Engaging Franciscan Wisdom

Join Katherine Giorgio in this interview as she takes us to the roots of her faith in the hub of family life, and into her exploration as a young adult, discovering a surprising path to freedom.

In Katherine's own words: "I find a lot of freedom in the Franciscan way of seeing the world and understanding God, it's something that I had known or thought on my own and then to have it named and to have it something that a lot of people have spent their life diving deeper into, was really great."

"There's something about being a young adult that inherently requires change and growth and experimenting... failing, all of those things, you can't really be a young adult without diving into that. And I think that's also a very Franciscan approach. ... With continual conversion, that's all about moving forward, trying new things and learning from that, and being willing to put in the hard work. I see a lot of young adults embodying those Franciscan values, whether or not that's what they call it. ... I feel like it's a very appropriate response to our current world."

References:

Franciscan Community Volunteers: https://fslf.org/franciscan-community-volunteers. Rooted in meaningful service, intentional community and Franciscan spirituality, FCV was a blessing to the young adult volunteers, to the Franciscan community, and to those who were served. FCV was closed in 2020 due to declining interest in long-term volunteer programs. For information about current short and long-term programs, see: https://catholicvolunteernetwork.org/.

Saint Francis, in listening to the Gospel, responded: "This is what I want," he said, "this is what I seek, this is what I desire with all my heart." For the full story, see 1 Celano IX:22 on pages 201 and 202: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/the-life-of-saint-francis-by-thomas-of-celano/642-fa-ed-1-page-201.

Engaging Franciscan Spirituality is a two-year program of exploration into the Franciscan tradition. For further information: https://www.fslf.org/FranciscanSpiritualityProgram.

Yoga: To support integration of body, mind and emotions, Katherine draws from the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SarahBethShow.

Franciscan Associates of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls: if interested in further information about this relationship, please contact the Minister of Associates, Geri Dietz, at 320-232-0698.

Tau Cross: The Tau, found in both the Hebrew and Greek alphabets and referred to in Ezekiel 9:4, is a well-loved symbol in the Franciscan family. To learn more: https://www.fspa.org/content/s/the-tau-cross-a-revolutionary-response-to-goodness.

Centering Prayer is a contemporary form of contemplative prayer; see: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/. Consider also a smart phone app called "Centering Prayer," offered by Contemplative Outreach. You will find many regional websites online listing area centering prayer groups. For those who live in Minnesota, see: https://www.minnesotacontemplativeoutreach.org/groups.html.

What does Struggle Bus mean? https://www.slanglang.net/struggle-bus/.

What is Spiritual Direction? Spiritual directors accompany individuals or groups in deepening their spiritual lives and their relationship with God. See interview with Teresa Blythe: https://youtu.be/b6l7UN9wxEg; for further exploration, listen to Sister Michelle at: https://40minutesoffaith.com/podcast/spiritualdirection.

Join Katherine Giorgio in this interview as she takes us to the roots of her faith in the hub of family life, and into her exploration as a young adult, discovering a surprising path to freedom.

In Katherine's own words: "I find a lot of freedom in the Franciscan way of seeing the world and understanding God, it's something that I had known or thought on my own and then to have it named and to have it  something that a lot of people have spent their life diving deeper into, was really great."

"There's something about being a young adult that inherently requires change and growth and experimenting... failing, all of those things, you can't really be a young adult without diving into that. And I think that's also a very Franciscan approach. ... With continual conversion, that's all about moving forward, trying new things and learning from that, and being willing to put in the hard work. I see a lot of young adults embodying those Franciscan values, whether or not that's what they call it. ... I feel like it's a very appropriate response to our current world."

References:

Franciscan Community Volunteers: https://fslf.org/franciscan-community-volunteers. Rooted in meaningful service, intentional community and Franciscan spirituality, FCV was a blessing to the young adult volunteers, to the Franciscan community, and to those who were served. FCV was closed in 2020 due to declining interest in long-term volunteer programs. For information about current short and long-term programs, see: https://catholicvolunteernetwork.org/.

Saint Francis, in listening to the Gospel, responded: "This is what I want," he said, "this is what I seek, this is what I desire with all my heart." For the full story, see 1 Celano IX:22 on pages 201 and 202: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/the-life-of-saint-francis-by-thomas-of-celano/642-fa-ed-1-page-201.

