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

Secular Franciscan OrderVolume 1, Issue 3 October 2012

BSSF RegionJerry Rousseau, OFS,MinisterPaula Zanker, OFS,DorothyAnn Rowland,OFSArea 3 Councilorx

AppointedCouncilMembers:Rev Douglas P. Reed,Spiritual Asst.Joanne Jacovec, OFS,MinisterEugene Nagy, OFSVice-MinisterMarguerite Zombek,OFS TreasurerMichael Evaniuck,OFS Secretary

"Love the Madonnaand pray the rosary for

her Rosary is theweapon against the

evil of the worldtoday."

~ St. Pio

~ Come join us ~The gatheringsAre usually heldIn Trinity Center Topfloor 4th Sunday@1:30 pm(Subject to change.)@ St Michael CatholicChurch, 804 HighHouse Road,Cary, NC

Saint Francis of Assisi ~1182 - October 3, 1226

Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi: October 3, 2012from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

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A devotion familiar to all Franciscans that has survivedthe test of the last three decades is the Transitus.

An Invitation

Description: The Reactivating Padre Pio Fraternity of the SecularFranciscan Order invites you to celebrate the Vigil of the Feast ofSt. Francis of Assisi at the commemoration of the Transitus. This isthe night when Franciscans around the world reflect on the passageof St. Francis from life through death into eternal life. TheTransitus includes songs and readings from Scripture and the life ofSt. Francis. Light refreshments will be served after the service. Welook forward to having you join us. Joanne Jacovec, OFS, Minister

Location: St. Michael the Archangel Church Catholic Church,Archangel Centre Gallery,

804 High House Road, Cary, North Carolina.

Padre Pio Reactivating Fraternity

The Month of October

October is the month of the Rosary, because of the anniversary of victory at the Battle at Lepantoand the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary occurring in October. The Battle of Lepanto and the institution ofthe feast day took place in the 17th century; in the late 1800s, Pope Leo XIII officially dedicated the entiremonth to devotion to the Holy Rosary. October 7th, 1571, the Battle of Lepanto, was a major turningpoint in the ongoing conflicts between Europe and the Ottoman Empire. The Holy League credited thevictory to the Virgin Mary, whose intercession with God they had implored for victory through the use ofthe Rosary. Andrea Doria had kept a copy of the miraculous image of Our Lady of GuadalupeExtramadera given to him by King Philip II of Spain in his ship's stateroom. Pope Pius V instituted a newCatholic feast day of Our Lady of Victory to commemorate the battle, which is now celebrated by theCatholic Church as the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of September 2012

General Intention: New Evangelization. That the New Evangelization may progress in the oldestChristian countries.

Missionary Intention: World Mission Day. That the celebration of World Mission Day may result in arenewed commitment to evangelization. _

(See also www.apostleshipofprayer.net)

Franciscan Saints for October

3 St. John of Dukla, priest, I Ord.4 Our Holy Father Francis, deacon, Founder of the Three Orders6 St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds, virgin, III Ord.(Although she suffered continuously, our Lord also gave Mary Frances great graces and consolations. Shereceived the marks of the wounds of Christ and was granted the gift of prophecy and of miracles.)10 St. Daniel, priest, and companions, martyrs [Angelus, Samuel, Donulus, Leo, Hugolinus andNicholas], I Ord.10 Bl. Mother Mary Angela Truszkowska, III Ord. (founder of the Felician Sisters).11 Bl. John XXIII, pope, III Ord. (called the historic Second Vatican Council (1962–1965).12 St. Seraphin of Montegranaro, religious, I Ord.13 Bl. Honorat Kozminski, priest, I Ord.,20 Bl. James of Strepar, bishop, I Ord.20 Bl. Contardo Ferrini, III Ord. (He is known as the patron of universities).21 Bl. Josephine Leroux, virgin, martyr, II Ord.22 St. Peter of Alcantara, priest, I Ord.23 St. John of Capestrano, priest, I Ord. (He is the patron saint of jurists and military chaplains).25 St. Antonio de Santa Ana (Frei Galvao)26 Bl. Maria Jesus Ferragut, virgin, and companions, martyrs of Valencia [Maria Veronica Masiá, MariaFelicity Masiá Ferragut, Isabel Claduch Rovira, Milagros Ortells Gimeno], II Ord26 Bl. Bonaventure of Potenza, priest, I Ord.31 Bl. Angelo of Acri, priest, I Ord.

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Story of the Franciscan Crown (www.prayerfulrosary.com/Franciscan.html)

The story of the Rosary of the Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin dates back to the early 15th century. Apious young man named James had been accustomed to adorning a beautiful statue of Mary with a crown offlowers, which he had picked and woven himself. He later entered the Franciscan Order, but either because of alack of time or permission, he was no longer able to continue this devotion. Distraught because of this, he decidedto abandon the religious life and return to the world.

Our Lady then appeared to him and convinced him not to leave the order. She told him that he should notbe downcast because he was no longer permitted to adorn her statue, for she would teach him a way to give herhonor which was much more pleasing and meritorious. Instead of a crown of flowers, which quickly wither, he wasto weave a crown of prayers, and these prayers could be offered at any moment. She then taught him the Rosary ofthe Seven Joys, adding that these prayers would not only form a more acceptable crown, but they would also yieldinnumerable graces for himself and others.

