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"Formation Friday" is now found here:  https://jdpofs.org/resources/formation-fri/

Secular Franciscan Saints & Blessed

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Endowed with most remarkable gifts of nature and grace and reared in the fear of God, Bonaventure entered the Order of St. Francis as a young man. Completing his year of probation with honor, he continued his studies under the great Alexander of Hales. The latter did not know what he should admire most, the talent or the virtues of the young religious. He used to say it appeared that Adam had not sinned in this young man.  More...

July

04 Saint Elizabeth of Portugal 

07 Blessed Oddino Barrotti (d.1400) 

08 Blessed Gregory Grassi and companions

09 Saint Nicholas of Gorcum and companions

10 Saint Veronica Giulini

12 Blessed John Wall and John Jones

13 Blessed Angelina of Marciano

14 Saint Francis Solano

15 Saint Bonaventure

15 Most holy Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus Christ

19 Blessed Peter Cresci (d.1323)

21 Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

23 Blessed Cunegunda

23 St. Bridget of Sweden 1302-1373

24 Blessed Louis of Savoy

27 Blessed Mary Magdalen Martinengo


Excerpt from Lumen Fidei Encyclical (Pope Francis). June 29, 2013

44. The sacramental character of faith finds its highest expression in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is a precious nourishment for faith: an encounter with Christ truly present in the supreme act of his love, the life-giving gift of himself. In the Eucharist we find the intersection of faith’s two dimensions. On the one hand, there is the dimension of history: the Eucharist is an act of remembrance, a making present of the mystery in which the past, as an event of death and resurrection, demonstrates its ability to open up a future, to foreshadow ultimate fulfilment. The liturgy reminds us of this by its repetition of the word hodie, the "today" of the mysteries of salvation. On the other hand, we also find the dimension which leads from the visible world to the invisible. In the Eucharist we learn to see the heights and depths of reality. The bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ, who becomes present in his passover to the Father: this movement draws us, body and soul, into the movement of all creation towards its fulfilment in God.


2013 - Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana 

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei.html

From Tom DiFeo, Christian composer:


A Lonely Heart


I comfort you  Beautiful!


You Alone are God New


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Wonderful News: our Five Franciscan Martyrs will be Beatified soon:

See:   https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/pope-clears-way-beatification-georgia-martyrs

The Spanish Franciscans Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola were killed between Sept. 14 and Sept. 17, 1597, after Father de Corpa told a young Indigenous man, Juanillo, who was heir to a Guale chiefdom, that as a baptized Christian he could not take a second wife

The TAU CROSS each of us wears daily as our habit is a blessed Cross, a sign to the world of our admission in, and commitment to, the Secular Franciscan Order. At the beginning of each day as you prepare to get into the world, reverently kiss your Tau Cross, saying with St. Philip Neri: "And keep me Lord, this day, from betraying you, as Judas did, with a kiss! Ric Nagle. OFS.  Always wear your TAU Cross!

Canticle of the Creatures

by Saint Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.


Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.


Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.


Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.


Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.


Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night,

and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.


Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.


Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your
love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.


Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.


Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.


Fred Schaeffer, OFS, Webmaster


Fred Schaeffer OFS, began writing Spiritual Reflections 26+ years ago.
He is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order (31+ years), Our Lady of the Angels Fraternity

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