Saint Macrina the Younger
(c. 327-379)
SAINT OF THE MONTH: SAINT MACRINA THE YOUNGER
Saint Macrina was the granddaughter of Saint Macrina
the Elder and one of the ten children of Saints
Basil and Emmelia. When her fiancé died before
their wedding, Macrina remained at home to help
Emmelia who had just given birth to her tenth child
Peter and had then been widowed. Once the
children were grown and educated, Macrina
consecrated her life to God and convinced Emmelia to
join her in the cloister. When Emmelia died as
superior of the convent, Macrina succeeded her.
Macrina's youngest brother Peter was in a
neighboring monastery while two other brothers Basil
and Gregory, both of whom became bishops, often
sought Macrina's advice. All three of these brothers
were eventually canonized.
QUOTE FROM SCRIPTURE
"On one occasion a lawyer stood up to pose Him
this problem: 'Teacher, what must I do to
inherit everlasting life?'"
(Luke 10:25)
The lawyer's question is one we all ought to
ask. It is especially appropriate for January,
traditionally considered a time of new beginnings.
What is God calling each of us to do? Doing
what He asks will bring us eternal life because all
that He asks of us has our salvation as a final
view. Those considering living this holy Rule
of Life in the CFP would do well to ask God the
lawyer's question and to ponder His answer.
Those already in formation and those who have
completed formation can ask the question as well,
for God will give them directives that will lead
them into greater union with Himself.
QUOTE FROM A SAINT
"Will you not cease to be insensible to the
divine blessings? Will you not remedy the
ingratitude of your soul ? Will you not compare your
position with that of your parents? And yet, as
regards worldly things, we make our boast of being
well born and thinking we come of a noble family.
Our father was greatly esteemed as a young man for
his learning ; in fact his fame was established
throughout the law courts of the province.
Subsequently, though he excelled all others in
rhetoric, his reputation did not extend beyond
Pontus. But he was satisfied with fame in his own
land.
But you are renowned in cities and peoples and
nations. Churches summon you as an ally and
director, and do you not see the grace of God in it
all ? Do you fail to recognize the cause of such
great blessings, that it is your parents' prayers
that are lifting you up on high, you that have
little or no equipment within yourself for such
success? ''
Saint Macrina the Younger spoken to her
brother Gregory
Macrina was admonishing her brother, who was
also a bishop, that he failed to realize that the
graces he experienced were the result of God's
goodness called upon him by the prayers of pious
parents. Likewise we might need a bit of
admonishment, too, if we ever think that our being
called to a life of penance is a reflection of our
own merits. Such a call may well be the result
of someone else's persistent prayers for our
advancement in the spiritual life.
In the same manner, our prayers may well be
the reason another brother or sister embarks upon a
life of penance (conversion).
A life of penance in the CFP is a life lived
in communion with other penitents. Our prayers
and penances help one another on the spiritual
journey. How can we ever praise God enough for
so connecting us in the spiritual life?
BIRTHDAYS
A Happy Birthday
to:
Karen Szczerowski 1/2
Edna Lewis 1/2
Anne Hadro 1/8
Catherine Morton 1/11
Lizbeth Paula Boulanger 1/12
Linda McGuire Rook 1/15
Lili Ann Murphy 1/18
Tana Calballero 1/21
Holly McClellan 1/22
Patricia Murray, 1/25
Cheryl Mitchell 1/31
FUNDS
The Confraternity
of Penitents requires no dues from its membership.
However, there are expenses to be met (about $200
monthly) and we appreciate your donations toward
them. We also have an Alms Fund for needy members.
If you wish your contribution to go toward the Alms
Fund, please so specify.
Donations may be
sent to CFP Treasurer, Rita Farnsworth, 17 Gargon
Terrace, Southwick MA 01077. Please make checks out
to Confraternity of Penitents.
OR
Make a secure,
online donation through PayPal by using the PayPal
logo on our
Cornflakes? Link.
Your donation is
tax-deductible.
May God reward you
for your support!
Visitor: Father Jay
Finelli
Spiritual
Advisors: Father John of the Trinity, Erem. TOCarm,
Fr. Martin Mary Fonte, FI, Dom Julian Stead, OSB
Convert Contact:
Mark Gordon, Fidelity Forum.
Please contact us
if you have a question which you feel a priest needs
to answer and we will put you in touch with one of
our spiritual advisors or with another person who
can assist you.
May God bless you
and let us pray for one another!
The Lord's Prayer
by J. J. Tissot
1899
"Repent and believe the Good News!"
