"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
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Go, Repair My House, Which, As You See, Is Falling Completely To Ruin



Changed now perfectly in heart and soon to be changed in body too, he (St. Francis) was walking one day near the church of St. Damian, which had nearly fallen to ruin and was abandoned by everyone. Led by the Spirit, he went in and fell down before the crucifix in devout and humble supplication; and smitten by unusual visitations, he found himself other than he had been when he entered. While he was thus affected, something unheard of before happened to him: the image of Christ crucified moved its lips and spoke. Calling him by name it said: "Francis, go, repair my house, which, as you see, is falling completely to ruin."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER VI

If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts!

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We Can Glory In The Cross Of Tribulations




"...Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ gives to His friends is that of conquering oneself and willingly enduring sufferings, insults, humiliations, and hardships for the love of Christ. For we cannot glory in all those other marvelous gifts of God, as they are not ours but God's, as the Apostle says: 'What have you that you have not received?'

"But we can glory in the cross of tribulations and afflictions, because that is ours, and so the Apostle says: 'I will not glory save the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!'"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis - 9

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

"Come To The Quiet" At The Portiuncula Hermitage

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Become a Monastic

without having to leave your

Day Job!



Dr. Tom Ringenberg during personal prayer time at the
Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio


Dear Christian Brothers,

Having just experienced one of the most peaceful and fulfilling weekends of my Christian life, I feel led to write you and encourage you to take a fresh breath of the clean air at the Portiuncula Retreat in Jerusalem Ohio. Surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation in the hills of Appalachia, I was refreshed in God’s peace.

The initial reaction to a weekend of silence, fasting and prayer was mixed as I revel in the world’s flash of media and the madness of twenty-four hour news. I feared boredom and the lack of external stimulus. But God is good, and He provided plenty for me. Walks in the woods and fields, silent prayer and meditation, communal prayer with my Brothers in Christ, prayers of intercession, and theological discussion on the travel to and from Jerusalem, stimulated my spirit far more than my flesh has ever been stimulated.

It is my hope that Portiuncula will become a haven for those who need a fresh touch of God. I will return soon to restore my soul with peace. Join me in supporting the Portiuncula project by attending a retreat weekend of fasting, prayer, brotherhood and silence in the Franciscan Tradition.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Tom Ringenberg
Centerville, IN

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Pond at Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio


August 13-15
August 20-22
August 27-29
September 17-19
September 24-26

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Offering The Love Of God To Others


By asking for alms, the servant of God offers the love of God to those of whom they beg, and in comparison with this all things in heaven and earth are nothing!

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Protection - 22

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Monday, August 09, 2010

Resta Qui

Portiuncula Hermitage in Jerusalem, Ohio - Can You Help?


Jerusalem, Ohio Overview

As of 2009, Jerusalem's population is 147 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of -1.32 percent.


The median home cost in Jerusalem is $58,790. Home appreciation the last year has been -4.50 percent.


Compared to the rest of the country, Jerusalem's cost of living is 21.27% Lower than the U.S. average.


Jerusalem public schools spend $5,615 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 19 students per teacher in Jerusalem.


The unemployment rate in Monroe County, Ohio is 16.90 percent (U.S. avg. is 9.50%).


Residents with income below the poverty level in 2007:
This township: 17.2%
Whole state: 10.6%

Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2007:
This township: 6.1%
Whole state: 4.8%


Cities in this township include: Beallsville.


Religion

53.19% of the people in Jerusalem, OH are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion.
6.13% are Catholic;
19.62% are Protestant;
0.00% are LDS;
27.44% are another Christian faith;
0.00% in Jerusalem, OH are Jewish;
0.00% are an eastern faith;
0.00% affilitates with Islam.

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Fr. Tom Forrest Coming to Sunman, Indiana November 13, 2010


Fr. Gregory Bramlage & “Word of God” Prayer Ministry
invite you to spend a day with

Father Tom Forrest

November 13, 2010
East Central High School

St. Leon, Indiana


Father Forrest is a redemptorist priest who was ordained in New York in 1954 by Cardinal Spellman. For the first 23 years of his priesthood, he worked among the poor of the Caribbean. In 1978 he was elected director of the International Office for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He served in this capacity for six years, first in Brussels and then in Rome.

