Spiritual aridity is as different from spiritual apathy as Rome is from Tokyo. There can be many causes for spiritual aridity, but explaining each cause would turn this into a book of Christian spirituality and psychology, Let’s settle for the existential experience of spiritual aridity.
Existentially, spiritual aridity can best be described as thirst in a sandy desert. Once looks for a connection with God in prayer, the Sacraments, the Church, even the Gospel. At the end, not finding that spring that we once experienced in the spiritual life, we become despondent. We argue that there is no spiritual gain in prayer, the Mass, the Church, or even those around us.
The biggest problem is that we fault all religious activity as falling short and not meeting our spiritual needs. We fail to look into our soul. We are afraid of the darkness we might find there. Our reasoning ability becomes weak.
But God is not found through human reasoning, As complete and perfect, God is far superior to the collective of human wisdom.
God is that body that illuminates the night. The darker the night, the more visible are the stars of space. The stars that shine in the night are the sunlight that light up our day. Do we give up on prayer, the Sacraments, and the Church because of the human weakness that we find there, or the catastrophic mess that we are?
We need to remember that through the centuries, many have seen the weakness that we see…however, some of those people cry out to God to brighten the darkness that they see around them. Some of our most admirable saints have spent years calling out to God, the light of the night and the water in an oasis.
The more the cry out to God, “come be my light,” the stronger we become without realizing it. Grace is not a human feeling. It’s a seed planted in the soul where the Divine Gardener will water it and protect it from death as long as we persevere, “Come be my light”.
We carry on with whatever good the Church, Sacraments, and the Sacred Scriptures will offer. But each time we come into contact with the cold desert night, we call out to Him who can be the light we seek. The search for the light of God, however, requires that we never give up on calling, “Come, be my light”. God has never abandoned one who called out to Him. Those who give up calling out to God will be burned by the light of the Son whom they have given up. Man gives up hoping for the light. The Light for each man will always allow Itself to be seen; but only when God knows that it will do some good for us and through us.
We can never forget that we are the sheep that can’t find the Good Shepherd. But He is always closer to us when the desert looks the darkest or feels the coldest.
May the Immaculata always guide us through the dark desert.
Those of you who know him personally, are aware of the many health struggles he has faced during the past few years, and how much we owe to the Lord and to the Immaculate to be able to celebrate this day.
Happy Birthday messages can be emailed to: superior@franciscansoflife.org
Bro. Jay will receive them directly!
This will be a small community+family gathering, between 11 am and 5 pm approximately. If you do wish to briefly stop by, due to health reasons etc. please RSVP first, by calling/texting 786-495-3426 and we will coordinate a time and provide you with the location of the get-together.
More than anything, we humbly ask you for a prayer – not only for the physical and spiritual health of Bro. Jay, but for the respect for life in the whole world.
Thank you kindly!
*** For any questions, please email: brothers@franciscansoflife.org ***
More than half of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States have agreed on a draft that reviews the constitutionality of Roe v Way as it was written in 1973. The conclusive verdict is to be handed down later this spring or early summer.
As Franciscans of Life, this review has captured our attention. More importantly, we have become aware that people who object to this review have gathered to protest in front of the Justices’ homes, without regard for the safety of the families who live inside. As citizens, we have the right to protest and communicate our demands to the government in peaceful and safe demonstrations. There is, however, no moral justification for the dangers arising when angry mobs gather, especially before the homes of private citizens. Spouses, children, grandchildren, seniors living in the homes are not public figures. They have the right to a quiet and peaceful life as the rest of us. Disturbance of the peace and instilling fear in private citizens is immoral and – as we have stated above – dangerous to the collective safety.
I’m saying all of this because, as Franciscans of Life, we know that human life is sacred from conception to natural death. Life is the supernatural act of God in favor of humanity, a humanity that His Son, Jesus Christ, would assume at a precise moment in history, society, and ethnicity.
We believe that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity became man, developed in the womb of a human mother, was born of her, and was unjustly executed on the cross. Taking on our human nature side by side with His divine nature, and being executed, was an act of God’s love for humanity.
Our Country fought a civil war for many reasons, the most important being the belief that no human being can own another human being – not even one’s mother. We have no ownership of the person in the womb, thus killing an unborn baby is claiming ownership and authority that is not ours. Abortion is a false belief that the preborn child has less rights than a slave, and that the child in the womb is as much the property of the mother as a lung.
