Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis www.immaculatasfo.org

raternity F Reflections Minister: Deborah Pettie, OFS - 817-370-9768 Vice Minister: Deb. Ludwick-Bales, OFS - 817-281-0140 Master of Formation: Sharon Toups, OFS - 972-865-6826 Secretary: Mary Dang, OFS – 817-962-3040 Acting Treasurer: Chuck Lieser, OFS - 817-914- 0157 Web Administrator: Clark Jones, OFS – 817.917.2511 Newsletter Editor: Clark Jones OFS – 817.917.2511 Spiritual Assistant: Father John Mark Klaus, T.O.R.

Fraternity gathering every third Friday of the Month from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Most Blessed Sacrament in Arlington, Formation for Inquirers and Candidates meet every first FridayTX. from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Most Blessed Sacrament

Immaculata Fraternity is a local fraternity of the Three Companions Region – www.lostrescompaneros.org IMMACULATA FRATERNITY, OFS DECEMBER 2015 VOL XI ISSUE XII

Divine Child Jesus, In my difficulties: help me From the enemies of my soul: save me In my errors: enlighten me In my doubts and pains: comfort me In my solitudes: be with me In my diseases: invigorate me When others despise me: encourage me In temptations: defend me In difficult hours: strengthen me With your maternal heart: love me With your immense power: protect me

And, into your arms, when I die: receive me

Month of the Divine Infancy Amen

2304 Prestonwood Ct Arlington, TX 76012

Very Rev. Richard L Davis, T.O.R. P.O. Box 137 Loretto, PA 15940

Holy Year of Mercy However, as is the case with Pope Francis’ 2016 JUBILEE CNA – Elise Harris Holy Year of Mercy, an extraordinary Jubilee can be The Jubilee, also called a Holy Year, will open this called for a special occasion or for an event that has year on Dec. 8 – the Solemnity of the Immaculate a particular importance. Conception – and will close Nov. 20, 2016 with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Until now there have only been 26 ordinary Jubilee Universe. celebrations, the last of which was the Jubilee of 2000. It will also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. The The Holy Year is traditionally a year of forgiveness Jubilee will be organized by the Pontifical Council for of sins and also the punishment merited by one’s the New Evangelization. sins. It is also a year for reconciliation between enemies, conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Sunday readings during Ordinary Time for the Holy Reconciliation. Year will be taken from the of Luke, as he is often referred to as “the evangelist of mercy.” Among The first extraordinary Jubilee was called in 16th the well-known parables of mercy present in Luke’s century, and the most recent have been in 1933, Gospel are those of the lost sheep, the lost coin and when Pope Pius XI called one to celebrate 1900 the merciful father. years of Redemption, and in 1983 when St. John Paul II proclaimed one to honor 1950 years of The official announcement of the Jubilee will take Redemption. place on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, with a public proclamation in front of the Mercy is a theme that is dear to Francis, and is the

Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. central topic of his episcopal motto “miserando atque eligendo,” which he chose when ordained a

Each of the four papal basilicas in has a holy bishop in 1992. door, which are normally sealed shut from the inside so that they cannot be opened. The doors are only One translation of the motto, taken from a homily opened during Jubilee years so that pilgrims can enter given by St. Bede on Jesus’ calling of St. Matthew, through them in order to gain the plenary indulgence is “with eyes of mercy.” that is connected with the Jubilee. In his first Angelus address as the Bishop of Rome, The rite of the opening of the Holy Door is intended March 17, 2013, Francis spoke of “Feeling to symbolically illustrate the idea that the Church’s mercy...this word changes everything.” faithful are offered an “extraordinary path” toward salvation during the time of Jubilee. Mercy, he said then, “is the best thing we can feel: it changes the world. A little mercy makes the world After the Holy Door opens in St. Peter’s Basilica, less cold and more just. We need to understand those of the other three Roman basilicas, St. John properly this mercy of God, this merciful Father Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary who is so patient.” Major, will be opened. In the English version of his first Apostolic In ancient Hebrew tradition, the Jubilee Year was Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” the word celebrated every 50 years and was intended to restore “mercy” appears 32 times. equality among the children of Israel by providing opportunities for families who had lost their property Immaculata Fraternity is Moving and even their personal freedom to regain them. We will finish 2015 at Most Blessed Sacrament It was also a year in which the wealthy were in Arlington, but in reminded that their Israelite slaves would again January 2016 we’ll become their equals and regain their rights. meet at St. Andrew

The Catholic tradition of practicing the Holy Year , 3314 Dryden Rd. began with Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, and since 1475 an Ordinary Jubilee has been celebrated every Fort Worth, TX on the 3rd Friday 25 years in order to allow each generation to experience at least one during their lifetime. of each month at 7:00 PM

