Podcasts about Assisi

"Come, that I may teach you about secrets no person has ever seen. For there exists a great and boundless realm, whose extent no generation of angels has seen, in which there is a great Invisible Spirit, which no eye of an angel has ever seen, nor thought of the heart has ever comprehended, and it was never really called by any Name."-Gnostic Gospel According to Judas The Feeling, 'I Am here', is closer to Its Name than any name you can pronounce, recite, or chant with your mouth. But we chant a name, we take a mantra to keep us focused on the Feeling. "Silence thy thoughts and fix thy whole attention on thy Master yet whom thou doest not see, but whom thou feelest."- Voice of the Silence I only speak to Pause.You're only here to Love.Stop forgetting. I Love you, Nik Please help me keep the show ad free + Get Merch!▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings_______________________Today's Quotes:   "You may try a hundred things, but only Love can release you from yourself. Unless your chest gets that burning feeling every time love is mentioned, You are not yet ready to conquer Love."-Mevlana Jalal-addin RUMI"We are the mother of Christ when we carry Christ in our heart and body by Love and a pure and sincere conscience. And we give birth to Christ through our works which ought to shine on others by our example."-St. Francis of Assisi "Who am I? Just my name. The rest is Him."-Rumi "Body is bondage. When you say, "I am the body', you are in hell.When you understand that you are not the body, then you will realize that you are everywhere. This is heaven."-Ranjit Maharaj"...Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."-from the 'Hail Mary' prayerSupport the show

  Dana Lynne Andersen is a multimedia artist, writer, playwright, and teacher who has taught and exhibited on three continents. She is the founder of the Awakening Arts Academy, with programs in Assisi, Italy, and online. In this conversation, we explore the nature of the Transformative Arts Certification Program she offers—why it is so needed in the world and what it represents.

Morning Motivation: Preach The Gospel, and ALWAYS Use Words There's a popular Christianese expression that St. Francis of Assisi did NOT say, "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words". That's not Biblical at all. And in today's time, it's essential to get it right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christians get a lot out of engaging the left, but like we're always saying on this show, it's harder to see what people on the left get out of engaging Christianity as a tradition. But one guy keeps showing up in left literature and weird postmodern philosophy, everyone's favorite silly saint, Francis of Assisi! In this one we chat through how Francis shows up in Karl Kautsky, W. E. B. DuBois, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, Peter Sloterdijk, Vilem Flusser, and others, including a wild petition to Pope Francis abolish hell. (And before you ask, no, we didn't talk about Agamben, but we'll get around to it one day.)Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Get Magnificast Merch* https://www.redbubble.com Thanks to our monthly supporters Francisco Herrera John Michael Dimitras Jacob S Leigh Elliot Tyler Adair Catherine Harrison Zachary Elicker Kasey Erin Archambeault Mikegrapes Kate Alexander Calderon Alejandro Kritzlof Caleb Strom Shandra Benito Andrew McIntosh Peter Shaw Kerrick Fanning Josh Collier Jonathan Taylor Jennifer Kunze Damon Pitiroi Trevon Tellor Yroffeiriad Matt Sandra Zadkovic Stephanie Heifner Patrick Sweeney Felicia Aaron Morrison lexiiii Leslie Rodriguez ES Sarah Clark Timothy Trout Kinsey Favre darcie wilder Name Colm Moran Stewart Thomas Lonnie Smith Brendan Fong Kylie Riley gayatri Darren Young Josh Kerley koalatee Tim Luschen Elizabeth Davis Lee Ketch Austin Cyphersmith Ashton Sims Fin Carter Ryan Euverman Tristan Turner Edwin Emily JCF Linzi Stahlecker Matthew Alhonte John Samson Fellows alex zarecki rob Kathryn Bain Stephen Machuga Connor Campbell zane big chungus Jen Jurgens Caitlin Spanjer Collin Majors Victor Williams Daniel Saunders David Huseth Andrew Brian Nowak erol delos santos Aaron Forbis-Stokes Josh Strassman Cal Kielhold Luke Stocking Sara Brian S. Ryan Brady Taylor Williams drew k Matthew Darmour-Paul saheemax Adam Burke Peter Pinkney Zambedos Andrew Guthrie Adrian Kevin Hernandez Wilden Dannenberg Evan Ernst jessica frances Tucker Clyle Christopher RayAlexander Peter Adourian Dan Meyer Aaron Guro Benjamin Pletcher John Mattessich Caleb Cropper-Russel Tristan Greeno Steve Schiroo Robert Clelland Anastasia Schaadhardt Scott Pfeiffer Terry Craghead Peter Moody Josiah Daniels yames Thaddaeus Groat Elisabeth Wienß Hoss Tripp Fuller Avery Carrie Dez V Danny Zane Guevara Ivan jess Carter Ryan Plas Jofre Jonas Edberg Tom Tilden Jo Jonny Nickname Phil Lembo Matt Roney Parker Rybak Stephen McMurtry otherstuffandthings Andrew Ness James Willard Noj Lucas Costello Dónal Emerson Robert Paquette Ashley Contreras Amaryah Shaye CommieChristian.com Frank Dina Mason Shrader Sabrina Luke Nye David Klassen Julia Schimanek Matthew Fisher Michael Vanacore Tom Nielsen Elinor Stephenson Max Bridges Joel Garver SibilantStar Devon Bowers Daniel David Erdman Madeleine E Guekguezian Tim Lewis Logan Daniel Daniel Saunders Big Dong Bill Jared Rouse Stanford McConnehey Dianne Boardman klavvin Angela Ben Molyneux-Hetherington Jared Hobbs Keith Wetzel Nathan Beam, Nazi Destroyer Dillon Moore Renee DeSpain HJ25 Abby Johnson Ibrahím Pedriñán Brando Geoffrey Thompson Some Dude Kevin M.N. Brock Barber Geoff Tock Kaya Oakes Ahar Tom Cannell Stephen Adkison Troy Andrews Andy Reinsch J Martel Andrew VanStee K. Aho Jimmy Melnarik Ian SG Daniel Rogers Caleb Ratzlaff emcanady

