FAREWELL PARTY FOR BR. JOSEF

 

(Br. Josef Anderlohr, OFM)

OPEN HOUSE FOR BR. JOSEF:

Sunday, August 19th, an OPEN HOUSE was held for Br. Josef celebrating the 7+ years that he has given to our Interprovincial Prayer Fraternity.  Over 40 friends stopped by throughout the afternoon to wish Br. Josef all the best as he leaves our fraternity and moves to his new home in Cincinnati, OH at St. Francis Seraph Friary  1615 Vine Street   Cincinnati, OH  45202.   Br. Josef will be moving within the next several weeks.   We send him forth with our blessings and our prayers and gratitude for all that he has given to Our Lady of the Angels Friary and it's ministry.  Go in Peace, with our love and prayers!

FEAST OF ST. CLARE OF ASSISI

 

(icon of St. Clare in chapel for feastday)

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF ST. CLARE -- AUGUST 11th:

A thought about contemplative prayer from St. Clare on her special day:

"Place your mind before the mirror of eternity!

 Place your soul in the brilliance of glory!

 Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance!

 And transform your whole being into the image

     of the Godhead Itself through contemplation!"

 

PRAYER IS FOR PONDERING

 

(statue of Mary in Mary's Garden)

 

"Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."   (Lk  2:19)

PRAYER IS FOR PONDERING

Prayer affords us time to ponder, to reflect on the many wonderful stories of our faith tradition.  Prayer offers us the opportunity to connect these faith stories to our own.  Prayer helps us to hear again and to know anew the faithfulness of God throughout the generations.  In prayer, we can find the experiences of 'exile' and 'exodus' and 'the cross' in our own lives and see God present with us in these life moments.  Prayer helps us recognize the false idols that allure us and put God back on the altar of our lives as our sole worship.  Prayer opens us to the teachings of Jesus and helps us incorporate these teachings into our own words and actions.  Prayer helps us reflect on the mysteries of life, as Mary did, and commit ourselves, as she did, to faithful, loving discipleship in today's world with her Son, Jesus.

(a 'prayer reflection' by one of the Franciscan friars here at the Prayer Fraternity)

THE BEST WAY TO PRAY

 

(chapel during Transitus service)

 

 

THE BEST WAY TO PRAY

 

Sometimes we pray to get what we want or need.  Sometimes we pray for guidance.  But the best reason to pray -- and the reason Jesus prayed -- is to join ourselves to God.  But there is no one way to do that. 

 

When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he taught them the "Our Father."   It is a prayer of praise and gives God the glory that he is due.   It is also a petition in which we ask God to provide what we need.  Third, it asks for forgiveness and the strength to be forgiving.   And last, it is an acknowledgement that God knows what is best for us and reminds us to submit to his will rather than our own.

 

God hears all prayers, but he wants to know that we are committed to that for which we are asking.  Jesus said to be persistent and continue to ask for God's help, seek God's will, and open the door to God's grace in our lives.

 

(This reflection is from the parish bulletin insert,  GROWING IN FAITH, for July 2012, published by Success Publishing & Media; to learn more about them, go to:  www.growinginfaith.com )