Franciscan Newsletter #4

7/29/2019 Franciscan Newsletter #4

1/16

Virtue: RenewalThis year Easters 50 days and reated

Feasts ech Gds ca t Renewa athrugh the summer incubating days fJune.

listen fr that ca every Sunday,incuding Pentecst, Trinity Sunday, andthe Semnity f the Mst Hy Bdy andBd f Christ (June 26).

As the Crpus Christi Gspe is

prcaimed, isten fr our lrds definitinf Renewa: I am the living bread. Unlikeyour ancestors who ate and still died,whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Renewa invves ur acceptance fGds gift ur Yes t iving daiy asmembers f Christs Mystica Bdy nearth.

N easy task, uness we reca that Gdsent us the Hy Spirit, t dwe with us, tsupprt and guide us, unti we t arecaed hme t Gd.

Franciscan Mission AssociatesMt. Vernon, N.Y. 10551

Missins in Guatemala - Hnduras - El Salvadr, Central America

FMA

JUNE.

2011/Vol

44,

No

4

Fitness TheSpiritual Kind

Ask the expert, right? Thats whatmost of us do when a clear needstares back at us, sometimes from amirror, and we acknowledge that wereally dont know it all. The wiseman or woman then consults anexpert, preferably someone experi-enced. And most especially so when

we seek spiritual guidance and direc-tion.We all experience that little inner

voice that keeps after us about grow-ing in matters of the spiritual life that ever-unfinished symphony of ourcoming closer to God in this world, onour journey home to eternity.

For most of us, there are twohurdles or questions. First will I hearthat voice, urging me to grow closer toGod? And second, what can I whatwill I do about it?


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At this junction, a false humility isno help. As in: Who am I, to thinkthat God may want me to do some-thing out of the ordinary?

If we listen, our Guardian Angelwill have a ready response:

Who are YOU?... Oh, just someonethe Lord God called into being, out ofnothing, for one; and then graced

YOU with Baptism into the very Bodyof Christ!

And there it is, the moment oftruth about the great destiny theLord holds out to us.

In St. Johns Gospel, comprisingThe Last Discourse (Chapters 14-17), Jesus speaks with enduring loveto his Apostles.

And they respond. Whether asindividuals (Peter, Thomas, Philip,Jude), or in small groups, they speakup with question after question.

Clearly they know and cherishtheir spiritual director He whomthey know is their Messiah and Lord.

Yet, at the same time, their state ofdenial magnifies their own veryhuman fear and panic as Jesus tellsthem that his time has come.

Before leaving the Holy Meal,Jesus prays to the Father. ... Thesemen have known that you sent me. To

them, I have revealed your name, and

I will continue to reveal it, so that

your love for me may live in them, and

I may live in them.(John 17: 25-26)It is a promise, scholars tell us,

that the Holy Spirit will continueJesus teaching mission with his

Apostles, then and in the future.As to the expert you can consult for

spiritual guidance, your pastor is agood starting point. Though he maybe the only priest in the parish thesedays, he will tell you whether or nothe is available. He can also refer youto other credentialed spiritual direc-

tors. They may be priests, vowed reli-gious (sisters and brothers), as wellas laymen and women.

Just ask for spiritual direction, theHoly Spirit will take care of the rest.

FMA Fcus, fficia rgan f Franciscan MissinAssciates, is pubished quartery in February, June,

September and Nvember.FMA Fcus is a member f the Cathic Press Assciatin,

the Natina Cathic Devepment Cnference, Inc., the

Assciatin f Fundraising Prfessinas, and f the DirectMarketing Assciatin.Pease address a crrespndence t Father Rbert,

o.F.M., at P.o. Bx 598, Munt Vernn, N.Y. 10551. Peasesend changes f address six weeks in advance; if pssibeincude yur maiing abe, and give bth d and new address.

REMEMBRANCE

Yo can contine to carry on yorown good work for the missions and thepeope they serve by remembering themin yor wi. To do so, simpy make abeqest of whatever yo wish to:FRANCISCAN MISSION ASSOCI-ATES, Mont Vernon, NY 10551. If yowish additiona information abot howto do this, pease fee free to contact:

Franciscan Mission AssociatesPO Box 598, Dept 4112,

Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598


3/16

It was Brother Masseo (of

Marignano) who caught up

with St. Francis and won-

dered aloud about this and

likely many other questions:

Why (are they) after you?