Father Forrest has traveled to, and spoken in, 104 different countries and his articles and books have been translated into a number of languages. He has met and spoken with Pope John Paul II many times and on numerous occasions has attended breakfast, lunch and supper meetings with the Holy Father.

Father Forrest has organized two Worldwide Retreats for Priests, one in 1984 and the other in 1990. At present, he is the International Director of Evangelization 2000, a Catholic effort to promote Church renewal through prayer, proclamation of the Word and the formation of a more evangelistically activated people of God. He resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.


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NOTHING Is More Important Than The Salvation Of Souls


St. Francis used to say that nothing is more important than the salvation of souls, and he often offered as proof the fact that the Only-begotten of God deigned to hang on the cross for souls.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
CHAPTER CXXXI

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Love God Alone


One thing I must tell you. This blind impulse of love towards God for himself alone, this secret love beating on the cloud of unknowing, is more profitable for the salvation of your soul, more worthy in itself, and more pleasing to God, and to all the saints and angels in heaven; yes and of more use to all your friends both bodily and spiritually, whether they are alive or dead. And it is better for you to experience this spiritually in your affection than it is to have the eye of your soul opened in contemplation...

The Cloud of Unknowing
CHAPTER IX

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Worldly Affairs Defile And Corrupt The Order


Brethren, I do not deny that what you have said is good, but consider your own call. Do not look back. Do not descend from the housetop to take anything from the house. Do not go back from the field to take a cloak. Do not become entangled in worldly affairs. Do not become involved with the things of the world that defile and corrupt, things from which you fled through your knowledge of the Savior.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Sacrum Commercium - 40

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Sunday, August 08, 2010

An Innocent And Prayerful Heart


"Therefore, my brothers, since this spiritual joy springs from cleanness of heart and the purity of constant prayer, it must be your first concern to acquire and preserve these two virtues, so as to possess this inward joy that I so greatly desire and love to both in you and myself, and which edify our neighbor and reproach our enemy. For it is the lot of the Devil and his minions to be sorrowful, but ours always to be happy and rejoice in the Lord."

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 95

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Friday, August 06, 2010

Healing Services This Weekend

Damian Stayne Healing Services Coming To St. Leon, Indiana


Damian Stayne, presenter of the "Word Power" Conference and hosted by Fr.
Gregory Bramlage to be held on August 7 & 8 at East Central High School will be
hosted on two radio programs this Wednesday, July 14. Please tune in to hear
all about Damian from England and this most exciting conference coming to
southeastern Indiana.

A. Firstly, Damian Stayne will be Brian Patrick's guest on the Son Rise Morning
Show at 8:40am this Wedneday, July 14th. You can tune into 740AM Sacred Heart
Radio to listen to this 5-10 minute interview.

B. Secondly, Damian will be on RADIO MARIA INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE RADIO :

Hear FRANCESCA AND FRIENDS WITH FRANCESCA FRANCHINA AND
DAMIAN STAYNE ON RADIO MARIA streaming live on line at
www.radiomaria.us Call in toll free USA 1-866-333-6279

Francesca Franchina MS Ed. speaks with Damian Stayne, founder of Cor et Lumen
Christi Community, based in London, England about the power of God’s Word
operating through his ministry of preaching, physical healing, deliverance,
prophecy and evangelization which has taken him to all five continents,
leading training schools in various aspects of the Christian life and his
upcoming Conference “Word Power,” a two day conference empowering Christians to
step into their prophetic anointing by experiencing and ministering the
prophetic living Word of God in the Power of the Holy Spirit hosted by Fr.
Gregory Bramlage and Word of God Prayer Ministry at St. Leon, IN August 7, 8,
2010. A graduate of Surrey University in England , Damian led the 2009 Catholic
Charismatic Conference “Charisms in the Life & Mission of the Church, at
Franciscan University in Steubenville , OH
www.healingthroughthepowerofjesuschrist.org
FRANCESCA AND FRIENDS WEDNESDAY JULY 14, 2010
11:00-Noon USA Central Daylight Time
Noon- 1:00 PM USA Eastern DaylightTime
ADJUST TIME FOR LISTENING IN DIFFERENT TIME ZONES IN THE USA
AND AROUND THE WORLD



THIS PROGRAM WITH DAMIAN STAYNE WILL ENCORE
MONDAY JULY 19, 2010 7:30 PM
USA CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME AND
8:30 PM USA EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.