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 278The Saint of the day is Saint Catherine of SienaSaint Catherine of Siena's Story The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time. She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent, cheerful, and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation. She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer, and austerity. Gradually, a group of followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter of 1374. Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope. In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her “children” and was canonized in 1461. Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Pope Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue. Reflection Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifetime. Saint Catherine of Siena is a Patron Saint of: EuropeFire PreventionItaly Click here for more on Saint Catherine of Siena! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Third Week of Easter Lectionary: 273The Saint of the day is Saint Fidelis of SigmaringenSaint Fidelis of Sigmaringen's Story If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life. Born in 1577, Mark Rey became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed “the poor man's lawyer,” Rey soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues. He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Order. Fidelis was his religious name. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor. As a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. During a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers. He was appointed head of a group of Capuchins sent to preach against the Calvinists and Zwinglians in Switzerland. Almost certain violence threatened. Those who observed the mission felt that success was more attributable to the prayer of Fidelis during the night than to his sermons and instructions. He was accused of opposing the peasants' national aspirations for independence from Austria. While he was preaching at Seewis, to which he had gone against the advice of his friends, a gun was fired at him, but he escaped unharmed. A Protestant offered to shelter Fidelis, but he declined, saying his life was in God's hands. On the road back, he was set upon by a group of armed men and killed. Fidelis was canonized in 1746. Fifteen years later he was recognized as a martyr. Reflection Fidelis' constant prayer was that he be kept completely faithful to God and not give in to any lukewarmness or apathy. He was often heard to exclaim, “Woe to me if I should prove myself but a halfhearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.” His prayer against apathy, and his concern for the poor and weak make him a saint whose example is valuable today. The modern Church is calling us to follow the example of “the poor man's lawyer” by sharing ourselves and our talents with those less fortunate and by working for justice in the world. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsThird Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 46The Saint of the day is Saint GeorgeSaint George's Story Saint George is the object of a vast amount of imagination. There is every reason to believe that he was a real martyr who suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. The Church adheres to his memory, but not to the legends surrounding his life. That he was willing to pay the supreme price to follow Christ is what the Church believes. And it is enough. The story of George's slaying the dragon, rescuing the king's daughter, and converting Libya is a 12th-century Italian fable. George was a favorite patron saint of crusaders, as well as of Eastern soldiers in earlier times. He is a patron saint of England, Portugal, Germany, Aragon, Catalonia, Genoa, Milan and Bologna. Reflection Human nature seems to crave more than cold historical data. Americans have Washington and Lincoln, but we somehow need Paul Bunyan, too. The life of Saint Francis of Assisi is inspiring enough, but for centuries the Italians have found his spirit in the legends of the Fioretti, too. Santa Claus is the popular extension of the spirit of Saint Nicholas. The legends about Saint George are part of this yearning. Both fact and legend are human ways of illumining the mysterious truth about the One who alone is holy. Saint George is the Patron Saint of: Boy ScoutsEnglandGermanyPortugalSoldiers Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Relax and fall asleep fast to this Bible meditation for deep sleep with relaxing awe inspiring music for sleeping. Let your body sleep and your mind rest as we travel back in time about a thousand years, to the lush hillsides of Italy, to hear the story of a man - St. Francis of Assisi - who loved Jesus and the world around him. Unlock the premium ad-free Christian Bible sleep meditation experience in the Abide app: https://abide.co/signup?ref=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New voices for reform in the church arise in the 11th and 12th centuries. Topics discussed here include heresy, mendicant orders, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi, and Dominic of Osma.

