A Black Friday Prayer …
Tomorrow is what’s become known as ‘Black Friday’. We’ve all seen the new reports with the disturbing images of stampedes as people trample over one another to get the ‘bargain of the century’. Don’t be fooled – be polite and kind to each other. Black Friday is all about things – people are not things. Shop…
Greyfriars Review available on-line
An important announcement for all those interested in studying the Franciscan heritage: Greyfriars Review was a significant journal published by the Franciscan Institute Press from 1987 to 2006; its goal was make the best of Franciscan scholarship originally published in other languages available to the English-speaking world. Copies of this journal are very hard to…
Fr Bryan is ‘Sending Positive Vibes’
Congratulations to our Capuchin Brother, Bryan Shortall OFM Cap, on the publication of his second book – Sending Poistive Vibes. The book will be available in Irish bookstores from Monday 11th of November 2019. The blurb reads: “From the beginning from the beginning of his is pontificate, Pope Francis said “…And remember, don’t forget to pray…
Ancient Byzantine Catholic Prayer for All Souls Day
This beautiful prayer was sent to us by Fr Coriolan Muresan, Chaplain to the Greek -Romanian Catholic Community who gather in St Michan’s Church, Halston Street for weekly mass. Byzantine Catholic Prayer for the Deceased God of the spirits and of all flesh, who have trampled death and annihilated the devil and given life to your…
An Post to support Homeless people by donating mobile access
This story is covered in today’s (30 October 2109) edition of The Irish Times Newspaper. An Post plan to donate 18,000 GB of data across 2,000 SIMS cards the article reports. These cards will be distributed through a number of homeless charities. Pictured is Brother Seán Donohoe of the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People…
Pope Francis address Capuchin Friars in Rome
In a meeting with over 70 Friars from the Italian Province of the Marches, Pope Francis spoke of the Capuchin charism in terms of vocations, poverty, forgiveness, and evangelization. He called on the Friars to bring about initiatives that allow young people encounter the life changing example of St Francis of Assisi. You can read…
The Capuchin Custody of Korea
The Irish Capuchin Friars travelled to South Korea in 1986 to establish the first Capuchin foundation there at the invitation of Cardinal Kim. This fantastic article published on our international website highlights the journey since then… https://www.ofmcap.org/en/notizie/altre-notizie/item/3474-the-capuchin-custody-of-korea
Blessings on the Feast of St Francis from the Irish Capuchin Friars
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he show his face to you and be merciful to you, May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace. May the Lord bless you. Amen
Extraordinary Month of Mission 2019
[Pictured are Capuchin Friars at our Mission in Zambia] Today is the feast of St Therese of Lisieux, co-patron of missions along with St Francis Xavier. Pope Francis has declared October 2019 to be a month of prayer, reflextion and action focused on mission and our shared baptismal call to bring the Good News…
Well done to all the team in Ards Capuchin Friary and Centre for the Care of Creation. For more information visit their webiste: www.ardsfriary.ie ... See MoreSee Less
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Today we clebrate the feast day of St Clare of Assisi. We extend our good wishes to all the Poor Clares around the World as we honour their founder. St Clare of Assisi, pray for us.
Listen to the story of St Clare: www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-clare-of-assisi/?utm_campaign=New%20Newsletter%202... ... See MoreSee Less
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Follow the excellent new blog from the Capuchins at Knock Shrine. Well done to all involved: ... See MoreSee Less
Capuchins in Knock
capsinknock.com
A blog from the Capuchin Franciscans at Knock Shrine — life, ministry and reflections from the friary.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Loneliness, Hunger of the Heart (Matt 14:13-21)
When Jesus received the news of the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, he withdrew by boat with the apostles to a lonely place where they could be by themselves.
