Thanks to the Fantastic Volunteers and Supporters of theLittle Portion Food Pantry sponsored by Blessed Sacrament Church (Burlington, NC), Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and pastor of Blessed Sacrament – Fr. Paul Lininger, OFM Conv. shares a brief video of the Monday, September 13th, 2021 major Food Distribution, where they served 821 families, consisting of 2828 individuals.
Video produced and edited by Leo Quinn, the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Blessed Sacrament:
Saint Francis with the Blood of Christ (c. 1490-1495) by Carlo Crivelli
The Triumph of the Cross and Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi – September 17 Texts: Gal 6, 14-18; Lk 9, 23-26. Theme: A new creation is everything (Gal 6); Subtheme: Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed (Lk 9). NRSV
Love for the Eucharist: Principles to Align and to Choose Over 800 years ago, St. Francis of Assisi led a Eucharistic crusade to rekindle understanding, respect and love for the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Our times mask the recurrent problem of growing cold in understanding, love and reverence for the Eucharist. In times that are uncommonly difficult, how do we deal with our duties towards God and our duties to society and the State. Our duties towards God and the State are different. Often enough they are seen as contraries. When our duties are contraries, what do we do? We often dance around issues as long as we can. We wait to make difficult decisions until we cannot defer any longer. The truth is that we do not hate the world, the State or society, but we have to align, which means to weigh our duties, our abilities, and the quality of our Christian example. When duties towards God and duties towards the State are contraries, we have to do more than align; we have to choose.
St. Francis of Assisi said: YES to the real innovation of Christianity, the truth in the Second Person of the Trinity as God and Man, the hypostatic union, by which the atonement and transforming forgiveness of sins is from above, and beyond our capability and incapability to explain. The Truth took on our human nature, was born in time, loved us and consumed our guilt in the fire of his love. To listen to conscience is to become free to hear the message of conscience. Truth becomes a yoke that is not too heavy. YES, we have the right to try to escape from extremities that God allows to come our way, to try to reconcile the demands of divine and human law, the laws of the Church and laws of the State. Thomas More’s precise teaching justifies our natural desire to escape what God allows us to suffer.
The Eucharist is the center of the Church’s life. We live with real and apparent contradictions. Pope Benedict teaches: “Jesus is the lodestar of human freedom; without him freedom loses its focus, without the knowledge of truth, freedom becomes debased, reduced and alienated to empty caprice. With Jesus, freedom finds itself.”[1] St. Francis imitated Christ perfectly. He suffered with Christ’s wounds. St. Thomas More (martyred 1535) aligned with Christ’s suffering. As a statesman, he exemplified the license to defer, to compromise as inevitable, and how to religiously sanction compromise.
Guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the Second Vatican Council reminded us that in every age of the Church’s history, the eucharistic celebration is the source and summit of her life and mission. “The Eucharist makes us discover that the Christ, risen from the dead, is our contemporary in the mystery of the Church, his body.”[2] As our primary teachers on the wonder that the eucharistic mystery must awaken in the hearts of the faithful, the American Bishops are leading the faithful towards a renewed Eucharistic crusade that aligns with Eucharistic crusades throughout history. May the Virgin Mother of our Savior assist us to ignite a new Eucharistic “awe and love.” May the Holy Spirit fill us with the same ardor experienced by the disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13-35)![3]
Sts. Francis and Thomas witness the persuasive authority of Eucharistic truth in our secular age. Conscience formation, prayer and discussion of love for the Eucharist pivots on: (1.) alignment and choice; (2.) the Christian license to defer; and, (3.) compromise that is religiously motivated.
Principle one: alignment is horizontal; choice is vertical. As a young man, Francis hesitated. Prayer led him to align with the Gospel and to choose to become like Christ. God gave him the gift of the sacred stigmata, the wounds of Christ. Thomas More was married and after his wife died, remarried. He aligned with King Henry VIII as a lawyer and loyal chancellor, but, in the end, chose God over the King.
Principle two: the Christian is licensed to defer. Francis tried to defer, to become a knight, but grace overpowered him. Thomas More exemplified the genius of Catholicism to attempt to compromise. Compromise is relative rather than absolute. His skills were in loyalty to duties of the State, ability to reconcile with duties to God and duties to neighbor. When these duties became contraries, fidelity to conscience and religious motivation won the personal crisis, his license to defer.
Principle three: claims of compromise by forming conscience needs religious motivation. Thomas More tried every legal avenue to escape taking the oath of supremacy to King Henry VIII. The inconvenient truth of the papal denial of the king’s petition for an annulment prompted Henry to make himself the Head of the Church of England. We live with consequences of the “rebellion.”