The Franciscans of Life are inviting everyone we know to join our Rosary Crusade, to pray that Congress and state governments will pass laws that protect the right to life of every person, from conception to natural death.
We invite you, your family, and friends to pray the Holy Rosary every Saturday, starting this Saturday, which the Church reserves for Our Heavenly Mother, until the Saturday before the Feast of the Assumption (August 13).
You don’t have to go to the parish church. You can pray from your home, car, or any quiet place. Just pray. The Rosary is the most powerful private prayer in our armory. Popes have called it “scourge of the devil,” “treasure of graces,” “heavenly instrument,” “glory of the Church”.
We are now in November (where has the year gone??) and, as usual, we dedicate special prayers and penance for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. This year, Holy Mother Church graciously extends the related indulgences through November, just as it was done last year, for similar reasons. One of our brothers found out via the FSSP newsletter, and we gladly share here the good news. Please see below the details!
“a.- the Plenary Indulgence for those who visit a cemetery and pray for the deceased, even if only mentally, normally established only on the individual days from 1 to 8 November, may be transferred to other days of the same month, until its end. These days, freely chosen by the individual believers, may also be separate from each other;
b- the Plenary Indulgence of 2 November, established on the occasion of the Commemoration of all the deceased faithful for those who piously visit a church or oratory and recite the “Our Father” and the “Creed” there, may be transferred not only to the Sunday before or after or on the day of the Solemnity of All Saints, but also to another day of the month of November, freely chosen by the individual faithful.
The elderly, the sick and all those who for serious reasons cannot leave their homes […] will be able to obtain the Plenary Indulgence as long as they join spiritually with all the other faithful, completely detached from sin and with the intention of complying as soon as possible with the three usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father’s intentions), before an image of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary, recite pious prayers for the deceased, for example, Lauds and Vespers of the Office of the Dead, the Marian Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, other prayers for the deceased dearest to the faithful, or occupy themselves in considered reading of one of the Gospel passages proposed by the liturgy of the deceased, or perform a work of mercy by offering to God the sorrows and hardships of their own lives.
Finally, since the souls in Purgatory are assisted by the prayers of the faithful and especially by the sacrifice of the Altar to God (cf. Conc. Tr. Sess. XXV, decr. De Purgatorio), all priests are strongly invited to celebrate Holy Mass three times on the day of the Commemoration of all the deceased faithful, in accordance with the Apostolic Constitution “Incruentum Altaris“, issued by Pope Benedict XV, of venerable memory, on 10 August 1915.”
Below are some prayers from the Liturgy for the Saints and for the Holy Souls!
“[A] lovely, subdued melody floated through the forest above the solitary and forsaken little chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, just when a shepherd was passing by with his sheep. The shepherd turned pale and looked up at the fallen-in roof, but there was nothing to be seen. “Have they got an organ now?” he wondered. He pushed the little door open. All was dark and still within. Overhead the music was becoming more and more heavenly, as a hundred golden voices seemed to mingle in counterpoint. “Lord, how beautiful! It’s enough to make one want to die, it’s so beautiful!” he thought, for he was so moved that he could not utter a word. His heart told him what was happening…”
August 2nd is coming along, and with it, two happy occasions – the “Great Pardon” (as the Portiuncula Indulgence is known in some places) and the “flocking” of the Franciscans of Life (regulars and externs) to the Motherhouse after a bit of a hiatus from community gatherings.
There will be a note of sadness, as our dearest brother Leo will not be with us for the first time…since his passing on May 26th of 2020. Four hundred years earlier, St. Philip Neri passed away on the very same day. Let’s pray for the repose of our dear brother Leo, and ask in a special way for the intercession of St. Philip, “Pippo Buono” as the Romans called him due to his kind and gentle disposition… All who knew our Brother Leo knew of his natural gentleness and kindness, which is what, perhaps, inspired our Superior to name him Leo at Novitiate, in honor of that first brother Leo, a gentle soul whom St. Francis used to call “ you little lamb of God”.
