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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Franciscans... support and prayer...
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RuthW
liberal "peace first" hankie squeezer
# 13
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Posted
I am pulling this thread up in order to share this marvelous article about a pair of Franciscan brothers, twins, who worked at St. Bonaventure University in New York.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Posts: 24453 | From: La La Land | Registered: Apr 2001
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
such a great read...........i've sat with this story for a while now and each day had cause to think again.
reading back on this thread ( and thank you for bumping it up) the question of Why People Come Into ...esp I think we were looking at ....TSSF, the third order/ And I guess I am interested about other people's journey.
For me, there has been lots of change over the past ten years and there might well be even more change yet to come.
In the middle of this I have found a deep desire for some regular pattern...a discipline if you like.
I explored a number of related groups and ( for perfectly proper and understandable reasons) the "fit" wasn't quite there. Usually and unexpectedly these were often very practical reasons that negated taking matters any further.
So, couldn't just daily offices or having a rule of life outside of an order have done it?
In theory~ yes
In practice~ no!
This is an old idea ...for me anyway. But it's been a fascinating journey so far and one that appears to have opened up possibilities ...in me as a person...that i would never have dreamt of before.
And the whole thing of occasionally being Out of my natural churchmanship is ( i think anyway) always a good idea ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
...and 'hup!'
For those UK Third Order folk who don't already know, there is going to be a small TO presence at Greenbelt this year. Watch out for us at the TSSF stall in G Source.
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"I don't feel like smiling." "You're English dear; fake it!" (Colin Firth "Easy Virtue")
Growing Greenpatches
Posts: 4739 | From: The Kitchen | Registered: Oct 2001
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Jane Morley
Apprentice
# 14235
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Posted
Hi all
Have eventually caught up with myself enough to start conversing on here again...!
Good luck with Greenbelt!
Have been reading through the stuff about fostering a sense of community within TSSF local groups while avoiding them becoming cosy little clubs. So, what is the uniquely Franciscan flavour that should characterize our meetings?
Mutual support? In the form of prayerful, practical, humane and compassionate responses to each other...? Coupled with encouraging each other to face the challenge posed by Francis' and Clare's particular way of following Christ, i.e. 'gospel imperatives' (what are they?)? Something like identification with poor, rejected and marginalized people? Plus worship of God in and above all things. The shared delight and joy of recognizing God in all creatures, however humble; and the shared pain of witnessing (and colluding with) the destruction and degradation of these creatures and our planet home.
The purpose of the local groups should surely be to enable each Tertiary to be sent out to live the challenge of the Franciscan 'take' on the gospel in his/her own context, bolstered by each other's prayers and love.
This may well be a lot of 'hot air' with not much substance, would anyone care to comment, and perhaps 'ground' my thoughts a bit? We've had lots of discussions in our local group along the lines of previous thoughts on this thread about fostering community and attracting younger people, without much conclusion...
Ethne Alba, am interested in your 'faith journey' question. I was brought up in a middle-of-the-road C o E church; then I asked to join the Sisters at Compton Durville; got rejected because I had been in a psychiatric hospital (!); eventually found my way into the local Quaker Meeting where I stayed for 14 years; but this Franciscan thing wouldn't let me go, so I came back to C o E and joined TSSF in 2007.
Sorry for long ramble - and also for being so unadventurous back when I joined about thinking of an entertaining username - I understand I can't now change it!!
In Christ
Jane
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Janie
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
The experience of something just not letting us go....is ( to my way of thinking anyway) absolutely worth exploring further.
After all, what's the worst that can happen? Folk say no? Well that's one less door to attempt to go through then.
I do know that for me TSSF is a community that ( if I choose to allow it) does force me to reflect on my life and my living...asks some hard questions of me...but also invites me to move on, with others.
The meetings? Well now, I'm so new that it's all still a mystery to me.....
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jane Morley:
Sorry for long ramble - and also for being so unadventurous back when I joined about thinking of an entertaining username - I understand I can't now change it!!
Jane
Keep your eyes skint there have been rumours of a name amnesty* happening some time soon.
Jengie
*name amnesty is a short spell of time when we can change our user names on the ship. There are normally rules such as put a link to your original name in your sig.
