St Francis of Paola Naples Who Was King at the Time

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

St Francis of Paola Naples Who Was King at the Time Lives of Saints 1416-1507 Feast day: 2nd April I loved contemplative solitude and wished only to be "the least in the household of God". But, the Church called me to active service in the world and I did my very best to fulfill my vocation. I accompanied my parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi and went to live as a contemplative hermit in a remote cave on the seacoast, near Paola. Before I was 20, I received the first followers who had come to imitate my way of life. Seventeen years later, when my disciples had grown in number, I established a rule for my community and sought the approval of the Church. W e called ourselves the Hermits of St Francis of Assisi. W e were approved by the Holy See in 1474. In 1492, I changed the name of my community to "M inims" because I wanted us to be known as the least (minimi) in the household of God. I wanted us to imitate Francis of "Fix your minds on Assisi's humility. I wanted us to observe the vows of poverty, the passion of our chastity and obedience, but also a perpetual Lenten fast. I believed that in order to grow spiritually we should mortify Lord Jesus Christ… ourselves heroically. He himself gave us an example of It was my desire to be a contemplative hermit, yet I perfect patience believed that God was calling me to the apostolic life. I and love. W e, then, began to use the gifts I had received to minister to the are to be patient in people of God. God used me to perform miracles and to adversity.” prophesy. I defended the poor and the oppressed and I got into trouble because I admonished King Ferdinand of St Francis of Paola Naples who was King at the time. Towards the end of my life, I travelled to Paris to prepare the King Louis XI of France for his death, and for a while influenced the course S.D.C. of national politics. S O C I E T A S D O C T R I N Æ C H R I S T I A N Æ w w w .s d c .m e .u k .
Recommended publications
  • Two Early Biographies, Bernard, Maillefer
    John Baptist de La Salle: Two Early Biographies Poster inviting the public to attend baccalaureate ceremonies at which five candidates, John Baptist de La Salle among them, would receive the licentiate in theology. January 26, 1678. Photo E. Rousset (ER, slide 45). John Baptist de La Salle: Two Early Biographies by Dom François-Elie Maillefer, OSB and by Brother Bernard, FSC Original translations by William J. Quinn, FSC Revised translations with notes by Donald C. Mouton, FSC Edited by Paul Grass, FSC 1996 Lasallian Publications Landover, Maryland Lasallian Publications Sponsored by the Regional Conference of Christian Brothers of the United States and Toronto Editorial Board Luke Salm, FSC Chairman William Quaintance, FSC Francis Huether, FSC Director of Publications Copy Editor Miguel Campos, FSC Donald Mouton, FSC Daniel Burke, FSC William Mann, FSC Ronald Isetti, PhD Joseph Schmidt, FSC Augustine Loes, FSC John Baptist de La Salle: Two Early Biographies is volume 1 of Lasallian Resources: Biographies of John Baptist de La Salle by his contemporaries. Copyright © 1996 by Christian Brothers Conference All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress card catalog number 96-083015 ISBN 0-944808-15-8 (hardcover) ISBN 0-944808-16-6 (paperback) Cover: John Baptist de La Salle vested as a canon; portrait in the convent of the Sisters of the Rue d’Ernemont (Rouen), a congregation founded by Canon Blain. Photo E. Rousset (ER, plate 15, slide 81). Lasallian Publications Sponsored by the Regional Conference of Christian Brothers of the United States and Toronto, Lasallian Publications will produce 30 vol- umes on the life, writings, and work of John Baptist de La Salle (1651- 1719), founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, and on the early history of the Brothers.