According to writings from

that time, Brother Masseo

asked the same question,

twice more, and likely in a

loud voice.

The Friars had been stay-

ing at St. Marys of the

Portiuncula, and Francis had

just returned from solitary

time in the surrounding

woods. It is easy to imagine a

gentle smile welling up across his

face as this great ascetic and mys-

tic who lived the Gospel every day gently asked his colleague: What

do you mean?

I mean, Brother Masseo fired

away: Why does all the world seem

to be running after you? And everyone

seems to want to see you and hear

you and obey you?

He continued to pepper his inquirywith specifics: You are not a hand-

some man; you do not have great

learning or wisdom. You are not a

nobleman. So why, he cried again, is

all the world running after you?

It is said that St. Francis offered

two explanations. He believed God

found no one else who could be amore miserable sinner than him-

self; hence, God called Francis and

poured out the light of grace where

it was most needed. And secondly,

Francis believed that God had

chosen him to do this

marvelous work.

Namely: Livingthe Gospel.

With Gods grace, Francis

began to understand that the

Gospel preached by Gods

Son was a way of life for peo-

ple from every culture, every

age group, anywhere in the

world.

Indeed, this unique witness

and challenge of living the

Gospel, at first thought to be

an eccentricity, soon attracted

people from all walks of life.

Today, there are about

half a million Franciscans

men and women world-wide, living with vows and

promises. Others are secular

Franciscans, married and single,

engaged in all kinds of occupations.

There are Franciscans in other

Christian faiths, living either

religious or secular lives, who see

St. Francis as a role model.There are even those who may call

themselves unbelievers yet they

cite St. Francis, and the life he chose

to live, as their inspiration and guide.

Pray to St. Francis; ask him to help

you find what God asks of you in

living your Christian life. Then, ask

this great saints help in saying yesto God, the first step in finding the

means and grace to fulfill your

destiny.

3

The universal St. Francis


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Pacific Coast. He baptized 6,000 Native

Americans, and confirmed another 5,000.All told, Fr. Junipero Serra preached

the Gospel for 35 years along the PacificCoast. He was the very definition of the

word, missionary. While respected for his

knowledge and saintly priestly ministry,Fr. Junipero lived nonetheless as a

stranger. For some would always find

him and his motives suspect.Among them were men of his own

European culture, then serving in com-

mercial and governmental enterprises.

Part of Friar Juniperos job was remind-ing them too that many exploration goals

(e.g., fortune hunting at any cost) werenot in sync with Gospel values.

In recognition of his contributions to

what is now California, his likeness isamong heroes represented in the Statuary

Hall in the U.S. Capitol in Washington,

D.C.Pray for Blessed Junipero Serras

intercession for todays missionaries. Askhis intercessory prayer for those priests,

religious and laity throughout the world

who dedicate their lives to the service ofGod and Gods people. Like Fr. Junipero,

some preach the Gospel in life-threaten-

ing situations. And like Fr. Junipero, they

are blessed to find in their mission workso many people hungry for Gods gifts of

faith and enduring love.

Looking into summers star-filled night

sky, many young people cant help butthink about their nations astronauts. And

a good number of them may hope to join

the ranks of those citizens of two worlds:their home on earth, and the world of

space and challenges out there.

Looking into just such a star-filled sky,but back, over some 300 years, a young

Franciscan, the Spanish Friar from

Mallorca, Fr. Junipero Serra, was alreadybidding good-bye to the world he had

always known.

In August of 1749, this distinguishedprofessor of theology and famed preacher

in his homeland would set sail for theNew World. It was an arduous and often

dangerous journey over a vast ocean still

not fully explored.He knew that in realizing the mission-

calling of his Franciscan vocation, he

might never again see the shoreline thatso quickly faded from view.

Arriving in present day Mexico in

1749, Fr. Junipero Serra would workthere for two decades. Then God would

call him to move north, permanently, towhat was then called Upper California.

This was the New World that would one

day claim him as its own.