Psalm Fragment: 12 Weeks of Franciscan Peace “God of Zion, to you even silence is praise. Promises made to you are kept – December 5 – you listen to prayer – From: Carolyn D. Townes, OFS, Creator and Animator and all living things come to you.” ~ Psalm 65:1-2 Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation ______Reflection Question: If you turned off your Continuation from November’s Newsletter… Smartphone or your mobile devices for one hour, what would Week 10, December 5 - 11: The thought for this week you be missing? Is that worth one hour with the Lord? is Silence. Can you tolerate the silence? Silence is more than just the complete absence of sound. This week: For one hour, turn off all the noise and electronic gadgets and fall still before the Lord. Mother Teresa said, “In the silence of the heart, God Slowly and reverently recite the Lord’s Prayer and the speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God Peace Prayer. Journal your experience. will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, Prayer for the Week: your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. “O Lord, you examine me and know. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.” You know when I sit down and when I get up;

even from far away you understand my motives. In silence, things are happening. God is speaking as you You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie are emptying; and as you are emptying, God is down to rest; filling you up with Himself. In our busy society, it has you are aware of everything I do.” (Psalm 139: 1-3) become more difficult to turn off all of the noise and gadgets and completely shut down and fall still. Week 11, December 12 - 18: The thought for this This is part of who we are called to be. If we are to week is Conversion. Article 7 of the OFS Rule begins: follow Jesus in the manner of Saint Francis, then we “United by their vocation as ‘brothers and sisters of must turn off all of the noise and fall still. Jesus and penance’ and motivated by the dynamic power of the Francis both took the time to steal away from the others gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to to become one with the Father in solitude and those of Christ by means of that radical interior silence. This was when they were being emptied in change which the gospel calls ‘conversion.’ Human order to allow God fill them with His holy will. frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.” “It is fair to say that if you never spend time with another person you would be hard pressed to justify Conversion means to change (something) into a describing yourself as being in relationship with the different form, so that it can be used in a different way. other. In order to foster a healthy and meaningful This is an awesome definition. Conversion is not just relationship with someone, time must be set aside changing from something to something else; but during which the other person is your focus and your also that it may be used in a different way. This second presence to each other takes priority.” ~ From Dating part is key: to be used in a different way – to go

God: Live and Love in the Way of St. Francis from Gospel to life and life to Gospel. by Daniel P. Horan, OFM

Conversion is not a one-time event. Our Rule says, Make spending quiet time with the Lord your focus and human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion priority, then see how your other relationships be carried out daily. Each day, we will revert back to improve. The Sufi poet Rumi said, “In silence there is what we know, to what is comfortable. This is the eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern result of human frailty. Don’t beat yourself up because improves.” Turn off the noise, quiet the busyness in you have not “arrived.” While we are human, we your day, fall still and see how the pattern improves. will fall. But the good news is that God is there to pick us up again, if we so desire.

And then speak, but only if it improves the silence! English clergyman John Bunyan calls conversion

“wounding work”; it is a constant breaking of the heart. But without the wounding, without the breaking, there can be no radical change.

“To say, “I’ve been converted and that’s that,” is to gifted with the peace of the Lord; with his own peace. It say you have decided to quit growing. If life is about is a gift that no one else can give to you. Sit and anything, it is about growing. The day I quit changing meditate on that rare and precious gift. and learning is the day I die.” ~ Steve Goodier, Author and Minister. It happened, three years prior to his death, that Francis decided to celebrate at the town of Greccio the memory “God demands a conversion of the mind and heart as of the birth of the Child Jesus with the greatest possible the basis of peace and security” (cf. Is 26:3). solemnity, in order to arouse devotion. So that this would not be considered a type of novelty, he petitioned Psalm Fragment: for and obtained permission from the Supreme Pontiff. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me… He had a manger prepared, hay carried in and an ox Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and an ass led to the spot. The brethren are And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” ~ Psalm 51: summoned, the people arrive, the forest amplifies with 10, 12 their cries, and that venerable night is rendered brilliant and solemn by the multitude of bright lights Reflection Question: What are the small, daily and by the resonant and harmonious hymns of praise. conversions in your life? How are you used in a different way because of them? The man of God stands before the manger, filled with piety, bathed in tears, and overcome with joy. A This week: Think about where the Lord may be calling solemn Mass is celebrated over the manger, with you to conversion in your daily life and wanting Francis, a levite of Christ, chanting the holy Gospel. to use you in a different way. Journal any new Then he preaches to the people standing around him awareness. about the birth of the poor King, whom, whenever he means to call him, he called in his tender love, the Babe Prayer for the Week: “My Lord God, I have no idea from Bethlehem. (St. , Legenda Major) where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do In his Testament, Francis tells us that “the Lord I really know myself, and the fact that I think that revealed a greeting to me that we should say: ‘May the I am following your will does not mean that I am Lord give you peace.’” Saint Bonaventure recalls, “At actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please the beginning and end of every sermon [Francis] you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that announced peace; in every greeting he wished for desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do peace.” Both Francis and Clare greeted the people of anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do with Pace e Bene! Peace and Good! As this you will lead me by the right road though I , peace must be at the center of all our may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you comings and goings. always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with Psalm Fragment: me, and you will never leave me to face my perils “The mountains will bring news of peace to the people, alone. Amen” (Thomas Merton) and the hills will announce justice.” ~ Psalm 72:2-4