You can and you ARE changing everything from (t)here.Right from that room.Right from that seat.Right from this Love.I Love you,NikPlease help me keep the show ad free + Get Merch!▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings________________________________Today's Quotes:"Actually, you can. You can follow your heart. You can alter your path. You can break the mold. You can take the leap. You can free yourself from your fears. You can refuse to settle for less than you deserve. You can live a life aligned with your purpose and passions. You can do the thing you're not sure you can do. You can take the first step. You can create your future. You can have exactly what you've been dreaming about.  You are strong enough. You are brave enough. You have what it takes."-Zanna Keithley "I think God might be a little prejudiced.For once He asked me to join Him on a walkthrough this world, and we gazed into every heart on this earth,and I noticed He lingered a bit longerbefore any face that was weeping, and before any eyes that were laughing. And sometimes when we passeda soul in worship God too would kneel down.I have come to learn: God adores His creation."-St. Francis of Assisi via Daniel Ladinsky's 'Love Poems From God'"Our hands imbibe like roots, so I place them on what is beautiful in this world.And I fold them in prayer, and they draw from the heavens light."-St. Francis of Assisi via Daniel Ladinsky's 'Love Poems From God'Support the show

One of the monumental works of Catholic poetry is St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" (the "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" poem). Greg and Cory reflect on what this poem really means in light of the Resurrection.

A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy: The Life of Clare of Rimini (U Pennsylvania Press, 2022) centers on a fascinating woman, Clare of Rimini (c. 1260 to c. 1324–29), whose story is preserved in a fascinating text. Composed by an anonymous Franciscan, the Life of the Blessed Clare of Rimini is the earliest known saint's life originally written in Italian, and one of the few such lives to be written while its subject was still living. It tells the story of a controversial woman, set against the background of her roiling city, her star-crossed family, and the tumultuous political and religious landscape of her age. Twice married, twice widowed, and twice exiled, Clare established herself as a penitent living in a roofless cell in the ruins of the Roman walls of Rimini. She sought a life of solitary self-denial, but was denounced as a demonic danger by local churchmen. Yet she also gained important and influential supporters, allowing her to establish a fledgling community of like-minded sisters. She traveled to Assisi, Urbino, and Venice, spoke out as a teacher and preacher, but also suffered a revolt by her spiritual daughters. A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy presents the text of the Life in English translation for the first time, bringing modern readers into Clare's world in all its excitement and complexity. Each chapter opens a different window into medieval society, exploring topics from political power to marriage and sexuality, gender roles to religious change, pilgrimage to urban structures, sanctity to heresy. Through the expert guidance of scholars and translators Jacques Dalarun, Sean L. Field, and Valerio Cappozzo, Clare's life and context become a springboard for readers to discover what life was like in a medieval Italian city. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy: The Life of Clare of Rimini (U Pennsylvania Press, 2022) centers on a fascinating woman, Clare of Rimini (c. 1260 to c. 1324–29), whose story is preserved in a fascinating text. Composed by an anonymous Franciscan, the Life of the Blessed Clare of Rimini is the earliest known saint's life originally written in Italian, and one of the few such lives to be written while its subject was still living. It tells the story of a controversial woman, set against the background of her roiling city, her star-crossed family, and the tumultuous political and religious landscape of her age. Twice married, twice widowed, and twice exiled, Clare established herself as a penitent living in a roofless cell in the ruins of the Roman walls of Rimini. She sought a life of solitary self-denial, but was denounced as a demonic danger by local churchmen. Yet she also gained important and influential supporters, allowing her to establish a fledgling community of like-minded sisters. She traveled to Assisi, Urbino, and Venice, spoke out as a teacher and preacher, but also suffered a revolt by her spiritual daughters. A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy presents the text of the Life in English translation for the first time, bringing modern readers into Clare's world in all its excitement and complexity. Each chapter opens a different window into medieval society, exploring topics from political power to marriage and sexuality, gender roles to religious change, pilgrimage to urban structures, sanctity to heresy. Through the expert guidance of scholars and translators Jacques Dalarun, Sean L. Field, and Valerio Cappozzo, Clare's life and context become a springboard for readers to discover what life was like in a medieval Italian city. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

04/02/2023 John 12:12-18 Chris Breslin   Music for Sunday’s worship gathering Daughters of Zion by Porter’s Gate Worship Project Hail to the Lord’s Anointed by Montgomery/McCracken Just a Closer Walk with Thee by Traditional All Creatures of Our God & King by St. Francis of Assisi 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Redman My Hallelujah by Torwalt Hosanna (Will You Rise?) by Porter’s Gate Worship Project Doxology