Another name for loneliness is the hunger of the heart. A popular film years ago was called “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.” One cause of loneliness is the emptiness experienced after the death of a loved one. Even Jesus felt the need to cope with this emptiness. A person who is grieving needs time and space. Different people deal with grief in different ways. In the weeks after the funeral, many people will be very tired physically, emotionally and spiritually. One may not have the emotional energy to pray. It is important to let them know that you are praying for them. Pray also for the discernment to know when to accompany the person grieving and when to let the person have time alone.
A lonely place
The quietness that Jesus sought did not last for long. People soon found out where he was and flocked there. Out of pity for them he set aside his own need and attended to their needs. Hours slipped by and the disciples were concerned because the people had not brought food. It is interesting that the apostles did not say to Jesus that this is a hungry place but that this is a lonely place. They had touched on the inner hunger of the heart, loneliness.
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta was shocked when her Sisters of Charity went to serve in a poor area of New York. In Calcutta, the Sisters ministered to the dying and fed hundreds of hungry people every day. But in New York they were confronted by the hunger of loneliness felt by deserted old people. This is how Mother Teresa described it: “The worst disease is not leprosy; it is being unwanted, being left out, being forgotten. The greatest scourge is to forget the next person, to be so suffocated with the things we have that we have no time for the lonely Jesus – even a person in our own family who needs us.”
In today’s Second Reading Saint Paul writes: “Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food.. ... See MoreSee Less
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Upcoming in Church Street ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Provincial Minister, Br. Richard shares a reflection on his time in Zambia. Please pray for.our brothers in Zambia and the returned missionaries in Ireland. ... See MoreSee Less
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Treasure in the Heart (Matt. 13:44-52)
In today’s gospel Jesus continues the seven parables about the kingdom of heaven in our lives. What is this kingdom? In the gospels, the kingdom of heaven has several different shades of meaning. In today’s parables it refers to the hidden treasure in the heart. “The kingdom of God is within you.” It is the realization that God is not only up there but is also in here, in my heart and soul. That is what Pope Francis called the joy of the gospel, the joy of a personal relationship with Jesus. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness”. Inner emptiness is no longer a lonely place: rather, it is space for enjoying the nearness of God in a personal relationship.
This inner joy is described in the parable of a hidden treasure that someone unexpectedly discovered in a field. He goes off, sells everything he owns and buys the field. The discovery represents a totally unanticipated experience that brings about a sudden conversion, a new awareness of God as present in one’s life. It is like a new birth and some people refer to the experience as being born again.
For others the experience is like that of a merchant who was searching for a very valuable pearl. He also sells all he owns to buy this pearl. These are the people who spent time reading and studying, or exploring various philosophies of life until eventually they found Jesus and all that he means. Whether it comes in a sudden conversion experience, or as the result of much study and searching, they hold on to this treasure at any cost. The cost of discipleship usually involves repentance in the sense of a conversion of thought, values and behaviour.
A Church of all sorts
The seventh and last of the parables describes the kingdom as a fishing net dragging in a mixture of many kinds of fish. This refers to the catholic dimension of the kingdom since the word catholic means all-embracing. There is room for all sorts: for those who focus on conserving the past side-by-side with those who are impatient for change. ... See MoreSee Less
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Saints come in all shapes and sizes. The Capuchin Order has over 100 saints and blesseds recognised by the Church. Some years ago Irish Capuchin Friar, Br Owen, compiled a compendium of our Saints and Blesseds (some of the more recent ones will not be on this list). He outlines the life and vocation of each.
As Capuchin Friars we draw much encouragement, guidance and inspiration from our saintly brothers. They share the same vocation as us and we can learn much from them and how they responded to God's call in their lives. You can read Br Owen's account of their lives by copying this website address to your preferred broweser:
capuchin_saints_and_blesseds.pdf share.google/nuRRnRIOOF6LLshWi ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Provincial Minister, Br. Richard, is currently on visitation with the brothers in the Custody of Zambia. Today he met the newly received Novices and tomorrow Br Richard preseides at the celebration of seven first professions and four Solemn in St. Bonaventure’s, Lusaka.
Please keep the brothers in your prayers. ... See MoreSee Less
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