Hear Radio Maria streaming live on line www.radiomaria.us
RADIO MARIA OPERATES IN OVER 50 COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD. THE WORLD FAMILY OF RADIO MARIA IS
HEADQUARTERED IN MILAN , ITALY AND IN THE USA IN
ALEXANDRIA , LOUISIANA

Radio Maria USA is heard in Louisiana , Texas , New York ,
Pennsylvania , Illinois , Minnesota and Ohio .

When You Travel

And this is my advice, my counsel, and my earnest plea to my friars in our Lord Jesus Christ that, when they travel about the world, they should not be quarrelsome or take part in disputes with words (cf. 2 Timothy 2:14) or criticize others; but they should be gentle, peaceful, and unassuming, courteous and humble, speaking respectfully to everyone, as is expected of them.

Saint Francis of Assisi
THE RULE OF 1223
Chapter 3

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Thursday, August 05, 2010

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


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We Crucify Christ By Taking Pleasure In Our Vices And Sins

"The Walk" of St. Francis near Rieti, Italy

Even the devils were not solely responsible for crucifying God's beloved Son; it was you who crucified him with them and you continue to crucify him by taking pleasure in your vices and sins.

Saint Francis of Assisi
The Admonitions
Admonition V

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Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Please Support The Portiuncula Every Time You Search The Internet Or Shop On Line


Please help us duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel
found on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville


What if the Portiuncula Hermitage earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you made on-line went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

Although this may not sound like a lot of money, if only 1000 of our supporters use GoodSearch.com just 5 times per day for the year, the Portiuncula Hermitage would receive over $18,000 towards its mission of spreading God's love!

It's easy. Just download the GoodSearch – Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center toolbar at:

Website owners can also help by adding a customizable badge to their homepage or blog.

So please, make a commitment to browsing the Internet with GoodSearch.com with the Portiuncula Hermitage as your designated charity. Set it as your homepage, or bookmark it so using it becomes a habit.

As well, you can earn money for the Portiuncula Hermitage by doing your online shopping through GoodShop.com. It is a new online shopping mall which will donate up to 37 percent of each purchase to the Portiuncula Hermitage. Hundreds of popular stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop.com and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our valuable mission.

By simply surfing the web with GoodSearch.com and shopping with GoodShop.com you can raise much-needed funds for the Portiuncula Hermitage!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS PRAYER REQUEST TO
EVERYONE IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BOOK!

Pax Et Bonum!


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Welcome To The Portiuncula Healing Ministry





"Only say the word Lord, and I shall be healed"

We are a

Franciscan Prayer Ministry

located in Jerusalem, Ohio.

Through prayer and Adoration before our Eucharistic Lord, we seek His awesome power, grace, and mercy, to bring His divine healing and peace into your life.

Simply e-mail your Prayer Requests to:


We encourage you to participate in our

Healing Services and Retreats

Thank you for visiting.

Pax Et Bonum!


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Prayer of St. Francis Before the Crucifix


Most High, Glorious God,
enlighten the darkness in my heart,
and give me correct FAITH,
sure HOPE and perfect CHARITY,
with understanding and knowledge, Lord,
so that I may fulfill Your true and holy command,

Amen.



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Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Joy Springs From Purity Of Heart And Prayer


St. Francis used to say, 'If the servant of God strives to obtain and preserve both outwardly and inwardly the joyful spirit which springs from purity of heart and is acquired through devout prayer, the devils have no power to hurt him'

Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirror of Perfection - 95

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Monday, August 02, 2010

St. John Bosco Sardis, Ohio: Begging For Stones On Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road



Monroe County, Ohio Catholics are being asked to collect all their field stones and drop them off at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road so that we can duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel like the one above located at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

Francis set to begging for stones with which to restore the church of San Damiano. He called to the passers-by: "Whoever gives me one stone will have one reward; two stones, two rewards; three stones, a treble reward!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VII


Please round up all your field stones and dump them into the woods next to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road in the direction of the Portiuncula Hermitage, the white house towards Woodsfield (pictured below). These stones will be used to build the Portiuncula Chapel.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bc3GmDzJFV0/SymUnpylpfI/AAAAAAAAAqE/YaZKKbUkYXc/s1600/PortiunculaHermitage.jpg

Pictured above is the original Burkhard homestead (circa 1803). The original Burkhard family settlers had twelve children. As adults, several of these Burkhard children moved away and began a new settlement they called Burkhart Station, Ohio while some went on to Zanesville, Ohio. The Immaculate Conception Cemetary on Ozark-Eddy Bridge road was from the original 5 acres my Great-Great-Great Grandfather donated to the Catholic Church on the premise that no one would ever have to pay to be buried there. A gentleman named Jonathan Noll was the first person to be buried there in 1812.

