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: Vacant 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 OCTOBER 2015 VOL XI ISSUE X Queen of the Holy Rosary, you have deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three shepherd children the treasures of grace hidden in the Rosary. Inspire my heart with a sincere love of this devotion, in order that by meditating on the Mysteries of our Redemption which are recalled in it, I may be enriched with its fruits and obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners and of Russia, and the favor which I ask of you in this Rosary. (Here mention your request.) I ask it for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of souls, especially for my own. Amen. Month of the Most Holy Rosary 2304 Prestonwood Ct Arlington, TX 76012 Very Rev. Richard L Davis, T.O.R. P.O. Box 137 Loretto, PA 15940 Saint Francis Embraces Sister Death Angelo Portion 2015 Saint Francis of Assisi died on October 3, Annual Franciscan Retreat 1226. Death was not something that simply __________________ “happened” to Francis, but a human reality that the Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus, Francis saint of Assisi embraced as his sister. In the song and Clare: Peace and all Good! which he wrote praising God for creation, Francis added the line: Attached is the registration form for our Angelo Portion Annual Retreat to be held on 30th Oct thru 1st Nov 2015. As you can All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister see, meals and room prices have not Death, From whose embrace no mortal can changed from last year. escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your will! The Please let your Fraternity minister know if second death can do them no harm. Praise and you will be attending: However, each bless my Lord, and give him thanks. And serve participant must send a separate form to him with great humility. Delia. Saint Francis saw Sister Death as a natural part of For those staying at the Retreat Center Overnight: We must give the Retreat life through which we transition to continue our Center's business manager a number of life with God. It was sad for him to say goodbye how many people will be staying but he was ready. He even had one of his closest overnight in their facility and how many friends, Lady Jacoba, come from Rome and bring will be having what meals (breakfast, him some grey material for a habit in which to be lunch and dinner) on what day(s) (Friday buried, candles for his funeral…. And some of evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning and/or lunch). those really good almond cookies that he liked so much! When the friars went to get Jacoba they As always, we are looking forward to an found her already on the road toward Assisi with enjoyable and informative retreat co- all those things her friend wanted before he died. sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi, Immaculata and Senor Santo Nino Fraternities. The Retreat is a great opportunity to see all our brothers and sisters, and to meet new ones. Please let's plan to attend! More information will be sent out soon. Questions? Please contact your fraternity minister. Fraternally, Delia E. Banchs OFS Formation Director Retreat & Liturgy Coordinator Oh… and about the friend, Lady Jacoba. Well, it St. Francis Fraternity, Dallas was not common for women to be allowed into the friaries. So Francis made an exception by calling September 3, 2015 . Jacoba his Brother Jacoba! Today, if you go to the tomb of St. Francis which is in the care of the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Assisi you will find Francis buried along with some of the earliest friars and dearest friends. Just before you leave that chapel there is one more tomb. You guessed it… Brother Jacoba. Franciscorp 2013 25th ANNUAL SECULAR FRANCISCAN RETREAT “Following Jesus in the Footsteps of St. Francis” Retreat Master: Fr. John Anglin, OFM Diocese of Dallas Formation Center 901 Madison Dr., Dallas, Texas, (214) 943-6585 Friday, 10/30/15 6:00 pm through Sunday, 11/01/15 Noon Mail one registration form per person and $10.00 fee to: Delia Banchs, OFS, Retreat Coordinator, By Oct 23, 2015 402 Gina Drive, Harker Heights, TX 76548 (254) 338-9875 You may register on line at: [email protected] For more information, you may call: Wil Banchs, ofs Gloria Sanchez, ofs 254 698-2086 214 337-6948 [email protected] Registration and Payment in cash or check payable to St. Francis of Assisi Fraternity AT THE RETREAT CENTER or send with this form. ********** Deadline for Registration is October 23, 2015********** Name: Phone# . Address: City/State: . Zip: Email address: . Fraternity: _________________ Note: Registration Fee is $10.00 For Each Participant Enter the # of Meals Friday Saturday Sunday Amount Due Breakfast $6.50 (per day) Lunch $7.50 (per day) Supper $9.25 (per day) Overnight $28.00 Shared (per night) Overnight $38.00 Single (per night) Total Due refuge. Like all of us at the beginning of the emergence 12 Weeks of Franciscan Peace of the true self, he fears his father’s anger, he draws inward and hides, and he prays for the wrong thing October 3 – December 25 because he does not as yet have the courage to become From: Carolyn D. Townes, OFS, Creator and Animator himself. He prays that the Lord will deliver him from Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation ____________________ persecution and grant him the fulfillment of his desire. He does not know as yet that the fulfillment of his Week 1, October 3 - 9: The thought for this week is desire involves persecution. Prayer. Article 8 of the OFS Rule begins: “As Jesus was the true worshipper of the Father, so let prayer and But because he perseveres, the Lord fills his soul with contemplation be the soul of all they are and do.” light, and he leaves the cave where he is hiding and faces the insults and blows of his persecutors. In Prayer is first and foremost in our lives as followers of overcoming his shame, he discovers his true self and is Jesus. Everything we do and say must be embodied in a unmoved by persecution. And he thanks God for spirit of prayer. Author Henri Nouwen wrote, “When everything, not just for what is pleasant, such as his we sit down to pray, we enter the presence of the God misguided desire to be delivered from persecution. In of peace who disarms our hearts, he said. We make our acting, in facing the consequences of his commitment peace with God, and God gives us the gift of peace.” to Christ, Francis learns to pray correctly. [From The Way of St. Francis by Murray Bodo, OFM] In the life of prayer, our wills and God’s grace act Psalm Fragment: together. When we pray, we must surrender to the will of God and not our own wills and wants. This can be “The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will difficult especially when we want our own way. Yet, receive my prayer.” ~ Psalm 6:9 we must remember that God wants what is best for us and His ways are greater than our ways. Only God can Reflection Question: see the big picture. Do you pray for your will alone or for your will to meet God’s grace? At the very beginning of Francis’ conversion, he is living with a poor priest at the chapel of San Damiano. This week: Pray that your will and God’s grace will His parents do not know where he is, so his father goes always meet – making you an instrument of the Lord’s around the city inquiring about his son. When he learns peace. where Francis is, he calls together his friends and neighbors and goes down to San Damiano. Prayer for the Week: The Peace Prayer Francis is still new in the service of Christ; so when he Lord, make me a channel of your peace; hears about his pursuers and knows they are coming, he where there is hatred, I may bring love; hides from his father’s anger by creeping into a secret where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of cave which he has prepared as a hiding place. There he forgiveness; stays for a whole month. He eats food brought to him where there is discord, I may bring harmony; where there is error, I may bring truth; secretly and prays continually with tears that the Lord deliver him from persecution and grant him the where there is doubt, I may bring faith; where there is despair, I may bring hope; fulfillment of his desire to serve him alone. where there are shadows, I may bring light; where there is sadness, I may bring joy.