But this article – which from its prolixity you will most likely know is authored by brother Bernardo – is not so much about our community as it is about the Portiuncula Indulgence! We will go over the Porziuncola, “Santa Maria degli Angeli”, and then we will dig a bit more into the matter of indulgences – a matter of heavenly and motherly love – and its relationship to the wonderful Sacrament of Confession – so, please, stay with us!
On Saint Mary of the Angels, called Porziuncola (“little portion“)
1704 illustration from “Collis Paradisi Amœnitas, seu Sacri Conventus Assisiensis Historiæ“, as found on p.107 of “The Story of Assisi” by Lina Duff Gordon
If we dig a bit, we find a nice summary by Pope Benedict XV on the salient points regarding this very special place, which we summarize below:
It is taught that in the days of Pope Liberius (IV century) pilgrims from Palestine brought here a fragment of the sepulcher of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that is to say, the place of the Assumption, and thus was the place named Saint Mary of the Angels.
Here St. Francis wrote the rule approved by Pope Innocent III (“admonished by divine vision”, writes Benedict XV).
Here Clare, the noble virgin of Assisi, having forsaken the world, was clothed in the poor Franciscan habit, and instituted the second Order.
Here also originated the Third Franciscan Order [note of clarification: that of the Penitents, whose ancient rule we follow].
By this place were the first Chapters of the Franciscan order, including the famous “Chapter of Matts” of Pentecost.
Here St. Francis, after refusing six times, finally agreed that he and the brothers would share a meal with St. Clare and the sisters. It is recounted that their souls glared so brightly that the people from the surrounding areas thought the forest was ablaze.
Here St. Francis had a vision of the Lord and Our Lady, and went to Perugia to implore Pope Honorius III in 1216 for a most extraordinary and unusual favor: “that anyone who comes [to the Portiuncola] confessed and penitent be absolved from the punishment and guilt from the day of baptism to the day and hour of entrance in said church”. Such an indulgence was unheard of in those days! Yet, three times did the Supreme Pontiff give his assent. Upon the Saint rejoicing and departing his presence, came the Pope’s affectionate remark and the Saint’s moving reply:
“You simpleton, where are you going? What proof do you carry?”
“Your word suffices to me! I seek no further instrument, other than the Virgin Mary be the parchment, Christ the notary, and the Angels the witnesses!”.
There is a pious story coming from the nephew of one of the early brothers, who accompanied Francis back from Perugia to Assisi. They stopped to rest a while and, upon awakening, St. Francis said: “Brother Masseo,I tell you from God that the Indulgence that the Supreme Pontiff gave me is confirmed in heaven!”
Here Francis stood by the entrance after returning from Perugia and, stretching his fatherly arms, said to all:
“I want to send you all to heaven!
I announce to you an Indulgence
which I obtained from the mouth of the Supreme Pontiff…”
St. Francis at the Portiuncola, 1226
Here Francis implored his Guardian and his brothers to take him to die.
“No, no! To Our Lady of the Angels! – Francis begged – I want to die where I began!” (from “The Perfect Joy of St. Francis”, by Timmermans)
Finally, here he died, naked on the floor (ref. Job 1:21), a broken, small 43-year-old man, marked with the Stigmata of the Lord he so loved, surrounded by his brothers who so loved him, under the loud warbling of hundreds of larks soaring heavenward…St. Francis of Assisi, whom Holy Church would call the Seraphic Father, the Alter Christus, but who, in his letters, introduced himself as little brother Francis….the little one….your servant…a worthless and weak man.
On the Great Pardon, or the Portiuncula Indulgence
One scholar wrote:
“it seems incredible that a perpetual plenary indulgence with no attached condition of almsgiving or personal sacrifice should have been granted in favor of an obscure chapel in Umbria. Yet we have six sworn statements of contemporaries, regulations of the General Chapters of the Order, and 53 pontifical acts of the XIVth century either confirming it or defending it”.
The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Jan., 1939), p. 466
This is just as St. Francis had told Pope Honorius: “If it is the work of God, He will make it manifest” – and this He has done – through His Church – through the centuries!
Of this plenary indulgence can benefit the faithful – for themselves or for a deceased as suffrage –
(a) either by directly visiting Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Porziuncola shrine it contains (in Assisi)
…and they will recite a Pater (Our Father) to reaffirm their dignity as children of God received in Baptism
…and they will pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, condition which is satisfied by reciting one Pater and one Ave, although one may also recite any other prayer if recited for this intention. This would also be fittingly performed on the same day.
