(español abajo) Please share with your local fraternity Korean translation attached in a separate PDF
The Little Flowers of St. Francis FA:ED, vol. 3, 566 (FA:ED=Francis of Assisi: Early Documents)
(The background quotes below come from a much longer introduction to the Little Flowers as found on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition website. You can read all the chapters mentioned and many more at that same link.)
About the “Little Flowers:”
· “The popularity of these preachers [the friars] and the curiosity of the people may well have inspired what quickly became known as The Little Flowers of Saint Francis.”
· “Written between 1328 and 1343 by Hugolino of Monte Giorgio and an unknown collaborator, the Actus Beati Francisci et sociorum ejus [The Deeds of Blessed Francis and His Companions] was a collection of “little flowers” or anecdotes about Francis and his first brothers.”
· “Many of the stories were rooted in both the written and oral Franciscan tradition.”
· “In a sense, the Little Flowers epitomized much of the Franciscan hagiography of the fourteenth century.” (Hagiographies have been written from the 2nd century to instruct and edify readers and glorify the saints.)
· Read the complete introduction to the Little Flowers and all of the stories at the link below.
Artwork – Josep Benlliure
The titles of some of the more famous stories about Francis and Clare found in the “Little Flowers” are:
+Chapter 8: “O Brother Leo, write that here and in this is perfect joy.” [ FA:ED, vol. 3, 579]
+Chapter 10: “Why after you? Why after you?” (Bro. Masseo to St. Francis) [FA:ED, vol. 3, 583]
+Chapter 15: How Saint Clare ate with Saint Francis and his brother companions in Saint Mary of the Angels.
[ FA:ED, vol. 3, 590]+Chapter 16: How Saint Francis, counseled by Saint Clare and holy brother Sylvester to preach and convert many people, formed the Third Order, preached to the birds, and made the swallows remain silent. [FA:ED, vol. 3, 591]
+Chapter 21: The story of the Wolf of Gubbio [FA:ED, vol. 3, 601]
+Chapter 24: How Saint Francis converted to the faith the Sultan of Babylon and the prostitute who
invited him to sin. [FA:ED, vol. 3, 605]+Chapter 33: How Saint Clare, at the Pope’s command, blessed the bread that was on the table; and on every loaf there appeared the sign of the cross. [FA:ED, vol. 3, 624]
+Chapter 35: How Saint Clare while she was ill was miraculously carried to the church of Saint Francis on the night of the feast of Christmas and heard the office there. [FA:ED, vol. 3, 626]
Artwork on the slide – Josep Benlliure
For discussion or to comment on in your journal:
+ How do the stories of the lives of Francis and Clare and their miracles inspire you in your life as a Secular Franciscan?
+ How do these stories line up with biographies of Francis and Clare that you have read?
+ What is the purpose of hagiography?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Formación 23 de mayo, 2025 por favor, compartir con su fraternidad local.
Para leer “Las florecillas de San Francisco” en español, visite el enlace abajo:
https://www.ead.pucv.cl/app/uploads/2011/12/Florecillas-de-San-Francisco.pdf (Se puede descargar el archivo completo en este enlace.)
¿Qué son las florecillas de San Francisco?
Pero ¿qué son las florecillas de San Francesco? Los orígenes del original del siglo XIV están envueltos en misterio. Durante mucho tiempo se creyó que se trataba de la traducción del latín de un texto anterior titulado «Floretum», una historia de Francisco y sus primeros compañeros, atribuida a Fraile Ugolino da Montegiorgio, autor de la obra latina medieval «Actus Sancti Francisci et sociorum eius», de la cual las florecillas podrían haber sido la introducción. Otra tradición atribuye la autoría del texto a Giovanni de Marignolli, un fraile menor franciscano que fue obispo y misionero en China.
Aunque el autor permanece incierto, el significado de la obra no cambia, es decir, una colección de historias y leyendas sobre la vida de San Francisco de Asís y sus discípulos, en la que emerge su predicación y ejemplo de vida y fe.
Los títulos de algunas de las historias más famosas sobre Francisco y Clara que se encuentran en las “Florecillas” son:
+Capítulo 8: “Oh hermano Leo, escribe que aquí y en esto está la alegría perfecta.”
+Capítulo 10: “¿Por qué después de ti? ¿Por qué después de ti?