There, in just 15 years, Fr. Juniperoestablished nine of the 21 Franciscan

missions along that rich and varied

BlESSED JuNIPERO SERRA, O.F.M. MISSIONER

ST. ANTHONYS BREADofferings in hnr f St. Anthny, either in petitin fr a favr sught, r in

thanksgiving fr a favr received, are used t assist the pr. Thus, they havereceived the name, St. Anthnys Bread. Such fferings are as used t hep

educate priests and reigius.Father Rbert wi gady send yu a eafet expaining the rigin and purpse fthis devut practice, nw centuries d. Pease write:

St. Anthonys Bread, Franciscan Mission AssociatesPO Box 598, Dept 4113, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598


5/16

5

From all over the world, thousands

of Catholic young adults, from 16 year

olds to those in their early 30s, willconverge on Madrid (Spain), August

16-21.

The occasion: World Youth Day

2011, an intensive week of daily wor-

ship, catechesis, renewal and fellow-

ship. Accompanied by their bishops,

and convened by the Bishop of Rome,

Pope Benedict XVI, they will witnessto the vitality of Catholic Faith, today

and tomorrow.

Pope Benedict XVI announced the

theme for the 2011 Youth Day some

three years ago: Rooted and Built Up

in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith

(Colossians 2:7).

He also asked prayerful prepara-tion for 2011 through local and

national World Youth gatherings in

2009 and 2010, each year centered on

related themes: We have set our

hope on the Living God (from St.

Pauls First Letter to Timothy) and,

Good Teacher, what must I do to

inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17)

At the heart of the World Youth

Day themes: A Catholics faith is

based on the experience of building

and nurturing a lifelong relationship

with Jesus Christ, a true friendship

that is rooted in prayer and encoun-

ters the Lord in the Gospels and

Sacraments, most especially in Holy

Eucharist.

For it is in the Holy Eucharist,

Pope Benedict emphasizes, that

young people find the Lord is present

and close to us, the Savior and friend

who even becomes food for ourjourney.

World Youth Day participants,

together with their bishops, will

welcome the Pope on August 18.

Thereafter, they will endeavor to keep

pace, as Pope Benedict XVI teaches,

hears their concerns, blesses, and

finally commissions these youngpeople as modern day apostles.

He will urge these young adults to

preach the Gospel in the only way

evangelization has ever been effective

by living the Gospel as members of

Christs Mystical Body on earth.

Try to pray daily this summer for

the success of this joyful World YouthDay 2011.

Among notes of interest: Credited

with founding World Catholic Youth

Day, the late and newly beatified

Blessed Pope John Paul II was named

one of the official patrons for the 2011

World Youth Day. The latter, growing

out of Pope John Paul IIs call to

Catholic Youth worldwide to meet and

pray with him in Rome, marking the

closing of the Holy Year (1984), and

again, in 1985, observing the UNs

International Year of Youth.

5

PAPAL VISIT TO MADRID

FOR WORLD YOUTH DAY 2011

Visit us on the webfranciscanmissionassoc.org


6/16

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Christs resurrection.It states further: On

Sunday, the Christianfaithful ought to gather

together, so that by lis-tening to the word ofGod and sharing in theEucharist, they mayrecall the passion, deathand resurrection of theLord Jesus. Moreover,in the Holy Mass, wetogether give thanks to

God for his gift to us ofa new birth with a live-

ly hope born of Christs Resurrection.The Lords day is therefore the

first and greatest festival, one to beset before the loving devotion of thefaithful and impressed upon it, sothat it may be also a day of joy and of

freedom from work.If children or grandchildren com-plain that they dont get anythingout of Mass, we may want to remindthem that what they bring with themto Mass will make a great difference.

To that end, some families spend alittle time during the week prayingwith one or two of the Readings for

the coming Sunday. This can give thechildren time to ask questions and toprepare for Gods great gifts onSunday, even while on vacation.

DONT FORGET SUNDAY MASS

For Catholic families,sacramental life, cen-tered around weeklySunday Liturgy, fuels

our daily lives, year-round, including insummer.

It is Sunday Massthat nurtures us withthe presence of the LordGod, in his Holy Word,and the breaking of thebread the Holy

Eucharist. An EasterMoment, empoweringmen, women and children to live withChrist, to do Gods will every day oftheir lives. Hence, Sunday Massremains the most important must doin our lives, even when were onvacation.

Getting to Mass during vacationmay require planning ahead: findinglocal parishes serving beach, moun-tain or city vacation destinations.Parishes or chapels in vacation areas,

just as at home, may depend on theministry of a single priest, one whocelebrates at more than one site eachSunday. The Constitution on the

Sacred Liturgy reminds us thatSunday Mass is an enrichment andgift in our lives, an apostolic traditiontaking its origin from the very day of

VOCATIONSPease pray for the yong peope at home and in the missions who are ready and eager to

dedicate their ives to God and the spirita wefare of His peope.