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jane Morley:
Have been reading through the stuff about fostering a sense of community within TSSF local groups while avoiding them becoming cosy little clubs. So, what is the uniquely Franciscan flavour that should characterize our meetings?
It is an interesting question. There's a core group of us who make most meeting, a few who come when they can and 1 or 2 we barely see. How do we create a community in that situation?
Carys
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
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Jane Morley
Apprentice
# 14235
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
quote:
Originally posted by Jane Morley:
Sorry for long ramble - and also for being so unadventurous back when I joined about thinking of an entertaining username - I understand I can't now change it!!
Jane
Keep your eyes skint there have been rumours of a name amnesty* happening some time soon.
Jengie
*name amnesty is a short spell of time when we can change our user names on the ship. There are normally rules such as put a link to your original name in your sig.
Thanks Jengie, where will name-amnesty be announced when it happens?
Jane
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Janie
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
They will announce it in the Styx board.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
It seems appropriate to say this here.
Brother Colin Wilfred SSF died yesterday. He'd been ill for a while.
![[Votive]](graemlins/votive.gif) For the repose of his soul, and may he rest in peace and rise in glory.
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
Happy St Clare's Day to all Franciscans!
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Japes:
Happy St Clare's Day to all Franciscans!
Indeed.
quote:
Originally posted by Japes:
It seems appropriate to say this here.
Brother Colin Wilfred SSF died yesterday. He'd been ill for a while.
For the repose of his soul, and may he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lux perpetua luceat ei.
His Requiem was at lunchtime today. He was a great friend of the other Tertiary in our parish, and preached one Ash Wednesday for us while visiting his friend.
Carys
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
Posts: 6896 | From: Bryste mwy na thebyg | Registered: May 2001
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Indeed, Happy St. Clare's day to all. Do any of the groups you are involved with do anything particular for the feast? Here in Cambridge, we traditionally have an outdoor eucharist and picnic at Denny Abbey - a ruined abbey (Franciscan I think) on the road to Ely, which is now a farmland museum. Last year we were joined in the hymns by some cows, and were glad of the museum farmhouse when it came on to rain. This is happening on Saturday and is usually a joyous occasion.
May Brother Colin Wilfrid rest in peace and rise in glory. Praying for the brothers and his family and friends.
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Aelred of Riveaux:
Indeed, Happy St. Clare's day to all. Do any of the groups you are involved with do anything particular for the feast? Here in Cambridge, we traditionally have an outdoor eucharist and picnic at Denny Abbey - a ruined abbey (Franciscan I think) on the road to Ely, which is now a farmland museum. Last year we were joined in the hymns by some cows, and were glad of the museum farmhouse when it came on to rain. This is happening on Saturday and is usually a joyous occasion.
Sounds wonderful. Unfortunately though we were due to have an August meeting on Wednesday night, it was cancelled a while ago because too many people were away. It was a pity, a meeting might have helped me deal with the bad job news I had that day.
Carys
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
Sorry to hear your bad news, Carys.
Our area always meet for an evening eucharist; this year the celebrant being one of our group who was ordained only a few months ago. All very exciting.
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
...and 'hup!'
For those UK Third Order folk who don't already know, there is going to be a small TO presence at Greenbelt this year. Watch out for us at the TSSF stall in G Source.
The clacking of hostly secateurs approacheth, hence the bump up.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stints on the TO stall at Greenbelt. Plenty people stopped to make enquiries, browse through our literature and just to chat. I had some really inspiring conversations there.
It was also good - if amusing - to note how many tertiaries, apart from those of us involved with the organisation of the stall - were there 'incognito' but who sidled by and 'outed' themselves when they realised we were there!
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif) Taint always easy to meet with TO folk out of one's immediate area; (come to think of it, it isn't that easy to maintain contact with tertiaries within our own areas). I came away feeling quite encouraged.
Should any of the organisers be lurking here, this was definitely A Good Idea and I'm looking forward to next year's stint.
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"I don't feel like smiling." "You're English dear; fake it!" (Colin Firth "Easy Virtue")
Growing Greenpatches
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
There's still a whole heap of Keeping Quiet About It going on though....I was never around at the stage when it was considered a good thing to be secretive.