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St. John the Baptist Miltonsburg, Ohio: Begging For Stones On Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road




Monroe County, Ohio Catholics are being asked to collect all their field stones and drop them off at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road so that we can duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel like the one above located at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

Francis set to begging for stones with which to restore the church of San Damiano. He called to the passers-by: "Whoever gives me one stone will have one reward; two stones, two rewards; three stones, a treble reward!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VII


Please round up all your field stones and dump them into the woods next to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road in the direction of the Portiuncula Hermitage, the white house towards Woodsfield (pictured below). These stones will be used to build the Portiuncula Chapel.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bc3GmDzJFV0/SymUnpylpfI/AAAAAAAAAqE/YaZKKbUkYXc/s1600/PortiunculaHermitage.jpg

Pictured above is the original Burkhard homestead (circa 1803). The original Burkhard family settlers had twelve children. As adults, several of these Burkhard children moved away and began a new settlement they called Burkhart Station, Ohio while some went on to Zanesville, Ohio. The Immaculate Conception Cemetary on Ozark-Eddy Bridge road was from the original 5 acres my Great-Great-Great Grandfather donated to the Catholic Church on the premise that no one would ever have to pay to be buried there. A gentleman named Jonathan Noll was the first person to be buried there in 1812.

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Rejoice In Being Insulted



Because St. Francis and his companions had been called by God and chosen to bear the Cross of Christ in their hearts and in their actions and to preach it by their words, they appeared to be and they were crucified men, both in their habit and their austere life and their deeds and their actions. Therefore, they had a greater desire to receive shame and insults for the love of Christ than the vain honors or respect or praise of the world. On the contrary, they rejoiced in being insulted, and they were made sad by being honored. And so they went through the world as pilgrims and strangers, taking with them nothing but Christ Crucified.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis
Chapter 5

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Sunday, August 01, 2010

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through The Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)



The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.


The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticulously roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.

The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.

Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To Order Direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Icon at the very top of this page!



Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all our commission sales are donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Fra Chris





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Can You Afford Just $5.00 A Month For The Love Of God?



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 Retreat Center can't be built alone. To build, 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 Retreat Center.

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: hermitage@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 ask you to become a partner in the Portiuncula's mission to build the Portiuncula Retreat Center by simply donating $5.00 $10.00 or $15.00 a month.

PORTIUNCULA FRANCISCAN HERMITAGE/RETREAT CENTER

ON LINE DONATION



Or mail your Alms to:

Portiuncula Hermitage
% 508 South 16th Street
Richmond, IN 47374

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


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No Matter Where We Go, We Have Already Arrived Before We Got Started

Going my way?

When I was younger, I was a great God seeker. But there was so often something selfish about the seeker in me. There was a lot of looking for God so that I could be filled. Now I know that it is God who is the Seeker. And whether we stay out in the open or hide from Him, He will find us. And once He has found us, it makes no difference where we go because we take Him with us.

That is why those of us who were with Francis from the beginning always started walking before we knew where we were going. We weren't journeying to find something or someone; the Lord had already found us, and we were journeying for Him, not to Him. That made all our goings free and all our comings homecomings. Like Jesus we had a sense of being, sent by the Father. No matter where we went, we had already arrived before we got started.


Fra Junipero

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Saturday, July 31, 2010

I Have Just Come From Spending A Week In My Cell

Dark Night of the Soul
by
Saint John of the Cross

On a darkened night,
Anxious, by love inflamed,
-- O happy chance! --
Unnoticed, I took flight,
My house at last at peace and quiet.

Safe, disguised by the night,
By the secret ladder I took flight,
-- O happy chance! --
Cloaked by darkness, I scaled the height,
My house at last at peace and quiet.

On that blessed night,
In secret, and seen by none,
None in sight,
I saw with no other guide or light,
But the one burning in my heart bright.

