Roman Catholic Franciscan Religious Order
Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos
Province of Saint Mary Theotokos
Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFE)
Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE)
(“an Order within an Order”)
with distinct and independent ecclesiastical functions
Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFE)
Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE) Blog
Opinions expressed in this Blog do not necessarily represent views of the Bishop Protector of OFE, Provincial of OFE, Minister General of OFE, the OFE Board and Council, the Abbey Board, the OFC Advisory Board, or any other members of OFE, OFES, COFE, Sanctification of Families Union of Saint Francis of Assisi, Theotokos Association of Catholic Priests, and OFE Charters.
09
Oct '19
“…feed just one.”
09
Oct '19
“If you can’t feed a hundred people [children], then feed just one.” (Mother Teresa)
03
Oct '19
Of Peacemakers
03
Oct '19
Admonition of our Holy Father Saint Francis: Of Peacemakers
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)They are truly peacemakers who amidst all they suffer in this world maintain peace in soul and body for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27
Sep '19
An Exhortation of Our Holy Father Francis
27
Sep '19
O dearly beloved brothers and children ever-blessed. listen to me, listen to the voice of your Father: Great things have we promised, greater things have been promised us; Let us observe the former, and yearn for the later. Pleasure is brief; punishment is eternal. Short the suffering, eternal the glory. Many are called, few are chosen; everyone will be rewarded according to his merit. (Amen) (Cf. Thomas of Celano, The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul)
15
Sep '19
Compassion
15
Sep '19
Francis of Assisi wrote, “Whoever may come to us, whether a friend or a foe, a thief or a robber, let him be kindly received.”
11
Sep '19
Our Lady of Las Lajas
11
Sep '19
Our Lady of Las Lajas (Our Lady of the Rocks)
There are many amazing incidents involving apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary related throughout history, and nearly countless times where she has come to give her special assistance to men. One of the most astonishing events involves a little known apparition, Our Lady of Las Lajas, and a miracle that can still be witnessed today on a cliff face of Guaitara Canyon in Colombia, South America.
It was in the year 1754 when a woman named Maria Mueses de Quinones was traveling from her home in the village of Potosi to the neighboring village of Ipiales, which was about 6 miles away. The trail had turned down into the gorge formed by the Guaitara River when Maria was caught in a sudden squall. She did not like this shadowy and overgrown place, for she, like all the natives, believed the grotto known as Las Lajas (The Rocks) was inhabited by the devil. Despite her fears, Maria was soon forced by the violence of the storm to take refuge there anyway.
Making the Sign of the Cross and invoking the aid of the Blessed Virgin, Maria peered fearfully into the darkness as she took her first few halting steps into the cave. Surrounded by the awful darkness she was just beginning to look about when she felt someone, or something, moving directly behind her. Afraid to turn around, she ignored the feeling until she felt a finger begin tapping her insistently on the shoulder. Certain it was the devil himself, Maria fled out into the raging storm.
Maria had a young daughter named Rosa, a child who had been a deaf-mute since birth. Sometime later, returning home from Ipiales, Maria was carrying Rosa on her back on the way to their village when she suddenly was suddenly overcome by exhaustion. Unable to go any further, she sat down and rested on a large stone near the dreadful grotto.
“Mommy, look at the mestiza who has detached herself from the rock with a little boy in her arms and two little mestizos at her side!”
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01
Sep '19
“…bruised, hurting and dirty…”
01
Sep '19
Pope Francis said, “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.”
26
Aug '19
“Can I hold your hand?”
26
Aug '19
“My steps wobble, God I feel like a new born child Can I hold your hand?” (Haiku Prayer)
24
Aug '19
“…danger of starving.”
24
Aug '19
On the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Saturday, August 24, 2019, the Minister General of OFE established the Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist, for married and celibate Roman Catholic priests. The Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE) and the Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFE) were fused together in a single entity (“an Order within an Order”). Present members and those who join will be members of both orders.
The Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist is reflective of our present history, goals, mission, charism, apostolic works, and Roman Catholic tradition.
“We need to make our leaders understand that the Mass is more important than mandatory celibacy,” said FutureChurch cofounder, Fr. Louis J. Trivison. Quoting Catholic canon law and the second Vatican Council Trivison noted: “we have the right to receive in abundance…the spiritual goods of the Church, and it is our right and duty to make our views known on matters which concern the good of the Church.” OFE is working for the reinstatement of priests who left the active ministry to marry and reconsideration of opening ordination to “all Catholics called to it by God and the people of God,” including women and the married, rather than lose access to the Eucharist.