Penance means conversion. The Confraternity of
Penitents is a world wide private Catholic
association of the faithful, completely loyal to our
Pope and the Magisterium.
Our Rule of Life has been reviewed by our bishop and
recognized in these words: "this Rule does not
contain anything contrary to our faith; therefore it
may be safely practiced privately by you or by
anyone inclined to do so. . . . His Excellency
is appreciative of your efforts to live and promote
Franciscan spirituality and especially promote the
neglected practice of penance and he wishes you
success"
(January 30,
1998).
Members of the Confraternity of Penitents live this
Rule in their own homes, devoted to prayer, penance,
fasting, conversion, and works of mercy modeled on
Jesus Christ and inspired by the lives and teachings
of
St. Francis,
St. Dominic,
St. Therese,
St. Benedict,
St. Augustine,
St. Ignatius,
and all the saints, most especially Mary, the Mother
of God, who lived a life of true penance
(conversion) in perfect union with our Lord.
May Our Lady and all the saints intercede for all
who wish to embrace a life of penance, anywhere in
the world, so that the grace of God will assist them
to obtain every virtue necessary for a life of
holiness and surrender to the Will of God! Amen.
PRAYER OF PENITENTS
"Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness
of my mind, give me right faith, a firm hope and
perfect charity, so that I may always and in all
things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen."
(Saint Francis's prayer before the San Damiano
Crucifix)
MISSION OF PENITENTS
"Go and repair My House
which, as you can see, is falling into ruin." (The
message given to St. Francis in a voice from the San
Damiano Crucifix.)
ACTION OF PENITENTS
To pray for God's
specific direction in one's life so that, through
humbly living our Rule of Life, each penitent may
help to rebuild the house of God by bringing love of
God and neighbor to his or her own corner of the
world.
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NO GREATER LOVE
"There is no greater love than this: to lay
down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13)
Monthly
Newsletter for
All Who Wish to
Do Penance (Experience Conversion) in the
CONFRATERNITY
OF PENITENTS
January, 2005
LETTER FROM THE MINISTER
(PRESIDENT)
Dear Holy People of Penance,
Greetings and Salutations for a very Blessed New
Year!
As we enter into the New Year we may wonder how
many changes will take place this year. Also we
will speculate if these changes will be made by
us or by someone else in our lives. For some,
change is a difficult thing to adjust to
especially when unforeseen circumstances force
us into that change. Perhaps it is a change of
residence, a death in your family, a marriage,
or a child going off to college, a son or
daughter sent to serve our country that may
change your life in some way or another.
Whatever changes come about by circumstances,
all changes are definitely trials even if they
are joyful changes. And as we approach the New
Year, many of us promise to change many things
about ourselves or our surroundings. These are
also known as " making resolutions". This
reminds me of a song that Tony Bennett was
popular for, entitled , "There'll be some
changes made today". The lyrics go like this and
perhaps you remember it:
"For there's a change in the weather, there's a
change in the sea,
So from now on there'll be a change in me.
My walk will be different, my talk and my name,
Nothing about me is going to be the same.
I'm going to change my way of living, if that
ain't enough"....
and on and on so the song goes. And just what is
a resolution or a promise for change for the New
Year? To me it means to re-solve a situation or
a solution to a problem in our life. But what is
needed to re-solve the situation in our life is
up to us, and it takes not only a change but a
deep commitment on our part. One thing I know
for sure is that we must make the changes or
resolutions slowly and gradually, or else we
fall back into the same old routine and give up
on them right away. I think this applies to our
spiritual life too.
If you have entered into formation in the
Confraternity of Penitents, you know by now that
you MUST take it slow. I have seen some members
jump right into the Rule so fast and then come
out of it just as fast. They seem to want to
have it all because it sounds so good to them.
They begin making the changes in their lifestyle
so immediately that they get discouraged . All
their plans and dreams come falling down, and
they feel that this life is not for them or that
they have failed in some way or another and are
not called to live the Rule. We all want to
become the best we can be, especially when it
comes to our spiritual life, but there is no
fast way to holiness. It is a slow process, just
as it is a slow process to begin to live the
Rule of 1221. Just look at some of the saints
that we read about and how hard they had it when
faced with some real challenges. When we attempt
to do too much too fast, we get tired and we
lose heart.
