Olirf 2020-08 Ud
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1 Our Lady of Indiana Regional Fraternity Secular Franciscan Order Website: http://olirf-ofs.org/ August 2020 , Issue Unity Day message from Fr. Chris Shorrock, OFM Conv St. Maximilian Kolbe OFM In the union of the Holy Spirit with Our Regional Prayer — Conv (d. 1941 – Feast day her, not only does love united these th a Gift from St. Francis August 14 ) and the two Beings, but the first one of them Blessed Virgin Mary is all the love of the Most Holy Trini- Holy Virgin Mary, among all ty, while the second is all the love of St. Maximilian was born creation. Thus, in this union heaven women born into the world, Raymond Kolbe in Poland, meets earth, all of heaven with all of there is none like you. Daughter January 8, 1894. In 1910, the earth, all Uncreated Love with he entered the Conventual all created loved; it is the highest and Handmaid of the Most Franciscan Order. He was expression of love. [1318 - Febru- High, sovereign King, the heav- sent to study in Rome where he was ordained a ary 17, 1941; II: 2302] enly Father, Mother of our most priest in 1918. In regard to Mary's mediation, St. holy Lord Jesus Christ, Spouse of While he was studying in Rome, he and Maximilian does not think of it as a passage the Holy Spirit. several friars founded the Militia of the Immacu- from Mary to Christ in which the Blessed Vir- lata movement on October 16, 1917. gin would impede direct contact between Pray for us with St. Michael the Christ and humanity. Mary's mediation is a Father Maximilian returned to Poland in Archangel and with all the pow- 1919 and began spreading his Militia of the passage “with Mary to Christ.” ers of the heavens and with all Immaculata movement of Marian consecration. It may seem that Jesus is something different from Our Lady; that Jesus the saints together with your Maximilian’s insights into the Immaculate is one object and Our Lady the oth- Conception anticipated the Marian theology of most holy beloved Son, Lord er; that if one turns to Our Lady for the Second Vatican Council and further devel- and teacher. everything he honours Jesus too little. oped the Church's understanding of Mary as This is an erroneous understanding “Mediatrix” of all the graces of the Trinity, and since Jesus is God incarnate in her. as “Advocate” for God's people. Inside Edition . We know perfectly well that the The Marian thought of St. Maximilian object of all devotion is God. In the has a very doctrinal and pastoral orientation. He same way, the cult offered to the A Message from Fr. Chris 1 Immaculata is a direct means to this Shorrock OFM Conv felt the immediacy of understanding the mystery of Mary and of sharing this knowledge with hu- end. We should search for Jesus through her and not in another place Tim Short OFS ~ 3 manity. Regional Formation Director but only in her. We pass with her to It is not easy to summarize the Marian the Other. [Conference, April 25, Office for the Dead - 4 insights of St. Maximilian in such a sort amount of 1937] Remember our deceased space and there is no better way to help us un- derstand his Marian thoughts than by drawing This is why he can declare with certainty: Sr Agnes Marie ~ 5 extensively upon his own words. He was con- Regional Spiritual Assistant The Immaculata left the earth, but vinced that a true knowledge and devotion to her life has penetrated and grown Mary would in turn give birth to a dynamic Chris- Barb Braley ~ 6 ever more into souls. If all the souls Regional Minister tian life, even to the level of sanctity. who have already walked their This can be called true Marian spirituali- earthly pilgrimage or who are cur- ty. St. Maximilian stated: rently living in this world could voice their views, we would be able to When we reflect on these two truths: publish a countless number of large that all graces come from the Father by volumes testifying to the activity of the Son and the Holy Spirit; and that the Immaculata, tender Mother of our Holy Mother Mary is, so to speak, souls redeemed by the Most Sacred one with the Holy Spirit, we are driven Blood of her divine Son. Even these to the conclusion that this Most Holy volumes, however, would contain Mother is indeed the intermediary by only what such souls may have rec- whom all graces come to us. ognised as special graces of the [Conference, September 25, 1937] Immaculata, while every grace 2 Page 2 Unity Day Special Edition Our Lady of Indiana Regional Fraternity REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL comes to the soul from the hands of the Mediatrix of all graces, Barb Braley, OFS: Minister and there is no moment in which ever-new graces fail to flow