Who Is Responsible For Jesus' Death?Ephesians 1:7-8a “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.”During Holy Week the fact that Christ died for our sins is on the top of our minds.  As we go through the week we are all anticipating Good Friday, which is only Good Friday now that we know what happened and why it happened.  Back when it happened, no one was calling it good Friday.  It was a day filled with complete and utter sadness.  The Savior, the Messiah had been murdered. How could that be?  It was not only heart breaking, it was confusing.  Why didn't He save Himself?  He helped all those people over the last three years, he brought Lazarus back from the dead, why couldn't He just come down off of the cross?  No one understood, no one heard Him when He told them what was going to happen.  It definitely did not feel like a “Good Friday.”  The reason we celebrate it as “Good Friday” is because we understand why Jesus had to die on the cross.  We understand His passion for a greater purpose.  We understand that the Jewish chief priest and elders were not responsible for Jesus' death.  We understand that Pontius Pilate and the Romans were not responsible for Jesus' death.  We understand that Judas is not responsible for Jesus' death.  Jesus died on a cross because that it was He was sent here to do.  Jesus died on a cross to redeem us from original sin and reunite us with our heavenly Father.  Jesus came to fulfill the Father's plan.  I have been listening to the Catechism in a Year podcast with Father Mike.  I am learning to so much about  who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy Spirit is.  I am also learning a lot of about what the Catholic Church actually says about a lot of things as I think the world can kind of take what they think the church is saying and then get it all twisted up.  Father Mike said he was talking to a man one time that was really upset because the man said Catholics blame the Jews for Christ's death and yet Christ dying was a good thing because He saved us from our sins.  So why do we blame the Jews when it was a good thing?  Father Mike explained that we do not blame the Jewish people for Christ's death.  In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which spells our exactly what the Catholic Church believes, #598 says, “In her magisterial teaching of the faith and in the witness of her saints, the church has never forgotten that "sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings that the Divine Redeemer endured." Taking into account the fact that our sins affect Christ himself, the church does not hesitate to impute to Christians the greatest responsibility for the torments inflicted upon Jesus, a responsibility with which they have all too often burden the Jews alone: we must regard as guilty all those who continue to relax into their sins since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the son of God a new in their hearts (for he is in them) and hold him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews as for them, according to the witnesses of the apostle, "none of the rulers of this age understood this for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.” We, however, profess to know him. And when we deny him by our deeds, we in someway seem to lay violent hands on him. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Nor did demons crucify him; it is you who have crucified him and crucify him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.”  This really hit me when I heard it.  I have heard many people say the Jewish people killed Jesus.  I would always say, yes, some did, but not all of them.  However, I never really thought of it like this.  I never thought of us all having a part in it because Jesus died for our sins, all of our sins, every single person on the the planet, past, present and future.  None of us can escape responsibility for it.  I don't know that our responsibility for His death should be our focus.  I don't know that we should focus more on that than the fact that He died to release us, to set us free from sin.  I think when we think of Jesus dying on the cross we should celebrate what He did for us.  Our freedom came at such a high cost.  I think the fact that He took our sins with Him to the cross and that sin no longer has dominion over us is definitely where we should focus our thoughts.However, I do think it would be good to take some time every now and then, especially during Holy Week, and examine your behaviors.  Take a look at your life and your choices.  Are you continuing to crucify Christ daily with your choices?  I have been thinking a lot about what St. Francis said, “Nor did demons crucify him; it is you who have crucified him and crucify him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.”  We all talk about how horrible the crucifixion was.  We talk about how amazing it is that Jesus died for our sins, but what an awful experience.  That pain and that suffering is nothing we would ever want anyone to go through again.  And yet, St. Francis is saying when we continue to delight in our sins we crucify him still.  That is powerful to me.  Maybe it is just the Holy Spirit convicting me, maybe that is not resonating with you or sticking with you.  I hope that is the case.  However, I felt moved to share it with you in case it did resonate.  In case it did cause you to stop and think about the various ways you may be delighting in your vices or your sins.  Lent is a time when we usually stop and take a look at our vices.  We see which ones we want to take a break from for the 40 days of Lent.  We examine our lives and how we want to live differently during Lent. Maybe we are being called to live differently every day and not just during lent.  Do we have vices or sins that we need to give up once and for all and not keep turning back to them?  Are we doing things on a regular basis that are causing Jesus more pain that we need to?  Can we stop these things?  Yes, I know we can stop these things if we choose to because Jesus defeated sin when He died on the cross.  Sin no longer has dominion over us.  If we partner with God to give up our vices, to give up our sins, He will help us.  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!This episode is not too make you feel guilty.  I am not saying you alone are responsible for Christ's death on a cross.   We all, as a human race are responsible because He died for our sins, each and every one of us.  The point is not to feel guilty, the reason I shared this with you is so that we can all take a look at our lives and see the things that we may still be doing on a consistent basis that are continuing to hurt Jesus.  The first step in changing anything is to be aware something needs to change.  This is why I felt compelled to share this with you.  If you heard what St. Francis said you and felt convicted to change something, great!  If you didn't, that is great too.  God puts on our hearts what He wants us to work on.  If you didn't feel compelled to change anything then that is great.  This may not be an issue for you.  I know it resonated with some of you though.  I know it did with me too.  Dear Heavenly Father, I pray you bless everyone listening to this episode today.  Lord, please put on our hearts any recurring sins you want us to change.  Please put on our hearts any ways we are not showing up in the best way we can.  Lord, we thank you for sending your Son to die on a cross for us.  We know it wasn't easy and it came at great cost to you.  We love you Lord, you are amazing.  We thank you for taking away our sin and the hold that sin had over us.  We ask you Lord to help us remember that sin no longer has dominion over us.  Help us to remember we are stronger than our desires.  Help us to remember, just because we want it doesn't mean we have to have it.  Help remind us of the strength and power we have because you are within us.  We love you Lord and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy and powerful name, AmenThank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I am so excited to bring you a witness tomorrow from my mother in law.  She was brave enough to step out in courage and share two witnesses about two different times when God showed up for her.  I know you will love it!  I look forward to bringing that to you tomorrow.  Remember Jesus loves you and so do I!  Go out and celebrate life today!