Q: Rule of Life.
How complicated did anyone make it at first?
Or rather, how simple can it be at the begining?
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
Much better for a Rule of Life to be simple, and one you can stick to, than over-complicating it and feeling guilty about what you haven't done!
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Jane Morley
Apprentice
# 14235
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Posted
Has anyone else heard of the idea of drafting 2 Rules, one of aspirations to be aimed at, and one simple basic Rule as a foundation for every day, especially bad ones? 2 people have independently suggested this to me. Perhaps the most important thing is to be practical and concrete about finding one's way to a Rule that is about one's own set of circumstances, not some cardboard cutout of what a Tertiary SHOULD be doing. The Basic Rule given to Postulants is helpful as a template, but the detail needs to be worked out by each person.
On another tack - how do people manage to get a balance between 'Action' and 'Contemplation' in their lives, as Richard Rohr suggests? Has he gone too far down the 'Contemplative' road and lost the 'Active' edge to his ministry? See www.cacradicalgrace.org
Jane
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Janie
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
Now I've prayed First Evening Prayer, and the Transitus, it's time to wish all Franciscans, of whichever variety, a happy, holy and blessed St. Francis Day.
Have fun celebrating.
![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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fletcher christian
Mutinous Seadog
# 13919
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Posted
A blessed Francistide
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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'God is love insaturable, love impossible to describe'
Staretz Silouan
Posts: 5235 | From: a prefecture | Registered: Jul 2008
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Qoheleth.
Semi-Sagacious One
# 9265
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Posted
Blessings from a Benedictine!
Posts: 2532 | From: the radiator of life | Registered: Apr 2005
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Happy Francistide everyone! May you all have a joyful festival.
Posts: 161 | From: Cambridge UK | Registered: Jul 2007
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Sorry for the double post.
Thanks for the Francistide greetings from the Benedictine end of things.
We have an icon of Francis and Benedict in our Church as it is dedicated to St. Benedict but has a longstanding connection with the (Anglican) Franciscans, so I've quite a soft spot for Benedict too.
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
Humour me....( please)...
Lots of people use words for everything.
And a rule of life is...words based.
But....a wonder...does it have to be?
( like i said, humour me...i'm learning...)
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ethne Alba:
Humour me....( please)...
Lots of people use words for everything.
And a rule of life is...words based.
But....a wonder...does it have to be?
( like i said, humour me...i'm learning...)
As long as the intention is there, I don't see why it has to be.
Although if it's TSSF you're discerning, Ethne, them upstairs may not necessarily agree with me...
I've long wondered about trying to map out an alternative ROL in pictures. Use a circle as a base,maybe? Or a cartoon style storyboard. With few words. 'Word-based' doesn't have to be 'wordy.'
It could be tucked into the envelope with my 'official' signed rule.
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
I like those ideas Ethne and Miffy. Like Miffy, I'm not sure whether a non words based rule would be considered official enough, but it raises interesting questions. Does the rule need to be in English for example, could a British Sign Language user create a BSL rule, for example? Picture based rules could be really useful for some people e.g. severely dyslexic tertiaries and why should they be excluded? Also I would think that a multi-sensory rule could be easier for many people to engage with.
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
i suppose i am asking those questions... and yes, it's tssf...
i have never been someone for whom words alone ( blocks of words ) mean a deep amount. If i am to learn anything...or mark make in any meaningful way...then either the words go all over the place ....or images are involved in the task of Communication.
(i'm not likely to grow out of it either...am the wrong side of fifty!)
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Hmm... I wonder what St. Francis would think. He doesn't strike me as someone who was particularly into lots of words himself although of course the rule he wrote was in words. But then I don't expect the Pope would have accepted an alternative format!
Posts: 161 | From: Cambridge UK | Registered: Jul 2007
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
mercifully my novice guardian is not one who i am likely to confuse with the pope!....the ng might look kindly..i shall pray so...and explore slowly
thank you
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
I am not a Franciscan, but I do tend to have very simple rules of life, that try to encapsulate the way I want to approach live.
One I used earlier was an encircling prayer form
quote:
Encircle me O God
keep violence without
keep a quiet spirit within.