This especially applies to the fasting element
of the Rule as well as the clothing aspect. Some
of the members that I have worked with over the
years want to begin fasting immediately, and
they have never fasted before and do not know
what to expect. They also want to begin wearing
the colors that the Rule allows and they give
all of their clothes away in a brief moment and
then become depressed over the immediate change
in dress. I would just like to caution the new
members who are in the beginning stages of
formation to please take it slow and easy. Study
the lessons in the Handbook and do one lesson a
month, unless you are an August Postulant and
complete two lessons per month. Read and study
them and implement the resolution for the month
slowly into your lifestyle. This way it becomes
more of a natural happening and is not so
intrusive.
When you pray, begin with the daily prayers and
perhaps a daily Rosary if you are not praying it
already. Then begin to read Sacred Scripture a
few minutes each day. Gradually it will become
easier to do, and you will form a habit of
praying naturally. If you are not used to
praying the daily Rosary, begin with a decade or
two and pray it when you have the time. Do not
hurry through it. Meditate on the mystery that
you are praying. Think of the life of Jesus and
Mary. Picture yourself in that place and time.
Ask our Heavenly Mother Mary to help you
concentrate on the mysteries and travel along
the journey that Jesus and Mary took. Eventually
you will be praying the entire Rosary each day.
If you have never gone to a daily Mass and you
want to give it a try, please do and see the
wonder in the celebration of the Mass each day
as you study the readings given and you share in
the life of Christ. Enjoy the Holy Eucharist as
Jesus dwells with you for a time. Spend the
quite time with the Lord and talk to Him as a
friend talks to one another. Read a small
passage from Scripture and take your time and
let it speak to you. As you begin to do these
things each day, you will see a big change in
your life and your lifestyle. You will want to
pray more and spend more time reading spiritual
articles and the lives of the saints. You will
crave a holier lifestyle more and more as you
receive the Holy Body and Blood of Christ at
Mass. Jesus will dwell in you and through you.
Fasting will be a slow process as it should be,
and you will see that you will not miss that
dessert that everyone is raving about - well,
maybe just a little at least. See how you will
be free from all the worldliness that surrounds
you and will long for the peace that it gives.
Lastly and most importantly, receive the
Sacrament of Reconciliation and enjoy the
freedom that forgiveness brings.
Believe me you will enjoy these changes this New
Year and others will also begin to notice the
peace that surrounds you. Make it a lifelong
resolution that will outlast all other
resolutions that you have made throughout the
past years. Don't be too hard on yourself if you
fall down on some of these commitments, as we
all do from time to time. Just pick yourself up,
dust yourself off, as another song goes, and
start all over again.
May God grant you His many blessings and a very
happy, holier New Year filled with many graces
that only God can give. And remember if you need
any assistance with your lessons or are having
problems, contact your Regional Communications
Coordinator and they will be happy to help you
with whatever the problem. We also are so very
blest to have several spiritual advisors on call
that will be happy to assist you in your needs.
It takes just a phone call or an email to ask
for the help that you need to complete your
lessons this New Year.
Mary McGarry, Minister (President)
"NO GREATER LOVE"
Twenty Rules of Wisdom from Fr.
Cedric Pisegna, CP
1. God wants spiritual fruit,
not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's me.
3. Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is
optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is
always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never
misquoted.
6. Do the math....count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, don't pray. If you pray...don't
worry.
10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like
calling home everyday.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not
be bent out of shape.
12.The most important things in your home are
the people.
13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be
still;
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the
knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still
dead.
16. We do not remember days, but moments.
Life is moving too fast - so enjoy your precious
moments.
17. Nothing is real to you until you experience
it, otherwise it's just hearsay.
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every
now and again. Just be sure to flush when you
are done.
19. Surviving and living your life successfully
requires courage. The goals and dreams
you're seeking require courage and risk taking.
Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress
when it sticks out its neck. "We are
continually faced with great opportunities
disguised as unsolvable problems."
20. Be more concerned with your character than
your reputation, because your character is what
you really are,
while your reputation is merely what others
think you are.
REFLECTIONS ON
THE SAN DAMIANO CRUCIFIX: THE "WOMB" OF
CHRIST
The artist has painted a "womb"
on the belly of the Christ of the icon of San
Damiano. This perfect circle, which has
the belly button at its top and which is
transfixed with a circular line to indicate
protrusion as a perfectly shaped ball, is not to
imply that Christ was of female gender.
Not at all, for the image of Christ on the San
Damiano crucifix is distinctly male in the
bearded face and bodily proportions.
However, the "womb" is quite
distinct. It is outlined in red, one of
the predominant colors in the icon of San
Damiano. The red is purposefully chosen.