“While the Pope writes beautiful statements about what the Eucharist means for Catholics, most Catholics in the world have no regular access to Mass [the Eucharist] at all,” said FutureChurch Executive Director, Sr. Christine Schenk. “If, as the Pope says, the Church truly “draws her life from the Eucharist, then we are in danger of starving.”
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
23
Aug '19
“Lord, take me where… “
23
Aug '19
“Lord, take me where You want me to go, let me meet who You want me to meet, tell me what You want me to say, and keep me out of Your way.” (The Prayer of Saint Mychal Judge)
21
Aug '19
“Together…”
21
Aug '19
“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.” (Mother Teresa)
19
Aug '19
“…doing the impossible.”
19
Aug '19
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
18
Aug '19
Save Me, O Lord!
18
Aug '19
Saint John Chrysostom uses the example of charcoal, in order to console sinful people. A lit charcoal will burn you. If, however, you throw this lit charcoal into the sea, which will prevail? The sea or the charcoal? The sea, of course. As soon as the charcoal hits the water, it is extinguished and disappears.
Sin is a charcoal that scorches and burns our insides. What excruciating pain! Don’t allow this condition to persist. Take hold of it during the life-saving moment of confession and throw it into the sea of God’s compassion. Your charcoal of sin will immediately be extinguished and disappear.
If you tell me that you have not only one charcoal but many sins that are burning you, I will respond that God’s mercy is not just a sea: it is an entire ocean. Actually, it is something infinitely larger. The sea and the oceans have a certain limit, boundary, and end. God’s compassion, however, is incalculable, limitless, and endless. (Elder Ephraim of Arizona)
10
Aug '19
Seek What Is Above
10
Aug '19
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)
07
Aug '19
“Power of Planting a Seed…”
07
Aug '19
“We can’t force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive, but we must never underestimate the power of planting a seed.” (Good People News)
05
Aug '19
“More compassion and caring… “
05
Aug '19
“God places us in the world as his fellow workers-agents of transfiguration. We work with God so that injustice is transfigured into justice, so there will be more compassion and caring, that there will be more laughter and joy, that there will be more togetherness in God’s world.” (Archbishop Desmond Tutu)
25
Jul '19
“You are not the judge of creation…”
25
Jul '19
“Do not look for the faults of your friend. Do not repeat the short comings of your neighbors in you talk. You are not the judge of creation… Be the judge of your own sins, and chastise your own transgressions.” (Saint Ephrem the Syrian)
23
Jul '19
“God loves…”
23
Jul '19
“Satan loves to take what’s beautiful and ruin it. God loves to take what’s ruined and make it beautiful.” (Get Through The Week)
21
Jul '19
“All life demands struggle. “
21
Jul '19
“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.” (Pope Paul VI)
14
Jul '19
“Seek God…”
14
Jul '19
“You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.” (Pope Francis)
10
Jul '19
“I will not reject anyone…”
10
Jul '19
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” (John 6:37)
07
Jul '19
“The Church must be…”
07
Jul '19
“The Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.” (Pope Francis)
04
Jul '19
Unfulfilled Potentials
04
Jul '19
“Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not your frustrations, but your unfulfilled potential.”
(Pope John XXIII)
02
Jul '19
“Justice of God incarnate”
02
Jul '19
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!” (Luke 1:46) When I recently prayed anew over Mary’s beautiful Magnificat proclamation, I realised what a wonderful exception this is. A prophetic, powerful word, so necessary to be heard, is not silenced – even though spoken by a young woman! Mary proclaims a revolutionary Savior who casts down the mighty and feeds the hungry. Justice of God incarnate! Surely a message for today. But today the episcopal and canonical structures of our Church – not the evangelical and grace-filled structures – would not allow Mary to vote in official church gatherings, hold key leadership roles in Vatican offices, and participate in decision-making structures. Truly, our Catholic Church has no future if we continue to silence God’s words spoken and lived through women. As a male in today’s Catholic Church, I don’t want Mary and her companions silenced any longer….And I believe Jesus is with me.” (Cf. https://overcomingsilence.com/. Pete Henriot, S.J. Member Zambia-Malawi Jesuit Province)
30
Jun '19
Troubled Waters
30
Jun '19
I asked God, “Why are you taking me through troubled waters?” He replied, “Because your enemies can’t swim.”
20
Jun '19
Corpus Christi
20
Jun '19
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
“The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” (Pope Francis)
“The Eucharist is our living Memorial. In the Eucharist, as the Council recalls, ‘is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself our Pasch and the living bread which gives life to men through his flesh – that flesh which is given life and gives life through the Holy Spirit. Thus, men are invited and led to offer themselves, their works and all creation with Christ…’ (Presbyterorum ordinis, n. 5).” (Pope Benedict XVI)
“Without prolonged moments of adoration, of prayerful encounter with the word, of sincere conversation with the Lord, our work easily becomes meaningless; we lose energy as a result of weariness and difficulties, and our fervor dies out. The Church urgently needs the deep breath of prayer, and to my great joy groups devoted to prayer and intercession, the prayerful reading of God’s word and the perpetual adoration of the Eucharist are growing at every level of ecclesial life.” (Pope Francis)
17
Jun '19
Ecumenical Friends
17
Jun '19
Ecumenical Friends
“That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you.” (John 17:21)
An invitation to Religious Orders and Churches to be Ecumenical Friends with the Order of Franciscans Ecumenical.
What does it mean to be “ecumenical friends?”
These are some of the things that reflect what that means: To pray regularly for the unity of the Church; to be rooted in a particular Christian tradition; to take an active part in the careful and honest appraisal of whatever needs to be done for the renewal of one’s own church; to be fascinated and curious about that which is different; to be willing to learn; to cultivate an historical consciousness; to be ready to celebrate vitality in the Body of Christ wherever it is found; to be willing to work together; to feel the scandal of our divisions; to be open to God’s will for the Church; to appreciate the important role of provisional regulations and church structures in our evolution from alienation to reconciliation; to have an appreciation for the hierarchy of truths in Christian doctrine; to try to understand others as they understand themselves; to be alert to the presence of God and the action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of other Christians and members of other living faiths; and to have a biblical patience.
OFE has no ecclesiastical or jurisdictional affiliations with the religious orders or churches that are listed on our website.
15
Jun '19
Most Holy Trinity
15
Jun '19
Most Holy Trinity
By Abbot Father Michael Cuozzo+, OFE
The divine Trinity takes up his abode in us on the day of our Baptism: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. Every time we sign ourselves with the sign of the Cross we remember God’s name in which we were baptized. With regard to the sign of the Cross a theologian, Romano Guardini, remarked: “We do it before praying so that… we may put ourselves spiritually in order; focus thoughts, heart and will on God; after praying, so that what God has given us may remain within us…. It embraces the whole being, body and soul… and everything is consecrated in the name of the Triune God” (Lo spirito della liturgia. I santi segni, Brescia, 2000, pp. 125-126).
What is the dogma of the Holy Trinity?
The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the “consubstantial Trinity”. The divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire: “The Father is that which the Son is, the Son that which the Father is, the Father and the Son that which the Holy Spirit is, i.e. by nature one God.” In the words of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), “Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 253)
The divine persons are really distinct from one another. “God is one but not solitary.” “Father”, “Son”, “Holy Spirit” are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really distinct from one another: “He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son.” They are distinct from one another in their relations of origin: “It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds.” The divine Unity is Triune. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 254)
The divine persons are relative to one another. Because it does not divide the divine unity, the real distinction of the persons from one another resides solely in the relationships which relate them to one another: “In the relational names of the persons the Father is related to the Son, the Son to the Father, and the Holy Spirit to both. While they are called three persons in view of their relations, we believe in one nature or substance.” Indeed “everything (in them) is one where there is no opposition of relationship.” “Because of that unity the Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 255)
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12
Jun '19
The Lord’s Prayer
12
Jun '19
The Lord’s Prayer
“The traditional expression “the Lord’s Prayer” – oratio Dominica – means that the prayer to our Father is taught and given to us by the Lord Jesus. The prayer that comes to us from Jesus is truly unique: it is “of the Lord.” On the one hand, in the words of this prayer the only Son gives us the words the Father gave him:13 he is the master of our prayer. On the other, as Word incarnate, he knows in his human heart the needs of his human brothers and sisters and reveals them to us: he is the model of our prayer.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church Number 2765)
“But Jesus does not give us a formula to repeat mechanically.14 As in every vocal prayer, it is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit teaches the children of God to pray to their Father. Jesus not only gives us the words of our filial prayer; at the same time he gives us the Spirit by whom these words become in us “spirit and life.”15 Even more, the proof and possibility of our filial prayer is that the Father “sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'”16 Since our prayer sets forth our desires before God, it is again the Father, “he who searches the hearts of men,” who “knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”17 The prayer to Our Father is inserted into the mysterious mission of the Son and of the Spirit.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church Number 2766)
