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Newsletter 04/2014Volume 2, Issue 6

Holy Week Calendar

April 13 - Palm SundayApril 17 - Holy ThursdayApril 18 - Good Friday

April 20 - Easter Sunday

There is no greater feast in theChurch than Easter. All of the propheciesand promises of eternal life are confirmed onEaster morning when God returned the soulof life to Jesus. His body still bearing themarks of His torture and crucifixion arose forall to see and touch as Thomas did andproclaim “My Lord and My God”.

These words have become thesymbol of St. Francis and his following ofthe life of Jesus with the words of St.Thomas always on his lips. Lent has been atime for us to share in the sufferings ofChrist by our simple sacrifices in imitation ofChrist’s suffering and death. Our savior wasa man able to blend in with the people.

Christ is RisenHeadline

The Padre Pio Reactivating FraternitySponsored by the brother and Sisters of St. Francis Region

Unrecognized as the Son of God whileliving in the land He made holy by sheddingHis blood for love of us.

To be Franciscans we are called tolive our lives in simplicity alwaysremembering the poverty of Christ, owingnothing but an unending love for us. Heclearly showed how we are to live our livesin simplicity and with love for our neighbors.More importantly He has led us to Easterand the Promise of eternal life by rising fromthe dead, body and soul united, never to beseparated again. May we live the gospelteachings and become united together withour Father and Jesus and all our brothers andsisters.

Br. Mark Brown, O F M

Appointed CouncilMembers:

Spiritual Asst.:Rev. Douglas P. Reed

Lay Minister:Joanne Jacovec, OFS

Vice Minister:Marguerite Zombek,

OFSFormation:

Michael Evaniuck, OFSTreasurer:

Stanley Driscoll, OFSSecretary:

Frank Peluso, OFS

BSSF Region:Minister,

Jerry Rousseau, OFS,Area 3 Councilors:

Frank Massey, OFS,And

Marie Stephan, OFS

I love you thismuch!

The gatheringsare usually held

In TrinityCenter

top floor 4thSunday @1:30

pm (Subject to

change.)@ St Michael

CatholicChurch,

804 HighHouse Road,

Cary, NC

Eugene Nagy 04/12John Pollich 04/12Marguerite Zombek 04/13Louis Coker 4/29

HappyApril

Birthdays

Lenten PotluckLuncheon

HostedBy

Ida Irwin, OFS

On March 8, 2014, the fraternity had a luncheon of soup, bread and fruit. Itwas a time to get to know each other better. Our minister Joanne Jacovec, OFS ledus in reciting the Little Office of St. Francis with Psalm Three… The victory ofLight Over Darkness. From The Office of the Passion of Saint Francis of Assisi:The Geste of the Great King. Joanne gave a discourse on the office and St. Francis.We will be saying the Office of the Passion during Lent.

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I am going to reveal to youthe secret of sanctity and happiness.Every day for five minutes, controlyour imagination and close your eyesto the things of the senses and yourears to the noises of the world, inorder to enter into yourself. Then inthe sanctity of your baptized soul,(which is the temple of the HolySpirit), speak to that Divine Spirit,saying to Him:

O Holy Spirit, beloved of mysoul, I adore you. Enlighten me,guide me, strengthen me, console me.Tell me what you want me to do, give

From Pope Francis’ Lentenmessage: “By making himself poor,Jesus did not seek poverty for its ownsake but, as Saint Paul says, “that by hispoverty you might become rich”. This isno mere play on words or a catch phrase.Rather, it sums up God’s logic, the logicof love, the logic of the incarnation andthe cross. God did not let our salvationdrop down from heaven, like someonewho gives alms from their abundance outof a sense of altruism and piety. Christ’slove is different! When Jesus steppedinto the waters of the Jordan and was

We practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for 20 more days

The Secret of Sanctity

Heavenly Father, may the prayers of our Seraphic Father, St. Francishelp us to rise above our human weakness. We ask him to intercede for thematerial and spiritual welfare of all Franciscans: the Friars, Poor Clares, theSecular Franciscans, ministers and spiritual assistants, and particularly themembers of our Padre Pio Fraternity.

We also pray for Franciscans in need of physical healing and strengthand ask St. Francis to intercede for them, too. May our deceased Franciscanbrothers and sisters be guided into everlasting life.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus who lives and reigns with Youand the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.

