My Dear Brother and Sisters... On this Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, we are reminded of his final words: “I have done what is mine to do; may Christ teach you what is yours!” We each have a unique calling that only we can fulfill... I pray you do your part in bringing PEACE and LOVE to ALL you encounter each day. I cannot tell you how or what to do, but remember what the Gospels tell us in Matthew 25:35-40:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Each year as we approach the winter season, we ask for your financial help to support our Homeless Outreach Program. The Order of Franciscan Hermits is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Religious Charitable Organization, EIN 88-0948305 and your donations are tax-deductible in the United States. Your donations help provide for the immediate needs of the homeless such as food, clothing, warmth (jackets, sleeping bags, blankets, socks, gloves) etc. This has always been a critical ministry of Franciscans. Money is NEVER given directly to individuals. 

Please consider making a donation today...

• Donation via PayPal: https://Donate.FranciscanHermits.org
• OFH Homeless Outreach Amazon Wish List: https://WishList.FranciscanHermits.org

THANK YOU for your generosity and support of our Mission of PEACE - You are remembered in my daily prayers,

Br. Paul, OFH
Founder & Guardian of the Order of Franciscan Hermits

My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Feast of St. Clare!

I write to you today, literally from a new perspective... I am living 20 feet away from a prison fence! As some of you know I accepted a position as a Prison Chaplain four months ago as a challenge from the Lord to Serve the "least" of His Brothers in prison specifically mentioned in Matthew 25:35-40. While we've heard and read that scripture passage all of our lives, you really don't understand what prison is like until you've entered the gates yourself! 

We have 850+ adult men of all ages who have committed every type of crime you can imagine - from theft to murder and everywhere in between. Most of them will eventually return to their homes, but many of them will remain in prison for the rest of their lives. From day one, they try to intimidate and test you, seeing if they can scam something out of you and break the rules. I've had to say "No" more in this short time than I have my entire life. The men are filled with anxiety and stress, most have little support from their family and friends, and they live in fear because they can't trust the others they live with. There is noise 24/7 and there's absolutely no privacy. They are truly Suffering in more ways than can be described... Not materially as they have more than their basic needs met, but certainly emotionally and spiritually.

When I founded the OFH in 2015, I knew that the Lord would have me physically (in person) bring our Mission of Praying for WORLD PEACE to inmates in prison someday (it was always part of God's plan). I didn't know when or how that would happen... But, I didn't have to figure any of that out as I saw the posting for the position in early 2024, I applied and was immediately hired. From the very beginning, I thought of St. Clare who chose, as a cloistered nun behind bars, to be separated from the world for Christ. As I've told the inmates, "I CHOOSE to be in prison with you each day, because Christ has asked me to be here with you." Believe me... This type of ministry isn't for everyone! You can certainly be a penpal to an inmate and I encourage you to do so if you're inclined, but we still need people in ministry feeding the poor, visiting the sick etc, so keep up the good work!

It took a while, but I feel the inmates trust me now. They know I'm not a "cop." I've helped them whenever and however I can. I've had to deliver bad news to some... One inmate's son passed away the day he was born, and another inmate's son was just shot and killed this week in a gang-related shootout. I've helped others with good things like helping them with plans to get married and an inmate this last week said he wants to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation! We have a Catholic priest that comes once a month and he will get special permission from the Bishop to confer the Sacrament. It's AMAZING to see how the Holy Spirit is starting to work "on the yard" as they say. While many of them are EXPERTS in quoting the scriptures... I'm now teaching them how to LIVE the Gospels and slowly grow their prayer lives.