The other outlined parts of the Lord's Body,
such as His kneecaps, breast, and body cavity,
are not painted in red but rather in a deeper
flesh color. The red outline of the "womb"
is meant to indicate that the "womb" is a
symbolic, not a realistic, part of this icon.
The red outlined "womb" recalls
the Blood of Christ, which is spurting from His
wounds on this icon. The "womb" reminds
the viewer that Christ conceived us Christians
in His Passion and birthed us in His
crucifixion. As a new life begins in the
womb, so our new spiritual lives begin in the
outpoured Blood of the Lord. In the "womb"
of His Blood, we are conceived; in His Blood, we
grow; because of His Blood, we are reborn into
new life with God.
OUR RULE OF LIFE AND
REFLECTION
RULE: ARTICLE 30
30. After these particulars are complied with,
when the year is up and he seems suitable to
them, let him on the advice of some discreet
brothers be received on this condition: that he
promise he will all the time of his life observe
everything here written, or to be written or
abated on the advice of the brothers, unless on
occasion there be a valid dispensation by the
ministers; and that he will, when called upon by
the ministers, render satisfaction as the
Visitor shall ordain if he have done anything
contrary to this condition. And this promise is
to be put in writing then and there by a public
notary. Even so nobody is to be received
otherwise, unless in consideration of the estate
and rank of the person it shall seem advisable
to the ministers.
STATUTES: ARTICLE 30
a. After these particulars are complied with and
the year of postulancy and three years of novice
formation have elapsed, if those novices seem
suitable to the ministers of their Chapter or
Circles, let them be received on this
condition—that they pledge that they will
observe everything here written, or to be
written or changed on the advice of the ruling
body of the Confraternity, unless on occasion
there be a valid dispensation by the ministers
or Visitors or their own personal spiritual
directors; and that they will, when called upon
by the ministers, render satisfaction as the
Visitor shall ordain if they have done anything
contrary to this condition.
b. Penitents may pledge to live the Rule for
life or for a year. Yearly pledges are to be
renewed annually and may be changed at any time
to a lifetime pledge.
c. All pledges are to be put in writing then
and there and signed by the penitent and also by
the minister and the spiritual assistant. Nobody
is to be received otherwise.
REFLECTION
Article and Statutes 30 discuss pledging to live
the Rule of the Confraternity of Penitents.
You may wonder why the original Rule of 1221
required a year of formation while the CFP
statutes require four years of formation.
The four years of formation were added at the
direction of Brother Francis Kelly, FPO, our
first Visitor. He recommended a longer
time of formation to allow modern penitents time
to adjust to living the Rule. Brother
Francis (now Father Francis) wisely knew that
modern society and medieval society are vastly
different. In the days of Saint Francis, all
Christians normally fasted all of Lent and
during the Fast of Saint Martin. They were
used to harsher conditions of life than people
are today. To successfully live the Rule
today, modern penitents need to embrace it
gradually, in order to make the necessary
changes in their lives. Father Francis's
wisdom has proved true, time and again among our
membership.
The CFP Rule allows a choice regarding
pledging. One may pledge for life or for a
year. The year's choice would be suitable
for those who are not yet sure if they wish to,
or can, live our Rule for life. Unlike
some other groups who limit how many times one
may pledge to live the Rule for a year, the CFP
does not have this sort of restriction.
When the Holy Spirit deems a penitent ready to
pledge for life, then the CFP is ready to accept
him or her. That may be immediately after
formation is completed, or it may be ten or
twenty years later, after that many year pledges
have been successfully lived.
In the same vein, a life pledge may be
deepened to a private vow, provided that the
penitent has the permission of his or her
spiritual director to whom the vow is given.
A pledge to live the Rule is not binding under
pain of sin, although it is a serious matter,
being a promise to God. A vow, on the
other hand, is binding. A penitent can be
released from a vow only by the one to whom the
vow was made.
Pledges may be made in a public ceremony,
including a Mass. The CFP has a Mass of
Pledging ceremony in its Handbook. The vow, on
the other hand, is a completely private matter
and must be given in private to the spiritual
director and, through him or her, to God.
The private nature of the vow is beyond the
scope of the public nature of the CFP Rule and,
hence, is not written about in the Statutes.
However, it is a Church-permitted option for
those who wish it. At this writing
(January 2005), four of our members have taken
private vows to live the CFP Rule for life.
Two others are pledged to live the Rule for life
and two more to live the Rule for a year.
