Saint
Catherine of Genoa
(1447-1510)
I
consider all that befalls me, except
sin, as coming from the hand of God.
Sin is mine alone just as is all concern
with the self.
--
St. Catherine of Genoa
Let every suffering and pain be welcome
that comes from God's will, for you have
illuminated me, O Lord, for the last
thirty-six years or so. For your sake I
have always sought to suffer, within as
well as without. And this desire
has never let me suffer greatly.
On the contrary, all those things that I
have undergone that seemed intense
suffering were, because of your will,
sweet and consoling.
--
St. Catherine of Genoa
O
Lord, do with me what you will.
--St. Catherine of Genoa
The
souls in Purgatory cannot remember the
good and evil in their past nor that of
others. Such is their joy in God's
will;, in His pleasure, that they have
no concern for themselves but dwell only
on their joy in God's ordinance, in
having Him do what He will.
--St. Catherine of Genoa
Jesus and the Adulterous Woman (detail)
Woodcut by Gustave Dore
(1832-1883)
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"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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The Oratory of
Divine Love: One
apostolate of the Confraternity of penitents
The Oratory of Divine Love is an apostolate
encouraged by the Confraternity of Penitents.
Begun by Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, the
Oratory is a way for Catholics to meet together
weekly in small groups, for one hour in one
another's homes, to discuss the relationship
between Scripture, Church doctrine, and the
Catechism. Each week, readings in both the
Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
are provided along with a reflection, prayer,
and questions for discussion. Oratorians
are to be totally loyal to all the teachings of
the Catholic Church, the Pope, and the
Magisterium and are to participate in the
spiritual and corporal works of mercy,
preferably with the poor.
Oratorians do not live a Rule of Life as
members of the Confraternity of Penitents do.
However, they study the Catechism and Scripture,
as penitents do in their novice formation, and
they engage in the works of mercy, as penitents
are called to do. Belonging to an Oratory
is a way for a penitent to share his or her
faith with other Catholics, who may not be
penitents, and to come to understand even better
the teachings of the Church.
SAINT CATHERINE OF GENOA, FOUNDER OF THE
FIRST ORATORY OF DIVINE LOVE
The first Oratory was begun by Saint
Catherine of Genoa, a wife, mother and mystic
who died in Genoa, Italy, in 1510.
Although she wanted to become a cloistered nun,
Catherine's wealthy parents married her to a
wealthy patrician Guiliano Adorno. Guliano
was unfaithful, violent, and a spendthrift.
After suffering silently for five years, and
trying to hold to her faith, Catherine decided
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," and adopted
worldly airs to try to win her husband's
affection. This cost her dearly for she
lost her religious fervor and , when Catherine
was twenty-six, she decided to have recourse to
divine assistance.
On the the eve of the Feast of St. Benedict,
1473, Catherine prayed, "Saint Benedict,
pray to God that He make me stay three months
sick in bed." When she told her sister, a nun,
about this prayer, her sister advised her to go
to confession. In confession, Catherine
was overwhelmed by her sins and also by the love
of God for her. Drawn back to the path of
devotion, she had a vision of our Lord carrying
His cross, which caused her to cry out, "O Love,
if it be necessary I am ready to confess my sins
in public!"
Catherine's mystical ascent, severe
mortifications, fasting, and fervor persisted.
A group of religious people, the first
Oratorians, gathered about her to be guided into
a Spirit-filled life. Eventually her
husband was converted, became a Franciscan
tertiary, and agreed to live with Catherine in
continence.
Catherine and Giuliano and those who followed
them cared for the sick in the city hospital and
the poor in their homes. Catherine became
director of the hospital of Pammetone in 1490.
Her Oratorians were instrumental in nursing
plague victims in 1493 and in bringing the
teachings of Christ to a country falling away
from the faith. Catherine wrote two
mystical works, Dialogue between the Soul and
the Body and Treatise on Purgatory.
Her feast day is September 15.
