Brother Gerrit Dooge, OFH says, "My church affiliation is Quaker ( Religious Society of Friends Canada yearly meeting) I belong to TUTO The Universal third Order.... I live a simple life as a solitary urban hermit monk. I am 84 years old and live in a seniors home."
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Posted by the St. Josaphat Fraternity - Secular Franciscan Order
ALL SAINTS OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER (ALL FRANCISCAN SAINTS DAY) In addition to All Saints Day on November 1, the entire Franciscan Order celebrates a Franciscan All Saints Day. All the saints and blessed, in fact, all the members of the three orders of St. Francis who have attained their goal in heaven, whether known or unknown, are honored in a special manner on this day. November 29 was selected for this feastday because on that day in 1223 Pope Honorius III gave his approval to the final Rule which St. Francis gave to the Friars Minor, a Rule which pointed out a new way to sanctity. By observing it faithfully, many have become saints; and by celebrating the feast of All Franciscan Saints, we are inspired and encouraged to follow in their footsteps. A FRANCISCAN LITANY OF ALL SAINTS Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy! Christ have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! God, the Father, have mercy on us! God, the Son, have mercy on us! God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us! Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us! Holy Mary, the Immaculate Conception, Queen of the Franciscan Order, pray for us! Holy Father Francis, (1220 – Oct 4) pray for us! * * * All you holy martyrs of the Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saints Berard, Accursius, Adjustus, Otto, and Peter, Protomartyrs (1220 – Jan 16) pray for us! Saints Daniel, Angelo, Domnus, Hugolinus, Leo, Nicholas, and Samuel, Martyrs of Africa, (1227 – Oct 10) pray for us! Saints Nicholas Tavelic, Deodat of Aquitaine, Peter of Narbonne, and Stephen of Cuneo, Martyrs of the Holy Land, (1391 – Nov 14) pray for us! Saint Thomas More, Martyr of England, (1535 – Jun 22) pray for us! Saints Nicholas Pick, Anthony Hornaer, Anthony of Weert, Cornelius, Francis, Godfrey, Jerome, Nicasius, Peter, Theodoric, Willehad, Martyrs of Holland, (1572 – Jul 9) pray for us! Saints Peter Baptist Blasquez, Martin de Aquirre, Francis Blanco, Philip of Jesus of Mexico, Gonzalo Garcia of India, Anthony of Nagasaki, Bonaventure, Cosmas, Francis of Fahelante, Francis of Miyako, Gabriel, Joachim, John, Leo, Louis, Matthias, Michael, Paul Ibaraki, Paul Zuzuki, Peter, Thomas Danki, and Thomas Kosaki, Protomartyrs of Japan, (1597 – Feb 6) pray for us! Saints John Jones and John Wall, Martyrs of England, (1598 and 1679 – Jul 12) pray for us! Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Protomartyr of the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, (1622 – Apr 24) pray for us! Saints Gregory Grassi, Francesco Fogolla, Elia Facchini, Théodore Balat, Andreas, Antonio Fantosati, Giuseppe Maria Gambaro, Cesidio Giacomantonio, Marie Hermina of Jesus, Maria della Pace, Maria Chiara, Marie de Sainte Nathalie, Marie de Saint Just, Marie Adolfine, John Zhang Huan, Patrick Dong Bodi, John Wang Rui, Philip Zhang Zhihe, John Zhang Jingguang, Thomas Shen Jihe, Simon Chen Ximan, Peter Wu Anbang, Francis Zhang Rong, Matthew Feng De, Peter Zhang Banniu, James Yan Guodong, James Zhao, Peter Wang Erman, Martyrs of China, (1900 – Jul 8) pray for us! Saint Maxmillian Kolbe, Martyr of Auschwitz, (1941 – Aug 14) pray for us! All you holy priests of the First Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Gospel and Wonderworker, (1233 – Jun 