On Indulgences in general, and Plenary Indulgences in particular – or, how to gain one
To benefit from an indulgence, the person must be baptized, must not be excommunicated, and hopefully in the state of grace. Furthermore, one must have the general intention of gaining the indulgence, and of course carry out the works mentioned above.
Most importantly, however, for the indulgence to be plenary and not partial, it requires the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin.
This has been historically considered the most complex of the conditions: no man, however holy, can call himself free of sin, but many can honestly call themselves free of affection towards sin, to the best of their knowledge!
In 2004, the Apostolic Penitentiary used the following language:
…as long as they are totally free from any desire to relapse into sin…
“The requirement is not “freedom from all sin“, rather, that “there is no sin which the soul is unwilling to renounce”.
A person should know if he’s in compliance, because an attachment implies a refusal to fix a situation – as when sometimes, deep down, we don’t want to let go of certain sins, even if “small”.
This is quite different from weakness, or habitual sin that is being battled…to souls in these situations, the Church is ready to aid!”
Confession, Reparation…and Indulgences – or, how they are closely related!
Pray to the good Lord to take away any desire, albeit small or hidden, for sins both grave and venial, and go as far as to bring forth in your heart a salutary hatred of sin, remembering that God is all-good and all-loving and that even the smallest sin displeases him.
After all, what is an indulgenceif not but a “continuation” of the Sacrament of Penance? That is to say, “a remission before God of temporal punishment for sins whose guilt is already forgiven”?
We know that the matter of sacramental Confession is the acts of the penitent: contrition, confession and satisfaction.
say NO to sin!
We should strive to a perfect contrition (CCC 1452) and perfect contrition builds more and more on detachment from sin, first from the “great” sins and then from the “small” ones! A devout soul, then, should not find much difficulty in complying with the requirement to be detached from all sin. The rest of us should simply keep working our way there, knowing that it is entirely up to us to not want to sin, while it is entirely a gift of God to bless us with the grace needed to overcome sin. “Without me – says the Lord – you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5), but He also says, “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48), and later, to St. Paul, “my grace is enough for you” (2Cor 12:9).
In the form of the Sacrament, “I absolve you”, assuming the penitent did not put any obstacles, such as willfully lying or withholding, or later failing to do any satisfaction, but rather that the penitent had a sincere sorrow for their sins and a firm resolution to avoid them in the future, all their sins from the very moment of Baptism (or from their last Absolution) till that moment are forgiven and remitted through the power of the Keys – even sins that you may have forgotten to mention!
Yet, such forgiveness and remission of sin does not imply the forgiveness of the temporal punishment due to every sin.
Sin carries both a stain and a punishment. When the stain is cleansed from the soul by sacramental absolution, the temporal punishment is not always remitted, except through the remedy of satisfaction, by avoiding near occasions of sin, resolving to sin no more, and doing works of penance. Such satisfaction also atones to our Mother the Church, whom we often forget is injured by our sins, and it also deters others from sin by way of example.
Last but not least, temporal punishment is the reason for Purgatory…the ecclesia dolens… Someone reported that St. Padre Pio once said: “let us do our Purgatory here on earth…by accepting everything from God’s hand“. (ref. Job 1:21…again…)
Interiorly, satisfaction heals the wound caused by sin. St. Bernard taught that “the stain is removed from the soul by God’s mercy, while the wound is healed through the remedy of penance…and even then, some scar remains”.
In this we see the great love and care of Holy Mother Church, Bride of Christ and as such minister of Redemption, custodian of that great treasury of expiatory works of Christ and the Saints! By granting an Indulgence, our Mother the Church is coming to our help in ridding us of the temporal punishment we have accumulated by our sins – or, when we apply the indulgence to a faithful departed, to help us help one another!
St. John Paul II summarized this wonderfully in 1999:
“[indulgence] is a sensitive subject, which has suffered historical misunderstandings […]
The starting-point for understanding indulgences is the abundance of God’s mercy revealed in the Cross of Christ. The crucified Jesus is the great “indulgence” that the Father has offered humanity through the forgiveness of sins […] in the logic of the covenant, which is the heart of the whole economy of salvation, this gift does not reach us without our acceptance and response. […]
[I]t is not difficult to understand how reconciliation with God, although based on a free and abundant offer of mercy, at the same time implies an arduous process which involves the individual’s personal effort and the Church’s sacramental work.