+Capítulo 15: Cómo comió Santa Clara con San Francisco y sus hermanos compañeros en Santa María de los Ángeles
+Capítulo 16: Cómo San Francisco, aconsejado por Santa Clara y su santo hermano Silvestre para predicar y convertir a muchas personas, formó la Tercera Orden, predicó a los pájaros e hizo callar a las golondrinas
+Capítulo 21: La historia del lobo de Gubbio
+Capítulo 24: Cómo San Francisco convirtió a la fe al Sultán de Babilonia y a la prostituta que Lo invitó a pecar.
+Capítulo 33: Cómo Santa Clara, por orden del Papa, bendijo el pan que estaba en la mesa; Y en cada pan aparecía la señal de la cruz.
+Capítulo 35: Cómo Santa Clara, mientras estaba enferma, fue llevada milagrosamente a la iglesia de San Francisco en la noche de la fiesta de Navidad y escuchó el oficio allí.
Para platicar o comentar en su diario:
+ ¿Cómo le inspiran las historias de la vida y los milagros de Francisco y Clara en su vida como franciscano seglar?
+ ¿Cómo se alinean estas historias con las biografías de Francis y Clare que ha leído?
+ ¿Cuál es el propósito de la hagiografía? (Las hagiografías se han escrito desde el siglo II para instruir y edificar a los lectores y glorificar a los santos).
Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
OFS-USA Archives at St. Bonaventure University
(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Winter 2025 Issue #114)
OFS-USA Archives at St. Bonaventure University
By Susan Ronan, OFS
National Secretary
It has been said that our Secular Franciscan Order is one of the “best kept secrets” of the Church. Well, another “best kept secret” is where all our very important and valuable documents are stored . . . and who stores them.
Shortly after being elected to this most humble position of National Secretary, I learned that one of my responsibilities was to forward any important documents to our extremely capable and enthusiastic Archivist, Sharon Dale, OFS, who is also the La Verna Regional Minister!
St. Bonaventure University has graciously allowed us to store our files, along with theirs, in the basement of one of their buildings in Olean, New York. Each June since Sharon was appointed Archivist, she and her friend Teri Doughty, OFS, visit St. Bonaventure (by car. . . from Wisconsin!) to organize and sort the many documents of the OFS-USA kept since the early 1900’s. They have now completed boxing up and filing 247 boxes of paper documents into mold-proof folders and transfer boxes. Every document is scanned and numbered on a hard drive for easy access. Miscellaneous items collected over the years are still to be researched and labeled.
For the past two years, Mary Frances Charsky, OFS, who is our International Councilor, and I have visited Sharon and Teri while they were doing their “hands on” work at St. Bonaventure. It is amazing to see what these ladies have accomplished. Although Sharon says it is a labor of love, it is most certainly a time-consuming and difficult one.
May the Lord bless you, Sharon and Teri, for all you do to keep us organized!
Sharon Dale, OFS, Archivist for OFS-USA.
Sharon Dale, OFS, Mary Frances Charsky, OFS, Susan Ronan, OFS, and Teri Doughty, OFS. (l-r)
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/05/ofs-usa-archives-at-st-bonaventure-university/
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – Fifth Sunday of Easter – Fr. Christopher
Jesus’ death is the supreme expression of love for His disciples. This laying down of His life out of love creates a new commandment. Emphasis is on the human ability to love God and neighbor. But, it’s that God first loved us. “We love because He first loved us.” This “first loving” of God is through the human person of Jesus. We begin by recognizing and remembering the Son of Man who joins us in our deepest fears and sustains us through our greatest loss.
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/05/the-gospel-through-a-franciscan-lens-fifth-sunday-of-easter-fr-christopher/
FORMATION FRIDAY – Core of Franciscan Life & Spirituality – May 16, 2025
Please share with your local fraternity
(en español abajo) Korean translation attached in separate PDF.
What is at the CORE of Franciscan life and spirituality? Take a look at what was important to St. Francis. There you will find a good roadmap. The words and ideas below are exemplified by our Seraphic Father. Have you noticed how often they are repeated in initial and ongoing formation? (Not necessarily in order of importance.)
· The INCARNATION– the CRIB–we think of the humility of God, of His self-emptying. Francis was in awe of the Incarnation. Meditate on the story of Francis creating the first Nativity scene at Greccio.
· The CROSS – is the sign of God’s love made concrete. What do we see/experience when we GAZE on the cross? Meditate on Francis’s experiences with the Cross of Christ.
· The EUCHARIST- CHALICE/CIBORIUM –– “O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself
under an ordinary piece of bread!” (St. Francis-Letter to the Entire Order)· TRINITY Franciscan life focuses on the Trinity. Francis saw that God is so generous that his love not only flows among the persons of the Trinity, it overflows to us. And we participate in the life of the Trinity.