    [Show full text]
  • 179-San Francesco Di Paola Ai Monti.Pages
    (179/16) San Francesco di Paola ai Monti ! San Francesco da Paola ai Monti is a 17th century titular church in Rome. It is dedicated to St Francis of Paola (the 15th century founder of the Minim Friars, whose friars serve this church and whose Generalate is attached to it), and is located in the Monti rione , perched on the raised corner above the Via Cavour. (1) History It was built 1645-50 with funds given by Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini Pamphili, who (like St Francis) had roots in Calabria. It was designed by Orazio Torriano, then Giovanni Pietro Morandi, given to the Minim Friars, and became the national church of the Calabrians. The late Baroque high altar was made by Giovanni Antonio de Rossi c. 1655 (who is also credited with the church's wooden tabernacle, set into a sculptured entrance of a military pavilion). No new bell tower was built for the church - instead the 12th century Torre dei Margani was used, preserving its medieval coat-of-arms on the tower has been preserved. (1) (4) However, the church as a whole was not consecrated until 10 July 1728, by Pope Benedict XIII. The lower part of the façade was refinished in plaster in the 18th century, and the whole church was then restored about a century later by Pope Leo XII. The church is now often closed, but you may ask to be admitted at the monastery. (1) (179/16) It is the conventual church of the Generalate of the Order of Minims next door, and is served by priests from that order.
    [Show full text]
  • The Woodworkers Notebook Spring 2018 (April-June)
    Order of Secular Franciscans St. Joseph Fraternity, Charlton MA The Woodworkers Notebook Spring 2018 (April-June) Our Fraternity Fraternity Meeting Schedule The third Wednesday of every month: Initial Formation: 5:30-6:30PM CouncilMeeting: 6:30-7:00PM Franciscan Crown: 6:30-7:00PM Fraternity Meeting: 7:00-8:00PM Fraternity Social: 8:00-8:30PM Birthdays Profession Anniversaries April 7: Cheryl Amaral, OFS May 23, 2015 Stephen Maxson, OFS April 13: Stephen Maxson, OFS (80) June 21, 2012 Eugene Crevier, OFS May 5: Dorothy Belanger, OFS June 24, 2017 Barbara Tivnan, OFS May 11: Rita Reil, OFS June 28, 2013 Dorothy Belanger, OFS May 12: Angels Richardson, OFS June 30: Joe Krans, OFS (54) Contact Information: Minister: Joseph Krans, OFS. 508-867-8881; [email protected] Formation Director: Stephen Maxson, OFS. 508-735-8266; [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Stephen Maxson, OFS 508-735-8266; [email protected] Fraternity Council: Minister: Joseph Krans, OFS Vice Minister: Rita Reil, OFS Secretary: Joseph Perron, OFS Treasurer: Sandra McDonald, OFS Formation Director: Stephen Maxson, OFS The Woodworkers Notebook Page 1 Upcoming Events Calendar APRIL: April 14: Regional Meeting. 9a to 3p. St Pius XII in Middletown CT. Carpool at 730a April 18: Fraternity Meeting. April 25: Franciscan Film Festival. From 6 to 8p. At the Cornerstone, St. Joseph’s Parish. John Paul II (2014) April 28: Regional Formation, 9a to 30. St Pius XII in Middletown CT. Car pool at 730a MAY: May 16: Fraternity Meeting. May 23: Franciscan Film Festival:. From 6 to 8p. At the Cornerstone, St. Joseph’s Parish.
    [Show full text]
  • The Holy See
    The Holy See SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF MINIMS Monday, 3 July 2000 Dear Brothers of the Order of Minims! 1. I affectionately welcome you and am grateful for the visit you wanted to pay me at the beginnning of your General Chapter. I cordially greet Fr Giuseppe Fiorini Morosini, your Superior General, the Chapter fathers and the delegations of nuns and tertiaries who will be taking part in the first part of this important meeting, as well as the religious and lay people who form the three orders of the religious family founded by St Francis of Paola. I thank the Lord with all of you for the good accomplished in your long and praiseworthy history of service to the Gospel. My thoughts turn in particular to those difficult times for the Church when St Francis of Paola was engaged in carrying out a reform which drew to a new way of perfection all who were "moved by the desire for greater penance and love of the Lenten life" (IV Rule, chap. 2). 2. Inspired by apostolic goals, he founded the Order of Minims, a clerical religious institute with solemn vows, planted like "a good tree in the field of the Church militant" (Alexander VI) to produce worthy fruits of penance in the footsteps of Christ, who "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Phil 2: 7). Following the founder's example, your religious family "intends to bear a special daily witness to Gospel penance by a Lenten life, that is, by total conversion to God, deep participation in the expiation of Christ and a call to the Gospel values of detachment from the world, the primacy of the spirit over matter and the urgent need for penance, which entails the practice of charity, love of prayer and physical ascesis" (Constitutions, art.