Often a they reay need is the specia corage to hear Gods ca and to answer him. Peasejoin s in daiy prayer for Gods grace in providing devoted brothers, sisters, priests, andreigios for Christs work in todays word.

For frther information pease writeFranciscan Mission Associates, P.O. Box 598, Dept. 4114, Mont Vernon, NY 10551-0598


7/16

Dear Friend,

losing a cherished object can be, at times, devastating. In a recent news

story a stoen chaice, an ordination gift, was retrned after more than 50 years

to a retired priest. The renion joy was heightened when the gided siver

chaice arrived in perfect condition.

Think of something yo cod not bear to ose. Now stretch yor mind and

think abot how ost yo wod be withot God. When we stray from the lord,

in thoght or deed, He is ost withot s; and we withot Him. Bt Jess gave

s a map back to Him: prayer. Throgh the sacraments and the intercession of

St. Anthony, whos feast day we ceebrate this month, we have a spirita GPSthat eads s back.

Dring this feast month I invite yo to send s yor petitions and intentions

for the Specia Novena of Masses that wi be offered in honor of St. Anthony -

Jne fifth throgh Jne 21. Whether it is a sma item or a serios concern,

St. Anthony is eqay ready to offer aid and renewed hope.

Have a bessed smmer,

Fr. Robert, O.F.M.

P.S. It is with great joy and gratitde we at Franciscan Mission Associates

ceebrate or 50th anniversary. For more than a haf a centry, thanks to the

generosity of or benefactors, FMA has been spiritay and financiayspporting missionaries particary in the Franciscan Missions of Centra

America, bt aso in the inner cities of the united States and Canada as we as

every continent in the word.

7

DirectorsLetterFr. Robert, O.F.M.

FRANCISCAN FRIARS/P.O. BOX 598/MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. 10551-0598TEL. AREA CODE: 914 664-5604


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FATHER FLAVIANS LESSON OF LOVE:IT ALL STARTED WITH OLDER PEOPLEFather Flavian decided t g t themissins ver 40 years ag because, ashe says, I was raised pr. Ive been pr

all my life. And thse are the peple Iwanted t help.

Thats hw I have spent my life. All Iknw is the missins.

Tday, Father heads an rganizatincalled Agape, in El Salvadr. Agape deseverything frm prvide weekly alltmentsf fd t 3000 pr families, t peratingt highly regarded high schls that

transfrm the lives f very pr children,t vcatinal training prgrams, clinics even several businesses whse prfits areall devted t supprting this grwingrganizatin while prviding lcal peplewith jbs.

But, as Father Flavian will tell yu, it allbegan with the elderly.

When he first came t El Salvadr, he

nticed that ne f the yung peplesfavrite activities was t thrw rcks at ldpeple. And these were nt just any ldpeple, they were the many elderly ancians in Spanish wh have nhmes, and n means f supprt. Theylive n the streets, hmeless, begging frtheir daily bread.

Father Flavian decided t ask theyung peple why they were ding thisterrible thing. They tld them that theythrew the rcks because then the ldpeple wuld get mad and yell at them,and this helped them pass the time.

Father Flavian answered them, saying:These ld peple are Gds children t.We shuld help them. And s began

Agape (which means charitable lve inAncient Greek, the language f theGspels.)

In the beginning, Father Flavian and hisvlunteers wuld ck meals n the


9/16

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streets t give t hmeless, elderly peplebecause he had n place else t wrk.Then, when he attempted t raise mneyt build a shelter s that sme f theseelderly peple culd actually sleep in abed, the mayr f the twn ffered t build

the shelter fr him.one thing led t anther, and sn,Agape was feeding mre and mre hme-less ancians. Finally, when ne f themdied, Father Flavian arranged fr thatpersn t be buried. Many f the hmelesselderly peple accmpanied him t theburial.

As they buried their departed cmrade,

many f these hmeless, elderly peplebegan t weep. At first, Father Flavianthught they were weeping because fthe sadness f death. Hwever, as neelderly wman tld him, they were reallyweeping with jy. They knew that theywuld nt, as she put it, be left t die like adg in this wrld because Father Flavianwuld take care f them.