13) pray for us! Saint Bonaventure, Seraphic Doctor, (1274 – Jul 15) pray for us! Saint Benvenute of Osimo, Bishop, (1282 – Mar 22) pray for us! Saint Louis of Tolouse, Bishop, (1297 – Aug 19) pray for us! Saint Bernardine of Siena, (1444 – May 20) pray for us! Saint John Capistran, (1456 – Oct 23) pray for us! Saint Peter Regalado, (1456 – Mar 30) pray for us! Saint James of the March, (1476 – Nov 28) pray for us! Saint John of Dukla, (1484 – Oct 3) pray for us! Saint Peter of Alcantara, (1562 – Oct 19) pray for us! Saint Francis Solano, (1610 – Jul 14) pray for us! Saint Joseph of Leonissa, (1612 – Feb 4) pray for us! Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Church, (1619 – Jul 21) pray for us! Saint Joseph of Cupertino, (1663 – Sep 18) pray for us! Saint Pacificus of San Severino, (1721 – Sep 24) pray for us! Saint Ignatius of Santhia, (1770 – Sep 22) pray for us! Saint Thomas of Cori, (1792 – Jan 19) pray for us! Saint John Joseph of the Cross, (1734 – Mar 5) pray for us! Saint Theophilus of Corte, (1740 – May 19) pray for us! Saint Francis Fasani, (1742 – Nov 27) pray for us! Saint Leonard of Port Maurics, (1751 – Nov 26) pray for us! Saint Antoino de Santa Ana, (1822 – Oct 25) pray for us! Saint Leopold Mandic, (1942 – May 12) pray for us! Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, (1968 – Sep 23) pray for us! All you holy lay brothers of the First Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Didacus of Alcala, (1463 – Nov 7) pray for us! Saint Simon of Lipnica, (1482 – Jul 18) pray for us! Saint Salvator of Horta, (1567 – Mar 18) pray for us! Saint Felix of Cantalice, (1585 – May 18) pray for us! Saint Benedict the Black, (1589 – Apr 3) pray for us! Saint Paschal Baylon, (1592 – May 17) pray for us! Saint Seraphin of Montegranaro, (1604 – Oct 12) pray for us! Saint Umile de Bisignano, (1637 – Nov 27) pray for us! Saint Bernard of Corleone, (1662 – Jan 12) pray for us! Saint Charles of Sezze, (1670 – Jan 6) pray for us! Saint Crispin of Viterbo, (1750 – May 19) pray for us! Saint Felix of Nicosia, (1787 – Jun 2) pray for us! Saint Ignatius Laconi, (1781 – May 11) pray for us! Saint Giles Mary of St. Joseph, (1812 – Feb 8) pray for us! Saint Francis Camporosso, (1866 – Sep 20) pray for us! Saint Conrad of Parzham, (1894 – Apri 21) pray for us! * * * All you holy virgins of the Second Franciscan Order, pray for us! Holy Mother Clare of Assisi, (1253 – Aug 11) pray for us! Saint Agnes of Assisi, (1253 – Nov 19) pray for us! Saint Agnes of Bohemia, (1282 – Mar 2) pray for us! Saint Cunegunda, (1292 – Jul 23) pray for us! Saint Colette of Corbie, (1447 – Feb 7) pray for us! Saint Catherine of Bologna, (1463 – May 9) pray for us! Saint Eustochia Calafato, (1485 – Jan 19) pray for us! Saint Beatrice of Silva, (1490 – Sep 1) pray for us! Saint Camilla Battista of Varano, (1524 – May 31) pray for us! Saint Veronica Giuliani, (1727 – Jul 10) pray for us! Saint Marianne Cope, (1980 – Jan 20) pray for us! * * * All you holy priests of the Third Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Yves of Brittany, (1303 – May 19), pray for us! Saint Charles Borromeo, Archbishop and Cardinal, (1584 – Nov 4) pray for us! Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, (1842 – Apr 30) pray for us! Saint Vincent Palotti, Founder, (1850 – Jan 22) pray for us! Saint John Mary Vianney, Patron of Parish Priests, (1859 – Aug 4) pray for us! Saint Joseph Cafasso, (1860 – Jun 23) pray for us! Saint Michael Garicits, (1863 – May 14) pray for us! Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Founder, (1868 – Aug 3) pray for us! Saint John Bosco, Founder (1883 – Jan 31) pray for us! Saint Zygmunt Felinski, Archbishop and Founder, (1895 – Sep 17) pray for us! Saint Pius X, Pope, (1914 – Aug 21) pray for us! All you holy foundresses of religious congregations who were members of the Third Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Bridget of Sweden, (1373 – Jul 23) pray for us! Saint Jane of Valois, (1505 – Feb 14) pray for us! Saint Angela Merici, (1540 – Jan 27) pray for us! Saint Mary Batholomea Capitanio, (1833 – Jul 26) pray for us! Saint Mary Magdalen Postel, (1846 – Jul 16) pray for us! Saint Vincentia Gerosa, (1847 – Jun 28) pray for us! Saint Joachima de Mas y de Vedruna, (1854 – May 22) pray for us! Saint Mary Josepha Rossello, (1880 – Oct 3) pray for us! Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, (1917 – Nov 13) pray for us! * * * All you holy men of the Third Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Ferdinand, King of Castile and Leon (1252 – May 30) pray for us! Saint Louis, King of France, Patron of the Third Order, (1270 – Aug 25) pray for us! Saint Elzear of Sabran, (1323 – Sep 26) pray for us! Saint Roch of Montpellier, (1327 – Aug 16) pray for us! Saint Conrad of Piacenza, Hermit, (1351 – Feb 19) pray for us! Saint Pedro of San Jose Betancor, (1667 – Apr 25) pray for us! Saint Albert Chmielowski, (1916 – Jun 17) pray for us! * * * All you holy women of the Third Franciscan Order, pray for us! Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Patroness of the Third Order, (1231 – Nov 19) pray for us! Saint Veridiana, (1242 – Feb 1) pray for us! Saint Rose of Viterbo, Virgin, (1252 – Sep 4) pray for us! Saint Zita of Lucca, Virgin, (1278 – Apri 27) pray for us! Saint Margaret of Cortona, (1297 – May 16) pray for us! Saint Clare of Montefalco, Virgin and Religious, (1308 – Aug 17) pray for us! Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, (1336 – Jul 4) pray for us! Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin, (1431 – May 30) pray for us! Saint Frances of Rome, (1440 – Mar 9) pray for us! Saint Catherine of Genoa, (1510 – Sep 15) pray for us! Saint Hyacintha Mariscotti, Virgin and Religious, (1640 – Jan 30) pray for us! Saint Mariana of Jesus of Quito, Virgin, (1645 – May 28) pray for us! Saint Crescentia Höss, Virgin and Religious, (1744 – Apr 5) pray for us! Saint Mary Frances of the Five Wounds, Virgin, (1791 – Oct 6) pray for us! Saint Alphonsa Muttathupaduthu, Religious, (1946 – Jul 28) pray for us! * * * All you holy Cordbearers of St. Francis, pray for us! Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, (1622 – Jan 24) pray for us! Saint Joseph Calasanctius, Founder, (1648 – Aug 25) pray for us! Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, (1782 – Apr 17) pray for us! Saint Bernadette Soubirous, Virgin and Religious, (1879 – Apr 16) pray for us! * * * Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us! Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us! Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace! Let us pray Almighty everlasting God, we thank you for granting us the joy of honoring our holy Father Francis and his sainted followers and enjoying the protection of their unceasing prayers. Grant us also the grace to imitate their example and so attain their fellowship in eternal glory. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen 
Pope Francis has called for a "Year of Mercy" beginning December 8th, 2015. The article about the Cloistered Argentine Carmelite nun and her ministry to the trans women in her community is a wonderful example of how we are all called to Show Mercy in our lives. It is a beautiful story of true Christian Love and Service. Are we Loving and Serving ALL of God's children in our lives? Are we rejecting anyone who needs our Love or Mercy?