Engaging Franciscan Spirituality is a two-year program of exploration into the Franciscan tradition. For further information: https://www.fslf.org/FranciscanSpiritualityProgram.

Yoga: To support integration of body, mind and emotions, Katherine draws from the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SarahBethShow.

Franciscan Associates of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls: if interested in further information about this relationship, please contact the Minister of Associates, Geri Dietz, at 320-232-0698.

Tau Cross: The Tau, found in both the Hebrew and Greek alphabets and referred to in Ezekiel 9:4, is a well-loved symbol in the Franciscan family. To learn more: https://www.fspa.org/content/s/the-tau-cross-a-revolutionary-response-to-goodness.    

Centering Prayer is a contemporary form of contemplative prayer; see: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/. Consider also a smart phone app called "Centering Prayer," offered by Contemplative Outreach. You will find many regional websites online listing area centering prayer groups. For those who live in Minnesota, see: https://www.minnesotacontemplativeoutreach.org/groups.html.

What does Struggle Bus mean? https://www.slanglang.net/struggle-bus/.

What is Spiritual Direction? Spiritual directors accompany individuals or groups in deepening their spiritual lives and their relationship with God. See interview with Teresa Blythe: https://youtu.be/b6l7UN9wxEg; for further exploration, listen to Sister Michelle at: https://40minutesoffaith.com/podcast/spiritualdirection.

Join Darleen Pryds in this interview as she takes us on her faith journey from being a small child who knew God's presence to becoming agnostic, from living through tension into discovery of the interconnection of her personal faith, her academic work and her life experiences. Walk with her as she brings contemplation into life and explores the gift of authenticity.

In Darleen's own words, "Deeply embedded in the Franciscan tradition and in what I cultivate as a lay Franciscan, is how are we deeply present with one another in all of creation. That presence, the authenticity of presence ... that's what it means to be Franciscan: to be deeply present."

References:

The Little Flowers of Saint Francis: this text dates to more than 100 years after Francis died, this text contains poetic stories and popular legends about him: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-prophet/the-little-flowers-of-saint-francis/2467-fa-ed-3-page-566.

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration chapel: https://www.fspa.org/content/chapel.

The Trouble with Angels movie; learn more about it at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Angels_(film)

JD Salinger's Franny and Zooey is available online or as a book. Learn about the contemplative prayer, including the Jesus Prayer.

For more information on Lady Jacopa, see:

• Audio recordings from Learn25 https://www.learn25.com/product-category/professors/prof-darleen-pryds-ph-d/.
• See A Catholic's Guide to the Spirituality of Dying and Death for a retelling of the story of Lady Jacopa and Francis.
• See also "The Spirituality of Presence: The Story of Lady Jacopa and Francis" https://www.academia.edu/17131249/The_Spirituality_of_Presence_The_Story_of_Lady_Jacopa_and_Francis.

Additional articles by Darleen can be found on her page on Academia.edu

https://fst-us.academia.edu/DarleenPryds.

Darleen's bio page at FST: https://www.fst.edu/faculty-staff/darleen-pryds-phd/.

Darleen's Books:

The King Embodies the Word: Robert d'Anjou and the Politics of Preaching (2000) https://brill.com/view/title/6701.

Franciscan Institute Publications: https://www.franciscanpublications.com/search?q=Pryds

(See for Women of the Streets: Early Franciscan Women and their Mendicant Vocation (2010); Enduring Presence: Diversity and Authenticity among the First Generations of Lay Franciscans (2018)).

For an exploration of contemplation in ordinary life, see "Finding Deep Gratitude in Ordinary Time," https://www.academia.edu/35212819/Finding_Deep_Gratitude_in_Ordinary_Time.

Join Darleen Pryds in this interview as she takes us on her faith journey from being a small child who knew God's presence to becoming agnostic, from living through tension into discovery of the interconnection of her personal faith, her academic work and her life experiences. Walk with her as she brings contemplation into life and explores the gift of authenticity.

In Darleen's own words, "Deeply embedded in the Franciscan tradition and in what I cultivate as a lay Franciscan, is how are we deeply present with one another in all of creation. That presence, the authenticity of presence ... that's what it means to be Franciscan: to be deeply present."