08
Jun '19
Pentecost
08
Jun '19
Pentecost
“The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is always on the streets preaching.” (Pope John Paul II)
“If the Lord has left us ignorant of the ordering of many things in this world, then it means it is not necessary for us to know: we cannot compass all creation with our minds. But the Creator Himself of heaven and earth and every created thing gives us to know Him in the Holy Spirit.” (St. Silouan the Athonite, “Wisdom from Mount Athos”)
“Pentecost is the moment when a heart of stone is shattered and a heart of flesh takes its place.” (Fr Raneiro Cantalamessa)
“Without Pentecost the Christ-event – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – remains imprisoned in history as something to remember, think about and reflect on. The Spirit of Jesus comes to dwell within us, so that we can become living Christs here and now.” (Henri Nouwen)
“The Pentecost of the Upper Room in Jerusalem is the beginning a beginning which endures.” (Pope Francis)
“Jesus tells us that His holy Disciples will be more courageous and more understanding when they would be, as the Scripture says, Endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49), and that when their minds would be illuminated by the torch of the Spirit they would be able to see into all things, even though no longer able to question Him bodily present among them. The Saviour does not say that they would no longer as before need the light of His guidance, but that when they received His Spirit, when He was dwelling in their hearts, they would not be wanting in any good thing, and their minds would be filled with most perfect knowledge.” (St. Cyril of Alexandria)
07
Jun '19
Crisis and Scandal
07
Jun '19
Crisis and Scandal
By Abbot Father Michael Cuozzo+, OFE
This Pentecost, still as the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy continues to fan the flames – not of the Holy Spirit – but crisis and scandal, silence and injustice, the Order of Franciscans Ecumenical remains committed to “repair my Church” we love.
Order of Franciscans Ecumenical will continue to voice our story; seek out laborers and advisors for our mission; await a college of bishops to rise to oversee our mission; and seek to openly serve the Roman Catholic Church and minister within Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdictions.
06
Jun '19
Inspirational
06
Jun '19
“Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21)
“Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Psalm 119:105)
“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Matthew 7:7)
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
“O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)
“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
“So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
“For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
03
Jun '19
Compassion
03
Jun '19
“Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.” (Dalai Lama)
“Compassion is so often the solution.” (Anonymous)
“Compassion is passion with a heart.” (Anonymous)
“If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” (Dalai Lama)
“Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion, your hands for charity, your mind for truth, and your heart for love.” (Anonymous)
“Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.” (Thomas Merton)
“One of the secrets of inner peace is the practice of compassion.” (Dalai Lama)
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” (Anonymous)
“Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering.” (Dalai Lama)
“Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others.” (Yasmin Mogahed)
“It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.” (Dalai Lama)
01
Jun '19
Give With Joy
01
Jun '19
“For it is in giving that we receive.” (Francis of Assisi)
“Give, but give until it hurts.” (Mother Teresa)
“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.” (Lao Tzu)
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” (Winston S. Churchill)
“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.” (Mother Teresa)
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” (Maya Angelou)
“Speak the truth do not become angered and give when asked, even be it a little. By these three conditions one goes to the presence of the gods.” (Buddha)
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” (Mother Theresa)
“Life is a boomerang. What you give, you get.” (Anonymous)
01
Jun '19
Hands To Serve
01
Jun '19
“Give your hands to serve, and your hearts to love.” (Mother Teresa)
“When you are in the service of your fellow beings you are in the service of God.” (Anonymous)
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” (Desmond Tutu)
“Use your God-given gifts to serve others.” (Anonymous)
“Give your hands to serve, and your hearts to love.” (Mother Teresa)
“Don’t feel bad if people remember you only when they need you. Feel privileged that you are like a candle that comes to their mind when there is darkness.” (Anonymous)
“There’s real freedom that comes through service.” (Anonymous)
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” (Rabindranath Tagore)
“Use your God-given gifts to serve others.” (Anonymous)
“Give your hands to serve, and your hearts to love.” (Mother Teresa)
31
May '19
Helping
31
May '19
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” (Mahatma Gandhi)
“If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.” (Buddha)
”Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.” (Buddha)
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” (Chinese Proverb)
“Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.” (Buddha)
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” (Albert Einstein)
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” (Buddha)
26
May '19
Help Others
26
May '19
The strongest people
make time to help others, even
if they are struggling with
their own problems.
Feeding The Hungry Children Campaign Website Link:
Blessings and thank you, Abbot Father Michael Cuozzo, OFE, Divine Mercy Children Orphanage, Board of Directors of the Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos, Inc., and Board of Directors of the Order of Franciscans Ecumenical, Inc.
Copyright © 2015 – 2019 Order of Franciscans Ecumenical, Inc. | Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos, Inc. All rights reserved.
Page approved by the Minister General.