Encircle me O God:
Keep pride without;
Keep vulnerability within.
Encircle me O God:
Keep love of security without;
Keep generosity of spirit within.
(I am the author and I don't expect you will find it elsewhere on the web as this is first time I can remember publishing it).
At present I have the equally challenging but even simpler one
quote:
part of Micah 6:8
walk humbly with your God
which I find intensely challenging as a way of living, when I have sussed this I might add the other parts of the verse.
I suspect a novice master may want to add commentary around about the perceived implications of such a rule.
Jengie
[ 07. October 2011, 14:24: Message edited by: Jengie Jon ]
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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fletcher christian
Mutinous Seadog
# 13919
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Posted
Franciscan Rules tend to be mainly practical - so they are very much doable and liveable rather than being something you have to strive towards all the time (there can be elements of this though).
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'God is love insaturable, love impossible to describe'
Staretz Silouan
Posts: 5235 | From: a prefecture | Registered: Jul 2008
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crynwrcymraeg
Shipmate
# 13018
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Posted
i long fir a deeper spirituality - your words re encouraging to me
thanks
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I ignored the admins and now I'm Erin's bitch.
Posts: 522 | From: Ty'n Coed | Registered: Sep 2007
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crynwrcymraeg
Shipmate
# 13018
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Posted
i long fir a deeper spirituality - your words re encouraging to me
thanks
in Your great love
answer me O God
(wonder what flood proection on here is and why it be ...)passing the 120 seconds ..dum de dum ....Ave
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I ignored the admins and now I'm Erin's bitch.
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Ethne Alba
Shipmate
# 5804
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Posted
( and bumping again)
Postulant in the new year....i suppose this is a litle bit further than exploring now
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Wishing you every blessing on your continuing journey Ethne.
Posts: 161 | From: Cambridge UK | Registered: Jul 2007
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
Blessing on your journey Ethne.
Can I ask for prayers for Tony, who's a tertiary and worships at my church who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour and is now on palliative care. And for his partner Phil.
Carys
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
New Year Greetings to everyone.
I can see some of you Franciscans logged on atm, so, before a broom-wielding host appears - do we want this thread to continue in 2012? Imo I do value the support and insights, even if we do spend much of the time down in the bowels of the Ship.
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
Happy New Year to all you Franciscans!
This is not a huge, long, "posts" and maybe it would be fine to keep it for 2012. ![[Angel]](graemlins/angel.gif)
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
I have no thoughts of sweeping this thread away, or the Benedictine one, I think they are both valuable just as they are.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
*BUMP* for the reason above.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
Has anyone else seen this video of the First Order SSF Brothers in Papua New Guinea?
It is interesting and moving to learn about our Brothers and Sisters in other provinces.
Pax et Bonum,
Rachel
Posts: 161 | From: Cambridge UK | Registered: Jul 2007
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fletcher christian
Mutinous Seadog
# 13919
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Posted
good vid - thanks
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'God is love insaturable, love impossible to describe'
Staretz Silouan
Posts: 5235 | From: a prefecture | Registered: Jul 2008
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Sir Pellinore
Quester Emeritus
# 12163
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Posted
I think you should keep the thread alive most definitely, Miffy.
Even informal association with the Brothers at a parish helps me realise Christianity is alive.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Well...
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
The Franciscans at Freeland do a lot of work outdoors, and they have a Blog here to show lots of flowers and creatures etc. It sounds and looks as if it's not too much rain...
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
But no doubt it must have been bad for them. I hope they are having a good time now.
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
As I'm about to go and say Evening Prayer, and the Office of the Transitus, it's time to wish all Franciscans a happy and blessed feast day!
[ 03. October 2012, 17:38: Message edited by: Japes ]
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Aelred of Riveaux
Shipmate
# 12833
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Posted
And, slightly belatedly, to you Japes. I hope you had a joyful Francistide!
Posts: 161 | From: Cambridge UK | Registered: Jul 2007
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I'm interested to read this thread... I'm hoping to build going on retreat into my routine going forward and the place I have in mind for the spring is a Franciscan monastery in the UK.
Nen - off to find the Benedictine thread.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
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