Week 12, December 19 - 25: The thought for today is Reflection Question: When are you not being peace, Peace. Peace Activist Claude Thomas writes: even if you might be doing peace? “Peace is not an idea. Peace is not a political movement, not a theory or a dogma. Peace is a way of This Week: Greet everyone you meet with “Peace and life: living mindfully in the present moment.... We must Good!” Take a sacred pause to meditate on the simply stop the endless wars that rage within... solemnity of the nativity of Our Lord, the poor King. Imagine, if everyone stopped the war in themselves – there would be no seeds from which war could Prayer for the Week: grow.” “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8). Lord, grant me true purity of heart that I Peace is a gift before it becomes a task. It is gift from may look down upon the things of earth and seek the our Lord Jesus: “My peace I bequeath to you, my things of heaven, and never cease to adore and own peace I give to you. A peace the world cannot give, behold the Lord God living and true with a pure heart this is my gift to you” (John 14:27). We have been and soul. (cf. Admonitions of Saint Francis)

Justice~Peace~Integrity of Creation~Contemplate~Educate~Animate Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation NOVEMBER GATHERING

Our November gathering was FALSE SELF highlighted by visitors that Your False Self is your necessary traveled a far. Pete Serafin (Lisa) warm-up act, the ego part of you that and Joanna Valentine joined our establishes your separate identity, number while some of our own especially in the first half of life. were away. Driving such distance says a lot about a person’s Your False Self is what changes, passes, and dies when interest level, not to mention you die. Only your True Self lives forever. making decisions on how they Your False Self is who you think you are. Your look forward to spending the thinking does not make it true. new Liturgical/Calendar year. As fraternity business took Thomas Merton rightly recognized that it was not the much of the evening, voting on body that had to “die” but the “false self” that we do a new apostolate, we look not need anyway, precisely because it is only a part of forward to a repeat visit in us, but trying to pass for the Whole. December when we will have a time of caroling, followed by All mature religion must and will talk about the death refreshments and fellowship. of any notion of a separate, and therefore false, self. Hope All will attend ! Most souls are initially “unsaved” in the sense that they cannot dare to imagine they could be one with Gratitude to Each of You God/Reality/the universe. This is the lie of the False Self that dies slowly. Dear Brothers and Sisters, I want to tell you how much It’s difficult to see what is not manifest, what is each of you have meant to me intangible and yet the most objective of all reality. Yet throughout this year. . I know I we can learn to see differently, to be present to Being. This simple practice shifts our usual way of literal have called upon you on seeing and invites an inner change in how we see several occasions to pray for ourselves, the world, and the Divine. me and you were there. I can truly say I’m thankful for you Sitting at a table or desk with a pencil and a piece of and the sovereignty of Almighty God in my life. After blank, unlined paper, look at a nearby object. Turn your losing my precious Mother this year, you wonder how attention to the empty or “negative” space surrounding the object. Rather than focus on the object’s contours, you’ll ever move forward again and many of my look at the lines and curves of the space butting up friends shared with me that you never get over it, but against the object, the places in between and around the learn to build around this tremendous loss and take it object itself. Breathe deeply and begin to draw these with you in your journey. I’m finding that to be true. nooks and crannies of air and emptiness. Keep your I’ve always said I feel as though I cling to the Cross of focus on the negative space as you draw. Christ in my life….legs and hair blowing wildly in the wind, but more lately I feel anchored. So I’m thankful You might draw all of the spaces around the object or to God for the provision he has made and that life is spend just a few moments drawing. When your pencil indeed a gift that we must continuously unfold to reap comes to a stop, observe the form and detail of the its benefits. I am thankful for the love of a Father that “nothingness” you’ve drawn. Know that your True Self, would give his only Son, a family that share in the though perhaps less visible than ego and persona, is intimate details of my growing and for friends that spacious and objective. Let your inner witness quietly take the time to walk along this path beside me in the observe the “negative space” within yourself. Rest in power of their faith. this abundant emptiness, full of Presence. Wishing all of you the richest of blessings in Christ Jesus. I am who I am in the eyes of God – nothing more and nothing less.