Full Text of ReadingsPalm Sunday of the Lord's Passion Lectionary: 37 and 38The Saint of the day is Saint Francis of PaolaSaint Francis of Paola's Story Francis of Paola was a man who deeply loved contemplative solitude and wished only to be the “least in the household of God.” Yet, when the Church called him to active service in the world, he became a miracle-worker and influenced the course of nations. After accompanying his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, he began to live as a contemplative hermit in a remote cave near Paola, on Italy's southern seacoast. Before he was 20, he received the first followers who had come to imitate his way of life. Seventeen years later, when his disciples had grown in number, Francis established a Rule for his austere community and sought Church approval. This was the founding of the Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, who were approved by the Holy See in 1474. In 1492, Francis changed the name of his community to “Minims” because he wanted them to be known as the least (minimi) in the household of God. Humility was to be the hallmark of the brothers as it had been in Francis's personal life. Besides the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Francis enjoined upon his followers the fourth obligation of a perpetual Lenten fast. He felt that heroic mortification was necessary as a means for spiritual growth. It was Francis's desire to be a contemplative hermit, yet he believed that God was calling him to the apostolic life. He began to use the gifts he had received, such as the gifts of miracles and prophecy, to minister to the people of God. A defender of the poor and oppressed, Francis incurred the wrath of King Ferdinand of Naples for the admonitions he directed toward the king and his sons. Following the request of Pope Sixtus IV, Francis traveled to Paris to help Louis XI of France prepare for his death. While ministering to the king, Francis was able to influence the course of national politics. He helped to restore peace between France and Brittany by advising a marriage between the ruling families, and between France and Spain by persuading Louis XI to return some disputed land. Francis died while at the French court. Reflection The life of Francis of Paola speaks plainly to an overactive world. He was a contemplative man called to active ministry and must have felt keenly the tension between prayer and service. Yet, in Francis's life it was a productive tension, for he clearly utilized the fruits of contemplation in his ministry, which came to involve the workings of nations. He responded so readily and so well to the call of the Church from a solid foundation in prayer and mortification. When he went out to the world, it was not he who worked but Christ working through him—“the least in the household of God.” Saint Francis of Paola is a Patron Saint of: Sailors Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

