Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis Fraternity www.immaculatasfo.org email: [email protected] Reflections Minister: Carol Lieser, OFS Vice Minister: Brad Toups, OFS Master of Formation: Teresa Stadelman, OFS Secretary: Mary Dang, OFS Treasurer: Charles “Chuck” Leiser, OFS Spiritual Assistant: Fr. John Mark Klaus, T.O.R. Fraternity meets first Sunday of the Month, 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Good Shepherd, 1000 Tinker Rd., Colleyville, Texas 76034 Inquirer/Candidate Formation class meets first Sunday, just before Fraternity meeting, 12:00pm to 1:30pm, at Good Shepherd Immaculata Fraternity is a local fraternity of the Three Companions Region – www.lostrescompaneros.org IMMACULATA FRATERNITY, OFS November, 2020 VOL XVII ISSUE 10 “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC1030) 1000 Tinker Rd Colleyville, Texas 76034 Jania which the Law forbade the Jews to wear. To atone Minister’s Letter for November for this sin, Judas begged the people to keep themselves from sin and he collected a sin offering of Words on Purgatory 2000 silver drachmas, and asked for prayers to be said By: Carol Lieser for the dead. The Maccabean text shows that Judas, and the Jewish priests and people believed that those who died in peace could be helped by prayers and sacrifices offered by the living. In addition, in the New Testament we read (Mt. 12:32) that Christ recognizes "In the words of Saint Francis: that there exists a state beyond this world in which the "O my Brothers and Sisters, penalty due for sins, which were pardoned for guilt I want you all to go to Heaven!" in the world, is forgiven. St. Paul also affirms the reality of purgatory. In his first letter to the The month of November is dedicated to the Souls in Corinthians, he says that "the fire will assay the quality Purgatory. On Nov 1, All Saints’ Day, we celebrate the of everyone's work," and "if his work burns, he will lose feast of all those who are believed to be already in his reward, but himself will be saved, yet so as through heaven. The very next day, Nov 2, we commemorate fire" (1 Cor 3:13, 15). We see these views also discussed those souls who are believed to be in Purgatory. St in the writings of the Early Church Fathers. The most Bonaventure says that ‘the suffering of those souls in ancient liturgies illustrate the custom in such prayers purgatory will be more severe than the greatest trials as the following: "Let us pray for our brothers who on Earth’. This makes sense as certainly, the absence of have fallen asleep in Christ, that the God of the highest God experienced by those souls is without doubt a charity towards men, who has summoned the soul of great suffering. Bonaventure further says, ‘they must the deceased, may forgive him all his sin and, rendered be consoled by having hope and assurance that they well-disposed and friendly towards him, may call him will finally possess Him’. In this hope, an incredible joy to the assembly of the living" (Apostolic Constitutions, must exist in knowing the end of their exile will come. 8:41). Many of the Saints, too many to adequately I have always been fascinated by the idea of name here, speak of purgatory. Among these are Saint purgatory. The idea that we can actually help those Pio of Pietrelcina, St. Gertrude, St. Faustina, and poor souls prompts me to consider what I am called to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. One, St. Catherine of Genoa, do for these souls. As I grew up with my faith defined experienced on Earth the pains of Purgatory and says: by the teachings of the Baptist Church, the concept of ‘The souls in Purgatory unite great joy with great Purgatory was never discussed. After all, once you die, suffering. No peace is comparable to that of the Souls your fate has been decided. There are no second in Purgatory, except that of the saints in Heaven. On chances. What I have learned over time is that the the other hand, the souls in Purgatory endure Catholic Church takes responsibility for those in torments which no tongue can describe, and no Purgatory and believes that the poor souls in intelligence comprehend.” (See Isaiah 6 and note how Purgatory still have the stains of sin within them. Isaiah is cleansed by the burning coals of the Those sins can be forgiven and the Church on Earth Seraphim). can pray and atone for their sins helping them to gain Brothers and Sisters, especially during the month of the beatific vision, and join forever with God in November, we are called to consider the doctrinal Heaven truth of Purgatory and our obligation to pray for the Years ago, I searched for a basis for the belief in holy