PLEASE read a personal story about one of my Best Friends... I have worked with the homeless for over 25 years and I have known many prostitutes, several of them were transgender. One of these "Prostitutes" literally became one of my BEST FRIENDS over the years. She was born a heroine baby and had brain damage because her mother used to bash her head against the wall when she (the infant) cried. Because of this she had SEVERE learning disabilities. Eventually her mother went to prison, so she was raised by her Grandmother who was a good woman. Her entire life, everyone thought my friend was a little girl. On the first day of Second Grade, the teacher said to the class, "All right now, I want all of the boys to line up here, and all the girls to line up here." My friend (born a boy), lines up in the boys line. The teacher says, "I said the girls are to line up over there" and physically placed "him" (at the time) in the girls line. He was ALWAYS being mistaken as a girl. He never felt like a boy and did identify as a girl so at the age of 13 he transitioned to be a girl with the grandmother's permission. When 13 years old, her Science teacher would keep her after class and molest her in the classroom every day. She was African American and lived in a very poor neighborhood. There was a man who started to pimp her out (at 13) to all of the men in the neighborhood. She feared for her life because she was forced to be a prostitute and couldn't tell anyone because her Grandfather was the local Minister and she feared all of the repercussions if he found out. Eventually she was able to move away, but she was ILLITERATE (neither able to read or write at all) because of the brain damage caused by being a heroine baby and physical abuse, so she couldn't get a job in an office situation. She couldn't file paperwork, type, do ANYTHING that you and I take for granted every single day. She was so illiterate that she couldn't even fill out a job application. When she was able to get a job, she was a good salesperson but couldn't make change, so she would frequently lose jobs because they thought she was stealing. As long as I knew her (at least 15 years) she was always involved with learning programs at the local college to help her with her learning disabilities. She WANTED to LEARN, to READ, to WRITE, but her brain was simply not teachable. She literally had NO OPTIONS other than being a Prostitute. One day I asked her how many people she had sex with throughout her life to survive (she was around 45 years old) and her answer was, "Oh Paul... I have no idea... Thirty Thousand???" You and I might say, "That's impossible!" But, if you think about it, she started at the age of 13 and she "worked" right outside of a military base. She would orally service 10+ soldiers a night! That number... 30,000 was NOT impossible and probably underestimated! This "Prostitute" (I use quotes because that is what Society would label her as, as if SHE was corrupting the world and SHE was the problem. As if SHE was DIRTY. No one seems to blame her customers, do they???)... This "Prostitute" was one of the best examples of Living the GOSPEL and the LOVE that God asks each of us to show our Neighbors and our Enemies. "Oh Brother Paul... HOW could you POSSIBLY Say such a thing???!!! She was a PROSTITUTE... A WHORE!!! Surely she will go to HELL!!!!" Well... You tell me... her story continues... This "Prostitute" ALWAYS took care of the poor. She volunteered EVERY WEEK at the local soup kitchen (she was NOT homeless). She would collect clothes and blankets and give them out to those in need and on cold nights she would take as many homeless people she could find and let them stay at her house. When her Grandmother died, she inherited the family home and she opened it up for her family to live in who were struggling themselves back home. Her Greatest asset was her HEART! She knew how to LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY. She showed MERCY because she knew that someday, she would need Mercy shown to her! Honesty, she has helped more people and is a better example of Christian LOVE than MOST Christians I know. So, while this seems to have been a tragic story, and I assure you IT WAS, we all LOVE to have a happy ending, Right??? Well... There's NO HAPPY ENDING HERE. No one had heard from her in awhile, so her best friend had called the police because they usually spoke 5 to 6 times a day. It was highly unusual for her not to hear from her so the police went to her house to see if there was anything suspicious. They weren't allowed to break into the house... 