April 2: Saint Francis of Paola, Hermit 1416–1507 Optional Memorial; Liturgical Color: White Patron Saint of Calabria, mariners, and naval officers He lived a perpetual Lent The first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi were known as the “Mendicants from Assisi.” Yet as the group attracted men and women from all over Italy and beyond, a new name, not specific to Assisi, was needed. Saint Francis named his brotherhood the Ordo Fratrum Minorum (O.F.M.). This is typically translated from the Latin as the Order of Friars Minor, implying that there is an Order of Friars Major. A better translation might be the Order of Lesser Brothers. Saint Francis wanted himself, and all of his brothers, to be less in everything—less prideful, less well known, less wealthy, and less well nourished than anyone else. Today's saint, the Padre Pio of his era, was a holy priest from the town of Paola in Southern Italy. He was baptized as Francis by his parents when, after several years of going childless, they made a vow to name any son that might be born to them in the great saint's honor. Francis of Paola was worthy of his namesake from a young age. His parents took special care with his religious upbringing and brought him to live for a year in a Franciscan monastery when Francis was just twelve. The young Francis developed a reputation for holiness even when just a teen. By the age of twenty, he was living as a hermit in a cave near Paola when local men began to gather around him. The fledgling group adopted the name “the Hermits of Brother Francis of Assisi,” a name later changed to the “Friars Minims,” or just “Minims,” meaning  “less” or “least,” in the spirit of the “Lesser Brothers” that Saint Francis of Assisi had founded centuries before. Francis of Paola desired humility, nothingness, and total self-abnegation. He and his followers lived a perpetual Lent. All Minims took the usual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. But they also took a special fourth vow to abstain, all year long and all life long, from meat, eggs, butter, cheese, milk, and all dairy products. The fast never ended. This was mortification on a heroic scale. Vegetarianism, much less veganism, was a step beyond what Saint Francis of Assisi himself had lived. Saint Francis of Assisi ate what was set before him, including meat. He even criticized vegetarian brothers who refused meat, saying such an attitude questioned God's providence and presumed the future, when a brother should instead gratefully accept whatever dish was placed on the table before him. Francis of Paola's veganism was united to a strict moral code, a community life built around the Sacraments, and a deep spirituality centered on Jesus Christ. To be “one with nature” does not mean to be morally ambiguous or to break with religious traditions. A diet should not be a creed. Saint Francis was organic in that he lived one with God, with nature, with his religious brothers, and with the Church. Francis was perennially concerned with the moral laxity of the Church of his era, and purposefully fasted and did penance in reparation for its sins. While Francis of Assisi lived austerely and suffered debilitating illnesses, he was nevertheless cheerful and animated in his dealings with others. No one ever accused Francis of Paola of being ebullient. He was a fully armed spiritual warrior of the most serious kind. He went barefoot. He slept on a board. He was a desert father without the sand. After a very long life of fasting, prayer, miracle working, and wide fame for his holiness even outside of Italy, Saint Francis of Paola died in France. His order had by then spread throughout Europe. His reputation for sanctity was such that he was canonized in 1519, only twelve years after his death. In 1562 Protestant Calvinists in France unsealed his tomb and found his body incorrupt. They then desecrated the saint, scattering his remains. Saint Francis of Paola, after sacrificing everything in life, was not allowed to rest in peace. He was strewn about like trash, ensuring that only trace relics of him remained. Saint Francis wanted to be treated as the least of all. His desire was fulfilled both in life and in death. Saint Francis of Paola, you lived an integrated life deeply united to God, nature, and your fellow man. Intercede before the Trinity in heaven on our behalf, assisting us to grow closer to God through death to self, through prayer, and through a deep attachment to Christ.

In this episode, Madeline chats with Sr. Damien Marie Savino, FSE, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist and the Dean of Science and Sustainability at Aquinas College. During the course of their conversation, they discuss growing up in Connecticut, her love of the outdoors, her undergrad at McGill University, the importance of listening to your heart, the intersection of people and place, her master's in soil science at the University of Connecticut, finding her way back to her faith, how she found the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, an influential visit to Assisi, her community's formation process, sacrifice as a bride of Christ, the meaning of the Franciscan habit, her past work in remediation, sacramentals, science and faith as a friendship, caring for creation, a typical day in her community, an impactful backpacking trip to Norway, and much more!During the course of their conversation, they make many references that you can further explore. They discussed an Ask Father Josh episode about discerning religious orders, episode 19 of this podcast, Pope Francis' Laudato Si' encyclical, and her community's Educating for Laudato Si' initiative.Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcastDon't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In questo episodio andiamo in Umbria, a fare una passeggiata per le vie di Assisi. Mentre camminiamo parliamo di: Colonne corinzie di 2000 anni fa Basilica di San Francesco e affreschi di Giotto Un ristorante nel bosco? Consigli per sopravvivere in una città turistica! Monumenti e nomi che menziono nell'episodio:  Pittore Alberto Scarabattoli Porta Nuova Basilica di Santa Chiara Piazza del Comune e Tempio di Minerva Torre del Popolo Volta dipinta Basilica di San Francesco  Bosco di San Francesco Eremo delle Carceri La trascrizione dell'episodio è su Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/italianoconamore. Iscriviti alla Newsletter QUI. Continua ad imparare insieme a me: clicca per accedere ai Corsi di Italiano con Amore!

Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Lectionary: 253The Saint of the day is Saint Ludovico of CasoriaSaint Ludovico of Casoria's Story Born in Casoria, near Naples, Arcangelo Palmentieri was a cabinet-maker before entering the Friars Minor in 1832, taking the name Ludovico. After his ordination five years later, he taught chemistry, physics, and mathematics to younger members of his province for several years. In 1847, he had a mystical experience which he later described as a cleansing. After that, he dedicated his life to the poor and the infirm, establishing a dispensary for the poor, two schools for African children, an institute for the children of nobility, as well as an institution for orphans, the deaf, and the speechless, and other institutes for the blind, elderly, and for travelers. In addition to an infirmary for friars of his province, he began charitable institutes in Naples, Florence, and Assisi. He once said, “Christ's love has wounded my heart.” This love prompted him to great acts of charity. To help continue these works of mercy, in 1859 he established the Gray Brothers, a religious community composed of men who formerly belonged to the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later, he founded the Gray Sisters of St. Elizabeth for the same purpose. Toward the beginning of his final, nine-year illness, Ludovico wrote a spiritual testament which described faith as “light in the darkness, help in sickness, blessing in tribulations, paradise in the crucifixion, and life amid death.” The local work for his beatification began within five months of Ludovico's death. He was beatified in 1993 and canonized in 2014. Reflection Saintly people are not protected from suffering, but with God's help they learn how to develop compassion from it. In the face of great suffering, we move either toward compassion or indifference. Saintly men and women show us the path toward compassion. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Fr. Joe Koopman, Vice-Rector, Moral Theologian and Italian Translator for the recent trip the Seminary Community took to Rome joins us.0:40   Fr Joe tells us about the Seminary community's trip to Rome.1:15:   This year is the 175th Anniversary of our major seminary, St. Mary's Seminary.1:50:   25 years ago they went and met St. John Paul II.2:10:   Many of the seminarians had never travelled.3:00:   Fr. Joe takes us through the papal audience.5:00:  They met Pope Francis in the same room that Fr. Damian and Fr Joe met St. John Paul II5:25:  The trip included more than just seminiarians.6:30:  What was the protocol like?6:50:  The Pope's addressed the Seminarians.  Vatican News tells more.9:00:   Fr. Joe brought her mom.  What did he say to her?10:20:  He also asked Bishop Malesic to pray for him.10:40:  Special prayers for a mom with health issues.11:05:  Did you ever meet Pope Benedict?  And was this your first meeting with Pope Francis?12:38:  What happened with the Brothers Woost?14:00:  What graces and hopes can come from a pilgrimage like this?16:01:  Some went to Assisi too!16:25:  Mike only gets a Papal "drive by."17:50:  Pre-Holy Week Pilgrimage is on April 1 in Lakewood.19:40:  Station Churches on Holy Thursday.21:32:  Ignite Conference is on April 29.

Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness and Light with Mark S. Burrows & Jon M. Sweeney This book of Meister Eckhart meditations is for people seeking the “wayless way.” It is not for those looking for a simple path. Many people in our time still go looking for a straight path toward a defined goal, without detours, led by a guide who tells them what to do and what not to do. They would be uncomfortable with Meister Eckhart—a Christian mystic from the century of Rumi and Francis of Assisi—who said to “take leave of God for the sake of God.” These fresh, stunning renderings of his writings in poetic form bring life to one of the great spiritual voices of any age. They reveal what it means to love God and find meaning in darkness. In a culture that craved light—and what culture does not?— Eckhart dared to imagine that the darkness is what matters most. Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar, critic, and writer. Several of his books have become History Book Club, BOMC, Crossings Book Club, and QPB selections. He served as an editor at Jewish Lights and Paraclete Press and is currently the editorial director at Franciscan Media. Mark S. Burrows is a poet, translator, and professor of religion and literature at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences in Bochum, Germany. His poetry has appeared in Poetry, The Cortland Review, Southern Quarterly, Weavings, and a number of other periodicals. ********************************************* For more information about BITEradio products and services visit: http://www.biteradio.me/index.html

“Lazarus, come out!” These are the words with which Our Lord raises Lazarus from the dead but they are also the words that in many ways seal his own fate. Following the undeniable miracle of raising a man from the dead, the Pharisees and chief priests no longer stand by but decide to put Our Lord to death. But if Jesus is not conquered by death and neither is Lazarus, then our readings today offer each of us the same hope for the Resurrection. In this episode discover: - The location of the raising of Lazarus and how it reveals the familiarity and friendship that Jesus and Lazarus possessed - How our Gospel provides an answer to the ever-present "problem" of evil - The Jewish view of death that explains why Jesus waits several days before going to Lazarus - What the preternatural gifts are and how they explain the intrinsically disturbing nature of death - The Old Testament prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel that our New Testament miracle fulfills Register for the Freedom in Christ Conference with Dr. Matthew Breuninger at St. Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines: www.bit.ly/ficsfa

