Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi Prayer Service at St. Bonaventure Church, Toronto, ON
The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi: On the evening of October 3rd, the Franciscan family throughout the world celebrates the solemnity of the Transitus of St. Francis, the passing over from this life to the next.
St. Francis spent the last few days before his death in praising the Lord and teaching his companions whom he loved so much to praise Christ with him. He himself, in as far as he was able, broke out with the Psalm: I cry to the Lord with my voice; to the Lord I make loud supplication. He likewise invited all creatures to praise God and, with the words he had composed earlier, he exhorted them to love God. Even death itself, considered by all to be so terrible and hateful, was exhorted to give praise, while he himself, going joyfully to meet it, invited it to make its abode with him. “Welcome,” he said, “my sister death.”
(Br Thomas of Celano, Second Life.)
CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honour, 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 coloured 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.
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From around the province:
Friars from the Maryland and Washington DC areas gathered in our Chapel at The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD. (Click to watch)
Most Holy Trinity – St. Mary Catholic Church, in Brooklyn, NY
Friars of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, who reside in St. Clare’s Friary (Mancester, England) celebrated in their friary as a precaution and for the protection of the parishioners they serve at Saint Clare R.C. Parish. (Click for more)
The Friars of Assumption Church (Syracuse, NY) remembered the passing of Saint Francis from this world to the next, thanks to the invaluable pariticipation of this year’s FrancisCorps volunteers. (Click for more)
A young parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Parish (Johnstown, PA) joyfully portrayed the “dead” St. Francis at an abbreviated Transitus Ceremony during 4:00 p.m. Mass, as two more parishioners him down the main aisle of the Church and place him at the foot of the altar. There he rested for at least 15 minutes, while the Transitus Service was conducted by Fr. Anthony Francis, OFM Conv. (pastor); his twelfth Transitus at the parish since becoming pastor there.
From the Conventual Franciscan Postulancy, USA: “May all of us be instruments of God’s peace to a world sorely in need.”