souls. Let us heed the teachings of these Sacred Purgatory and what I found convinced me that praying writings and the words of these Holy Saints by praying for the dead is one of my jobs. I want to share with you fervently for the deceased. Especially, remember to the information I learned about Purgatory. The offer a mass, for their relief, as it is written: “with each classic text is found in the Old Testament. Maccabees mass many souls are released from purgatory”. May gives witness to the belief of the Jewish people in the our prayers and our sacrifices on their behalf bring existence of a state of purgation where souls are God’s perpetual light to shine upon all those in cleansed before entering heaven. In 2 Mac 12:42-46, we Purgatory. learn that Judas Maccabeus had just finished a Peace and All Good, Brothers and Sisters! successful battle against the Edomites and was Mary, our Mother, Pray for us! directing the gathering up of the bodies of the Jews St Francis of Assisi pray for us! who had fallen in battle. It was discovered that each of Carol Lieser, OFS the deceased had under his shirt amulets of the idols of Minister, Immaculata fraternity DDDooowwwnnn ttthhheee RRRoooaaaddd!!! November 1 Fraternity Meeting Sunday 11/1/2020 December 6 Renew Vow Initial Formation: 12:20 pm November Franciscan Chapter 18 Being Faithful, begins on page 195. Feast Days [After November 2 and during the month of November (OFM Nov. 5): COMMEMORATION of all Rite of Admission at the Fraternity the Faithful Departed of the Franciscan Order] meeting - 2:00 pm. All of those in 4. Saint Charles Boromeo, bishop, Protector of the Franciscan Order Memorial initial formation will study Chapter 18 6. Blessed Alfonso Lopez and companions, together. priests and religious, martyrs, I Order OFM Conv: Optional Memorial Blessed Andrew of Palazuelo, priest, and Initial formation friends - we have a companions, martyrs of Civil War in Spain, I Order big day on Sunday, please remember OFM Cap: Optional Memorial 7. Saint Diego of Alcalá, religious, I Order [USA to plan the weekend accordingly OFM Memorial 8. Blessed John Duns Scotus, I Order OFM Conv. OFM Cap, III Order: Optional Memorial OFM Ongoing Formation - Chapter 3 of the Memorial Book "live like francis", To Live the 14. Saint Nicholas Tavelić and companions, Gospel Life - begins on page 11. We priests, martyrs in Jerusalem, I Order Memorial All Families often speak of that wonderful phrase, 17. SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, Patroness "From Gospel to life and from life to of the III Order and the Order of Franciscan Scholars Al Families FEAST the Gospel''. This reflection vivifies 18. Blessed Salome of Cracow, virgin, II Order that Franciscan slogan. II Order: Optional Memorial 19. Saint Agnes of Assisi, virgin, II Order: Memorial 20. Blessed Paschal Fortuño Almela, priest, and companions, martyrs of Valencia in Spain, I Order OFM: Optional Memorial Prayer Request 22. Blessed Salvador Lilli, priest, and companions, martyrs in Armenia, I Order OFM Optional 25. Saint Humilis of Bisignano, religious, I Order Prayer changes things OFM: Optional Memorial 26. Saint Leonard of Port Maurice, priest, I Order All Families Memorial 27. Saint Francis Anthony Fasani, priest, I Order All Families Memorial Jan Parker ofs national minister 28. Saint James of the Marches, priest, I Order Lee Metcalf Ofs OFM Memorial 29. ALL SAINTS OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER Fr John Mark Klaus TOR All Families FEAST 20 WAYS TO PRAY FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY 1. Pray the Novena to the Holy Souls. 2. Offer up your Holy Communions for the souls in purgatory. 3. Have Masses said for your departed loved ones, especially on the anniversary of his or her death. 4. Pray The Way Of The Cross for Souls in Purgatory. 5. Pray the special Holy Souls Rosary. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy Rosary is the most powerful prayer. 6. Obtain indulgences: Indulgences reduce or cancel the temporal punishment that we incur through sin.* There are many ways to obtain indulgences through pious actions, and we can apply their merits to the dead. You can find a partial list of indulgences here. If you visit a church or oratory on All Souls Day and there recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostle's Creed, you can earn a plenary (full) indulgence applicable only to the souls in purgatory (under the usual conditions).* 7. Give alms: The giving of material assistance to the poor has always been considered a penance that can be offered for the Holy Souls. "For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin" (Tobit 12:9).