October 2007          

May the Lord give you His peace!

This year is our twentieth anniversary, so I am specifically writing about our Charism - hope this helps your discernment. This month our topic is the importance of Eucharistic Adoration [more]. Because of her friendship and influence on our founders, we often refer to Bl. Mother Teresa as our holy aunt. When the CFR's were just beginning she encouraged us to have a daily Eucharistic holy hour. She once said, "It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom". Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who ordained our Fr. Andrew Apostoli, talked often about the power of the daily holy hour [more]. He made a promise on the day of his ordination to make a holy hour every day.

 

Back in March I wrote about the importance of prayer. Traditionally the Capuchins maintained two hours of mental prayer a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. So, we all make a communal Eucharistic holy hour every evening. Every day the community will devote two one-hour periods for meditation, contemplation and sacred reading.  In the morning this will be done in private; in the evening this is done in common before the exposed Blessed Sacrament.  Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament will follow the period of adoration at least once a week, especially on days of community gatherings and on solemnities. One day a week, each local fraternity will devote itself to a more conscious spirit of quiet and recollection.  This day takes precedence over the ordinary demands of the apostolate and may be used for more intense prayer, instruction or whatever may be beneficial for the needs of the fraternity. On these desert days we have Eucharistic adoration the entire day (each friar signs up for individual holy hours)!
 
Allow me to add a person note to this month's topic. The BEST piece of advice I can give to you 'all who are out there trying to discern your vocation - make a commitment to regular Eucharistic adoration (daily/weekly). Every vocation comes as an invitation from Jesus. Every vocation is a loving response to Jesus. Nothing can strengthen your relationship with Jesus like adoration. Learn to be silent and sit still in His presence. I found this to be the key when I was discerning my vocation - and to be honest - this is still the key as I strive to live my vocation day to day. Adoration trains the eyes and ears of the heart. As we learn to see Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, he enables us to see Him in the poor, in our brothers and sisters. Mother Teresa would always talk about the disguises of Jesus - in the Eucharist and in the poor.
 

I will be away on the following dates during October:
  • 5-7 Youth 2000 Retreat in West Warren, MA.
  • 12-14 Filming a new season of Parable then the NY Frassati Fellowship Young Adult Retreat.
  • 19-28 20-24 Parish Mission at St. Jude's in Bridgetown, OH (near Cincinnati)
                      26 Vocation Day at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH.

Check it out..

CAPUCHIN SAINTS IN OCTOBER (ETC.):
1st
- St. Therese of Lisieux (A great Carmelite who is secretly a franciscan!)
2nd
4th
- Our Holy Father St. Francis of Assisi
5th
 - St. Maria Faustina the Secretary of the Divine Mercy
7th
 - Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
12th
13th
13th
- Last Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima, 1917, Miracle of the Sun
31st
 
+ Find an Eucharistic Adoration chapel near you [here]
+ Great article from Archbishop Fulton Sheen on the power of the holy hour [more]
+ Bella to be in theaters on October 26, 2007. A must see movie! (pass the word) [article]
+ Amazing homily on adoration given by Pope Benedict XVI at the World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany!
+ Carbon dating of several tunics claimed to have belonged to St. Francis [more]
+ Our Life of Prayer in the CFR Constitutions [here]
+ Look to the Daily eLetter for info and pictures of the latest CFR news including the reception of new Postulants ... ( >archives by author >photos )
The Human Experience
A new trailer for the amazing upcoming film by our friends at Grassrootsfilms.com.


We are praying for you and your discernment everyday, especially on Wednesdays. Let us set our hands to the plow in the Lord's vineyard and not look back! "The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor"
(1 Cor 3:8).
God bless you,

Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR 
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355
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