chastity.Franciscans wear a white cincture called a "Cintura Bianca" (pronounced chin-torah be-anka) which translated means "White Rope." The three knots on the Franciscan Cincture represent Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, the three vows every Franciscan makes.

The priest, vested in surplice and white stole, says:

V: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R: Who made heaven and earth.
V: The Lord be with you.
R: May He also be with you.
V: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, who inculcated the counsel and love of virginity, and gave the precept of chastity, we appeal to Thy kindness, asking that Thou bless and hallow this cincture as a token of purity. Let all who gird themselves with it as a safeguard of chastity be enabled, by the prayers of Saint Joseph, spouse of Thy holy Mother, to practice that continence which is so pleasing to Thee, and to live in obedience to Thy commandments. May they also obtain pardon of their sins, health in mind and body, and finally attain everlasting life. We ask this of Thee who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever.
R: Amen.
V: Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, grant, we pray, that those who revere the inviolate virginity of the most pure Virgin Mary and of Saint Joseph, her spouse, may by their prayers be pure in mind and body; through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who committed the boy Jesus and the most pure Mary, ever a Virgin, to the care of the chaste man Saint Joseph, we humbly entreat Thee that those who are girded with this cincture in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi and under his patronage may, by Thy help and his prayers, persevere in holy chastity for all time; through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.

Let us pray.

God, the lover and restorer of innocence, we pray that Thy faithful who are to wear this cincture may, by the prayers of Saint Joseph, spouse of Thy holy Mother, have their loins girded and hold burning lamps in their hands, and thus be likened to men who wait for their Lord when He shall return for a wedding, that when He comes and knocks they may open to Him, and be found worthy of being taken into everlasting joys; through Thee who lives and reigns forever and ever.
R: Amen

Then the priest puts incense into the censer, sprinkles the cincture with holy water, and says:


Sprinkle me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

After this he incenses the cincture, and continues:

V: Save Thy servants.
R: Who trust in Thee, my God.
V: Lord, send them aid from Thy holy place.
R: And watch over them from Sion.
V: Lord, heed my prayer.
R: And let my cry be heard by Thee.
V: The Lord be with you.
R: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.

O God of mercy, God of goodness, Thou art pleased with all good things, and without whom no good work is begun, no good work is finished; kindly hear our prayers, and defend Thy faithful, who are to wear this blessed cincture in honour of Saint Francis and under his protection, from the snares of this world and all its lusts. Help them to persist in their holy resolution and to obtain pardon of their sins, and thus merit to be numbered amongst Thy elect; through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.

My God and My All!

Looking up to heaven and raising his hands, he prayed with intense fervor and devotion, saying: "My God and my all!" And he sobbed out those words with so many tears and kept repeating them with such devout persistence that until matins he said nothing but "My God and my all!"
Photobucket
Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 2


T

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

A Thief Climbs A Ladder To Steal

A thief climbs a ladder to break into the vault where treasures are stored. The soul, too, ascends the secret contemplation to plunder the riches of heaven.

St. John of the Cross

T

Although Absent In Person, St. Francis Is Present In Spirit


With his companions, Francis now went to live in an abandoned hut near Assisi....While they were still loving there, St. Francis went into Assisi on Saturday because he was to preach as usual in the cathedral the following morning. There he spent the night praying in a shelter in the garden belonging to the canons of the cathedral, as was his custom. In person he was separated from the friars, but then about midnight, as some of them were praying and others slept, a fiery chariot of extraordinary brilliance came in the door of the hut and turned here and there three times about the room. It was surmounted by a globe of light which looked like the sun and lit up the darkness. Those who were awake were dumbfounded, while the others woke up terrified; they could feel the light penetrating their hearts just as it lit up the room, and their consciences were laid bare to one another by force of its brightness. As they read one another's hearts, all realized simultaneously that their father who was absent from them in person was present with them in spirit under the appearance of this vision.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER IV

T

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Viewing Money As Dung

Francis, the true friend and imitator of Christ, utterly despised all things belonging to this world, and hated money above all else. He always urged his brethren both by word and example to avoid it as they would the devil. And he told the friars to have as little love and use for money as for dung.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 14