    [Show full text]
  • Lasallian Calendar
    October 16, 2016 Pope Francis declares Saint Brother SOLOMON LE CLERCQ LLAASSAALLLLIIAANN CCAALLEENNDDAARR 22001177 General Postulation F.S.C.- Via Aurelia 476 – 00165 Roma JANUARY 2017 1 Sunday - S. Mary, Mother of God - World Day of Peace 2 Monday Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops , doctors 3 Tuesday The Most Holy Name of Jesus 4 Wednesday Bl. Second Pollo, priest. ex-pupil in Vercelli (Italy) 5 Thursday St. Telesphorus, pope 6 Friday - The Epiphany of the Lord Missionary Childhood Day – 1st Friday of the month 7 Saturday St. Raymond of Peñafort 8 Sunday - The Baptism of Jesus Christ St. Laurence Giustiniani 9 Monday St. Julian 10 Tuesday St. Aldus 11 Wednesday St. Hyginus, pope 12 Thursday St. Modestus 1996: Br. Alpert Motsch declared Venerable 13 Friday St. Hilary of Poitiers, bishop, doctor 14 Saturday St. Felix of Nola 15 Sunday II in Ordinary Time Day of Migrants and Refugees - St. Maurus, abbot 16 Monday St. Marcellus I, pope and martyr 17 Tuesday St. Anthony abbot 18 Wednesday St. Prisca 19 Thursday Sts. Marius and family, martyrs 20 Friday Sts. Fabian, pope and Sebastian, martyrs 21 Saturday St. Agnes, virgin and martyr 22 Sunday III in Ordinary Time St. Vincent Pallotti 23 Monday St. Emerentiana 24 Tuesday St. Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor 25 Wednesday - Vocation Day Conversion of St. Paul 26. Thursday – Sts. Timothy and Titus 1725: Benedict XIII approves the Institute by the Bull “In Apostolicae Dignitatis Solio 1937: Transfer to Rome of the relics of St. JB. de La Salle 27 Friday St. Angela Merici, virgin 28 Saturday St.
    [Show full text]
  • Thirteen Fridays in Honor of St. Francis of Paola
    Thirteen Fridays in Honor of St. Francis of Paola Friday January 3rd 2014 to Friday, March 28th 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in our Chapel Wednesday, April 2nd 2014 Mass and Reception to Follow St. Francis was born in the tiny village of Paola, Italy. *(His image in stained glass can be viewed above the altar of Saint Anthony’s Church.) Paola is located near the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Calabria, and is midway between Naples and Reggio, Italy. His parents, Giacomo and Vienna d’Alessio, were remarkable for the holiness of their lives. Remaining childless for some years after their marriage they had recourse to prayer, especially commending themselves to the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi. Three children were eventually born to them, the eldest of whom was Francis. Saint Francis of Paola was born on March 27, 1416 and died on Good Friday, April 2, 1507. His parents attributed his birth to the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi. From the beginning, Francis was a famous wonder worker on behalf of the poor and oppressed. He used common objects to work miracles so that everyone understood that it was God who really restored health or solved problems. Francis of Paola himself started the 13 Fridays devotion in honor of Jesus and his twelve disciples. Francis chose Friday to honor the passion of Jesus. It was after the death of Francis that the Order of Minims changed the 13 Fridays devotion in honor of Francis of Paola. Join us for the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Monastic Format; Prayer attributed to the 13 Fridays, the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the reposing of the Blessed Sacrament.
    [Show full text]
  • The Influence of Father Barré in the Foundation of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus of Reims.” Translated by Leonard Marsh, Phd
    Poutet, Yves. “The Influence of Father Barré in the Foundation of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus of Reims.” Translated by Leonard Marsh, PhD. AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education 10, no. 1 (Institute for Lasallian Studies at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota: 2019). © Yves Poutet, FSC, DLitt. Readers of this article have the copyright owner’s permission to reproduce it for educational, not-for- profit purposes, if the author and publisher are acknowledged in the copy. The Influence of Father Barré in the Foundation of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus of Reims Yves Poutet, FSC2 Translated from French by Leonard Marsh, FSC3 Father Nicolas Barré was careful to keep his life private, and so he is hardly known by our contemporaries. He was a religious in the Order of Minims who lived for a time in the same building as the famous Father Mersenne in the monastery of Place Royale in Paris. Whereas the Dictionnaire de spiritualité accords him a half column, M. D. Poinsenet gives him no more than five lines in his France religieuse du XVIIe siècle. This latter author was so taken up with the royal aura surrounding the names of Mme de Maintenon and Saint-Cyr, for whom Father Barré served as a pedagogical advisor, that he forgets to mention the originality that distinguishes the disciples of Barré from all the other women educators of the “great century of souls.” It was precisely to care for the souls not of noble girls but of the children of common people that Father Barré founded two teaching congregations of religious women: the Sisters of Providence of Rouen and the Ladies of Saint-Maur whose motherhouse is in Paris.
    [Show full text]
  • Saints to Remember – April St
    Saints to Remember – April St. Francis of Paola (1416-1507) Hermit. Patron Saint of boatmen, mariners, naval officers, sailors, travelers, watermen, against fire, against plague, against sterility. Feast Day: April 2 St. Francis of Paola was just 13 when he entered the Franciscan order after a pilgrimage to Assisi. At 15, he became a hermit and embraced austere penances as part of his solitary, contemplative life. Before long, other like-minded young men joined him, and in 1436, he founded the order of Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Paola believed that heroic mortification was necessary for spiritual growth and added the observance of a perpetual Lenten fast to the traditional monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Known for his holiness and humility, St. Francis was often called upon to arbitrate disputes, and eventually he was sent by Pope Sixtus IV to serve King Louis XI of France. Called from contemplation to active ministry, this humble hermit suddenly found himself settling international disputes and ministering to kings! “Be peace-loving,” he counseled. “Peace is a precious treasure to be sought with great zeal.” He remained in the French court until his death, and founded many monasteries in France. May the humility and flexibility of this steward saint inspire us to use our gifts in new ways and new places as God directs us. St Isidore (556-636), Bishop and Doctor. Patron Saint of computer technicians, computer users, computers, the Internet, schoolchildren, students. Feast Day: April 4 Born of a noble Spanish family, St Isadore had two brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and a sister, Florentina, who also became saints.
    [Show full text]
  • March 29, 2020.Pub
    5th Sunday of Lent March 29, 2020 Our Lady Most Admirable give us a right understanding of the essential and a hunger for it! Amen. From the Gusset “Rejoicing in this annual celebration of our Lenten observance, we pray, O Lord, that, with our hearts set on the Paschal Mysteries, we may be gladdened by their full effects.” This was the opening prayer for the Saturday morning Mass of the 3rd week of Lent (March 22nd). With the Coronavirus scare, we are unable to attend Mass, and so we were unable to hear this prayer offered (though for us in Sublette, West Brooklyn, and Maytown, the Saturday morning Mass is always prayed in private by your priest). But I believe it was perfectly prayed for the situation we now find ourselves in. It is always hard to rejoice during Lent, what with all our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and Jesus Christ knows this. That is why our Lord told us on Ash Wednesday: pray in secret, do not look gloomy, but wash your face when you fast, and when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing. Even after we have celebrated Laetare Sunday (and we know that Lent is over half finished), we have trouble rejoicing at the eminent approach of Easter, because the pandemic has imposed a quarantine that has removed us from our usual work day (do you see how therapeutic it is for the man to work in a fallen world M God knew what He was doing when He gave Adam work to do), secluded from public interaction, and now we can’t even attend Mass at our beautiful Churches.
