 The Order of Franciscan Hermits (OFH) is a federally recognized 510(c)(3) Nonprofit Religious Charitable Organization (designation letter) that was originally founded in 2015 and has grown to be in over 90 countries worldwide, working towards promoting WORLD PEACE. We have a number of Ministries we need help funding, including our OFH Missions; Clean Water, Food Stability and Solar Projects, as well as Educational Scholarships for Children working with our Members in Africa. Click Here to Support the OFH - Thank You.
 Dear Associates and Members of the Order of Franciscan Hermits... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! is was on this day, seven years ago on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, that I was inspired to found our Community as an effort to promote Franciscan and Christian Unity through contemplative prayer, compassionate dialogue, fraternal interaction, nonviolent action, and performing the good works asked of us in the Gospel. As Hermits, we cherish substantial silence, substantial solitude, prayer, and penance. The Lord has blessed us with over 2,300 Associates and Members in over 90 countries worldwide... THANK YOU LORD!
It is through the Lord's Grace that I have been invited to Kenya to meet with an Archbishop and several other Bishops to present our Order of Franciscan Hermits Statutes and Constitution with hopes to further promote our OFH Community within their dioceses. Our Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Moses Khisa, OFM Cap. arranged for our initial introduction to the Archbishop for which we are very grateful. So as I prepare to embark on this very important chapter in our OFH History, I ask for your continued prayers "For the Lord's Will to be done in ALL things"... Always my prayer as it is the only prayer that truly reflects God's desire for us. PEACE and LOVE Always... Br. Paul, OFH Founder and Guardian of the Order of Franciscan Hermits  HAPPY FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS!
Dear Members and Associates of the Order of Franciscan Hermits... Brothers and Sisters... Although we "Celebrate" and commemorate the Holy Life of our Founder - St. Francis of Assisi, today, I am sure many of us find it difficult to be sources of Hope and Joy when there is such devastation and suffering going on throughout the world with COVID-19, fires, social injustices, political divisiveness, the inability to attend Mass in many areas throughout the world, and overall lack of Unity among the people of this planet (etc. etc. etc.) It seems to be a tall order to believe we can solve all of these issues. St. Francis witnessed the tragedies of his own time and his solution was to keep his eyes on Christ... to imitate and identify with Him so closely, that he bore the wounds of his Lord and Savior. I'm not suggesting that we all need to have the Stigmata, but to really, truly be followers of Christ, by Living the Gospel Life... "The Good News"... "The Way" to LIVE and BE "on EARTH as it IS in HEAVEN." Jesus gives us the solution for our difficult times... to LOVE... God... Our Neighbor... Ourselves... Our Enemies. "LOVE" is not just a "State of BEing"... "to BE in LOVE" but is also an "Action Verb"... "To LOVE"... LOVE requires ACTION. The Gospels give us the strategy to solve the problems we're facing now and for all eternity. In John 14:12 we have an VERY interesting passage that I think is overlooked way too often... "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." "Works" in the Gospels are not only feeding the poor and visiting the sick and imprisoned, but also include performing miracles. Healing others was part of Jesus' "works." In this passage, Jesus is saying that YOU and I can do "GREATER WORKS" than He did! I can hear you now... "Brother Paul is going crazy here... he's saying we can perform miracles???!!!" YES... with the Help of the Lord and our Faith in Him. ALL of our "Saints" that have been canonized, including St. Francis, have had "miracles" attributed to them through their intercession. YOU and I are Saints in the making. If you believe in the Bible... Here's my proof that we can solve our world's problems... "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 All we need is FAITH. Trust in the Lord, but we must "ASK and You Shall RECEIVE." Matthew 7:7 Many of you know that a dear friend's son, Ian, was diagnosed this summer with liver cancer at the age of 15. We immediately started praying here within our OFH FB group, and Ian was "miraculously" given a liver transplant even though he was way down on the list of recipients needing a new liver. For whatever reason, the Lord decided to send him a perfect donor match ahead of everyone else on the list. Within 2 days of receiving the transplant, he was walking and sitting up in a chair in the hospital. He is out of ICU now and has a bright future ahead of him. I TRULY BELIEVE that, through our prayers, Ian was given this new chance at life. It was through our "Asking" that we "Received" this miracle. The question is... How much do we want WORLD PEACE... EQUALITY... JUSTICE... to LOVE as the Lord has asked us to LOVE??? I believe that ALL of the world's problems are due to a lack of LOVE within humans. Greed and selfishness is so strong, there is no room for LOVE to exist within. I believe we cannot LOVE, Unless and UNTIL we FORGIVE... FORGIVENESS is a Dimension of LOVE... Forgiveness is not separate from LOVE. Let's start Forgiving and LOVING Today! Until we can see that we are ALL Children of God, despite our differences (political, religious, racial, financial, gender... ALL the many differences we perceive each day)... Until we BE and DO as Jesus did as asked of us in the Gospels, we will continue to suffer from the Sin of selfishness that has separated all of us from one another. Every time we pray the "Our Father" we say, "Thy Will Be Done, on EARTH as it IS in HEAVEN"... Who do we think is supposed to be "DOing" the Will of the Father??? It's just magically going to happen, or if it someone else's job??? NO... it is each and every one of us that are called to do the Will of the Father, by Living the Gospel Life! Knowing this now, we have the ability to be sources of Hope, Joy and HEALING for others... to BE LOVE and DO LOVE, to... BE on EARTH as it IS in HEAVEN! Pax et Bonum Dear Brothers and Sisters... PEACE and LOVE Always Br. Paul, OFH Founder and Guardian of the Order of Franciscan Hermits  OFH Mission
The Order of Franciscan Hermits (OFH) is a federally recognized 510(c)(3) Nonprofit Religious Charitable Organization (designation letter) that was originally founded in 2015 and has grown to have Associates and Members in over 90 countries worldwide. We are a Contemplative and Active Franciscan Community Promoting World Peace and LOVE through the Teachings of Christ and the Spirituality of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. We live a life of substantial silence, substantial solitude, contemplative prayer and penance - choosing to "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We have ministries in the Franciscan tradition of helping the poor and marginalized for the betterment of humanity. Domestic and International efforts support Ecumenical and Interfaith communications; peace and social justice; clean water and food security; clean energy and environmental sustainability; health and human services; education; spiritual development and associated support groups. We support & promote programs aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. a. The Mission or Calling of the OFH Members and Associates is the same as St. Francis given by the Crucifix of San Damiano, to “Rebuild the Church” and Promote World Peace. The OFH accomplishes this through contemplative prayer, compassionate dialogue, fraternal interaction, nonviolent action, and performing the good works asked of us in the Gospel, striving to Build and Unite the Body of Christ which suffers from many divisions, fostering a more perfect life, and exercising other works of the apostolate (Canon 298). As Hermits, we cherish substantial silence, substantial solitude, prayer, and penance. b. We choose to focus on what UNITES us as Franciscans and Christians, rather than what Divides us, as 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." |
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