References:

The Little Flowers of Saint Francis: this text dates to more than 100 years after Francis died, this text contains poetic stories and popular legends about him:    https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-prophet/the-little-flowers-of-saint-francis/2467-fa-ed-3-page-566.

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration chapel: https://www.fspa.org/content/chapel.

The Trouble with Angels movie; learn more about it at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Angels_(film)

JD Salinger's Franny and Zooey is available online or as a book. Learn about the contemplative prayer, including the Jesus Prayer.

For more information on Lady Jacopa, see:

• Audio recordings from Learn25 https://www.learn25.com/product-category/professors/prof-darleen-pryds-ph-d/.
• See A Catholic's Guide to the Spirituality of Dying and Death for a retelling of the story of Lady Jacopa and Francis.
• See also "The Spirituality of Presence: The Story of Lady Jacopa and Francis" https://www.academia.edu/17131249/The_Spirituality_of_Presence_The_Story_of_Lady_Jacopa_and_Francis.

Additional articles by Darleen can be found on her page on Academia.edu

https://fst-us.academia.edu/DarleenPryds.

Darleen's bio page at FST: https://www.fst.edu/faculty-staff/darleen-pryds-phd/.

Darleen's Books:

The King Embodies the Word: Robert d'Anjou and the Politics of Preaching (2000) https://brill.com/view/title/6701.

Franciscan Institute Publications: https://www.franciscanpublications.com/search?q=Pryds

(See for Women of the Streets: Early Franciscan Women and their Mendicant Vocation (2010); Enduring Presence: Diversity and Authenticity among the First Generations of Lay Franciscans (2018)).

For an exploration of contemplation in ordinary life, see "Finding Deep Gratitude in Ordinary Time," https://www.academia.edu/35212819/Finding_Deep_Gratitude_in_Ordinary_Time.

Our guest today is Franciscan Associate Rosanne Fischer. Here are two excerpts from her reflections:

"As I've come to read more and pray more with Francis and Clare...Franciscan values are simply gospel values."

"There's so much that brings us together as a family of faith around our globe and there's so much we have to learn from each other. It's a deepening of our own faith when we step out of our comfort zone into the traditions and the song and the dance and the beauty and the thought of other cultures participation in our faith. Not even just among Catholics. Among all religions there so much to learn and grow from, and I feel that Francis and Clare grasped that as well."

References:

Saint Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio: The power of non-violent love; see The Deeds of Blessed Francis & His Companions XXIII, FA:ED, vol. 3, pp. 482-485 at: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-prophet/the-deeds-of-blessed-francis-and-his-companions-1328-1337/2386-fa-ed-3-page-485.

Saint Francis met with Sultan al-Kamik: The Life of Saint Francis XX:57, by Thomas of Celano. FA:ED, vol. 1, p. 231. at: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/the-life-of-saint-francis-by-thomas-of-celano/672-fa-ed-1-page-231#ges:searchword%3Dsultan%26searchphrase%3Dall%26page%3D1.

Saint Cloud Mission Office: Bridge-building between the local diocesan church and communities of faith throughout the world. http://mission.stcdio.org/mission-office-homepage/who-we-are/.

Clare's Well is now Wellsprings Farm: the website is: www.wellspringsfarm.org.

Saint Clare of Assisi: "Transform your entire being into the image of God through contemplation." See quote in original context in Clare's Third Letter to Agnes of Prague 12-16: https://www.franciscantradition.org/clare-of-assisi-early-documents/the-third-letter-to-agnes-of-prague/227-ca-ed-1-page-51#ges:searchword%3Dtransform%26searchphrase%3Dall%26page%3D1.

Catholic Social Teachings (CST): often referred to as a hidden treasure of the Catholic Church; I agree. I remained Catholic as a young adult because I learned the CST! A site with videos and resources: https://www.crs.org/resource-center/CST-101.

What was Vatican II? See five-minute video about the Council by Franciscan friar Casey Cole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyVq1hnxAqg. Sixteen documents were promulgated: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/16-documents-of-the-second-vatican-council-1509.

Caribbean and North American Council for Mission (CANACOM):

"Mission takes place where people interact with people, seeking to overcome all that separates people from one another and from God."