St. Thomas was caught in a dangerous ordeal that no one desires, deferred, and with legal skills compromised as far as possible. As the pressure mounted, he remained silent of criticism of the King, but in the end, Thomas’ religious conviction sealed his fate. He was condemned to death and martyred in full sight. When Thomas was going up the steps to the platform to be executed so all could see, he thanked the executioner for help and added that he would not need any help on the way down.
At his final earthly judgment, St. Thomas More said: “I am the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” In his Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul described all Thomas Mores as “A new creation [which] is everything” (Gal 6). St. Paul was blunt with the Galatians. “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus was publicly exhibited as crucified” (Gal 3). St. Paul reminded the Galatians that they had started with the Spirit, then relied upon doing the works of the law for their justification and redemption. “[How could] you be so foolish?” It is not doing the works of the law but “a new creation [that] is everything.” St. Paul cried out: “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6).
St. Thomas More’s convincing example is a virtue of attempted reconciliation that goes beyond the virtue of prudence. His choice to remain silent and not to speak out in public against the king prompts deeper reflection. In the end, Thomas More’s loyalty to King Henry VIII and his faithful silence did not help for he was executed by his friend over an inconvenient truth. How many similar martyrs are there? History attests to countless examples of loyal martyrs, bloody and unbloody or emotional.
Discussions about reception of the Eucharist and Catholic politicians who do not align with Catholic teaching are very painful. One side wants to escape, by which I do not mean running away from responsibility. The other side wants to align with the power of the lie, which is deaf to the internal promptings of truth. Yet, to be in denial of the consequences of our acts and deaf to the present judgment of conscience puts us into a perilous space. Vatican II confirms that the truth wins with gentleness and power.[4] God allows and uses sinners, frail and weak persons, to do his will.
How do we invite understanding, respect, and “awe” for God’s seven sacraments? How do we avoid weaponizing them? Christ became the food of truth inviting everyone to the truth about love!
In Celebration of My Golden Jubilee Year of Priesthood, Fr. Edward J. Ondrako, O.F.M.Conv.[5]
eondrako@alumni.nd.edu
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[1] Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, (Vatican: 2007), 2. The Eucharist is the very center of her life.
[2] Sacramentum Caritatis, 3. Ritual forms are orderly from antiquity.
[3] Sacramentum Caritatis, 97. This is key to theological development on the Eucharist.
[4] See Vatican II, Decree on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae. Memory has a freshness for modernity.
[5] See P.D.Fehlner, Theologian of Auschwitz (Hobe Sound, FL: Lectio Press, 2020); E. Ondrako, Rebuild My Church (Hobe Sound, FL: Lectio Press, 2021). Fehlner explicates St. Francis and Ondrako amplifies Fehlner’s Franciscanism.
Fr. Edward J. Ondrako, OFM Conventual
Research Fellow Pontifical Faculty of St. Bonaventure, Rome
Visiting Scholar, McGrath Institute for Church Life
University of Notre Dame
September 17, 2021
Lord Jesus Christ, we praise you and adore you. Like Francis, we are amazed that you held nothing back from us in pouring yourself out for us so totally through your holy wounds on the cross. We ask you to breathe forth your Holy Spirit into us and set our hearts on fire, so that, with the Spirit’s help, we might respond more fully to you. Amen.
Fr. James M. McInerney, OFM Conv., Fr. Colin Mary Edwards, OFM Conv. and Fr. John Delaney, OFM Cap. are friars of our Province Custody – Blessed Agnellus of Pisa (Greyfriars of Great Britain & Ireland) who serve in ministry at the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady in Walsingham, England. Starting today, September 15, 2021, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, pray along with our friars, the clergy and staff of the Walsingham Shrine, the devoted pilgrims there, and all who share in the online Novena in honor of Our Lady of Walsingham. The Novena ends on the September 24th Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. (Downloadable Novena)
Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.
St. Michael and the Archangels, defend us from all evil and disease.
St. Joseph, patron & protector of the Universal Church, pray for us.
Saints & Martyrs of England, Wales, Scotland & Ireland, pray for us.
If you live in Great Britain or Ireland and would like more information on vocations with our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, contact the Custody’s Vocation Director, Fr. Maximilian M. Martin OFM Conv. at The Friary, St. Mary’s Road, Oxford, OX41RU or email him at vocation@thegreyfriars.org.
