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Post by Patchsigns on Jul 13, 2005 23:15:22 GMT -5
I really love St. Francis. My parish has been Franciscan for 95 years. Unfortunately, and sadly... the Franciscans are pulling out of our parish due to the thinning of the Order of Franciscan Minors... They're just needed elsewhere.
But, the Franciscans have touched me in a way that no diocesan priests have touched me before...
It is with that special love that I have for the Franciscans and St. Francis that I was professed as a Secular Franciscan on May 15th of this year.
Anyway... I started collecting St. Francis of Asissi statues. Small ones.
I was just wondering if anyone has a special devotion to a particular Saint or a particular religious statue that they collect as well.
It would be fun to share stories about this...
Blessings,
Joe
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Post by passthepeace1 on Jul 14, 2005 1:38:14 GMT -5
Joe,
Congrats on becoming a Secular Franciscan! That is something I have considered myself. In what ways do you feel like it has enriched your spiritual life?
I like to collect holy cards, have them everywhere...lol...
I look forward to getting to know you better.
Peace be with you..Pam
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Post by Our Lady of the Snows on Jul 14, 2005 3:34:48 GMT -5
Our Church is named after St Francis.  But our priest is Jesuit. I have one statue, a small one, of Mary, but it is very beautiful. In fact, when I took it to the priest to bless, he just looked at it for the longest while . . . My husband had given it to me for Christmas. I think these are very, very important to our lives. I know that just having a statue of Mary in the house causes me to reflect more on her and her life, her virtures, her relationship to me and God. . . . If I had statues of saints, I would like them to be St Pio, St Therese, among others, and St Francis . . . Our Lady of the Snows |
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Post by Patchsigns on Jul 14, 2005 19:32:26 GMT -5
Pam and Our Lady of the Snows,
These sacramentals are important to so many of us. They are a constant reminder of that particular saint and it draws our heart closer to our Faith.
I have a friend who has a special place in his home where he has almost 300 statues. Each one has a special place in his heart.
He also has a relic of the Blessed Veil of Mary and 1st class relics of Saint Gennaro and others. Unfortunately, they are without documentation, so they can't be publicly worshipped in the church.
Pam... I grew up with Diocesan Priests. When I moved to Fair Lawn, New Jersey, the priests at my Parish were Franciscan Friars.
Sometimes, I think, God calls you and he doesn't stop calling you until you respond to His Callings.
When I began teaching 7th grade CCD, we had to learn a prayer. That prayer was the "Prayer of St. Francis". I began to show videos to the kids about St. Francis... Francis seemed to surround me.
I wear my Tau cross all of the time and it gives me a deep peace... I wanted to live simply as St. Francis and St. Clare did. There's a true sense of brotherhood and sisterhood with other members. It's kind of hard to explain. It's that "Feeling."
We do try to spread peace and justice and all good works we do to help those in great need and poverty...
Someone once said that God brought Francis, almost as a Second Coming of Jesus, if you will, to remind the people of how to live as Jesus would have us to live...
Blessings,
Joe
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Post by Mystic Rose on Jul 19, 2005 16:29:49 GMT -5
One last story about St. Francis….
One day Francis said to one of the young monks, “Let us go down into the town and preach!” The novice, delighted at being singled out to be a companion of Francis, obeyed with great enthusiasm. They passed through the main streets, turned down many of the byways and alleys, made their way into the suburbs, and at great length, returned by a circuitous route to the monastery gate. As they approached the gate, the younger monk reminded Francis of his original intention.
“You have forgotten, Father, that we went to the town to preach!”
“My son,” Francis replied, “we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We have been seen by many; our behavior has been closely watched; it was thus that we have preached our morning sermon. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk.”
Francis’ words to us are, “Preach the Gospel always and if necessary use words.” How many sermons have you preached without even knowing it? We are called, as Christians, to bring the love and peace of Christ into the world not only with our lips but also in our lives. Let us resolve to live the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in forgiving that we are forgiven;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Pray it; preach it; live it!
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Post by Patchsigns on Jul 20, 2005 19:15:22 GMT -5
You know what.... ? I must have really been typing fast...!! Can you imagine that I spelled Assisi... Asissi...!! Egads!! Sorry St. Francis....... Mea culpa!!!  Blessings, Joe |
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Post by Mystic Rose on Jul 22, 2005 10:06:26 GMT -5
You know what.... ? I must have really been typing fast...!! Can you imagine that I spelled Assisi... Asissi...!! Egads!! Sorry St. Francis....... Mea culpa!!! Blessings, Joe Poor Joe ....  I do not think that St Frncis is too worried about the misspelling just as long as the message was gotten |
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But our priest is Jesuit. 