· CONTEMPLATION – We spend time with Jesus, and we LISTEN; we desire not only to imitate him. Our goal is to be TRANSFORMED so that we are like him from the inside out.
· CONVERSION/METANOIA – We are people of penance-This means that we strive for daily spiritual improvements and changes that will bring us closer to Christ. “Let us begin, for up to now, we have done little…” (St. Francis quoted in The Life of Blessed Francis: FA:ED, vol. 2, p. 640 by St. Bonaventure)
· CREATION/CREATURES – God is absolute LOVE, BEING AND CREATIVITY. Francis saw all creation as being marked with the imprint of the Father. Creation is God’s great gift and is dependent on Him to exist.
· RELATIONSHIP– Francis saw the relationship of the Father and the Son through the love of the Holy Spirit. We are in relationship with God, our brothers and sisters and with all of creation – UNIVERSAL KINSHIP.
· FRATERNITY springs from the relationship we have with God, our brothers and sisters and all creation. “The Lord gave me some brothers…” (St. Francis)
· CHARISM – Like St. Francis, we strive to make Christ present in the world by living the Gospel in HUMILITY and SIMPLICITY. As Secular Franciscans, we do this while living in the world. “The Rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this…” (OFS Rule: Article 4)
· SCRIPTURE – In order to live the Gospel, we need to make it part of our lives through reading, meditation and study. “…going from Gospel to life and life to the Gospel.” (OFS Rule: Article 4)
· TRANSFORMATION – We use the gifts God has given us to become more Christlike. The Divine Spark never changes. We cooperate with the grace given us, and we become conformed to Christ.
· PRAYER – none of this is possible without prayer. We pray together, we pray alone, we pray with our voices, we pray silently and without words. (Our prayer is liturgical, personal and communal)
Share with your fraternity—perhaps over the course of a few months—how each aspect of Franciscan spirituality affects you. How do they affect your fraternity? How can they be highlighted personally and in your fraternity?
Formación 16 de mayo 2025 (Por favor, compartir con su fraternidad local.)
¿Cuál es la esencia de la vida y la espiritualidad franciscanas? Fíjese en lo que era importante para San Francisco. Allí encontrará una buena hoja de ruta. Las palabras e ideas a continuación están ejemplificadas por nuestro Seráfico Padre. ¿Ha notado la frecuencia con la que se repiten en la formación inicial y permanente? (No necesariamente en orden de importancia).
La ENCARNACIÓN – el CUNA – pensamos en la humildad de Dios, en Su auto vaciamiento. Francisco quedó admirado ante la Encarnación. Medite en la historia de Francisco que creó la primera escenificación de un pesebre en Greccio.
La CRUZ – es el signo del amor de Dios hecho concreto. ¿Qué vemos / experimentamos cuando CONTEMPLAMOS la cruz? Medite sobre las experiencias de Francisco con la Cruz de Cristo.
La EUCARISTÍA- CÁLIZ / CIBORIO –– “¡Oh sublime humildad! ¡Oh humilde sublimidad! El Señor del universo, Dios y el Hijo de Dios, se humilla tanto que para nuestra salvación se esconde bajo un pan ordinario! ” (Carta de San Francisco a toda la Orden)
LA TRINIDAD – La vida franciscana se centra en la Trinidad. Francisco vio que Dios es tan generoso que su amor no solo fluye entre las personas de la Trinidad, sino que nos desborda. Y participamos de la vida de la Trinidad.
LA CONTEMPLACIÓN – Pasamos tiempo con Jesús y ESCUCHAMOS; deseamos no solo imitarlo. Nuestro objetivo es ser TRANSFORMADOS para que seamos como él de adentro hacia afuera.
LA CONVERSIÓN / METANOIA – Somos personas de penitencia. Esto significa que nos esforzamos por lograr mejoras y cambios espirituales diarios que nos acerquen más a Cristo. “Comencemos, porque hasta ahora poco hemos hecho…” (San Francisco citado en La vida del beato Francisco: FA: ED, vol. 2, p. 640 de San Buenaventura)
CREACIÓN / CRIATURAS – Dios es AMOR, EXISTENCIA Y CREATIVIDAD absolutos. Francisco vio toda la creación marcada con la huella del Padre. La creación es el gran regalo de Dios y depende de Él para existir.
RELACIÓN– Francisco vio la relación del Padre y el Hijo a través del amor del Espíritu Santo. Estamos en relación con Dios, nuestros hermanos y hermanas y con toda la creación: PARENTESCO UNIVERSAL.