(Think f that! Hw many f us haveever wrried that n ne wuld bury us?)

That was many years ag. Agape takescare f thusands and thusands fchildren each year nw frm tiny infants

t yuth t grwn adults and, yes, thehmeless elderly f El Salvadr. In fact,the rganizatin has received internatinalrecgnitin fr its many wrks f mercy.

But, as Father Flavian is the first tpint ut, nne f what his rganizatin

has accmplished wuld have been pssi-ble withut the help f the FranciscanMissin Assciates.


10/16

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Recently, I went to the baby hospital inSan Salvador. It is a hospital in bloom. Avery poor mother I knew had a six-year-old

daughter who was dying from a verydeadly virus GuillainBarr. It paralyzesthe nerves and muscles starting at the feetand working its way up to the arms, lungsand finally the throat. The personsuffocates and then passes away.

They had this poor girl in intensive care.Because I knew the mother I went to thehospital. The sickness had crippled the lit-

tle girls legs and her arms. Thank God thedoctors got some very expensive injec-tions, the only medicine that could saveher. Each injection cost $600 a piece.They needed six injections.

In the meantime another mother, very,very poor also had a daughter in the sameplace and with the same sickness. She

GIVING GODS COMFORT TO THE VERY VULNERABLEFr. Guy, O.F.M.

was crying, expecting that her daughterwuld die. I gave hpe and cmfrt t bthmthers.

We gt the head dctr f the hspitalt help, but we t had t put in ur share.I helped t pay fr sme f the expensewith the mney yu, and ther benefactrssend me t help the pr sick peple fSan Salvadr.

Thank Gd the injectins wereeffective. They stpped the sickness andslwly but surely the little girls were saved

and back t nrmal. Nw they, and theirparents are hme. While I can ffer Gdslve and cmfrt they als need physicaltherapy and mre medicine.

Thank Gd fr generus peple like urbenefactrs. Because f yur giving weare able t help s many sick children.Gd Bless.


11/16

11

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.Mark Twain

Everything has its wonders even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in,therein to be content.

Helen Keller

When love and skill work together expect a masterpiece.John Ruskin

A man does not have to be an angel to be a saint.Albert Schweitzer

Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any end may reveal a totally new landscape.C.S. Lewis

It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.Erma Bombeck

Faith is taking the first step even when you dont see the whole staircase.Martin Luther King, Jr.

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.Samuel Johnson

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up theirnoses, and some dont turn up at all.

Sam Ewing

Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he has had some help.Alex Haley

I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of theearly worm.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Words Worth Noting


12/16

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Dear Father,

Thank you so much for the quickresponse and the literature that yousent me. I am so grateful for hearingthis voice so far away. God bless youall and I will say a prayer of thanksand a prayer for your mission. I prayto St. Jude so often and it seems heoften hears this poor and broken

souls petition for help. Thank you alland God bless you for the work you do.

Thankfully yours,J.S.Fort Stockton, TX

Dear Franciscan Mission Associates,Please accept this $10.00 in hopes

it can help those who need help. I

donate this in the name of ourHeavenly Father God and our saviorLord Jesus Christ. Please publishthis in the FMA Focus.

Sincerely,C.P.Brookhaven, PA

Dear Father,Please excuse my oversight by not

acknowledging receipt of the manybirthday cards you have sent me overthe years. You, and your missions arein my prayers daily. Thank you foryour thoughtfulness and for the Massthat was celebrated for me this year.God bless you.

Sincerely,I.V.R.Toronto, Canada

Our Readers gladly writeFRANCISCAN

MISSIONASSOCIATES

P.O.BOX598

MOUNTVERNON,N.Y.10

551

Dear Father,

I recently wrote to you andrequested rosary booklets be sent tome at this facility. I am writing tothank you for sending them to me andhonoring my request in a timelymanner. I have kept one for myselfand I gave out the rest to otherwomen here who pray the rosaryevery day. We all thank you for your

kindness and generosity in sendingthem to us.

Sincerely,S.M.SDanbury, CT

Dear Father,I wish to include my thanks to St.

Anthony of Padua, St. Jude, Our Ladyof the Miraculous Medal and all theFranciscans who prayed for me andmy family for the favors I requested inyour Focus Magazine. I will continueto send my monthly contribution toyou for your work as long as I can.Please continue to pray for us and wealso will pray for your good work.

