'Peace'
Action Alert!! Help stop the US from entering into a war with Iran.
Posted on 19. Apr, 2012 by admin.
The JPIC Office of the Holy Name Province sends this important message and action alert.
Thanks for your support,
Russ Testa, JPIC Animator, Holy Name Province
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A Place of Peace – Fr. Dan Lackie ofm
Posted on 10. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The following is adapted from a reflection I heard at Christ our Hope Chapel in downtown Seattle. The chapel is located in an 85 year old renovated hotel, the Josephinum, which welcomes visitors along a block featuring mostly liquor stores and bars. Now served by the Archdiocese of Seattle the Josephinum supports 240 low income residents with housing and supportive services. The chapel is located just to the right of the front lobby as you pass the reception desk. One blessed Sunday night I sat in that chapel and listened to Sr. Joyce Cox BVM. She was quoting my favorite poet! And more importantly, her words were infused with the wisdom of 62 years of religious life and long experience as a spiritual director. If I understand Sr. Joyce correctly, the Annunciations of our lives are invitations to the work of justice and peace.
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David. The Virgin’s name was Mary.”
Nazareth may be a small town in Galilee but it has a church – actually a ponderous cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation. One can easily be overwhelmed by the spacious interior with its many unique representations of that scene with the angel Gabriel and Mary. Yet something teases us to search within this massive building for a more realistic and believable portrayal. Cautiously edging our way down several flights of stairs we arrive at what appears to be a hovel, an almost a cave-like dwelling. We question ourselves, “Has this hallowed place actually been preserved for almost two thousand years?”
In her poem Annunciation, Denise Levertov seems to scoff at the pious and artificial scenes which usually represent the Annunication. In a sense, she invites us to descend those stairs. The poem begins: “We know the scene: the room, variously furnished, / almost always a lectern, a book, always/ the tall lily. // Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings, / the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering…” And Mary? Levertov goes on: “[W]e are told of meek obedience. No one mentions/ courage.” [...]
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With Gratitude
Posted on 14. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Thanks to all who worked for peace through Spirit of Assisi. In the reflections provided by participants below we can hear that these prayer gatherings brought together new partners and opened new possibilities for collaboration. This week we discovered that our own Brother Didacus Clavell ofm was in Assisi on October 27 with a delegation of Knights of St. Francis from San Francisco. We look forward to receiving his report!
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Brother Didacus was there!
Posted on 13. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Hard to keep up with these friars… On October 27th, as friars celebrated the Spirit of Assisi in various places around the Province, we had no idea that our own Brother Didacus Clavel was right there in the front row of the main event.
Brother Didacus had traveled to Assisi with a group of Knights of St. Francis from the replica Portiuncula in San Francisco. He sent us this account:
Didacus concludes with one of those whimsical, real-life Franciscan details that brings the whole thing delightfully down to earth:
“The highlight
of our trip was Mass at the tomb of St. Francis, under his basilica. You could feel his presence, along with his early followers who are buried near him.
One of the Conventual friars came up to me while we were waiting for Mass to begin and asked me if I’d like to concelebrate. In reply I humbly said, ‘Not this time.’… ”
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“A Disarming Kinship…” video and reflections from Spirit of Assisi celebrations
Posted on 10. Nov, 2011 by admin.
From Arceniev, Russia to Paso Robles, CA, the Spirit of Assisi brought together people of many faiths and traditions. As Matt Tumulty ofm writes “The Spirit of Assisi! It evidences, across times and cultures, its potentinal for a disarming kinship.” Please join us as we showcase various celebrations from the Province of Saint Barbara all the way to Russia!
Reflections from Dennis Lucey, Franciscan Covenant Volunteer at St. Francis Retreat, San Juan Bautista CA
“Our service included prayers, songs, and poems from many faith traditions: Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Native American, and even secular culture, along with the sights and sounds of a Tibetan Temple Bell, our own blessed tower bell, a Native American Peace Pipe, a miniature Zen Garden, and a Shofar from Israel. We also incorporated elements that are common to all religions, indeed all peoples: we gathered at dusk around a fire in our patio, and processed into the chapel with fire, water, stones, and incense fanned by feathers from our local wild turkeys!
“The elements were brought forth from the four directions and placed in the center of the circle, accompanied by verses from a modern version of St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures. We closed with a simple common movement side to side of all gathered in concentric circles as we sang the Peace Prayer of St. Francis. All these expressions of words and natural symbols sought to convey a longing for, and commitment to justice and peace with respect for the integrity of creation, and together we proclaimed aloud a pledge to non-violence.”
Fr. John Gibbons ofm writes from Russia:
“Here are a few photos from our ecumenical prayer for peace in Arceniev, Russia, which we held on Sat 29 Oct. We were 6 ministers and some parishioners, 18 in all. We gathered in the Lutheran chapel, arranging the chairs in a circle beforehand with a cross and candles in the middle. I gave an introduction, we sang a couple songs, then each minister had 5 minutes to make a few remarks and offer a prayer. After another song, each person present lit a candle and prayed for peace in some specific way – in their family, among Christians, in a war-torn country etc. We then joined hands and prayed the Our Father together, sang a final hymn and had tea and cookies. As I expected, a humble gathering, but well received by all and several said they hoped we would have future such meetings.”
Fr. Matt Tumulty ofm writes from Tucson:
“Our celebration was magical…What was magical about it was how each of the participants (visiting) was so comfortable, as if they were at home…Rabbi, Buddhist Abbot, Palestinian (American-born Muslim), Episcopal Minister…
“After Steve’s (Fr. Steve Barnufsky, ofm, Pastor San Xavier del Bac) welcome and setting the theme, a parishioner sang “Sacred Creation, between the next two speakers a Tohono O’dham couple did a song in praise of the Creator. David (Br. David Buer, ofm) welcomed each speaker in turn, and I did five prayer longings, after each, the Buddhist Abbot struck a bell that he had brought. The Steve closed the service, inviting all to a reception…
“The Spirit of Assisi! It evidences, across times and cultures, its potential for a disarming kinship…”