    [Show full text]
  • Following in the Footsteps of St. Francis of Paola —The Third Order of Minims— by Anne Tschanz
    Holy Orders For Lay People Religious Life for the Laity Following in the Footsteps of St. Francis of Paola —The Third Order of Minims— By Anne Tschanz f all the Third Orders men- called: An den heiligen Franziskus von tioned in this series of ar- Paula (To the hallowed Francis of Oticles, the Third Order of Paola). The two Francises are among Minims is probably the least known the most renowned religious brothers today. Most of the Minim houses are on the Church calendar. in Italy, the birthplace of their found- Francis of Paola was born c. 1416 er, St. Francis of Paola, with others in Paola in the southern part of Ita- scattered around the world. Their ly. His parents were poor but devout name, the Order of Minims (Ordo people. Childless for several years, Minimorum), derives from Latin min- they pleaded through the interces- imus (least), alluding to Matthew sion of St. Francis of Assisi for a son 25:40, “Amen, I say to you, whatever who would give glory to God’s name you did for the least of these brothers and were blessed with Francis, named of Mine, you did for Me.” St. Francis after the saint. At age thirteen, he of Paola used to call himself “il min- was placed in a Franciscan convent imo dei minimi,” basically the littlest where he embraced an austere life- of the little. Pope Leo X, in the Bull that showed him walking on water. style and carefully observed the rule, for Francis’ canonization, said that According to tradition, when Fran- though he was not a member of the the Minim’s name should exemplify cis was denied boat passage across community.
    [Show full text]
  • Saint Francis of Paola
    Saint Francis of Paola SAINT OF THE DAY 02-04-2020 The life of the Calabrian mystic and founder of the Order of Minims, called “the other Francis” for his charity, was marked by the gift of faith from his conception. His parents named him Francis in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, whom they invoked to receive the grace of having a child, who finally came to them after about 15 years of marriage. They thanked Heaven, but probably never imagined that this child would become known in history as Saint Francis of Paola (1416-1507). Years later they also had a little girl, whom they called Bridget. But in the meantime they had to ask again for the intercession of the Saint of Assisi because their son, one month after birth, had contracted a serious infection that put his left eye at risk. The parents prayed for his recovery, vowing to send him to the Franciscans for a whole year. The illness passed. Francis soon manifested his inclination to religious life, growing up in a spirit of humility and prayerfulness. At the age of 13 he had a vision of a Franciscan friar who asked him to fulfil the vow made by his parents: he entered the convent, where he remained for a year living in perfect obedience to the Franciscan rule. The friars would have liked him to stay, but he wanted to deepen his vocation before choosing how to consecrate himself to God. To this end he went on pilgrimage to Rome, Montecassino, Loreto and Assisi.
    [Show full text]
  • Meditations by John Baptist De La Salle Frontispiece: an Engraving by Joffroy of a Portrait Made of De La Salle in His Coffin
    Meditations by John Baptist de La Salle Frontispiece: An engraving by Joffroy of a portrait made of De La Salle in his coffin. See Iconographie, by Joseph Cornet, FSC, and Emile Rousset, FSC, Cahiers lasalliens 49, 1989, Presses de Gedit, Bel- gium. This is the frontispiece of the original edition of both volumes of De La Salle’s meditations. Meditations by John Baptist de La Salle Translated by Richard Arnandez, FSC, and Augustine Loes, FSC Edited by Augustine Loes, FSC, and Francis Huether, FSC 1994, reprinted 2007 Lasallian Publications This volume is a translation of two works by John Baptist de La Salle, Méditations pour les Dimanches et les principales Fêtes de l’année (Meditations for the Sundays and the Principal Feasts of the Year) [1731?] and Méditations pour le Temps de la Retraite (Meditations for the Time of Retreat) [1730?]. Lasallian Publications Sponsored by the Regional Conference of the Christian Brothers of the United States and Toronto Editorial Board Luke Salm, FSC Chairman William Quaintance, FSC Francis Huether, FSC Director of Publications Copy Editor Daniel Burke, FSC William Mann, FSC Miguel Campos, FSC Donald Mouton, FSC Ronald Isetti, FSC Joseph Schmidt, FSC Augustine Loes, FSC Nicholas Schumer, FSC ✦ Meditations by John Baptist de La Salle is volume 4 of Lasallian Sources: The Complete Works of Saint John Baptist de La Salle Copyright © 1994 by Christian Brothers Conference All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library Congress catalog card number 94-070440 ISBN 0-944808-11-5 (hardbound) ISBN 0-944808-12-3 (paperback) Cover: Church of Saint Remigius in Reims, where De La Salle often spent nights in prayer when he was beginning the work of the Chris- tian Schools.
    [Show full text]