Sincerely,F.B.Scarsdale, NY


13/16

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Yes, theFourth of July is

the great summerholiday, observednationwide.

With most peo-ple enjoying a dayoff, family picnics even family

reunions remain a classic way tocelebrate Americas Independenceday. And this option looks to tradi-tional menus and sites, ranging fromthe backyard barbecue, to ice-packedcoolers of food and drinks hauled toseashore, mountains, or nearby stateparks.

Most Catholics begin the holidayby checking off another tradition

going to Mass, whether they are homeor on vacation. For attending Mass isa very traditional Catholic way toobserve Independence Day. Witnesshow few are shy about joining in thepopular closing hymn, America, theBeautiful.

There are many reasons: At the

Fourth of July Mass, the congregationremembers and honors ancestors whofled their own homelands, seekingreligious freedom and equality in thisNew World. Many also salute theirrelatives men and women whoserve in the Armed Forces, defendingand protecting this land of the free

and the brave.Today, Catholics of all backgroundsand nationalities pray on the Fourthof July with special fervor and focus.For thousands of U.S. Catholics

(whether of Eastern Rites or theRoman Rite) still have family in

places where practicing their Faithcan mean risking their very lives,even on the most joyous of Holy Days(Easter and Christmas).

And as it has throughout history,our Church accommodates great sec-ular celebrations with distinctiveLiturgy for the day. For the Fourth ofJuly, pastors may select the Readingsfor the day from among a wide list ofoptions; and likewise, for the OpeningPrayer and Prayer After Communion.

Among the petitions for one of theOpening Prayers:

... Open our hearts to the truth of

His Gospel,

that your peace may rule in our

heartsand your justice guide our lives.

All of the prayers and readings forThe Fourth of July remind us to cele-brate and rise to the challenge of thegifts bestowed on us by God. Thisyear, we want to keep in mind, aswell, our brothers and sisters world-

wide who still suffer persecution andpoverty.

INDEPENDENCE DAY A DAY OF PRAYER

Yet experience tells us that a world with-

out God becomes a hell filled with

selfishness, broken families, hatred

between individuals and nations, and a

great deficit of love, joy and hope.

Pope Benedict XVI

World Youth Day 2011 Message


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It was Our Lord who taught us somuch about the power and simplicityof prayer. It was on one of those sunlitlate spring days when a spellbound

crowd surrounded the Lord, seekinghis teaching because he taught withauthority.

So he led them up the hillsidebelieved to be the Mount of theBeatitudes and began his GreatDiscourse.

On the subject of prayer and basicHow-To approaches, he could not

have been more direct. Ask and youshall receive. Seek and you will find.Knock and it will be opened to you,Jesus taught, with an emphasis onasking. For the one, who asks,receives.

Suggesting that it is arrogancethat keeps us from regular prayer, heexplained: If you, with all your sins,

know how to give your children whatis good, how much more will yourheavenly Father give good things toanyone who asks! (Matthew 7: 711)

This year, it is the Vicar of Christ,Pope Benedict XVI, who began anupdate on prayer for todaysCatholics. Prayer, he says, is nothingless than essential for any Christian.

In todays world filled withdistractions, regular prayer is the

only way to come to know the essenceof our own human life: namely thatwe are children of God, destined foreternal life.

Pope Benedict asks each one of usto dedicate the proper amount oftime to prayer, which he defines inthree important words: openness toGod.

Regular time for prayer is notwasted time. Quite the contrary.Rather, prayer opens us toward thefullness of life, and ignites our love

of God a burning love for him andhis church and a concrete love forour brothers and sisters.

Summer is a good time to schedulesuch regular dailyprayer time, helping usto deepen our friend-ship with the Lord.

Ask St. Francis to

help you. You cancount on this greatsaint a man whoseemed to prayalways to leadyou directly to aChristians greatestteacher and friend:Our Lord, who

promised to bewith us always.

THE SIMPLICITY AND POWER OF PRAYER

HAPPY BIRTHDAYTo be remembered at Mass on yor birthday pease send the Franciscan Mission

Associates the fied in form beow at any time.