I wanted to share a special moment with you that I had this weekend during our Service. When I woke up in the morning and opened my eyes, I immediately heard the Lord say, "Talk about PEACE today." I had something else prepared, but I knew I had to be Obedient so I asked, "What specifically do you want me to say?" The Lord said, "Be Still and Know that I'm the Lord." We had about 65 inmates in our small Chapel which was standing-room only, and I was sharing with them about the many horrible acts of war that are happening throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. I told them the Lord wanted me to tell them to "Be Still and Know that I'm the Lord" and asked them to share a few minutes of Silence to pray for WORLD PEACE. It was AMAZING... PURE SILENCE... you could have heard a pin drop! The inmates are CRAVING PEACE... They wan't PEACE and LOVE more than anything else. I asked them, "Have you EVER heard anything so quiet in your life???!!!" They didn't know it was possible to pray in Silence in prison and they want to learn more about praying in the Silence of Contemplation.

St. Clare cherished what Our Lord teaches us in Matthew 6:6 about how to pray... "When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Prison, and our own homes, are perfect places for us to put this into practice... We just need to start. 

Speaking of prison... Don't forget, St. Paul was a prisoner in Rome when he wrote one of the most important scripture passages that is part of our Mission as Franciscan Hermits... St. Paul "begs" of us in Ephesians 4:1-6:

​"therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all Humility and Gentleness, with Patience, bearing with one another in LOVE, making every effort to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. There is One Body and One Spirit, just as you were called to the One Hope of your calling,  One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of All, who is above All and through All and in All."

St. Clare, Help Us... Pray for Us as we work towards "maintaining the Unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace" throughout the world!

Let Us Pray for One Another... LOVE and PEACE Always...

Br. Paul, OFH
Founder and Guardian of the Order of Franciscan Hermits

We currently need help promoting our Homeless Outreach Program to your Social Media lists. There are two ways people can donate...

• Online Donation Via PayPal - https://Donate.FranciscanHermits.org
• Amazon Wishlist - https://Wishlist.FranciscanHermits.org​

Our preferred method is for people to make an online tax-deductible donation at https://Donate.FranciscanHermits.org, but both methods are welcome and we appreciate any help you and your followers can do to help.

​Dear Associates and Members of the Order of Franciscan Hermits... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Each January I write to give us a spiritual theme to concentrate on throughout the year. The theme for 2022 was to have "Patience" within the "Silence of Solitude" which was definitely challenging for many who have shared their stories with me this past year. It seems that many people put their happiness and satisfaction somewhere out into the future, waiting on the Lord for desired outcomes. Meaning, if the Lord isn't answering their prayers the way they want today, then they won't be happy or fulfilled until their prayers are answered. They feel a sense of "lack" or abandonment... All self-imposed. Can you see the problem with this?

There are three very important things to know, understand, and be Patient about when it comes to prayer... the Lord hears our prayers the first time we ask... He always answers our prayers the way HE wants... and He always answers when HE wants. It is our responsibility to work within HIS timeframe and "cooperate with the process" of RECEIVING the Grace (the "Gift") that the Lord is giving us. He absolutely told us to, "Ask and you shall Receive"... but, what isn't in that quote, is "when" we will receive. So, this leaves many impatient people unsatisfied and discouraged. 

So, in hopes of providing a remedy for impatience, for 2023, I feel that we should now shift our focus to "Gratitude," which then takes our attention off of the perceived "lack" in our lives, and now allows us to see the Abundance the Lord has already given us. It is impossible to feel lack or disappointment when we focus on Gratitude and Abundance. 

As Franciscans, when we read the "Peace Prayer" (attributed to, but not written by St. Francis), we are to be sources of Peace, Love, Pardon, Faith, Hope, Light and Joy... NOT Hatred, Injury, Doubt, Despair, Darkness and Sadness. Can you feel the difference between these??? When we live these virtues, we, and the people we Serve, gain the Strength to persevere in everything. ALL of this points us to the Lord's Prayer that says, "Thy Will be done on EARTH, as it is in Heaven"... Today... right now... not someday when we feel that the Lord is finally answering our prayers the way we want. 

So, in Gratitude, We do HIS Will Today, Living the Gospels and all they require of us, on Earth as it is in Heaven, which will never allow us to lose Hope.

PEACE and LOVE in Gratitude to you Always...

Br. Paul, OFH
Founder & Guardian of the Order of Franciscan Hermits