This book is for all those attracted to the way St. Francis & St. Clare of Assisi followed Jesus. All of us are called to make the Gospel an integral part of our lives, going from Gospel to Life and from Life to Gospel. Our Rule incorporates the very essence of the Gospel itself. We were taught to EVERY DAY READ the Bible, especially the Gospel, plus one paragraph from our Holy Rule. But deep commitment does not occur by a mere cursory reading of the Gospels or Rule. But here is a 2,000 year old way to truly pray Scripture and our Holy Rule; it's called "Lectio Divina,." aptly described as "Prayerful Reading." The four steps are simply: Read, Reflect, Respond, and Receive/Resolve. Our St. Bonaventure, O.F.M., has taken the second step much deeper by asking us to REFLECT first on the literal meaning and then the 3 spiritual meanings as they affect our faith, morals, & eternal destiny.
Masterfully written and intensely enlightening, Franciscan Prayer could very well be considered the essential handbook for all those seeking to pray and live the Franciscan way. With exquisite execution, Franciscan theologian Ilia Delio clearly outlines what it means to pray as a Franciscan. Through her experience as a discalced Carmelite nun and then her transformation into Franciscan scholar, Sister Delio brings to light the “contemplative,” “cosmic” and “evangelizing” aspects of Franciscan prayer. Everyone, says Delio, seems to know about Francis’ life, his miracles, his devotion to evangelization and his dedication to living a simple and humble life, yet few know about his prayer life, which seemed, over the centuries, to get lost in the paper shuffle between theologians, followers and historical biographers. It is through Clare of Assisi, Delio asserts, that we have insights into the Franciscan path of prayer. “[Clare] provides the ‘road-map’ of prayer for evangelical life…she was able to do this because she lived under monastic rule while ardently desiring evangelical life.” Through Clare’s letters and actions, we find the rudiments of Franciscan prayer: “Gaze—Consider—Contemplate—Imitate.” Delio also uses the insights of Saint Bonaventure as well as Saint Francis to fully show the meaning and purpose of prayer in the Franciscan tradition.
Secular Franciscans and their spiritual assistants will appreciate this little booklet—an English translation of the approved Latin text of the Ritual for the Secular Franciscan Order. The Preface provides background on the history and purpose of the Ritual and helpful guidelines for its use. Part 1 contains the rites for celebrating the various stages of admission to the Secular Franciscan Order. Part 2 contains prayers for use at the various meetings of Secular Franciscan fraternities. An Appendix includes appropriate Scripture readings, Franciscan readings and prayers of St. Francis.
The Prophet is the third volume in this extraordinary series of "the writings of Saint Francis and those of the early Franciscan witnesses" and it will "be of estimable value to scholars, students, and lovers of Il Poverello as well...a scholarly achievement done in the service of history, theology and spirituality." (Lawrence Cunningham)
The Order of Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the year taken from the Divine Office. For anyone who wants to make a daily act of devotion, Morning and Evening Prayer offers the perfect combination of a consistent structure of prayer alongside daily options and choices to take you through the church's year. Taken from the Catholic Divine Office, these daily prayers and readings offer inspiration for priests and lay people alike to give strength for each day.Now with a new look in the familiar hardwearing and practical format, and an updated table of moveable dates.
"I recommend this book strongly to anyone serious about understanding Francis of Assisi. I admire the clarity and brevity of the writing. With decisiveness, Thompson cuts through the conflicting medieval accounts of each event in Francis' life, adjusts for the hagiographers' spin and creates a credible chronology out of the blurry dates. His knowledge of medieval Italy allows him to provide insightful explanations of the legal, liturgical, and ecclesiastical practices of the time."—Paul Moses, America Among the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi (c. 1181–1226) is popularly remembered for his dedication to poverty, his love of animals and nature, and his desire to follow perfectly the teachings and example of Christ. During his lifetime and after his death, followers collected, for their own purposes, numerous stories, anecdotes, and reports about Francis. As a result, the man himself and his own concerns became lost in legend. In this authoritative and engaging new biography, Augustine Thompson, O.P., sifts through the surviving evidence for the life of Francis using modern historical methods. The result is a complex yet sympathetic portrait of the man and the saint. Francis emerges from this account as very much a typical thirteenth-century Italian layman, but one who, when faced with unexpected crises in his personal life, made decisions so radical that they challenge his own society—and ours. Unlike the saint of legend, this Francis never had a unique divine inspiration to provide him with rules for following the teachings of Jesus. Rather, he spent his life reacting to unexpected challenges, before which he often found himself unprepared and uncertain. The Francis who emerges here is both more complex and more conflicted than that of older biographies. His famed devotion to poverty is found to be more nuanced than expected, perhaps not even his principal spiritual concern. Thompson revisits events small and large in Francis's life, including his troubled relations with his father, his contacts with Clare of Assisi, his encounter with the Muslim sultan, and his receiving the Stigmata, to uncover the man behind the legends and popular images. A tour de force of historical research and biographical writing, Francis of Assisi: A New Biography is divided into two complementary parts—a stand alone biographical narrative and a close, annotated examination of the historical sources about Francis. Taken together, the narrative and the survey of the sources provide a much-needed fresh perspective on this iconic figure. "As I have worked on this biography," Thompson writes, "my respect for Francis and his vision has increased, and I hope that this book will speak to modern people, believers and unbelievers alike, and that the Francis I have come to know will have something to say to them today."
Journey into God by St. Bonaventure, Itinerarium Mentis in Deum,Translated by Josef Raischl OFS & André Cirino OFMFinally, a translation of Bonaventure's most popular work that is conducive for personal prayer and for actually embarking on the journey into God! While remaining faithful to the original work, the translators allow the Seraphic Doctor's spirit to come alive for the modern reader in a way that has not been done before in the English-speaking world.Richard Martignetti OFM, STD Immaculate Conception Province, New York Josef Raischl and André Cirino's translation of the Journey into God is a gift. It puts St. Bonaventure's Itinerarium Mentis in Deum in the hands of lay people who might otherwise find the text complicated and difficult to comprehend. It reads like poetry, yet does not dilute the meaning; rather, it enhances it. This is a valuable tool for ongoing formation for Secular Franciscans everywhere.Toni Maconi OFS, Little Portion Secular Franciscan Fraternity, New York
Whether you are a professed Franciscan or someone just beginning to seek a spiritual understanding of Francis and Clare of Assisi, Live Like Francis will give you the tools you need to live the Gospel--the primary goal of all Franciscans. Through a process of prayer, reflection, study texts, questions and connections to Scripture, Live Like Francis will help you answer the Gospel's call: simplicity, peace, gratitude, service, and a life in balance with all of God's creatures.
