Portrait of Saint Augustine of Hippo
c. 1472
There is no true friendship, Lord, except between
those whom You bind together. . . If your delight is
in souls, my friends, let them be loved in God, for
they too are changeable, and they will perish and
pass away if they are not firmly established in Him.
In Him, then, let them be loved; and draw to Him
along with you as many souls as you can.
--St. Augustine of Hippo
True friendship can harbor no suspicion; a friend
must speak to a friend as freely as to his second
self.
--St. Jerome
What a great favor God does to those whom He places
in the company of good people!
--St. Teresa of Avila
If the bond of your communion is love, devotion, and
Christian perfection, then your friendship will be
precious indeed: precious because it has its
origin in God, because it is maintained in God, and
because it will endure forever in Him.
--St. Francis de Sales
Jesus with the Woman of Samaria |
"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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REGIONS,
CIRCLES AND CHAPTERS
OF THE
CONFRATERNITY OF PENITENTS
Circles and Chapters may be formed anywhere in
the world where penitents wish to gather
together for prayer, support, and service in
living a life of penance.
If
you like to explore forming a Chapter or Circle
of the Confraternity in your area, please
contact us. We will be glad to assist you.
The
following are the current Circles (five members
or less) and Chapters (more than five members)
of the Confraternity of Penitents.
- Howell,
Michigan, USA--Queen
of the Most Holy Chapter. Spiritual
Assistant: Father Bill Ashbaugh
- Newport,
Rhode Island USA--Blessed Luchesio
Chapter. Spiritual Assistant, Deacon Jim Rudnick
-
Springfield, Massachusetts USA--St. Pio Circle.
Spiritual Assistant: Father Henry Dorsch
-
Dedham, Massachusetts USA--Blessed
John Paul II Circle. Spiritual Assistant to
be announced.
- Sayre,
Pennsylvania USA--Most
Holy Trinity Circle. Spiritual
Assistant: To be announced.
-
Texas/Oklahoma USA
-- Immaculate Conception Circle. Spiritual
Assistant: Sister Theresa Gill (This is a
unique arrangement where most monthly
meeting are via phone conference call, with
the Circle meeting in person once or twice a
year in Dallas, TX.)
- Tulsa,
Oklahoma USA--Emerging
Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be announced.
-
Dallas, Texas USA--Emerging
Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be announced.
-
Manilla, Philippines
-- Our Lady
of Peace and Good Voyage Circle. Spiritual
Assistant: To be announced.
- Fort
Wayne, Indiana USA
-- Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy, Chapter.
Spiritual Assistant, Brother Felix Mary, FBM
-
Orange, Virginia USA--
Emerging CFP Circle. Spiritual Assistant:
Father Terry Staples, pastor of St.
Isidore's Church, Orange VA
-
Bridgewater, Virginia USA--Emerging
CFP Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be
announced.
-
Taylors, South Carolina, USA--Emerging
CFP Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be
announced.
-
Bayonne, New Jersey USA--Bread
of Life Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be
announced.
-
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA--Emerging
Circle. Spiritual Assistant to be announced.
-
London, England
-- Emerging
Circle. Spiritual Assistant: To be
announced.
Penitents who don't live near one of these
gatherings are, nevertheless, members of their
regional gatherings which span the world. Each
region has an appointed Regional Minister who is in
communication with the members in that region:
SAINT MOSES THE
BLACK REGION:
Any inquirer, member, or associated currently in
prison, no matter where they live in the world.
+++++++++++++
SERVANTS OF
THE CROSS REGION:
Georgia, Florida,
Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana,
Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, USA
+++++++++++++++
OUR LADY OF GOOD
REMEDY REGION:
Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota,
Iowa, Missouri, USA
++++++++++++++
BEATO LUCHESIO
REGION:
Maine, Vermont,
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, USA
+++++++++++++++
Way
of the Cross Region:
Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Washington
DC, USA
+++++++++++++++
Mary Keeper of the Word Region:
New York State,
USA
+++++++++++++++
OUR
LADY OF CONSOLATION REGION: Virginia, West Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, USA
+++++++++++++++++++
SAINT
BENEDICT THE MOOR REGION: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon,
California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah,
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, USA
+++++++++++++++++++
CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD REGION: Europe (including British Isles)
++++++++++++++
SAINT
CHARLES LWANGA REGION: Africa
+++++++++++++++
LORD
OF LIGHT AND PEACE REGION: Asia
excluding Philippines
++++++++++++++++
SAN
LORENZO RUIZ REGION:
Philippines
++++++++++++++++
BLESSED SACRAMENT REGION: Canada
+++++++++++++
NUESTRA SENORA REGION:
Latin America
++++++++++++++
BLESSED POPE JOHN XXIII REGION:
Australia, New Zealand
Everyone who wishes to do penance as a member of
the Confraternity has others to support him or
her on the journey.
Please contact us and we will put you in touch
with your "group."
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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