(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Summer 2024 Digital Issue #112)

In this issue, five of the 30 regions are highlighted.

Queen of Peace

Queen of Peace Region is located in the Midwest: Minnesota, Iowa, Eastern Nebraska, North Dakota and most of South Dakota, and Western Wisconsin. Within the region there are 23 established fraternities, one emerging fraternity, two newly forming groups, and one brand new group that started in January of this year.

Something interesting about Queen of Peace: Kathy Taormina, OFS, who is the Regional Spiritual Assistant, saw the H2O Project at a booth at the National Catholic Youth Conference in the late 1990s and brought the project back to the OFS-USA to begin during Lent. We collected almost $100,000 in the following years and even built a well in Central America which bears the FYYA name. She loved the solidarity with the poor as opposed to just donating money.

Five Franciscan Martyrs

Five Franciscan Martyrs Region includes all of Florida as well as the southern tip of Alabama and the southernmost part of Georgia. There are 31 fraternities within the region including one new fraternity established last September. They extend from Fairhope, Alabama, east and then south to Miami Beach, Florida – which is a distance of over 700 miles.

The region is named after the five Franciscan martyrs who were killed by Native Americans in Georgia. They are also known as the Five Georgia Martyrs. (See first link below.)

Something unique about Five Franciscan Martyrs: The Regional Executive Council has recently completed the monumental task of rewriting their Regional Guidelines.

Our Lady of the Rockies

Our Lady of the Rockies covers all of Montana and a bit of Wyoming.

The region includes six fraternities, with one that meets in two locations. Two fraternities were walking in Fraternal Accompaniment before we knew it had a name. Each fraternity has either a Franciscan friar or Poor Clare Sister as their Spiritual Assistant. Three fraternities have an abundance of inquirers and candidates and three vibrant fraternities struggle to gain new members. Each fraternity has a unique charism.

The region is named after the statue of the same name and was established 10 years after the statue was erected.

More about Our Lady of the Rockies: Montana is the fourth largest state in the Union, and Our Lady of the Rockies is the fourth largest statue in the US. Montana boasts the largest Madonna statue in the country. It was planned, orchestrated and place on a mountain amidst many miracles and an economic crisis in Butte, Montana. (See second link below.) https://www.churchpop.com/incredible-story-behind-montanas-90-ft-statue-mary/ https://maryourqueen.com/beatification-cause-of-the-five-georgia-martyrs/

Find out more here:

https://www.churchpop.com/incredible-story-behind-montanas-90-ft-statue-mary/ https://maryourqueen.com/beatification-cause-of-the-five-georgia-martyrs/

Holy Trinity Region

Holy Trinity Region includes all of Kentucky, Mid and Southern Ohio, and the southern tip of Indiana.

The region includes 12 established fraternities and one emerging fraternity. Something unique about Holy Trinity Region:

They are fortunate to have a Franciscan Bishop, Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv., in the diocese of

Lexington. AND they are happy to be the host region for the 2026 Quinquennial!

The Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis

The Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis Region covers North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and most of Alabama.

Within the region there are 27 fraternities, one emerging fraternity, and one newly forming group.

The name for the region came from a quote by Jennye Taylor Johnson, OFS, who was a member of the transition team when we went from provinces to regions which read in part: “lay brothers and sisters seeking to follow our Franciscan way of life with each other.”

Something interesting about Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis Region:

They are blessed with their 29 fraternities/groups, the roughly 600 sisters and brothers, and the diversity they bring to the Order. In looking at the size of the region and the number of states it includes, if you were to travel the perimeter, it would be approximately 2000 miles and take 36 hours of straight driving to visit the outer cities.

OFS-USA at the 10th Eucharistic Congress!

So, what is the Eucharistic Congress? “The Tenth National Eucharistic Congress is an invitation to experience profound personal revival so that we can be sent out to share Christ’s Love with the world that so desperately needs it.”

(www.eucharisticcongress.org)

Hopefully, your local parish or diocese has done a great job promoting one of the most important events in the history of the Catholic Church in America, and you’re really wishing you could attend…along with 50,000 + other Catholics living in the USA!

The OFS-USA has been diligently working over the past year to present our Secular Franciscan branch of the Family to the attendees at this monumental event. Booth #312 will be staffed by our brothers and sisters from Our Lady of Indiana Region and many other regions throughout the USA. Cyndi Pilot, OFS, Minister of Our Lady of Indiana Region, dedicated local ministers, and many Secular Franciscan volunteers have been working tirelessly to ensure our Order will be well represented.

Pray for us as we welcome the Congress attendees to our booth. Perhaps you can plan your vacation around a stop in Indianapolis between July 17-21. Cyndi, Helen, Margaret, Susan, Ulma and our other volunteer brothers and sisters would love to see you!

Have a most blessed and safe Stigmata Summer 2024! Susan Ronan, OFS

National Secretary

REGIONAL ROUNDUP and Eucharistic Congress

by Stan Sisson, OFS

A good friend shared this experience-and it’s one to be shared – not only because it’s a true story but because of its uplifting and reaffirming message. To protect identity, I’ll refer to my friend as a female although you need to understand “she” could be anyone.

My good friend was going through a “dark” time. If you’ve ever had someone discuss the pain and feeling of hopelessness with having thoughts of “ending it all,” then you know the feeling of helplessness and sorrow that you experience on their behalf. All you can think about is “what can I do to help?” After my friend revealed that suicide was actually attempted – and thank good- ness it was a failure – the gravity of the situation was intense, to say the least.

As with many people dealing with depression, my friend was able to mask all the pain and carry out day-to-day activities with the dark thoughts hidden away. Oftentimes, pain is hidden behind humor that keeps the darkness at bay. Although going to work was difficult, it helped to hide the pain for a few hours. She was able to do just that.

Coming home from work and arriving at that dark place again, my friend pulled into the driveway and noticed a white bird – just sitting in the front yard. Thinking nothing of it, she went into the house and dealt with her darkness. This same scenario carried on for a couple of days and she began to be concerned that perhaps this white bird was ill and needed attention from professionals. What bird remains in place for days without flying away? One day, upon finding the bird sitting on the edge of the bird bath, she decided to try to approach it and see what the situation was. As she slowly drew near, suddenly she had to stop as intense and unstoppable feelings came over her. She heard these words: “YOU ARE NOT ALONE.” And as soon as those words were received, the bird immediately flew away.

Imagine!

That little white bird carried such a powerful message to someone in need of hope. To this day, whenever she feels a bit of “darkness” creeping in on her, believe it or not – a white bird shows up somewhere near her. She finds comfort with her little white bird and knows that she is surely never alone. Her story is a true spiritual revelation – everything is one in love.

This true story reveals to us that God is present in all things and the Holy Spirit is our helper. “YOU ARE NOT ALONE.”

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         I created these two pieces of art and framed them. I presented them to my friend asking her to select one. She chose number one.

The Story of the White Bird

Father Christopher reflects on seeing the face of Christ in the Friars and staff of St. Bernardine Monastery as he undergoes treatment for congestive heart failure.

“Our responsibility (as Franciscans) is to be the compassionate Christ, to bring joy to joyless hearts.”

Father’s Homily – video

Father’s Homily – text

The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher