Minister's Post for November

An Invitation to go Deeper

    After the spectacular experiences of October with Transitus, the Feast Day of St. Francis, the Blessing of the Animals, and the Professions of Pam Pert OFS, Linda Ochwat OFS, and Peter Normandin OFS, where do we go from here?  We go deeper.
     In October, we received an abundance of grace and love in the celebrations of these wonderful Franciscan moments. I saw joy overflowing in our community. I heard fellow Seculars say about the Professions of Pam, Linda, and Peter, ‘I was able to re-live my own Profession!’  We received so much; now were called to go deeper.
     Our November 3rd gathering, immediately following All Saint’s Day, will be an opportunity to go deeper into the ‘soul of all we are and do.’ We will have an opportunity to engage our minds, hearts, and souls in the experience of contemplative prayer in the form of Eucharistic Adoration and the Franciscan Crown. We’ll have an opportunity to take in our hands the joys we have received in the Franciscan celebrations of October and reflect on them in our hearts.
     November brings its own Franciscan joys as well – The feast of our Patron St. Elizabeth of Hungary on November 17th, and the Feast of Al Saints of the Seraphic Order when the final Rule of Life for the Franciscan friars was approved on 1223.  Let us enter this relatively quiet time following a very exciting October and take some time to ‘process’ and to appreciate the gifts we have received. Let’s spend just a bit of time in quiet prayer and contemplation.

Pace e Bene -
Laura Chun, OFS
Minister

Giotto, The Last Judgment, Arena Chapel, Padua