For the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism, this process is centered on the sacrament of Penance, but it continues after the sacramental celebration. The person must be gradually “healed” of the negative effects which sin has caused in him (what the theological tradition calls the “punishments” […] Precisely for the sake of complete healing, the sinner is called to undertake a journey of conversion towards the fullness of love.
The temporal punishment itself serves as “medicine” to the extent that the person allows it to challenge him to undertake his own profound conversion. This is the meaning of the “satisfaction” required in the sacrament of Penance.
The meaning of indulgences must be seen against this background of man’s total renewal by the grace of Christ the Redeemer through the Church’s ministry.
The Church has a treasury, then, which is “dispensed” as it were through indulgences. This “distribution” should not be understood as a sort of automatic transfer, as if we were speaking of “things”. It is instead the expression of the Church’s full confidence of being heard by the Father when – in view of Christ’s merits and, by his gift, those of Our Lady and the saints – she asks Him to mitigate or cancel the painful aspect of punishment by fostering its medicinal aspect through other channels of grace. In the unfathomable mystery of divine wisdom, this gift of intercession can also benefit the faithful departed […]
We can see, then, how indulgences, far from being a sort of “discount” on the duty of conversion, are instead an aid to its prompt, generous and radical fulfilment. This is required to such an extent that the spiritual condition for receiving a plenary indulgence is the exclusion “of all attachment to sin, even venial sin” […]
Therefore, it would be a mistake to think that we can receive this gift by simply performing certain outward acts. On the contrary, they are required as the expression and support of our progress in conversion. They particularly show our faith in God’s mercy and in the marvellous reality of communion, which Christ has achieved by indissolubly uniting the Church to himself as his Body and Bride.”
WE COMMEND HIS SOUL TO THE MERCY OF THE RISEN CHRIST AND WE THANK ALMIGHTY GOD FOR HIS LIFE AMONG US
The Franciscans of Life announce the death of Brother Leo Gerard Belanger, FFV.
Brother Leo Gerard Belanger, FFV, age 66, of Pickerington, Ohio, formerly of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, passed away Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at his residence. Born February 19, 1954 in Fall River, MA to the late Armand and Corinne (St. Germain) Belanger.
He worked as a nurse for 36 years, the last 15 years in hospice care. He was a very compassionate person who loved taking care of his patients. Leo joined the Franciscans of Life in 2014. He was one of the earliest brothers in vows. He touched the hearts of many, especially his Franciscan Brothers of Life, and he will be greatly missed.
Interment will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery in New Bedford, MA.
Friends who wish to do so, may contribute to the Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 5225 Refugee Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43232 in his memory.
Our country is going through a big political conflict that has serious moral concerns. Eight hundred thousand government employees have been affected by the government shutdown. We must remember that most of these 800,000 people are the main source of income for many families. If we add immediate family members to the 800,000 workers, we’re talking about over one million people without a paycheck.
Among these people there are senior citizens and materially poor families who live in Section-8 housing; that is, housing that is subsidized by the government. These subsidies come from the Federal Government and are contractual. As the contracts reach maturity, the government and the landlord need to renew the contract. For the contract to be renewed, there must be someone to negotiate and money to subsidize these families’ rent. People in Section-8 housing are afraid of eviction, because they cannot afford the government’s share of the rent and there is no functioning government agency to fund new contracts.
We are also facing some real dangers. Many employees in the aviation industry are not being paid and some have been furloughed. Those that must report to work are reported to be calling in sick. Case in point, Miami International Airport had to close a terminal because airport authorities did not know if they would have enough TSA agents to staff check points.
Likewise, the FDA cannot do a good job securing that our food and medication supply is safe for human consumption, because it too is affected by the shutdown and shortage of money to continue operating.
Many people have taken to the media to point fingers at one party and that party points the finger at the first party. The truth is that legislators have a MORAL OBLIGATION to protect the safety and interests of their citizens. This may require a willingness to talk and reach some compromises in the best interest of the general public, not any political party or partisan plan.
