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Special Lenten Reflections by bro Fred
- "If today you hear His Voice, Harden not your hearts"
- The Joy of Suffering
- A prayer of Repentance (two consecutive essays)
Who We Are...
Divine Mercy Fraternity is a Secular Franciscan Fraternity in Vero Beach, Florida. The Secular Franciscan Order is an international Order for lay people who want to follow Jesus Christ and live the Gospel in the style of
St. Francis of Assisi.
What is the Secular Franciscan Order?
Secular Franciscans, as the name implies, live their lives in the world rather than in religious communities. They may be single or married, women or men, in all walks of life. They live the Gospel in a Franciscan manner according to their own Rule which they profess after a period of initial formation. Profession as a Secular Franciscan is a lifelong commitment. Formation and profession of the Secular Franciscan takes place within a local community called a fraternity. Life in fraternity is an essential aspect of the Secular Franciscan vocation. The fraternity is a community of love, the privileged place for the sisters and brothers to develop their sense of Church and the Franciscan call. Although a self-governing Order, each Secular Franciscan fraternity receives guidance in spiritual matters from a spiritual assistant, usually a friar from one of the other Franciscan Orders. These relationships are particularly strong between Secular Franciscans and the Franciscan friars with whom they share common roots in the Franciscan penitential tradition. +++
Latest Franciscan periodicals
- Vox Franciscana, Winter-Spring 2024 (CIOFS)
- TAU-USA #114 Winter 2025
New
- FFMR The Joyful Messenger Fall 2024 PDF
- Koinonia 2024 https://ciofs.info/news/koinonia/
"Formation Friday" is now found here: https://jdpofs.org/resources/formation-fri/
SECULAR FRANCISCAN SAINTS - FEBRUARY
01 Blessed Viridiana de Attavantis (d.1242)
04 St. Joseph of Leonissa 1556-161
06 Sts Peter Baptist, & Companions d. 1597
07 St. Colette 1381-1447
15 Transfer of the Body of St. Anthony of Padua
19 St. Conrad of Piacenza 1290-1351
22 Margaret of Cortona (d.1297)
SECULAR FRANCISCAN SAINTS - MARCH
02 Blessed Agnes of Prague
09 Saint Frances of Rome
18 Profession of Saint Clare and Bl. Gerard
of Villamagna (d.1242)
20 Blessed Hippolytus Galantini (d.1619)
24 Blessed Didacus Joseph of Cadiz
28 Blessed Jeanne-Marie de Maillé (d.1414)
Wonderful News: our Five Franciscan Martyrs will be Beatified soon:
See: https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/pope-clears-way-beatification-georgia-martyrs
The Spanish Franciscans Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola were killed between Sept. 14 and Sept. 17, 1597, after Father de Corpa told a young Indigenous man, Juanillo, who was heir to a Guale chiefdom, that as a baptized Christian he could not take a second wife
The TAU CROSS each of us wears daily as our habit is a blessed Cross, a sign to the world of our admission in, and commitment to, the Secular Franciscan Order. At the beginning of each day as you prepare to get into the world, reverently kiss your Tau Cross, saying with St. Philip Neri: "And keep me Lord, this day, from betraying you, as Judas did, with a kiss! Ric Nagle. OFS. Always wear your TAU Cross!
General Formation material
1. How did I become a Secular Franciscan?
2. What do Secular Franciscan do at their monthly Gatherings
Both by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
From Tom DiFeo, Christian composer:
- I comfort you Beautiful!
We Love you Lord
(We are not responsible for You-tube ads)
From Tom DiFeo, Christian composer:
Canticle of the Creatures
by Saint Francis of Assisi
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, 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 colored 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.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS - Divine Mercy Fraternity Formation Director and Webmaster
Fred Schaeffer OFS, began writing Spiritual Reflections 26+ years ago.
He is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order, Divine Mercy Fraternity (31+ years).