72 hours had to pass before they could enter. After three days, they broke in and she was MURDERED by one of her clients, lying face down on her bed and her little dog was killed by putting it in the freezer. Was my friend a Saint? Most probably not, but I remember she said to me one day, "Paul, do you think I WANT to be a Prostitute???!!! I only do this to SURVIVE!!!" I HONESTLY, TRULY Believed her. Would anyone WANT to be molested by their teacher or pimped out at the age of 13??? Or to sleep with 30,000 men???!!! As I said before, "She showed MERCY because she knew that someday, she would need Mercy shown to her!" How many of us need to be shown Mercy??? Perhaps a few more reminders are needed for us... "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." - Luke 6:37 "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."- John 8:7 "Blessed are the Merciful, for they will be shown Mercy" - Matthew 5:7 "Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." - James 2:13 Beginning December 8th, Pope Francis has called for a Year of Mercy. Please Join me in making this a priority in our lives.  The book, "The Saint and the Sultan: the Crusades, Islam and Francis of Assisi’s Mission of Peace examines a little known encounter between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil of Egypt during the Crusades.In 1219, in the midst of disastrous Fifth Crusade, Francis crossed enemy lines to gain an audience with al-Kamil, the sultan of Egypt and a nephew of the great Muslim warrior Saladin, in his camp on the banks of the Nile. Francis, who opposed the warfare, hoped to bring about peace by converting the sultan to Christianity. He didn’t succeed, but came away from the peaceful encounter with revolutionary ideas that called for Christians to live harmoniously with Muslims.... If the greatest Christian saint since the time of the apostles had opposed the Crusade and peacefully approached Muslims at a time when they were supposed to be mortal enemies, that action can inspire and instruct us today. So should the fact that al-Kamil, a great sultan of Egypt and a nephew of Saladin, was so tolerant of Christians that he allowed one of them to preach to him in the midst of a Crusade. The story of Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil says there is a better way than resentment, suspicion and warfare. It opens the door to respect, trust and peace. It needs to be told anew. - Paul Moses"
Here's another BEAUTIFUL Guided Meditation by Max Highstein, an Associate of the Order of Franciscan Hermits...
This is a CLASSIC Movie about Saint Francis and Clare with Dolores Hard and Bradford Dillman. It is best to watch the movie larger than below, so click the lower right corner with the 4 brackets to see it in full screen. This would be a GREAT movie to own... see the link below to buy from Amazon.com.
Brother Alan, OFH says, "My religious/episcopal name is Alan-Meirion, although I more often am known simply as Alan, which I would like to be known by in the OFH.
I have been happily married now since 1979 and we have one grown up son who is making his own way well as a Christian. We live in Beckenham, Kent, on the outskirts of London, England. My spiritual pilgrimage starting in the Church of England has been very ecumenical including Roman Catholic, but has brought me to where I am now as an Anglo-Orthodox Archbishop. In some ways my religous life has also become very ecumenical, first in the Carmelite Third Order, but also following the Rule of St Benedict and with this heritage I am now a professed member of the Companions of Jesus a Franciscan Order with an ecumenical calling. I am also a member of the International Order of St Luke the Physician and also the similarly named (United Methodist based) Order of St Luke. Also the Orthodox Confraternity of the Rosary. I also benefit from many years ministry experience and training including counselling both as originally as a lay person and since ordination. Ironically I was consecrated a bishop in Belgium on 9th September 2001 for the American Orthdox Church/Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but have since been given Christocephaly as the Anglo-Orthodox Church. I see becoming a member of the Order of Franciscan Hermits very much a furtherance of the aims of my Franciscan Companions of Jesus calling in its complementarity and ecumenical Franciscan vocation of rebuilding Christian Unity. Subject of course to distance, I am happy to be of spiritual help and counsel, including to pray for healing for anyone. Pax et Bonum - Peace and All Good |
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