People who recognize the dignity of human life, at any stage and in any form, we must be concerned about issues such as safety, housing for the poor and senior citizens, and the families whose income has been cut short and are struggling to pay a mortgage or rent, not to mention money to pay for electricity and gas for heating during the current winter conditions in many states.
It is also true that every nation has a right to protect its border and that immigrants have an obligation to comply with the laws of the receiving country. It’s very easy to say, “Don’t build a wall and open up the government.” But the truth is that there is more involved than opening the government or borders. Many politicians seem to shy away from thinking outside the box for solutions, out of fear of losing the 2020 election.
However, Jesus tells us, “34 ‘Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” (Matt 25:34-36).
It is necessary that people of faith, look at the current dilemma and try to see it as God sees it. We must ask Our Lady to intercede as she did at the wedding feast in Cana and that she guides legislators from whatever party they belong to, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5).
. The debate concerning the border wall and the government shutdown stands on a moral slope that is very slippery. Innocent people will suffer, while wealthy politicians argue back and forth, because they can pay their bills and support their families. Let us raise our prayers to heaven for the necessary guidance to resolve this situation in a manner that is pleasing to God and just to man
The Franciscans of Life wish every one of our family, friends, and benefactors a Happy and Blessed New Year.
We want to remind everyone that January first is not only New Year’s Day in the western calendar, but it’s also a special solemnity in honor of Our Lady. It’s the Solemnity of the Mother of God. It is the only feast day that we celebrate honoring Our Lady’s “divine maternity”.
In a world where motherhood and childbearing are often viewed as a burden or an inconvenience, at the very least, Catholics remember that motherhood is a gift from Heaven. God becomes man and is born into a human family. Every one of us has existed in the mind of God the Father for all eternity. This “divine thought” becomes a human being at conception. God has seen us in His image and likeness since the beginning.
Let us pray that this year, humanity will awaken from the nightmare of abortion and euthanasia. Pray that nations come to respect life, from the womb to the tomb, as a mystery that comes from God and is destined to return to God at a time according to His plan.
Topic shift: the Franciscans of Life have completed our year-end review. We planned our days, schedules and activities for this new year, to allow us more time for silence, solitude, prayer, penance, a fraternal life. Like every human family, a community of consecrated persons, religious or lay, is called to live as a family that reflects the community of the Holy Trinity.
It is very easy to get caught up in the “to do’s” of everyday life, to the point where doing becomes man’s only source of satisfaction and enrichment. Unfortunately, becoming or being is forgotten and replaced by doing. We hope that others will join us in the quest to become people of deeper prayer, more sacrificial penance, and joyful members of families, parishes, and communities.
Brother will vow to live in obedience to God, the Church, and the constitutions and superior of our community. He will surrender the right to own property and will vow to live the rest of his life without property, money, or special distinctions. He will vow to live celibate chastity until death, so that he may devote every moment of his life to Christ, the Immaculate, and the people of God.
Franciscans of Life also make a fourth vow: to proclaim the Gospel of Life to the voiceless. We follow the example of St. Francis and his command to the first Franciscans, to live in peace with all men, to have a special place in our hearts and their mission for the poor, elderly, sick and abandoned. The Gospel of Life demands in a special way that we treat all travelers and immigrants with respect and charity. Please pray for Brother Bernardo and for the Franciscans of Life, that we may be faithful to the end.
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May the new year bring many blessings into your lives. Let us pray that it will be a year where man moves closer to peace, deals more justly with other people, and detaches from excessive material goods to the detriment of his soul.
In your kindness please pray for our Superior, Br Jay, who is currently very sick.