into each soul; graces of light to the intelligence, of strengthen- Cyndi Pilot OFS: Vice-Minister ing of the will, of incitement to good; ordinary and extraordi- Sharon Roberts: OFS: Secretary nary graces, graces directly related to temporal life and to the Susan Solloway, OFS: Treasurer sanctification of the soul. Only at the time of God’s judgement in Tim Short, OFS : Formation Director heaven shall we become aware of the solicitude that our tender Regional Councilors: Linda Grady, OFS; Heavenly Mother has had for each of us, ever since the begin- ning, of the solicitude that she has toward every soul, her child, Richard Cain, OFS; Christopher Bercaw, OFS to shape it according to the pattern of Jesus, her firstborn Son, the prototype of holiness, God and man. [1313 – August 5-20, Regional Spiritual Assistants: 1940; II: 2283f.] Sr. Agnes Marie Regan, OSF Kathleen White, OFS St. Maximilian's thought is contained in this letter addressed to one of his brothers who questioned Mary's mediation and distribution of JPIC Animator: Jack Hill, OFS all graces: The union between the Immaculata and the Holy Spirit is so inex- pressible, yet so perfect that the Holy Spirit acts only by the “We, the Secular Franciscans of Our Lady of Immaculata, his Spouse. This is why she is the Mediatrix of all Indiana Regional Fraternity, are called by vir- graces given by the Holy Spirit. And since every grace is a gift tue of Baptism and Confirmation to holiness. of God the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit, it We are committed by our Profession to living follows that there is no grace, which Mary cannot dispose of as the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in our her own and which is not given to her for this purpose. [634 - time according to the spirit of St. Francis of Letter, July 28, 1935; I:1178] Assisi for the rebuilding of the Church. Since Mary is the only way to sanctity, St. Maximilian teaches With the help of Mary our Advocate, Protec- we must belong ever more to her, and in and through her, to Jesus and to tress, and Patroness, we will foster prayer, God the Father. vital fraternities, and communication. We will It is not easy to grasp the entire richness of St. Maximilian, how- provide direction, support and resources to ever we must believe that his intercession, Mary's mediation, and the local fraternities for understanding and imple- power of the Holy Spirit will lead us to that height of sanctity, which is menting the Rule, the General Constitutions, proportionate to our attitudes of listening and responding generously. and the National Statutes of the Secular Fran- ciscan Order, and our Regional Fraternity Guidelines.” Fr. Chris is a native Australian, and currently lives at St. Bonaventure Friary in Chicago, IL. Father is assisting with classes to Postulants at the House To join OUR LADY OF INDIANA list of Formation, and is also an adjunct lecturer at Sacred Heart Seminary and serve send a blank email to: School of Theology in Hales Corner, WI. Fr. Chris was a member of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants for Australia. He holds a doc- torate in Theology, and has taught at Catholic Theological College in Mel- [email protected] bourne, Australia and the Franciscan International Study Centre, Canter- bury, UK. His academic interests are Franciscan Spirituality, Church history We post Regional Fraternity news, and Mariology. Father joins Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, TOR, Br. Alex- prayer requests, formation material, ander Escalera, OFM Cap., and Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM, making the etc. USA Conference of National Spiritual Assistants fully representative of the four obediences of Friars. Also like/follow on us Facebook 3 Article 11 of the Rule makes the task both Tim Short, OFS more difficult and more urgent. The exam- ple of Francis is hard enough to follow, but Regional Formation Director this article tells us that “…… Christ chose for Himself and his Mother a poor and humble life.” The Poverty of Mary and Whenever I wish to investigate a topic in Coming into this I had not drawn a dis- Jesus is not happenstance. It is a deliber- the Franciscan charism, I start with what I tinct connection between Mary, Mother ate choice by Jesus. Acknowledging that believe to be the three basic pillars of of God and the Lady Poverty that Fran- choice is critical to all Franciscans as they Secular Franciscan formation: cis sought as his bride. (I am not imply- “strive to purify their hearts ….. as pilgrims The OFS Rule of Life ing that Francis thought of Mary as his and strangers on their way to the home of The Gospels (as specified in article bride.