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sermon - Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution: "Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood and yet…we have not had the ethical commitment to make of it a brotherhood. But somehow, and in some way, we have got to do this. We must all learn to live together as brothers [and sisters]. Or we will perish together as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever effects one directly affects all indirectly…. This is the way God's universe is made; this is the way it is structured."

-Full text of 3-31-68 sermon at: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/remaining-awake-through-great-revolution.

Chief Seattle – words attributed to him:

"We humans have not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

Our guest today is Franciscan Associate Rosanne Fischer. Here are two excerpts from her reflections: 

"As I've come to read more and pray more with Francis and Clare...Franciscan values are simply gospel values."

"There's so much that brings us together as a family of faith around our globe and there's so much we have to learn from each other. It's a deepening of our own faith when we step out of our comfort zone into the traditions and the song and the dance and the beauty and the thought of other cultures participation in our faith. Not even just among Catholics. Among all religions there so much to learn and grow from, and I feel that Francis and Clare grasped that as well."

References:

Saint Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio: The power of non-violent love; see The Deeds of Blessed Francis & His Companions XXIII, FA:ED, vol. 3, pp. 482-485 at: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-prophet/the-deeds-of-blessed-francis-and-his-companions-1328-1337/2386-fa-ed-3-page-485.

Saint Francis met with Sultan al-Kamik: The Life of Saint Francis XX:57, by Thomas of Celano. FA:ED, vol. 1, p. 231. at: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/the-life-of-saint-francis-by-thomas-of-celano/672-fa-ed-1-page-231#ges:searchword%3Dsultan%26searchphrase%3Dall%26page%3D1. 

Saint Cloud Mission Office: Bridge-building between the local diocesan church and communities of faith throughout the world. http://mission.stcdio.org/mission-office-homepage/who-we-are/. 

Clare's Well is now Wellsprings Farm: the website is: www.wellspringsfarm.org. 

Saint Clare of Assisi: "Transform your entire being into the image of God through contemplation." See quote in original context in Clare's Third Letter to Agnes of Prague 12-16: https://www.franciscantradition.org/clare-of-assisi-early-documents/the-third-letter-to-agnes-of-prague/227-ca-ed-1-page-51#ges:searchword%3Dtransform%26searchphrase%3Dall%26page%3D1. 

Catholic Social Teachings (CST): often referred to as a hidden treasure of the Catholic Church; I agree. I remained Catholic as a young adult because I learned the CST! A site with videos and resources: https://www.crs.org/resource-center/CST-101. 

What was Vatican II? See five-minute video about the Council by Franciscan friar Casey Cole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyVq1hnxAqg. Sixteen documents were promulgated: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/16-documents-of-the-second-vatican-council-1509. 

Caribbean and North American Council for Mission (CANACOM):

"Mission takes place where people interact with people, seeking to overcome all that separates people from one another and from God." 

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sermon - Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution: "Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood and yet…we have not had the ethical commitment to make of it a brotherhood. But somehow, and in some way, we have got to do this. We must all learn to live together as brothers [and sisters]. Or we will perish together as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.  And whatever effects one directly affects all indirectly…. This is the way God's universe is made; this is the way it is structured."

-Full text of 3-31-68 sermon at: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/remaining-awake-through-great-revolution. 

Chief Seattle – words attributed to him:

"We humans have not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

Join Sister Jan Kilian in a probing conversation about the incisive wisdom and call to action in Fratelli Tutti, a recent encyclical from Pope Francis.

Selected Excerpts:

"The common good is what affects every level of our population. What affects the poor; it's housing, food, jobs and wages, the neighborhoods....Just that word, common. God made all of us. We are brothers and sisters. God did not separate us. We are one in Jesus, his son, and we separate ourselves when we don't care for the poor. We live in a common home, just as a family does, which are brothers and sisters. Some who are poor and disabled these days are readily sacrificed because they're a burden and Pope Francis and Jesus didn't see anybody that way."

"We are to create a community of belonging and a community of solidarity, really of our time and our energy and our resources."

"We are truly brothers and sisters to each other. I like this image of a melody from Saint Irenaeus. Francis quotes that the notes and the melody are not created separately and apart from each other. But they're composed by the same person in one melody. And it's not the same melody if we leave some notes out, it has to contain every note."