Our Spiritual Assistant Fr.John Mark Klaus TOR Martyrs & Saints Brothers and Sisters, if you have not met our New Spiritual Assistant, Father John Mark Klaus T.O.R., please December make it a point to do so at our 1. Bl Marie-Angele Astorch, Virgin, Capuchin religious, d. 1665 December Celebration. We are so 2. Bl. Raphael Chylinski, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st thankful Father has agreed to assist us Order, d. 1741 and take on the role of our spiritual big 3. St. Francis Xavier, Priest, had been a tertiary before . As he has been assigned to founding or joining another , Martyr, 1623 Saint Andrew in Fort Worth, where we will begin 4. Bl. Francois Galves, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st meeting January 2016, it’s our hope that we have Order, Martyr 1623 removed some of the burden of rush hour traffic. 5. Bl. Peter of Siena, Confessor, Franciscan Secular, d. 1289 Father is sure to enrich our lives as we begin this new 6. Bl. Elisabeth la Bonne, Virgin, Franciscan Third Order Liturgical year together. Please pray for him. Peace + Secular, d. 1420 7. Bl. Louis Beltrame Quattrocchi, Confessor, religious of the A Christmas tree in Bethlehem, Franciscan 1st Order, d. 1951 a crib of hay for the great I Am 8. Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the A twinkling light to light the sky, Seraphic Order, Holy Day of Obligation, Plenary Indulgence for tertiaries and cordbearers a star that shined where the baby lie 9. Bl. Delphine de Glandeves, Virgin, Franciscan Third Order A shepherd boy to come and see, Secular, d. 1360 the Shepherd of Shepherds he was to be 10. Bl. Conrad of Offida, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st While wise men worshipped him in three, Order, d. 1306 the Prince of Peace this king was he 11. Bl. Hugolinus Magalotti, Confessor, Franciscan Third A humble birth for heavens jewel, Order Secular, d. 1373 this stable where he’d begin his rule 12. Discovery of the tomb of St. Francis 1820 A throne of hay he sat upon, 13. Bl. Pius Bartosik, Priest, Conventual religious, Martyr 1941 14. Bl. Barthole Buonpedini, Priest, Franciscan Third Order a donkeys bray announced the Secular, d. 1300 dawn. The story of our 15. Mary Queen of the Seraphic Order Saviors birth, when God the 16. Bl. Honorat de Biala, Priest, Capuchin religious, d. 1916 Son first came to earth CJones OFS 17. Bl. Francois Bell, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st Order, Martyr 1643 18. Bl. Mary Francis Schervier, Virgin, religious of the Third- Profession Anniversaries Order Regular [living in community, under a Rule], d. 1876 19. Bl. Jean Discalceat, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st Order, d. 1349 20. Bl. Antoine Galvao, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st Order, d. 1822 Tom Doyle 12/08/90 21. St. , Priest, had been a tertiary before founding or joining another religious Institute, d. 1907 Teresa Stadelman 12/11/83 22. St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, had been a tertiary ______before founding or joining another religious Institute, d. 1917 For those of you reading this addition of Fraternity Reflections on our 23. Bl. Nicolas Factor, Priest, religious of the Franciscan 1st webpage or through Facebook, and feel called to the Franciscan way, Order, d. 1583 please contact us and we’ll be glad to direct you in the best possible way we can, rather it be in the Order of Secular Franciscans or in a Franciscan 24. Bl. Bentivolio of Bonio, Priest, religious of the Franciscan Religious Vocation. We’d also like to invite each one reading, that live in 1st Order, d. 1231 and around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area to come visit us on 25. Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Day of Obligation the 3rd Friday of each month between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM, at Most 26. St. , Confessor, religious of the Third- Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2100 North Davis, in Arlington, TX. Order Regular [living in community, under a Rule], d. 1916 You’ll find us in the Adult Education Room. Please Note: In discerning a 27. Bl. Matthia Nazzarei, Virgin, the Franciscan 2nd-Order; a life with us, you must be a member of the Catholic Church in good "Poor Clare" sister, d. 1320 standing and in a spirit of unity. We look forward to meeting you! 28. Feast of the Holy Innocents 29. Bl Gerard Cagnoli, lay brother, religious of the Franciscan 1st Order, d. 1342 30. Bl. Margaret Colonna, Virgin, the Franciscan 2nd-Order; a "Poor Clare" sister, d. 1280 31. St. Gaspard Buffalo, Priest, Franciscan Third Order Secular, d. 1836; Plenary Indulgence (Chant the Te Deum in . public)