This guide, this light,
Brighter than the midday sun,
Led me to the waiting One
I knew so well -- my delight!
To a place with none in sight.

O night! O guide!
O night more loving than the dawn!
O night that joined
The lover with the Beloved;
Transformed, the lover into the Beloved drawn!

Upon my flowered breast,
For him alone kept fair,
There he slept
There I caressed,
There the cedars gave us air.

I drank the turret's cool air
Spreading playfully his hair.
And his hand, so serene,
Cut my throat. Drained
Of senses, I dropped unaware.

Lost to myself and yet remaining,
Inclined so only the Beloved I spy.
All has ceased, all rests,
Even my cares, even I;
Lost among the lilies, there I die.

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Friday, July 23, 2010

Ozark, Ohio - Begging For Stones!

Catholics in Monroe County, Ohio are being asked to collect all their field stones and drop them off at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road so that we can duplicate this Portiuncula Chapel located at the Franciscan University of Steubenville

Francis set to begging for stones with which to restore the church of San Damiano. He called to the passers-by: "Whoever gives me one stone will have one reward; two stones, two rewards; three stones, a treble reward!"

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of the Three Companions
CHAPTER VII


Please note : We are begging our Catholic brothers and sisters in Monroe County, Ohio to round up all their field stones and dump them into the woods next to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Ozark-Eddy Bridge Road (in the direction of the large white house towards Woodsfield). These stones will be used to erect the Portiuncula Chapel.

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Hidden In The Wounds Of The Savior


Saint Francis made himself insensible to all external noise, and, bridling his external senses with all his strength and repressing the movements of his nature, he occupied himself with God alone....With fruitful devotion he frequented only heavenly dwellings, and he who had totally emptied himself remained so much the longer hidden in the wounds of the Savior.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, First Life
CHAPTER XXVII

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Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Gift Of Tears


In his present state of weakness, man is incapable of imitating the crucified Lamb of God perfectly and avoiding all the stains of sin. And so Francis taught his friars by his own example that those who are trying to be perfect must cleanse themselves daily with tears of contrition. He had attained extraordinary purity of soul and body, yet he never ceased from purifying his spiritual vision with floods of tears...

Saint Francis of Assisi
Bonaventure, Major Life
CHAPTER V - 8

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Mystic Monk Coffee: Order Through The Portiuncula And Donate To Birthright (a loving alternative to Abortion)

"Guess who hasn't had their cup of Mystic Monk Coffee yet this morning!"


Fra Chris

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming


Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.


The Monk Master Roaster

Br. Java is the master roaster who meticulously roasts beans in small batches. His philosophy is that each roast must be not only the labor of his hands, but a master roast of the highest quality. Br. Java is passionate about obtaining the perfect roasts for you. He carefully roasts only the finest gourmet beans under conditions that will make each roast consistent and smooth with a taste that will make your taste buds tingle. With experience and perfection, Mystic Monk Coffee is a coffee to savor and enjoy – with or without cream.


The Legend of the First Mystic Monk

Coffee is a product perfected and loved by monks from its beginning. When a monk of old heard the anguished tale of a shepherd who had sleepless goats, he himself discovered growing on shrubs the berries, which had such a wonderful affect. Delighted at his find, the ingenious monk boiled the beans in water and drank the resulting coffee. He found in his discovery a hot drink that could keep his eyes awake even amidst the midnight vigils and unceasing prayers of the monastic life.

The secret of coffee continues to keep monks ever alert and vigilant for their prayers, but now Mystic Monk Coffee shares the hidden, master roasts of monks with all who seek a delightful cup of coffee.


Monks are passionate Perfectionists

The monastic life is one of ordered perfection, which you will taste in every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee. Passionate about perfection, no challenge is too great for Br. Java and the monks, if it will result in a Mystic Monk brew suited for the most discriminating coffee drinker. The Carmelite monks have mastered the ancient art of roasting coffee, laboring with steadfast determination to make each cup of coffee simply superb. Taste the monastic perfection in each brew, which makes all the difference.

Please remember that when you buy Mystic Monk Coffee through the Portiuncula Hermitage, ten percent of all their commission sales is donated to Birthright (a loving alternative to abortion.)

Please remember to keep our pre-born in your daily prayers!

To order direct, simply click on the Mystic Monk Coffee Icon on the Top of this page:

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