"True love of neighbor comes from the realization that God sent his son, Jesus, to unite us with himself and with each other. If we are Christian, we believe that we are one in Jesus. And with Jesus, one in the Father, loved by God's Holy Spirit of love. If we believe that, our hearts must identify with others, without worrying about where they were born or where they come from. Sharing what we have, not worrying about what they're going to take away from us. What can we give them? ...they're amazing gifts to us. They bring us news of other cultures, expand our own worlds, show us places where we're not able to go."

References:

--What is an encyclical? It is a circular letter from the Pope; addressed to Catholic clergy and laity, it contains the Pope's views on church teachings and doctrine in a particular area.

--Rerum Novarum: On the Condition of Labor (On the Rights of Workers) is an encyclical written by Pope Pious XIII in 1891. See: http://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html.

--Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship: A short summary, including a link to the entire document: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-10/fratelli-tutti-pope-fraternity-social-friendship-short-summary.html.

--Encyclicals are part of the Catholic Social Teachings (CST): Here are the key principles of CST: https://www.cctwincities.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Key-10-Principles-of-CST_1-pager.pdf. These short videos bring the CST principles/themes "to life and inspire us to put our faith into action": https://www.crs.org/resource-center/CST-101.

--What is the common good? A short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6oSJg6wuBg. "Every person should have sufficient access to the goods and resources of society so that they can completely and easily live fulfilling lives. The rights of the individual to personal possessions and community resources must be balanced with the needs of the disadvantaged and dispossessed." Cited from: https://www.caritas.org.au/about/catholic-social-teaching-values#:~:text=The%20common%20good,of%20the%20disadvantaged%20and%20dispossessed.

--Story of the Good Samaritan: This story is found in the New Testament of the Bible; see Luke 10:25-37. In the encyclical, Pope Francis breaks open this parable in its implications for us today.

--Hands Across the World: Franciscan Associate Brianda Cediel is co-founder of this non-profit, a first learning experience of language and living skills for newly arrived immigrants and refugees in the St. Cloud area of Central Minnesota: https://www.handsacrosstheworldmn.org/. Co-founder Franciscan Sister Tonie Rausch died in 2016.

--Saint Gregory the Great: "When we provide the needy with their basic needs, we are giving them what belongs to them, not to us".

-As quoted in Fratelli Tuttis; from Regula Pastoralis, III, 21: PL 77, 87.

--Franciscan Morning and Evening Praise: This beautiful prayer book is filled with Scripture, Franciscan readings, songs, and a full liturgical year of morning and evening prayer. Many Third Order Regular congregations in the United States, including our own, pray with this book twice daily. Unfortunately, it is mostly out of stock. If you are interested, there are some copies of the two-volume edition available: https://www.leafletonline.com/franciscan-morning-and-evening-praise.

Join Sister Jan Kilian in a probing conversation about the incisive wisdom and call to action in Fratelli Tutti, a recent encyclical from Pope Francis.

Selected Excerpts:

"The common good is what affects every level of our population. What affects the poor; it's housing, food, jobs and wages, the neighborhoods....Just that word, common. God made all of us. We are brothers and sisters. God did not separate us. We are one in Jesus, his son, and we separate ourselves when we don't care for the poor. We live in a common home, just as a family does, which are brothers and sisters. Some who are poor and disabled these days are readily sacrificed because they're a burden and Pope Francis and Jesus didn't see anybody that way."

"We are to create a community of belonging and a community of solidarity, really of our time and our energy and our resources."

"We are truly brothers and sisters to each other. I like this image of a melody from Saint Irenaeus. Francis quotes that the notes and the melody are not created separately and apart from each other. But they're composed by the same person in one melody. And it's not the same melody if we leave some notes out, it has to contain every note."

"True love of neighbor comes from the realization that God sent his son, Jesus, to unite us with himself and with each other. If we are Christian, we believe that we are one in Jesus. And with Jesus, one in the Father, loved by God's Holy Spirit of love. If we believe that, our hearts must identify with others, without worrying about where they were born or where they come from. Sharing what we have, not worrying about what they're going to take away from us. What can we give them? ...they're amazing gifts to us.  They bring us news of other cultures, expand our own worlds, show us places where we're not able to go."