La FRATERNIDAD surge de la relación que tenemos con Dios, nuestros hermanos y hermanas y toda la creación. “El Señor me dio unos hermanos…” (San Francisco)
CARISMA – Como San Francisco, nos esforzamos por hacer a Cristo presente en el mundo viviendo el Evangelio en HUMILDAD y SIMPLICIDAD. Como Franciscanos Seglares, hacemos esto mientras vivimos en el mundo. “La Regla y la vida de los Franciscanos Seglares es esta …” (Regla OFS: Artículo 4)
La ESCRITURA – Para vivir el Evangelio, debemos hacerlo parte de nuestras vidas a través de la lectura, la meditación y el estudio. “… Pasando del Evangelio a la vida y de la vida al Evangelio”. (Regla OFS: artículo 4)
La TRANSFORMACIÓN: usamos los dones que Dios nos ha dado para ser más semejantes a Cristo. La Chispa Divina nunca cambia. Cooperamos con la gracia que se nos ha dado y nos conformamos a Cristo.
La ORACIÓN: Nada de esto es posible sin la oración. Rezamos juntos, rezamos solos, rezamos con nuestra voz, rezamos en silencio y sin palabras. (Nuestra oración es litúrgica, personal y comunitaria)
Comparta con su fraternidad, tal vez en el transcurso de varios meses, cómo le afecta cada aspecto de la espiritualidad franciscana. ¿Cómo afectan a su fraternidad? ¿Cómo se pueden destacar personalmente y en su fraternidad?
Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
The 2025 Jubilee: “Pilgrims of Hope”
(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Winter 2025 Issue #114)
The 2025 Jubilee: “Pilgrims of Hope”
by Bret Thoman, OFS
A Jubilee is an occasion in which Catholics can seek grace and holiness in a particular way. The name derives from the instrument used to mark its launch—the yobel, or ram’s horn—and proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) by the ancient Jewish people. Today, Jews celebrate the feast every year, though in the Bible, a Jubilee was to be observed every 50 years. (See Leviticus 25:8-13.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus makes clear his own mission to bring “Jubilee.” In the synagogue at Nazareth, he reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, proclaiming a year of the Lord’s favor. (See Luke 4:18-19; 21.)
Thus, a Jubilee is seen as an occasion to make reparation for sin and to renew one’s commitment to conversion of life. It is an invitation to return to a right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation.
Jubilees in Rome began in 1300 A.D. when Pope Boniface VIII called for the first Holy Year, granting a plenary indulgence to all pilgrims who visited the Roman basilicas. He intended future Jubilees to be observed every century, though the frequency has changed over time. Today, Jubilees take place every 25 years, though extraordinary Jubilees can be observed during the intervals.
The title of Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction (published to launch the Jubilee year) is Spes non Confundit (“Hope does not disappoint”), a quote from Romans 5:5.
As Paul was encouraging the Christian community of Rome, Pope Francis is inviting the faithful to come to Rome to experience a “personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ (cf. Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as ‘our hope’ (1 Tim 1:1) … May the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. … Let us return to the message that the Apostle Paul wished to communicate to the Christians of Rome.” (1) “The coming Jubilee will thus be a Holy Year marked by the hope that does not fade, our hope in God. May it help us to recover the confident trust that we require.” (25)
Quotes about Hope by Franciscans
“The saints are like the stars, who, in His providence, Christ hides in a different place in the sky to guide the travelers of all times. Let us fix our eyes on the light of these stars, so that we may not be swamped by the waves of pride or fear but may keep safe and confident in the harbor of hope.” St. Anthony of Padua
“Do not despair, for the mercy of God is infinite. Trust in His goodness, and with the help of His grace, rise again from your fall. Hope in the Lord, for He does not abandon those who seek Him.” St. Bernardine of Siena
“Hope is that virtue by which we firmly trust that God, who is all-powerful and all-merciful, will bring us to eternal happiness and provide the necessary means to attain it.” Bl. Duns Scotus
“Hope is the confident expectation of the divine assistance by which we trust that, through the merits of Christ and the mercy of God, we shall attain eternal happiness and the means to obtain it.” St. Bonaventure
“Go forward securely, joyfully, and swiftly, on the path of prudent happiness, believing nothing, agreeing with nothing, which would dissuade you from this resolution or place a stumbling block for you on the way.” St. Clare
“Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope, and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will.” St. Francis
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/05/the-2025-jubilee-pilgrims-of-hope/