T

Bold

Monk's Ladder


St. Francis praised the Artist in every one of his works; whatever he found in things made, he referred to their Maker. He rejoiced in all the works of the Lord's hands, and with joyful vision saw into the reason and cause that gave them life. In beautiful things he came to know Beauty itself. To him all things were good. They cried out to him, "He who made us is infinitely good." By tracing his footprints in things Francis followed the Beloved wherever he led. He made, from created things, a ladder to his throne.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life - 165

T

Monday, July 06, 2009

Receive Everyone Kindly

When people were rich in worldly goods came to the brothers, the latter received them gladly and kindly and sought to draw them away from sin and to bring them to penance. Often the brothers would beg their superior not to send them to their native places, for they wished to avoid familiarity and intercourse with their own relatives and to observe the words of the prophet: "I am become a stranger unto my brethren and an alien to my mother's children."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions -45

T

Pax Et Bonum

Christ revealed to blessed Francis the greeting which the brothers were to use and which he recorded in his Testament: "God revealed a form of greeting to me, telling me that we should say, 'May the Lord give you peace.'"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia - 67

T

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Please Help Build The Portiuncula Chapel

Photobucket

Above photo is of the Portiuncula Chapel at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

To duplicate this Chapel, the Portiuncula Hermitage needs to raise $120,000


Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It's times like these that tempt Catholics to throw in the towel and give up on the culture of despair.

Greed and corruption have wreaked havoc on our nation's economy. Euthanasia just received Washington State's stamp of approval. And all the pro-life victories of the past decade are now in jeopardy. It's the perfect storm for despair. But despair is the last thing we should do.

In troubled times, Christ calls us to pray, to trust in his perfect will, and to cooperate with his grace.

Ultimately, Christ calls us to hope. He calls us to remember that for Christians, peace does not rest on who wins an election or on the value of our stock portfolios, but in a loving God who “in everything...works for good.”

Of course, God doesn't just call us to hope. He gives us reasons to hope and signs of the good things to come.

I truly believe one of those reasons, one of those signs, is the Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center.

While many other Catholic institutions have sold out to the culture of death, the Portiuncula, along with a few others, has fought steadfastly for a culture of life. It has faithfully stood alongside the Church, forming men and women capable of true leadership and committed to bringing Christ to the culture.

But the "Portiuncula Chapel" can't be built alone. To continue building, we need your help! And that is why I'm writing you today: To invite you to join me in helping our culture through these troubled times by helping build the Portiuncula Chapel.

United in the Roman Catholic tradition and obedient to the Magisterium of the Church and the Bishop of Steubenville, we are committed to our Lord and Savior in the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the Sacraments of the Church and in our Brothers and Sisters.

With God's grace and your help, I believe past Portiuncula retreatants and those soon to follow in their footsteps will lead our culture and our country out of these troubled times.

That is why I invite you to share the work of these Catholics and the Portiuncula Hermitage that is forming them.

First, allow them to pray for you.

Prayer is the lifeblood of the Portiuncula Hermitage, and the Franciscan family would be honored to include you in their prayers. Please e-mail your most pressing intentions to: dicksoncorp@parallax.ws

Everyone at the Portiuncula will pray for your intentions before the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and at Mass.

In turn, please pray for the Portiuncula, that it might continue to form leaders who can be salt and light to our world.

Finally, I would be grateful if you supported the work of building the Portiuncula Chapel with a generous financial contribution.

Your support of the Portiuncula will make it possible for the sons and daughters of the Church to grow in faith during their retreats, and become the courageous Catholic leaders the world desperately needs.

Today, I want to challenge you to become a partner in the Portiuncula's mission to build the Portiuncula Chapel by donating $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, or more.

PORTIUNCULA FRANCISCAN HERMITAGE/RETREAT CENTER

ON LINE DONATION




Please, become a part of the Portiuncula Hermitage's work today. Don't let this chance to turn the culture around pass you by.

Pax Et Bonum!