References:

--What is an encyclical? It is a circular letter from the Pope; addressed to Catholic clergy and laity, it contains the Pope's views on church teachings and doctrine in a particular area.

--Rerum Novarum: On the Condition of Labor (On the Rights of Workers) is an encyclical written by Pope Pious XIII in 1891. See: http://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html.

--Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship: A short summary, including a link to the entire document: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-10/fratelli-tutti-pope-fraternity-social-friendship-short-summary.html.

--Encyclicals are part of the Catholic Social Teachings (CST): Here are the key principles of CST: https://www.cctwincities.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Key-10-Principles-of-CST_1-pager.pdf. These short videos bring the CST principles/themes "to life and inspire us to put our faith into action": https://www.crs.org/resource-center/CST-101.

--What is the common good? A short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6oSJg6wuBg. "Every person should have sufficient access to the goods and resources of society so that they can completely and easily live fulfilling lives. The rights of the individual to personal possessions and community resources must be balanced with the needs of the disadvantaged and dispossessed." Cited from: https://www.caritas.org.au/about/catholic-social-teaching-values#:~:text=The%20common%20good,of%20the%20disadvantaged%20and%20dispossessed.

--Story of the Good Samaritan: This story is found in the New Testament of the Bible; see Luke 10:25-37. In the encyclical, Pope Francis breaks open this parable in its implications for us today.                                                                                                                                                          

--Hands Across the World: Franciscan Associate Brianda Cediel is co-founder of this non-profit, a first learning experience of language and living skills for newly arrived immigrants and refugees in the St. Cloud area of Central Minnesota: https://www.handsacrosstheworldmn.org/. Co-founder Franciscan Sister Tonie Rausch died in 2016.

--Saint Gregory the Great: "When we provide the needy with their basic needs, we are giving them what belongs to them, not to us".

      -As quoted in Fratelli Tuttis; from Regula Pastoralis, III, 21: PL 77, 87.

--Franciscan Morning and Evening Praise: This beautiful prayer book is filled with Scripture, Franciscan readings, songs, and a full liturgical year of morning and evening prayer. Many Third Order Regular congregations in the United States, including our own, pray with this book twice daily. Unfortunately, it is mostly out of stock. If you are interested, there are some copies of the two-volume edition available: https://www.leafletonline.com/franciscan-morning-and-evening-praise.

From the margins as a misguided youth to serving faith communities as a pastoral leader, our guest Steve Peterson shares his story of amazing grace. His journey of conversion brought him to freedom in Christ, to humble loving which overcomes fear with love, and to celebrate the joy of being human.

Selected excerpts from the interview:

"I looked for allies or exemplars in the faith. That's where I discovered a little more deeply and got inspiration and encouragement from this mentor, Saint Francis, from 800 years ago....Everybody loves St. Francis and, and he is definitely a part of the church; he's even called a Saint. So, if a lot of what I'm feeling and experiencing is in line with who Saint Francis was, why that's somewhere I can take comfort and be encouraged and guided from."

"All of life is sacramental. As a pastor, I not only see the people in the church that I serve and the administrating of the sacraments with a big S...but also that God is present and speaking to us, conveying God's presence through all kinds of means and in all kinds of places in our, in our daily life and as we look at the world around us. I think that's a very Franciscan way of looking at the world."

"Whenever I've been in a position of leadership,...one of my very top priorities has been to do whatever I can to foster a sense of community and to be a part of a community that is engaged in this ministry, on this following Jesus together. Discerning God's Spirit of where we are being called together, when the Spirit is really not blocked so much and is given free rein, also where the sense of joy that I think is intrinsic to being human."

"When we're connected to God and connected to each other and connected to a purpose that God gives us together, that is really life-giving, that's where the real joy is. Even if it involves hard things, there's a joy there....Something wonderful is happening that is much larger than the sum of what each of us brought to it, that the Spirit somehow is birthing something that's new and greater than the sum of our parts. And that is just a joy to be a part of that."

"When there's an openness to God's Spirit and some humility, that we can discover what our voice is, what our instrument is for being vehicles of God's presence in the world. You know, Francis' saying ... at the end of his life, "I've done what it's been mine to do, may God give you the guidance to do what is yours to do." Hopefully even this COVID time can deepen our sense of, just openness and being empty enough to being guided by God's Spirit in terms of what is ours to do in this time and in this place that we find ourselves."