THE ORATORY TODAY
Father
Benedict Groeschel, CFR, has been an encouraging
supporter of the Confraternity, in its original
foundation as the Brothers and Sisters of
Penance and now under its current name as the
Confraternity of Penitents. On April 30,
2005, in Stamford, Connecticut, at the first
weekend retreat for the Oratory of Divine Love,
Father Benedict gave the Confraternity of
Penitents his blessing with his prayer that the
Confraternity "would always follow the spirit of
Saint Francis."
The Confraternity of Penitents supports the work
and goals of the Oratory of Divine Love.
We encourage penitents to consider founding a
small oratory in their own locales. Only
three to six people are needed to begin an
Oratory, and Oratorians do not have be CFP
members.
With the encouragement
and permission of Father Benedict Groeschel, the Confraternity
of Penitents is providing a weekly reflection
for Oratorians
on this
link.
These are archived on this
link.
In addition, books of weekly reflections for the
Oratory, written by Fr. Groeschel and Jerry and
Yolanda Cleffi, as well a writings of St. Catherine of
Genoa, are available on this
link.
We pray that God may bless and use the
Oratory of Divine Love to spread the good news
of our faith across the world. We thank
the Cleffi's and Father Benedict for their
prayers for the Confraternity of Penitents and
offer them our prayers in return. May God guide
us always into closer union with Himself.
Start and Register an Oratory of Divine Love
Prayer Group
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If you would like to begin an Oratory of
Divine Love Prayer Group, have already
begun one, or have a pre-existing prayer
group that you want to affiliate with
Oratory, please follow the following
procedures. We are also including a
registration form on the bottom of this
page. It must be filled out, signed and
sent to us in order to be affiliated
with the Oratory of Divine Love.
-
Gather some devout Catholic friends,
at least six who will pledge
themselves to come together to pray
once a week, or at least once every
two weeks. Usually an oratory should
have at least six members. However,
homebound friends who cannot get to
a group can register as affiliates.
They will be able to pick up the
meditations on this website or the
Confraternity of Penitents can email
them the reflections. If the group
grows beyond fifteen or so, it loses
its personal touch, and it will be
necessary to start a second Oratory
from the existing one. It is
perfectly acceptable to limit the
membership to a particular age group
or parish, or even to a specific
occupation, such as teachers or
health care workers.
-
Explain the requirements beyond
attending the meeting:
-
To pray fervently and reverently
every day. Daily Mass attendance
is highly recommended but is not
required.
-
To show reverence, prayerfulness
and silence in church, and
especially before the presence
of Christ in the Eucharist
(whether exposed or in the
tabernacle).
-
To work regularly at hands-on
work for the poor and needy.
-
To be available to help in one’s
parish, especially with
religious education, ministry to
the sick, and other parish work.
-
To carefully read the Holy
Bible, especially the Gospels
every day (use solid
commentaries).
-
To give a devoted example of a
good Christian life at all
times, and to speak up in a
responsible way for the
observance of the Gospel by
Christians, and for a moral life
for all of society. The members
try to live up to their
responsibility to confess Christ
before all the world.
-
Be sure not to use the name of
the Oratory in any action other
than the weekly or bi-weekly
prayer meeting. Members are
encouraged to join all good
programs, but the Oratory itself
is a prayer movement.
Devout Christians who are not Catholics
can be invited to the prayer meetings,
even regularly, but with the
understanding that this is a Catholic
movement, loyal to the teaching of the
Catholic Church and the Holy Father.
While non-Catholic Christians are most
welcome it would detract from the
purpose of the Oratory if these were
accommodated by diluting the principles
and practices of the group, which is
loyal to the teachings of the Church and
to the Holy Father.
-
Have the person starting the Oratory
Group, referred to as the group
Coordinator, and all of the members
complete and submit the Registration
Form. If the prayer group disbands,
the coordinator is the person
responsible to notify the ODL office
that the prayer group has
discontinued. If you are applying as
a single affiliate, please note that
on the Registration form. You will
receive confirmation once your
Registration Form has been received.