Fra Chris


T

Fired With The Ardour Of The Holy Spirit

Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God, grant us in our misery that we may do for your sake alone what we know you want us to do, and always want what pleases you; so that, cleansed and enlightened interiorly and fired with the ardour of the Holy Spirit, we may be able to follow in the footsteps of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and so make our way to you, Most High, by your grace alone, you who live and reign in perfect Trinity and simple Unity, and are glorified, God all-powerful, for ever and ever. Amen

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO A GENERAL CHAPTER

T

Conquering Oneself

Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ gives to His friends is that of conquering oneself and willingly enduring suffering, insults, humiliations, and hardships for the love of Christ.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis 8

T

Saturday, July 04, 2009

We Are To Become Like Christ Crucified

St. Francis had huge nails in his hands and feet, and they were bent double where they stuck out from the soles of his feet; there was also a wound in his side. He could say with truth, in the words of the bride, "You have wounded me."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Excerpts From Other Works (4)
by St. Bonaventure

T

Soft And Luxurious Garments

Francis knew from his own experience that the devils were afraid when they saw a person wearing rough clothes, whereas soft or luxurious garments gave them courage to attack more fiercely.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER V

T

Friday, July 03, 2009

Mere Appearances

Woe to those who applaud themselves for the mere appearance of the religious life; they will grow numb with sloth and they will not be able to resist steadfastly the temptation permitted as a trial for the elect; for only those who have been tried will receive the crown of life, those whom meanwhile the malice of the wicked has put to the test.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
Chapter CXVI

T

Holy Charity

We must be charitable, too, and humble, and give alms, because they was the stains of sin from our souls. We lose everything which we leave behind us in this world; we can bring with us only the right to a reward for charity and the alms we have given.

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO ALL THE FAITHFUL

T

Thursday, July 02, 2009

The Need To Do Penance


In all your sermons you shall tell the people of the need to do penance, impressing upon them that no one can be saved unless he receives the Body and Blood of the Lord. When the priest is offering sacrifice at the altar or the Blessed Sacrament is being carried about, everyone should kneel down and give praise, glory, and honour to our Lord and God, living and true.

Saint Francis of Assisi
LETTER TO ALL SUPERIORS OF THE FRIARS MINOR

T

Embracing Christ's Cross

When Francis saw that great numbers of lay people were being inspired by his example to embrace Christ's Cross fervently, he took heart and like a brave leader in Christ's army he determined to carry off the prize of victory by practicing virtue to a heroic degree. Recalling the words of St. Paul, "Those who belong to Christ have crucified nature, with all its passions, all its impulses" (Gal 5:24), he mortified his lower appetites so strictly that he scarcely took enough food or drink to stay alive. In this way he would clothe himself with the armor of the Cross. He used to say that it was hard to satisfy one's material needs without giving in to the inclinations of sensuality.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER V

T

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

The Canticle of the Creatures - St. Francis of Assisi

il Cantico delle Creature

by
Angelo Branduardi



Lyrics

A te solo Buon Signore
Si confanno gloria e onore
A Te ogni laude et benedizione
A Te solo si confanno
Che laltissimo Tu sei
E nullomo degno e
Te mentovare.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Con le Tue creature
Specialmente Frate Sole
E la sua luce.
Tu ci illumini di lui
Che e bellezza e splendore
Di Te Altissimo Signore
Porta il segno.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorelle Luna e Stelle
Che Tu in cielo le hai formate
Chiare e belle.
Si laudato per Frate Vento
Aria, nuvole e maltempo
Che alle Tue creature dan sostentamento.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per sorella nostra Acqua
Ella e casta, molto utile
E preziosa.
Si laudato per Frate Foco
Che ci illumina la notte
Ed e bello, giocondo
E robusto e forte.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la nostra Madre Terra
Ella e che ci sostenta
E ci governa
Si laudato Mio Signore
Vari frutti lei produce
Molti fiori coloriti
E verde lerba.
Si laudato per coloro
Che perdonano per il Tuo amore
Sopportando infermite
E tribolazione
E beati sian coloro
Che cammineranno in pace
Che da Te Buon Signore
Avran corona.
Si laudato Mio Signore
Per la Morte Corporale
Che da lei nesun che vive
Pue scappare
E beati saran quelli
nella Tua volonte
che Sorella Morte
non gli fare male



T