My name is __________________________________________________________________

My Birthday is: (Month and Day) ______________________________________________

My address is ________________________________________________________________

City__________________________________ State_______ Zip ______________________Fr. Robert, O.F.M., Dept. 4115,

Franciscan Mission Associates, PO Box 598, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598


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The Sea of Galilee, called byvarious names (Lake Gennesaret, Seaof Tiberias) over the centuries,figured prominently in Our Lords

public ministry and personal life.As you read the Gospels and hear

them at Mass, take notice of thatbeautiful body of fresh water, eightmiles wide in places, and 13 mileslong; and at the surface, already some690 feet below sea level, a naturalmarvel, developed over the centuries

out of a volcanic basin. The towns andvillages dotting its shores numberamong them: Capernaum, Bethsaida,Magdala, Tiberias; and just a fewshort miles away, Nazareth andCana. It was to this territory that Jesus

retreated in mourning, following the

murder of John the Baptizer. It was here that he established a

home base for his ministry. It was from the Lakes shores

that Jesus called key disciples andApostles, including Peter, Andrew,James and John. Here, that Jesus made the

surrounding hills and mountains theclassroom for his mission andministry (including the Mount of theBeatitudes and hills where Jesusblessed and multiplied small picnicfood reserves into meals forthousands). It was here, that Jesus sought

peace, solitude and deep prayer.Slipping away from the crowds byboating with his disciples across thelake and at other times, completelyalone, walking over its waters.

And it was here, during theLords post-Resurrection and pre-

Ascension days that Jesus once againcalled the Apostles from the waters,

to the shore. There, to be healed oftheir mourning his Passion andDeath to be prepared for their mis-sion: to live the Gospel, inviting allhumankind, through all ages, to eter-nal life.

Todays pilgrim/tourists make theresort-like Lake Gennesaret a must

stop in the Holy Land. But once onboard the small tourist boats, movingthem out into the choppy waters,pilgrim chatter dissolves intoreverent quiet.

As the shoreline grows smaller inthe distance, larger and larger wavescrash against the boats hull, and

sharp winds spray watery mistsacross the deck. Here, pilgrims sinkinto that biblical phrase, holyground. Even on water.

For the history of Lake (Sea) ofGalilee-Gennesaret-Tiberias inter-twines with the forever sacredness ofa place made holy by the presence of

the All Holy Son of God.Truly, this majestic Lake bids us whether armchair pilgrims or pilgrimtourists to recall our baptismalvows: to live consciously as membersof the Body of Christ, wherever Godhas missioned us.

This summer, renew your com-mitment to the Lord. Pray as wellfor his missionaries whose everyminute is dedicated, as it was withSt. Francis, to preaching the Gospelby living it.

SEA (lAkE) OF GAlIlEE A SEASIDE RESORT


16/16

Join us on Pilgrimage to the

Shrines of ItalyWe will pray at the Shrines sacred to our faith

and other shrines with a Franciscan Spiritual Director.

SPRING - MAY 8-17, 2012

Padua Venice Assisi Florence Rome

Vatican City and more

Dear Father, Please send infrmatin n Pilgrimage t the Shrines f Italy

NAME __________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS________________________________________________________________

CITY___________________________________STATE_______ ZIP ________________

TElEPHoNE ____________________________________________________________

Mail to: Pilgrimage Office, Dept. J, P.O. Box 598, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598

Tel: 914-664-5604 or 914-664-1747

Special Novena Schedule Summer 2011All year rund Franciscan Missin Assciates cnducts a regular schedule f spiritual and

devtinal exercises in which all benefactrs are invited t take part. During the summer

mnths the Special Nvena schedule is:

May 7-15 and May 16-24 ..............................Feast of St. Dymphna (May 15)

June 23-July 1 ............................................................Feast of the Sacred Heart

June 2-10 and June 11-19 ........................................Novena of the Holy Spirit

June 5-13 and June 13-21 ................................Feast of St. Anthony (June 13)

June 22-30........................................................St. Anthony for a Safe Summer

July 18-26 ..............................................................................Feast of St. Anne

August 2-10 and August 11-19......................................St. Anthony (in Padua)

August 7-15 ................................................................Assumption of Our Lady

September 2-10 and September 11-19 ....................................St. Jude Novena

Hy Mass is ffered each day fr a Franciscan Missin Assciates benefactrs and fr thespecia intentins they request. Kindy frward yur petitins fr the Nvenas schedued t:

Franciscan Mission AssociatesPO Box 598, Dept 4111, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598

Franciscan Newsletter #4

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Transcript of Franciscan Newsletter #4