(Consider dedicating one decade of your daily Rosary specifically for theintentions of everyone in our Fraternity)

$ Treasurer's Report $Cash Balance 4/21/10! ! ! ! $ 863Donations received! ! S 225

Let us pray daily …

From CarolynTownes, OFS

“Animate Peacefor Lent

~Fast from worry and guilt;Feast on trusting in theLord~Fast from judging others;Feast on Christ dwellingwithin them~Fast from emphasis on ourdifferences; Feast on ouroneness~Fast from self-centeredness; Feast oncompassion for others~Fast from discontent;Feast on gratitude~Fast from overwhelmingstress; Feast on aboundingself-care~Fast from words thatpollute; Feast on words thatpurify~Fast from complaining;Feast on appreciation~Fast from idle gossip;Feast on purposeful silence~Fast from constant chatter;Feast on active listening~Fast from the darknessaround us; Feast on thelight of Christ

Prayer:Loving and gracious God,help me to fast fromanything that leads meaway from you and teachme to feast on all that bringme closer to you. In Jesus’name I pray. Amen.

baptized by John the Baptist, he did sonot because he was in need ofrepentance, or conversion; he did it to beamong people who need forgiveness,among us sinners, and to take uponhimself the burden of our sins. In thisway he chose to comfort us, to save us,to free us from our misery. It is strikingthat the Apostle states that we were setfree, not by Christ’s riches but by hispoverty. Yet Saint Paul is well aware ofthe ‘the unreachable riches of Christ”(Eph 3:8), that he is “heir of all things’(Heb 1:2).”

me Your orders. I promise to submitmyself to all that you desire of meand to accept all that you permit tohappen to me. Let me only know yourwill.

If you do this, your life willflow along happily, serenely, and fullof consolation, even in the midst oftrials. Grace will be proportioned tothe trial, giving you strength to carryit, and you will arrive at the gate ofParadise, laden with merit. Thissubmission to the Holy Spirit is thesecret of sanctity.~ By Cardinal Mercier

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Lenten Help FromFrancis of Assisi

By Pat McClosky, OFM

Lectio d i v i n a is a goodLenten practice. T h eprayerful reading of Scripturepredates Jesus, but it took ona new importance after him.In praying this way, Francisof Assisi was simplyfollowing St. Luke’s highpraise of Jesus’ mother: “AndMary kept all these things,reflecting on them in herheart” (2:19) and “his motherkept all these things in herheart” (2:51b).

Francis once criticized thosefriars who wished only toknow the words of Scriptureand interpret them for others.He continued, “And thosepeople are brought to life bythe spirit of the divine letterwho do not attribute everyletter they know, or wish toknow, to the body but, byword and example, returnthem to the most high LordGod to Whom every goodbelongs” (Admonition VII).Francis gave his Admonitionsto the friars during theirmeetings in Assisi.

We become different peoplein the course of honest andpersevering prayer. Byrecognizing our previousblind spots and repenting forthem, we move closer tobeing the people God createdus to be.This Lent, can we see moreof God’s self-revelation inScripture?

Your Councilwishes you

aBlessed Easter

Minute Meditation for Lent:St. Padre Pio of Pietralcina

“It is of capital importance that you emphasize what is the basis for holinessand the foundation of goodness. I mean to talk about the virtue of whichJesus presents himself explicitly as the model: humility (cf. Mt 11,29).Inner humility; more inner than outward. Recognize who you truly are: anothing, something quite miserable, weak, full of defects, capable ofturning good into bad, to let go the good for the bad, to attribute to yourselfthe good, and to justify yourself in doing bad, and for love of evil, todespise the One who is the Supreme Good.

Never go to bed before having first examined your conscience to considerhow you spent your day. Turn all your thoughts towards the Lord andconsecrate your person to him as well as all the Christians. Then offer to hisglory the sleep you will get, without ever forgetting your guardian angel,who is always at your side. “~ Saint Padre Pio of Pietralcina (1887-1968), Capuchin Buona Giornata,p.81

Franciscan Saints for April2 Bl. Elisabetta Vendramini, religious, III Ord., founder 3 St. Benedictthe Moor, religious, I Ord. (Sometimes celebrated on April 4)6 St. Crescentia Höss, virgin, III Order St. Bernadette Soubirous, cord-bearer of St. Francis St. Benedict Joseph Labre, cord-bearer of St. Francis21 St. Conrad of Parzham, religious, I Ord.23 Bl. Giles of Assisi, religious, I Ord.24 St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, martyr, I O.25 27 St. Zita of Lucca, virgin, III Ord.28 Bl. Luchesius, III Ord.30 Bl. Benedict of Urbino, priest, I Ord.Bl. Pedro de San Jose Betancur, religious, III Ord., founder, St. BenedictJoseph Cottolengo, III Ord.

Important Bits and Pieces

Sunshine: Contact Suzie Nelson, OFS if someone is sick or has adeath in the family.Prayer Requests: Contact Joyce Wesner, OFS.Library: To obtain books, CD’s, DVD’s and other materials contactMaureen Copan, OFS.Tri-Area Ministry: Everyone is encouraged to donate money for theministry, any amount you are able to offer, at our fraternity gathering.With the reduction in food stamps for the unemployed and poor, theneed for donations has significantly increased. Nearly 200 familiesgo to the ministry each week.

For Important dates, please check the March GatheringMinutes