I was speaking to one of our third order members recently of one of my greatest struggles being when, my daily schedule is thrown off such that my prayer times are really thrown off. During our discussion, I was made to realize, in a very Franciscan way, I must work on my desire for the prayer time. In other words, I need to pray throughout the day for more time more intimate prayer et al and the desire & strength to make it happen. I thought this realization my also be helpful for others in the same boat, so I thought I'd share.

Please pray for Joe Phohlmeir who was hit by a semitruck on his motorcycle on his way to Mass. He was a daily Mass goer at our Fraternity parish with whom we'd attend Rosary rallies. He was a kind, quiet, gentle soul, he may soon be facing his final end. There's good reason to hope for his salvation, but, obviously, the more prayers in his final moments, the better. He has received all that the Church has to offer including the Apostolic Pardon. Thanks be to God into whose hands we entrust his soul.

Ave Maria! I thought this an appropriate point of meditation on this Pentecost Sunday and wanted to share it with our Franciscan family: "...the holy man went on a certain Saturday into the city of Assisi, for he was to preach on the Sunday morning, as was his custom, in the Cathedral Church. And being thus absent in body from his children, and engaged in devout prayer to God (as was his custom throughout the night), in a certain hut in the canons garden, about midnight, whilst some of the brethren were asleep, and others watching in prayer, a chariot of fire, of marvellous splendor, was seen to enter the door, and thrice to pass hither and thither through the house; and over the chariot was seen a globe of dazzling light, like to the glory of the sun, which turned the night into day. The watchers were amazed, the sleepers aroused and affrighted; for that light illuminated the spirit no less than the body, and by its marvellous power the conscience of each was laid bare to his brethren. Now all, with one consent, under stood (each beholding the heart of the other) that their holy Father, being absent in body, was present in spirit, and was thus divinely manifested to them, transfigured into that form of heavenly light burning with the fire of celestial virtue, that they, as true Israelites, might follow after him, who, like another Elias, was made by God both the chariot and the charioteer. They believed also that He had opened the eyes of these simple men, at the prayer of Francis, to see the wonderful works of God, as He opened the eyes of the sons of the prophets to behold the mountain full of horsemen and fiery chariots around Elias. Now, when the holy man returned to his brethren, he began to discover the secrets of their consciences, and comforted them concerning this marvellous vision, foretelling also many things which should come to pass for the good of his Order. And as he thus revealed to them many things transcending human knowledge, the brethren knew that the Spirit of the Lord rested in all His plenitude upon His servant Francis, and that they would be most assuredly safe and blessed in following his life and teaching. After these things, Francis, the pastor of this little flock under the guidance of divine grace, led his twelve brethren to St. Mary of the Portiuncula, that the Order of the Friars Minor, which had been born there by the merits of the Mother of God, might there also by her aid receive its increase. And while he abode there, he went about all the cities and towns preaching the Gospel, not with the words of human wisdom, but in the power of the Spirit, announcing the kingdom of God." -The Major Life of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Bonaventure Pax et bonum

I appear to be sick with, perhaps, the flu. This is day 2. Waiting to be able return to work.

Please pray for my Grandma who is in the hospital with "the bug." After many prayers, she seems to be doing fairly well -- especially at her age, but continued prayers would be appreciated.

We have some well known Franciscan Feasts in this and next month! Yesterday, obviously, was a major feast, being the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis! I hope everyone had a good feast of the Stigmata St. Francis! I thought I would just start this thread here so that we can remind each other in comments below of the great feasts that come around!

Happy Feast of St. Louis IX who is patron of the 3rd Order! St. Louis is known for his good work in the holy crusades & his care for the poor. A good day to consider alms for the poor.