Consistent with our Franciscan charism and tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our province is promoting opportunities to more fully tap into a devotion from our Kolbean heritage, through the example of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., and the continued efforts of his Militia of the Immaculata’s (M.I.) unconditional Consecration to the Immaculate. In order to better promote M.I. among the faithful served through the ministries of our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., our Province MI Assistant, has completed the 24th successful and rewarding stop on our Province M.I Initiative Tour of our pastoral ministries. Friar Jobe’s revised scheduled stops on this tour will continue through February of 2022. Keep him and all those he greets in your prayers, as he continues to preach at the Masses to encourage the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate, and to enroll in the M.I. __________________
Stop 24 of the M.I. Initiative took place at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, New Bedford, MA at the weekend Masses on September 11 -12. The pastor, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar – Fr. Conrad Salach, OFM Conv. and the parishioners warmly welcomed the invitation to entrust themselves to the Immaculate Mother of God and become members of the M.I. As they marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, they recalled that just as Pope St. John Paul II declared St. Maximilian a saint for a difficult century, we are perhaps more in need of St. Maximilian and the M.I. now in the 21st century.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, in New Bedford, MA
An altered image of a Chapter at the Portiuncula (“Little Portion” as St. Francis called the St. Mary of the Angels chapel) from “The Little Flowers of St. Francis,” published in 1919 by J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd. London. The book is an English translation by Thomas Okey of “I Fioretti di S. Francesco,” by Antonio Cesari (1822) of collected tales of St Francis of Assisi. Original stories were in Latin from about 150 years after the 1226 death of St Francis.
A modern Franciscan Chapter is reminiscent of the 1221 version when St. Francis of Assisi called more than 3,000 friars to come together as family, to the Portiuncula chapel, in Assisi, for a general meeting or “Chapter of Mats.” At that time, the friars lived in huts made from reeds and brought their sleeping mats with them, to the area surrounding the chapel to have a place to sit. Modern day friars, instead meet in a conference center, get to sit on actual chairs, and sleep in “real” beds. It is however still thought of as a coming together as a family, offering witness of brotherhood and celebrating Franciscan life. Days are filled with meetings, presentations as well as the much-needed work of organizing the general needs of the friars and ministries of the Province. Chapter is also a time to just enjoy Franciscan Brotherhood. From September 13-16, 2021, a set of delegate friars (about 1/3 of the province) will be representing the rest of our 165 Solemnly Professed friars at an Extraordinary Provincial Chapter.
Our province is grateful to those to whom we minister, and all of those who prayerfully support our work, who are praying for our friar delegates at our Monday through Thursday Meetings. We will share some photos after the Extraordinary Provincial Chapter.
Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. (pictured at right on left: Provincial Delegate – Our Lady of the Angels Province Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi of Canada & Delegate to the M.I.) and the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (pictured at top center: Our Lady of the Angels Minister Provincial) met with the Franciscans of Halifax (Nova Scotia) over the 2021 Labor Day holiday weekend to discuss future collaboration. The Franciscans of Halifax are a public association of the faithful, comprised of ordained priests, whose roots and charism are linked to the Italian Franciscan Friars Conventual. They currently number 8 members under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Halifax.
While in Halifax, Dr. Simone Abbass took her brother, Friar Jobe, and Friar James to visit and pray at the graves of 170 of the victims of the sinking of the Titanic.
Join Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Executive Director of our St. Clare Inn ministry, in Toronto, ON, Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv., for the 12th Annual Linda’s Walk!
Every Year, St. Clare Inn hosts two major fundraisers to help with operating costs. Since St. Clare Inn is entirely funded privately and without any government support, these fundraiser are vital to keeping the doors open. Proceeds account for almost 40% of operating costs. On September 25th, they will hold their 12th Annual Linda’s Walk.
Saturday September 25, 2021
Linda’s Walk 2021
St. Clare Inn’s 12th Annual Linda’s Walk! Due to COVID-19, they will be offering walkers two options to participate:
The in-person option will consist of staggered walk time registration. The in-person walk will start and end at St. Bonaventure Church. The virtual walk option will allow walkers to walk in their own neighborhoods and at their own speed and convenience. The third way to participate is by buying a 50/50 Draw or making a DONATION.
Registration Prices
Adult Registration: $25.00
Youth Registration (Ages 12-15): $15.00
Child Registration: Free
A Linda’s Walk t-shirt is included with each registration!
50/50 Draw
This year, we will also be holding a 50/50 Draw.
The winner of the draw will be announced after the walk.
1 Ticket for $5.00 donation
5 Tickets for $20.00 donation
For more information please email St. Clare Inn at info@stclareinn.org or call 416-690-0330.
Participants can also register for the walk by visiting the website at www.stclareinn.com/events/.
Thank you for supporting St. Clare Inn!
Fr. Julio Martinez, OFM Conv. serves as pastor at St. Julia Catholic Community, in Siler City, NC. He was featured in this article in the Chatham News & Record. ~”God has given us the ability to develop the vaccine and so I have promulgated getting vaccinated among our people here at St. Julia’s,” Father Julio Martinez of St. Julia’s Catholic Church said, “and I will continue to do that.”
Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. (pictured at right on left: Provincial Delegate – Our Lady of the Angels Province Delegation of St. Francis of Assisi of Canada & Delegate to the M.I.) and the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. (pictured at top center: Our Lady of the Angels Minister Provincial) met with the 