Aug 2 - The Feast of the Porziuncula

Fred Schaeffer, OFS (partly quoted from existing texts)

Below Assisi, that is at the base of the mountain, an oratory had been built in the first Christian centuries. This oratory with a little bit of land was given to St. Benedict in the 6th century. The name Porziuncola, that is, Little Portion, is supposed to have been derived from the transfer of this small piece of property. The little church was called St. Mary of the Angels, and the inhabitants of Assisi went there frequently to pray. One of the first things done by St. Francis of Assisi was to restore this sanctuary because it was in ruins. It became the cradle of the Order, recognized by the entire Franciscan family.

One night St. Francis went to the chapel to pray. He saw our Lord and His holy Mother surrounded by a great host of angels. He was filled with reverence, so he prostrated himself upon the ground and adored the Divine Majesty. Then the Lord spoke to him with great tenderness. After some reflection, Francis asked Him for the grace of a full pardon for all who, being contrite and having confessed their sins, would visit this little sanctuary. Mary cast herself upon her knees before her Divine Son, and repeated the petition of her faithful servant. (In part from: “The Franciscan Book of Saints”, edited by Marion Habig, ofm. © 1959 Franciscan Herald Press)

English text from: Formation Friday July 29, 2022

The Pardon of Assisi – The Porziuncola Indulgence—Celebrated on August 2
by Diane Mendito, OFS (currently, National Vice-Minister, Secular Franciscan Order)

• The sixteenth century Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels envelops the tiny chapel known as the Porziuncola.
• This chapel was one of the churches restored by St. Francis.
• This is the spot where, while listening to the Gospel, Francis understood what he was called by God to do.
• St. Clare received her religious habit from the hands of Francis here in 1211. 
• In 1216 as Francis prayed that everyone could be brought to heaven, he obtained from Jesus in a vision the PARDON OF ASSISI—a plenary indulgence, which was later ratified by Pope Honorius III.
• This is where the friars’ early general chapters were held—the Chapter of Mats of 1221 was attended by 5,000 friars.
• Here, on October 3, 1226, St. Francis welcomed Sister Death lying naked on the ground just outside the chapel.

“See to it, my sons, that you never abandon this place. If you are driven out from one side, go back in at the other. For this place is truly holy and is the dwelling place of God. Here, when we were but a few, the Most High gave us increase; here he enlightened the hearts of his poor ones by the light of his wisdom; here he set our wills on afire with the flame of his love. Here he who prays with a devout heart will obtain what he prays for and he who offends will be punished more severely. Wherefore, my sons, consider this dwelling place of God to be worthy of all honour, and with all your, with voice of joy, and praise, give glory to the Lord in this place.” (Words of the dying St. Francis, Celano 1, n. 106)

The Conditions for Receiving the Pardon

• Each year from vespers on August 1 through August 2 (Feast of Our Lady of the Angels) you should visit either a Franciscan church or your own church. (At first the indulgence was only given for the Porziuncola, but it has been widened over the years.)
• You may obtain the indulgence any day of the year upon visiting the Porziuncola itself.

CONDITIONS TO OBTAIN THE PARDON OF ASSISI

Plenary Indulgence–(for oneself or for a departed soul)

Sacramental Confession to be in God’s sanctifying grace *(to be received within eight days before or after initiate “appeal” for the Plenary Indulgence);

*Participation in the Holy Mass with reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Visit to a Catholic Church, followed by the Profession of FAITH (Nicene Creed or Apostles Creed),

Recite the OUR FATHER, in order to reaffirm and give witness to one’s Christian dignity, as a child of God, that one received in Baptism;

Pray for the Pope’s intentions: as Vicar of Christ, Shepherd of the Universal Church, and visible sign of unity among the Faithful

See OFS-USA website:  https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2022/07/the-pardon-of-assisi-the-porziuncola-indulgence-august-2/

or the OFM (USA) website https://friars.us/article/2024/08/02/what-is-the-feast-of-the-portiuncula

Brothers and Sisters of Penance—Brief History—Fr Christopher, T.O.R.

TOR/OFS are guided by the Holy Spirit in search of God in the world. Our Rule
       is a form of life for a more perfect observance of the Gospel by reason of our
       condition of life. The 1221 Letter to All the Faithful is an inspirational text.

1221 Form of Life

1978 Pauline Rule

• Spiritual and evangelical
• A return to the spiritual experience of St Francis
• Attention to the Spirit in the “signs of the times”

The Rule invites us

• to creativity, and
• the exercise of co-responsibility

Essentials for mission effectiveness:

• autonomy
• unity, recognizing its centralized system
• vital reciprocity

7 Popes were Secular Franciscans

• Gregory IX: Memoriale Propositi 1221 to 1228—canonical establishment of the Third Order; detailed daily life of penance; need for a more organized structure for penitential groups
• Nicholas IV: Supra Montem 1289—new rule given to the Third Order by papal bull; closer juridical relationship with 1^st Order friars over dependence upon the 1^st Order
• 13^th century: tensions between Holy See and the State
• Privileges enjoyed by the Order of Penance with immunity from laws of the State
• Lesser involvement of the friars
• Elias takes interest in the fraternities; new changes in assistance to them
• Difficult to bring peace when divisions are present
  
• Urban VIII 1628 Observants (Conventuals) are guardians of the Rule
• 1883: Misericor Dei Filius—to protect the Third Order
• Leo XIII from Perugia, established fraternities everywhere; entrusted the Third Order to be the fundamental stone of the great Christian Social Doctrine
• 1893: national/international congresses of studies in the social actions of the Third Order; social reforms to the Church and Third Order apostolates.
• 19^th – 20^th century: first steps of unity for OFS; approval of statutes of international council of the Third Order by the General Minister of the Franciscan Family
• Approval of the Pauline Rule of 1978:
• Unity of the Order
• Centralized form of government
• Autonomy
• Vital reciprocal communion between 1st Order/TOR

Continued from Home Page

Sep 17 - Feast of the Stigmata of our holy father Francis

Francis imitated Christ so perfectly that towards the end of his life our Lord wished to point him out to the world as the faithful imitator of the Crucified, by imprinting His five wounds upon his body.

Two years before his death, when, according to his custom, Francis had repaired to Mt. La Verna to spend the 40 days preceding the feast of St. Michael the Archangel in prayer and fasting, this wonderful event took place.

(continued below Giotto image)

St. Bonaventure gives the following account of it:

"Francis was raised to God in the ardor of his seraphic love, wholly transformed by sweet compassion into Him, who, of His exceeding charity, was pleased to be crucified for us. On the morning of the feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, as he was praying in a secret and solitary place on the mountain, Francis beheld a seraph with six wings all afire, descending to him from the heights of heaven. As the seraph flew with great swiftness towards the man of God, there appeared amid the wings the form of one crucified, with his hands and feet stretched out and fixed to the cross. 

"Francis wondered greatly at the appearance of so novel and marvelous a vision. But knowing that the weakness of suffering could nowise be reconciled with the immortality of the seraphic spirit, he understood the vision as a revelation of the Lord and that it was being presented to his eyes by Divine Providence so that the friend of Christ might be transformed into Christ crucified, not through martyrdom of the flesh, but through a spiritual holocaust.

"The vision, disappearing, left behind it a marvelous fire in the heart of Francis, and no less wonderful token impressed on his flesh. For there began immediately to appear in his hands and in his feet something like nails as he had just seen them in the vision of the Crucified. The heads of the nails in the hands and feet were round and black, and the points were somewhat long and bent, as if they had been turned back. On the right side, as if it had been pierced by a lance, was the mark of a red wound, from which blood often flowed and stained his tunic."