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Detailed Outline of an Oratory Prayer Meeting
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1) All remain quiet for a few minutes of
recollection, then all stand.
2) The person chosen to lead this
particular meeting invokes the help of
the Holy Spirit by leading the singing
of “Come Holy Ghost”, or by this prayer:
Come Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of the
faithful,
and enkindle in us the fire of Your
Love;
send forth Your Spirit and they shall be
created
and You will renew the face of the
earth.
Followed by:
Let us pray:
O God who by the light of the Holy
Spirit instructs the heart of the
faithful, grant us by that same Spirit
to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in
His consolation, through Christ our
Lord, Amen.
3) Then there is a reading from the New
Testament which is part of the weekly
meditation. This should be read aloud by
one reader and listened to by the
remainder of the Oratory. Then all sit.
4) After a few quiet minutes for
reflection on the Scripture passage, the
meditation is read aloud. A period of
reflection (approximately two minutes)
should follow. Then the Quote from a
Saint is read aloud followed by a minute
for reflection. The Prayer should be
prayed together, either by all
Oratorians praying simultaneously or by
having one Oratorian pray a line and the
rest prayerfully repeat it. A minute of
silent meditation follows. Then, using
the Questions for Reflection as a guide,
for about 20-25 minutes the members
discuss how the passage applies to them
as the members of the group or to devout
Christians in our time. The discussion
should focus on how to grow in love of
God and neighbor and how to achieve the
spiritual growth discussed in the
meditation. Then the leader calls the
discussion to an end.
5) At the end of the discussion,
spontaneous prayer may be held, or some
prayers or Psalms may be read that are
pertinent to the reading. So that all
Catholics feel comfortable at the
Oratory gathering, no special prayers to
the saints, private revelations, or
prayers specific to special groups in
the Church like the Charismatic Renewal
should be used at this time. The prayer
should invoke God, and using approved
prayers of the Church, prayers written
by the saints, or prayers from Scripture
would be most appropriate. At the end of
this prayer the personal petitions of
the members may be given in this form:
That (so and so) may be restored to
health;
Let us pray to the Lord.
All respond: Lord hear our prayer (or
some similar form may be used).
6) (All stand) The meeting ends with the
“Lord’s Prayer” and such aspirations as:
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make
our hearts like unto Yours; or,
O Mary conceived without sin pray for us
who have recourse to thee.
At this point if a priest is present he
will give the blessing. The meeting
should not last for more than an hour.
7) The meeting ends with a hymn that the
group knows – for example,
“Holy God We Praise Thy Name”.
Other hymns may be learned and practiced
after the meeting. Any business like the
time and plan of the next meeting is
done after the hymn. The Rosary, Divine
Mercy Chaplet, or a novena prayer may be
added. Members may also want to discuss
how they are fulfilling the other
requirements of the oratory like the
care of the poor and needy, parish
assistance or apostolic work. In the
course of time spiritual books may be
suggested and these can be discussed at
the “social” after the meeting. This
social time is suggested and can be
accompanied by simple refreshments.
However, Oratorians should not be
compelled to stay beyond the hour
designated for the Oratory itself.
REGISTER AN ORATORY
(Note: This cannot be completed on line.
Cut and paste into an email and email to
us or paste this into a document and
postal mail it to the Confraternity.
Contact information below.)
Date of
Registration:_________________________
Name of Oratory
_____________________________________________
Location of Oratory (city, state)
______________________________________
Number of members______________ Date
Established ___________________
Contact name for Oratory
____________________________________________
Address of Contact
Person____________________________________________
City, State, Zip of Contact Person
_______________________________________
Phone Number of Contact Person
_______________________________________
Email of Contact Person
_____________________________________________
Please submit this form to Confraternity
of Penitents, 520 Oliphant Lane,
Middletown RI 02842 USA or email it to
one of the email addresses below. The
Confraternity will mail this to the
appropriate Oratory contact and will
follow up with a more detailed form
mailed to the Contact person. |
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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