*** Update 2/24 Br Jay “graduated” from the acute rehab center and is back at the Motherhouse 🙂 God bless you for your prayers and support during this difficult time. ***
** Update 2/14 Br. Jay begins his Lent in an acute rehab facility to perform occupational and physical therapy. If God wills, he will continue recovering and will be able to come back to the Motherhouse soon. **
** Update 2/11 There has been significant improvement in Br. Jay’s health. He is still in the hospital but undergoing physical therapy. He thanks you all for the ongoing prayers. May God continue to strengthen him. **
** Update 2/5 11 PM Our Superior is out of critical care but still hospitalized. He is very grateful to all. Praying that he regain strength. **
** Update 2/2 11 PM No major changes. Every day the numbers show a bit of improvement. However please pray in a special way for removal of ventilator. Your prayers are efficacious – thank you! **
** Update 1/29 5 PM Things keep improving a bit at a time. Please keep praying for Br. Jay who is still in critical care, and for those who are overseeing his healthcare. **
** Update 1/28 4 PM More signs of improvement. **
** Update 1/27 12 noon Slight signs of improvement. **
** Update 1/26 3:00 AM Br. Jay’s secondary issue (breathing) deteriorated, requiring additional critical care. Praying for continuation of recovery. **
** Update 1/24 4:00 AM Br. Jay’s condition has shown a significant improvement. Still in ICU. Please pray for his breathing to stabilize, if it be God’s will. Br. Jay expresses his gratitude to everyone who has been praying for him and touching base with us. **
** Update 1/23 11:30 AM Br. Jay’s condition has improved a little bit. Still very sick. Prayers greatly appreciated. **
This week, many people have written about the social justice cause represented by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s good to remember the importance, and the need that we still have, to conquer hatred and different forms of prejudice. Also, there are pro-life marches, speeches and demonstrations around the country, despite the freezing temperatures in some cities. Don’t think that God does not notice such a sacrifice. These sacrifices are more meaningful to him than “burnt offerings.”
As we progress forward, it’s important to look back. One who does not look back to see where he’s been and the progress he has made, has no sense of how far to go and how much more he must do. The pro-life issue is one of those that must be examined within the context of an established tradition of human rights.
This week is not a political protest against abortion, against racism, against euthanasia or any other violation. If we narrow down our language, our activity, and limit all our resources to overthrow abortion and euthanasia laws, there is a possibility that such laws will be with us for a long time and may affect many more lives.
We must educate others. There are those who make racism, abortion, euthanasia, human trafficking and other heinous crimes “Catholic Culture Wars” or “Black Culture Wars” or any other culture war that we can imagine.
Our primary moral duty is to help men and women of every age, every faith, every ethnic group, every walk of life and any sexual preference embrace the RIGHT TO LIFE, not create more divisions and more wars. The Right to Life begins with the right to be born. But we must not get comfortable because the number of abortion is decreasing while the number of older, sick and disabled people being euthanized is rising.
We can’t get too comfortable with the idea that People of Color, Caucasians, and people of diverse cultures can coexist in any community. That’s just wishful thinking. Man comes into the world to do more than coexist with other men. Man comes into the world to live. We are the result of a basic natural principle called, “generativity”, from the term “genesis”. When we interfere with birth, life and death, instead of following the laws built into nature, we find ourselves doing the unnatural. To deny someone the right to be born and to grant someone the right to take another person’s life or help another take his or her life, is an irrational attempt on the part of humanity to dominate nature.
While it’s true that we’re not beasts of the fields who live and hunt on instinct, we are creatures of the Earth. If that were not the case, then we would not be so consumed by anxiety over the environment and the future of the eco-system. These are important to us. Why? Consciously or unconsciously, we recognize that we are part of the natural world and that the natural world is necessary for individual and communal growth.
At some level, we know that we are natural beings; so, we fight to preserve the environment that we need to prosper. To deny a human being the right to be born, the right to care and support until that person dies without us pushing them over a cliff, is to assume that we are masters over the very nature of which we are part. Either we are part of humanity or we are masters of humanity. The hand has no right to dismiss the lung. Nor does the ear have a right to dismiss the foot. Each is part of a whole. The man or woman who authorizes the killing of the preborn child, the sick, the elderly and the disabled or who carries out such an act, that person has placed himself or herself above humanity.
A man or woman who expends energy on the “right to terminate life” in the womb or years after birth, such a person no longer shares in human nature. That person has deceived himself and others. Everyone now believes that a person who can terminate a life or sabotage a birth is a person of power. The truth is very different. Such a person is filled with fear, fear of humanity. It is in their best interested to have some control over who is born, who lives and when others die.
The combined efforts of Dr. King and the Pro-life movement have one goal and one goal only, to save us from ourselves.
Our country is going through a big political conflict that has serious moral concerns. Eight hundred thousand government employees have been affected by the government shutdown. We must remember that most of these 800,000 people are the main source of income for many families. If we add immediate family members to the 800,000 workers, we’re talking about over one million people without a paycheck. 
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Franciscans of Life 