In addition, four associates of the
Confraternity of Penitents have completed their
four years of formation and are now living the
complete CFP Rule. May God
bless each of these individuals and all others
who are in formation in this holy way of life.
CONFRATERNITY PHOTO ALBUM
My name is Helmut and I was born in the
south-west of Germany 45 years ago. As baby I
was baptized and grew up in a Catholic family.
This meannt for me attending Mass on Sundays,
praying with my mother, being in Catholic youth
groups and leading for some time a Catholic
youth group.
As a teen, I struggled with the Catholic church.
This was especially because of some people, who
"lived" the Gospel only for one hour a week
during Sunday Mass. But you could not see in
their deeds, that they were Catholic. At one
time, I asked God if HE were calling me to
become a friar in a Trappist monastery. But I
could say that HE had other plans for me. Now
I'm married more then 20 years and we have 3
children--2 sons and 1 daughter, all healthy and
still going to school.
We live on a very lovely place with hills around
us, an old castle, a lovely church on top of a
hill and many field-crosses (I don't know if you
have such crosses in America).
For a long time, I had problems with my belief
and the Catholic church, and I felt very close
to the Amish people. I have some penpals and
visited them. They taught me much about what it
means to live a life in the footsteps of our
LORD. And they brought me back to the Catholic
church.
During a visit to Italy, we visited Assisi. This
was very impressive. But more impressive for me
are the "Eremos" (this means hermitages) in
which St. Francis lived. If you have ever the
chance to visit one or some of those eremos, do
it. When I'm there, I feel the spirit of St.
Francis. Being there, I felt a call to follow
Jesus in the footsteps of St. Francis and St.
Clare. So I asked about the Third Order. There
have been many changes since the original Rule
of 1221 and I looked for an Association, who
lived this original Rule more strictly. Some
four and a half years ago, I found this in the
Internet and with the will of GOD, I will finish
soon Novice 3.
My favorite saints are St. Francis, St. Clare,
Padre Pio and a man, who is soon going to be
beatified, Little Brother Charles of Jesus
(Charles de Foucauld). They - and many others -
show me that it's possible to live the Gospel.
Not perfectly as we are only human beings, but
we can try it. And it's very good to have
support and dear friends, who help on this way
like the Confraternity of Penitents.
So let me end with the old greetings of St.
Francis
Pace e bene
Helmut Haegele
----------------------------
 My
name is Chris LiMandri and I am a Novice Two
from the Bread of Life Chapter in New York. Like
many of you, I found the Confraternity through
web searches. I was looking for anything related
to the Carmelites. I knew almost nothing about
St. Francis.
My first chapter meeting occurred just after
Sept. 11, 2001 and one year later, God, in his
infinite mercy, called me again to the Faith. I
had been separated from the Church for many
years.
I am proof that living our Rule does, in fact,
enhance one's family and spiritual life. In
particular, our regimen of fasting and
abstinence has greatly added to my spiritual
well- being (although I often struggle with
fasting). I see living each statute of our Rule
as adding one little droplet to my spiritual
pool. Only after time does each droplet
culminate into a huge reservoir of spirituality.
I've been thinking about a Psalm read at a
recent Mass which describes God as a place
"where kindness and truth meet". This Psalm
offers much food for thought.
I am 39 and self employed in the area of
statistics. My husband and I have two young
energetic boys. We live in Queens, a borough of
New York City.
Chris LiMandri
------------------------------------------
CATHOLIC HUMOR
A little girl was watching her
parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad
donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you
shouldn't wear that suit." "And why not,
darling?" "You know that it always gives you a
headache the next morning."
-------------------------
While walking along the sidewalk in front of his
church, our minister heard the intoning of a
prayer that nearly made his collar wilt.
Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates
had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper
burial should be performed, they had secured a
small
box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made
ready for the disposal of the deceased. The
minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate
prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his
version of what he thought his father always
said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the
Sonnn ..... and into the hole he gooooes."
--------------------
A little girl had just finished her first week
of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said
to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and
they won't let me talk!"
CONFRATERNITY COOKBOOK
Three penitents are
compiling recipes for a Confraternity Cookbook.
How about sharing your favorite recipes with:
Rita Farnsworth,
RitaFarns@aol.com
Marie Clark,
CFPMarie@aol.com
Karen Sadock,
karen.sadock@saintbruno.org
Or else postal mail
them to the Confraternity at 520 Oliphant Lane,
Middletown RI 02842-4600
"You shall
love the Lord your God with your whole heart,
with your whole soul, and with all your mind,
(and) you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
(Matthew 22:37-38)
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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