I was trying to find a way to enter more spiritually into St. Michael's lent to avoid it becoming just some vain exercise in natural fortitude -- and to really enter into the spirit of the lent vs. just thinking of it as any other time of penance. I was thinking it might help during your meditation, to kind of "place yourself" with St. Francis on Mt. Alvernia, pray various prayers that he has composed -- and meditate on them. It also might help to be mindful that he did this to the honor of St. Michael (and the holy angels in general), & Our Lady (who is queen of the Angels). Various Prayers: Hail Lady, Holy Queen, Holy Mary Theotokos, who art the Virgin made church and the One elect by the Most Holy Father of Heaven, whom He consecrated with His Most Holy beloved Son and with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; Thou in whom was and is all fulness of grace and every good. Hail His Palace; Hail His Tabernacle; Hail His Home. Hail His Vestment; Hail His Handmaid; Hail His Mother And hail all you holy virtues, which through the grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit are infused into the hearts of the faithful, so that from those unfaithful you make them faithful to God. Omnipotent, Eternal, just and merciful God, grant to us wretches that doing for Thy sake, what we know Thou wants, and always wanting, what pleases Thee, as ones interiorly cleansed, interiorly illumined and inflamed with the fire of the Holy Spirit, we might follow the footsteps of Thy Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and attain to Thee, Most High, by Thy grace alone, who in perfect Trinity and simple Unity lives and reigns and is glorified as the Omnipotent God, for all the ages of ages. Amen. Thou art the Holy Lord, the Only God, who works miracles (Ps. 76:15) Thou art strong, Thou art great (cf. Ps 85:10), Thou are the Most High, Thou art King Eternal, Thou Holy Father (cf. Jn 17:11) King of Heaven and earth. (Mt 11:25) Thou art three in one Lord, God of gods (cf Ps 135:2), Thou art Good, all good, Highest Good, Lord God living and true. (cf. 1 Thes 1:9). Thou art Love, Charity; Thou art Wisdom, Thou art humility, Thou art patience (Ps 70:5), Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness; Thou art security, Thou art quiet, Thou art joy; Thou art our Hope and Joy, Thou art justice, Thou art temperance, Thou art all our riches unto sufficiency. Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness, Thou art Protector (Ps 30:5), Thou art our guard and defender, Thou art fortitude (cf. Ps 42:2), Thou art refreshment. Thou art our Hope, Thou art our Charity, Thou art our Sweetness, Thou art our eternal Life: Great and admirable Lord, God Omnipotent, merciful Savior.

I also realized now that tomorrow is day 1 (appropriately beginning on First Saturday) -- if you do the 9-Day version of Total Consecration ending the 9th day on the Feast of the Assumption. If I am not mistaken, the MFMTO chapter in Louisiana will be doing this.

A friend of mine was considering joining the Third Order when friend of our cautioned him to consider first whether or not he'd be able to live the spirit of poverty like St. Francis. I told him that, for the tertiary, it's more a matter of living simplicity and detachment. I think he'd like to gear more from Friar Anthony his thoughts on how exactly we should live this out. Obviously, no one is going to be completely detached from all things over night, but it's more about seeking detachment and finding occasions go practice a spirit of poverty/simplicity. To be honest, ironically, I think the friend who was cautioned actually does live fairly simply. But, I wanted to give him a better answer as to how the tertiary is called to live poverty-- and why one ought not hesitate thinking he might not be called to it in the same degree as a Franciscan or something. To me, it sound like the one giving caution might be thinking that Franciscans are all called to be poor like St. Francis was poor.

Please pray for a friend of ours who, barring a miracle, doesn't have much longer to live after having been diagnosed with cancer. He is in a very weak condition. He has one daughter who, I believe, turned 13 just earlier this month around the time that he and his wife celebrated their 20th anniversary (in the hospital).

Please pray for my grandfather who is in the hospital. He is 90, and he has trouble breathing after Mass this morning. His oxygen, BP, and HR levels were getting better but haven't remained quite as stable as we'd like to see.

Hello all! I am very much hoping and praying to form more of a chapter where I live here in Nebraska. I think it would really help to capture more of the life of a Third Order Franciscan to be able to have more of a formed community phycally present. I am running into 3 obstacles: People are very attached to the idea of joining another third order (Dominican, Carmelite, etc.) They find the MFMTO to be intimidating Any suggestions for helping people to overcome potential attachments or intimidations?