"Francis, I see as, as not only being humble and giving of himself and living simply and sacrificing for others, but I see him also as extremely confident in his stance as God's beloved child, who's called to do what he does. And so there's a real strength there.... I see humility as both of those things: having strength in the gifts that God has given you, and also, being humble enough to understand your vulnerability and that you are just one of God's creatures among that, and not over and above."

"Less is more. Space in life is good. We don't have to fill every hour of every day with all kinds of action and striving. When we stop and look and listen and create some space and are open to God's Spirit, God will indeed move in our lives and open our ears and eyes and hearts to new possibilities."

References:

--2 Corinthians 12:10: I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

--Peace Prayer: attributed to Saint Francis, this familiar text is on our Franciscan Sisters website in Spanish and English https://www.fslf.org/CommonFranciscanPrayers/#PeacePrayer.

--Saint Bonaventure's Major Legend of St Francis 14:3..."I have done what is mine; may Christ teach you yours." (These are words of Saint Francis to his brothers on his deathbed).

From the margins as a misguided youth to serving faith communities as a pastoral leader, our guest Steve Peterson shares his story of amazing grace. His journey of conversion brought him to freedom in Christ, to humble loving which overcomes fear with love, and to celebrate the joy of being human.

Selected excerpts from the interview:

"I looked for allies or exemplars in the faith. That's  where I discovered a little more deeply and got inspiration and encouragement from this mentor, Saint Francis, from 800 years ago....Everybody loves St. Francis and, and he is definitely a part of the church; he's even called a Saint. So, if a lot of what I'm feeling and experiencing is in line with who Saint Francis was, why that's somewhere I can take comfort and be encouraged and guided from."

"All of life is sacramental. As a pastor, I not only see the people in the church that I serve and the administrating of the sacraments with a big S...but also that God is present and speaking to us, conveying God's presence through all kinds of means and in all kinds of places in our, in our daily life and as we look at the world around us. I think that's a very Franciscan way of looking at the world."                                          

"Whenever I've been in a position of leadership,...one of my very top priorities has been to do whatever I can to foster a sense of community and to be a part of a community that is engaged in this ministry, on this following Jesus together. Discerning God's Spirit of where we are being called together, when the Spirit is really not blocked so much and is given free rein, also where the sense of joy that I think is intrinsic to being human."

"When we're connected to God and connected to each other and connected to a purpose that God gives us together, that is really life-giving, that's where the real joy is. Even if it involves hard things, there's a joy there....Something wonderful is happening that is much larger than the sum of what each of us brought to it, that the Spirit somehow is birthing something that's new and greater than the sum of our parts. And that is just a joy to be a part of that."

"When there's an openness to God's Spirit and some humility, that we can discover what our voice is, what our instrument is for being vehicles of God's presence in the world. You know, Francis' saying ... at the end of his life, "I've done what it's been mine to do, may God give you the guidance to do what is yours to do." Hopefully even this COVID time can deepen our sense of, just openness and being empty enough to being guided by God's Spirit in terms of what is ours to do in this time and in this place that we find ourselves."

"Francis, I see as, as not only being humble and giving of himself and living simply and sacrificing for others, but I see him also as extremely confident in his stance as God's beloved child, who's called to do what he does. And so there's a real strength there.... I see humility as both of those things: having strength in the gifts that God has given you, and also, being humble enough to understand your vulnerability and that you are just one of God's creatures among that, and not over and above."

"Less is more. Space in life is good. We don't have to fill every hour of every day with all kinds of action and striving. When we stop and look and listen and create some space and are open to God's Spirit, God will indeed move in our lives and open our ears and eyes and hearts to new possibilities."

References:

--2 Corinthians 12:10: I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

--Peace Prayer: attributed to Saint Francis, this familiar text is on our Franciscan Sisters website in Spanish and English https://www.fslf.org/CommonFranciscanPrayers/#PeacePrayer. 

--Saint Bonaventure's Major Legend of St Francis 14:3..."I have done what is mine; may Christ teach you yours." (These are words of Saint Francis to his brothers on his deathbed).