This simple but beautiful devotion of praying the Crown of the Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin soonspread over the entire Franciscan Order and was officially established in 1422.

The Franciscan Crown Rosary is a Rosary consisting of seven decades with each decade describing aparticular joy from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Seven Joys are:

1) The Annunciation2) The Visitation3) The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ4) The Adoration of the Magi5) The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple6) The Appearance of Christ to Mary after the Resurrection7) The Assumption and Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven 

How to Pray the Crown Rosary

The Franciscan Crown Rosary begins quite simply by stating the first Mystery and then praying one OurFather and ten Hail Marys while meditating upon it. This same procedure is then followed for the other sixMysteries. Even though it is common practice nowadays to add the Glory Be at the end of each decade, and eventhe Fatima Prayer, these are not required. It is customary to finish by adding two Hail Marys in honor of the 72years that Our Lady is said to have lived on earth, and one Our Father and Hail Mary for the intentions of the Pope.

A Thank You

We thank inquirer, Suzie Nelson for inviting us to her home for a “tea party” on September 7th. It was agreat chance for us to get better acquainted with each other.

Presentation by Kenneth Himes, OFM

Date:  Sunday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. Location:  Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi, Raleigh, NC.  Website: www.stfrancisraleigh.org

Encouragement of the MonthRecently Frank Massey OFS, Vice Minister of the BSSF Region met with our council. There was quite an interestingdiscussion on Franciscan theology and spirituality as compared to St. Thomas Aquinas and other Catholic theologians. Weencourage you to read and reflect on writings by St. Bonaventure, OFM of Bagnoregio, Blessed John Duns Scotus, OFM ofEngland as well as contemporary Franciscan theologians and scholars including Friar William Short OFM and Sister Ilia Delio,OSF. There are numerous Franciscan resources, books, CDs and DVDs listed in the FUN Manual and on Franciscan websites.  The following is an example:

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Padre Pio Reactivating Fraternity

Dates to Remember

October 3, 2012 -Transitus of St. Francis(6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)

Archangel Centre Gallery

October21, 2012 Presentation by

Kenneth Himes, OFMSee info on previous page

November 17 – 18, 2012– Regional Visitation forReactivating Padre Pio

Fraternity

December 8, 2012 –(9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) –

Fraternity Retreat at AvilaRetreat Center, Durham,

NC

“The deeds you do may bethe only sermon some

persons will hear today”- St. Francis of Assisi

Editor:Frank Peluso, OFS

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10/10Mary Ann Baichan,

OFS

Stan Driscoll

Encouragement ContinuedJohn Duns Scotus and the meaning of Love

Taken from a article by Seamus Mulholland OFM“Franciscan Spirituality sees the Incarnation as the guarantee of union with God. 

It is not something to be hoped for or to be looked forward to – it is something, which ishappening NOW.  God is Love and that Love is our redemption and redemption is notprimarily being saved from sin, but is rather the gift of the possibility of openness to theexperience of the divine Other in our life.  How can it be otherwise when we put forwardthe notion of the divine and human in Jesus?

Scotus’s doctrine of the absolute center of attention of Love is both timely andprofoundly needed by our world.  Men and women cry out for an experience of hope in aworld which has lost direction – in the teaching of Duns Scotus, Franciscan Spiritualityhas within its hand that hope-filled experience and the end of that longing.  For if Godwilled the Incarnation from all eternity, then it was always his intention to become part ofsinful creation – sin determines the manner of that becoming, but it does not determine thefact that it was going to be.”

Also, Sister Ilia Delio, OSF, wrote, "The key to Francis' transformation into love,his secret of making wholes out of the scattered fragments of life, was compassion.  Helearned compassion as the art of healing broken hearts by collecting the tears of theforgotten, the frightened, and the lonely in his hands and holding the wounded as his kin. Francis entered the world of the stranger and made the stranger into a brother.  He learnedto love what was weak and fragile, and he learned to care for what the world discarded." 

The Moo Poo at St. Francis of the Springs Prayer Center

Two of our fraternity members attended this special day in honor of JaneSullivan Farris OFS at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center, Stoneville, NC.  Bea Sanford,inquirer said, “We could just feel Jane’s presence on Saturday as approximately 30 peoplegathered for the dedication of the Gazebo donated by Tommy Farris in Jane’smemory. Here is a photo of Father Louie as he spoke to the group and shared memories ofJane and her indomitable spirit that helped to create the prayer center.  No surprise thatshe was such an instrumental person in reactivating our own fraternity.” 

 

The center also had a Moo Poo, which is a fundraiser where a field is dividedinto one foot by one-foot squares throughout the entire field.  Then, selling raffletickets for each of the squares. Next, renting a cow (moo) and having everyone feedthe cow until it “poos”.  If the cow poos in your square, you win the prize. JaneSullivan Farris OFS, and the late former minister of our fraternity, encouraged theevent.  Father Louis Canino OFM at first refused; however, while visiting with Janein the hospital, Father Louis promised to do it.  Jane’s husband, Tommy Farris, wasthe winner.  He purchased four squares and because of his “luck” decided not to puthis name on the squares.  Instead, he listed Jane and her #15 was the winner!  Theprize of $300 worth of steaks was donated to Madonna House, a nonprofitorganization supported by Jane and Tommy.  

I love you this much!