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Lectionary: 245The Saint of the day is Blessed John of ParmaBlessed John of Parma's Story The seventh general minister of the Franciscan Order, John was known for his attempts to bring back the earlier spirit of the Order after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. He was born in Parma, Italy, in 1209. It was when he was a young philosophy professor known for his piety and learning that God called him to bid good-bye to the world he was used to and enter the new world of the Franciscan Order. After his profession, John was sent to Paris to complete his theological studies. Ordained to the priesthood, he was appointed to teach theology at Bologna, then Naples, and finally Rome. In 1245, Pope Innocent IV called a general council in the city of Lyons, France. Crescentius, the Franciscan minister general at the time, was ailing and unable to attend. In his place he sent Friar John, who made a deep impression on the Church leaders gathered there. Two years later, when the same pope presided at the election of a minister general of the Franciscans, he remembered Friar John well and held him up as the man best qualified for the office. And so in 1247, John of Parma was elected to be minister general. The surviving disciples of St. Francis rejoiced in his election, expecting a return to the spirit of poverty and humility of the early days of the Order. And they were not disappointed. As general of the Order, John traveled on foot, accompanied by one or two companions, to practically all of the Franciscan convents in existence. Sometimes he would arrive and not be recognized, remaining there for a number of days to test the true spirit of the brothers. The pope called on John to serve as legate to Constantinople, where he was most successful in winning back the schismatic Greeks. Upon his return, he asked that someone else take his place to govern the Order. At John's urging, Saint Bonaventure was chosen to succeed him. John took up a life of prayer in the hermitage at Greccio. Many years later, John learned that the Greeks who had been reconciled with the Church for a time, had relapsed into schism. Though 80 years old by then, John received permission from Pope Nicholas IV to return to the East in an effort to restore unity once again. On his way, John fell sick and died. He was beatified in 1781. The liturgical feast of Blessed John of Parma is celebrated on March 20. Reflection In the 13th century, people in their 30s were middle-aged; hardly anyone lived to the ripe old age of 80. John did, but he didn't ease into retirement. Instead he was on his way to try to heal a schism in the Church when he died. Our society today boasts a lot of folks in their later decades. Like John, many of them lead active lives. But some aren't so fortunate. Weakness or ill health keeps them confined and lonely—waiting to hear from us. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this edition of Channeling history we explore the future for organized religions by interviewing the spirits of the Prophet Muhammad, Martin Luther and Saint Francis of Assisi.  These three famous religious figures speak of the requirements for future growth by focusing on the simple messages of God for the young.  Please tell your friends about this informative show.

Fr. Dcn. Dragani returns to R&T to discuss the 1986 world peace meeting in Assisi hosted by Pope St. John Paul II. Did Christians pray with non-Christians? Did the pope commit an act of idolatry? Was a statue of the Buddha placed on a tabernacle? These questions, and many others, are explored!

Take a breath, feel yourself within your heart-level, and enjoy the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi in the present paradigm, as William shares the surrender of yourself, as Creator arising within its creation and embodiment.  Along the way, look anew at the journeys of the ascended masters, throughout the world, and the messages they shared. 

Sister Margaret Kruse is a sister of St. Francis of Assisi, a community is located in St. Francis, Wisconsin, just south of Milwaukee. Her community is one of seven women religious congregations, and one Lutheran Church, that collaborated to found Sisters Program South, a Milwaukee drop-in center for women who are trapped in human trafficking. Now serving on the board of Sisters Program South, Sister Margaret has served as a teacher, with United Farm Workers, in pastoral ministry, and in leadership in her community.  (2:15) Happy Feast Day, St. Bakhita! (3:33) What to do about human trafficking? (7:29) Ecumenical collaboration (11:24) The gift of choice (14:32) Open eyes (16:30) Child abuse (19:10) What you need to know (20:23) Victory! (23:22) Age doesn't matter (28:18) A short journey to religious life (29:25) Opportunities (31:47)  Farm life (34:16)  Cesar Chavez & United Farm Workers (40:30) Grassroots parish ministry (45:13) Letting go (49:00) Moving as the Spirit commands Read the transcript here.   Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi Sisters Program South Discover the signs of human trafficking and how to report suspected trafficking here: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs   Subscribe to our newsletter  https://siste.rs/3isP2CZ Check out lots more podcasts  https://siste.rs/2SfnoyS Let us know your thoughts about the podcast! Please take this short survey--your input helps us shape the future In Good Faith podcasts. Click HERE to take the survey.   Don't forget to call us and leave a message. Tell us what you like, ask a question, or just say hi. Call 913-214-6087. Thank you!

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay sits down with Jason Duncan and Caleb Maskell to talk about Jason's experience as a pastor of a Vineyard Church in Wilmore, KY, home of Asbury University. Jason shares about growing up as the son of a United Methodist preacher and how God disrupted his life plans by directing him toward ministry, eventually leading him to become the lead pastor of GCF and being adopted as a Vineyard Church. Jason recollects the day the outpouring began at Asbury, from the unplugged worship to the great wave of repentance and reconciliation amongst the students, and the evidence of the fruits of the Spirit in the rooms and the surrounding city. Jay, Jason, and Caleb also discuss the realities of providing pastoral care and equipping during an outpouring of the Spirit, and what comes after the crowds leave. Originally from West Virginia, Jason Duncan has lived in Kentucky for the last 25 years and has spent 17 of those years as a pastor at GCF in Wilmore. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and is currently working on a Doctoral of Ministry at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University. Jason has been married for 23 years and has 3 kids, ages 22, 20, and 10. He loves reading theology and history, bourbon-tasting, and trekking the Kentucky countryside.    Show notes: Asbury University https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/ Empowered Pentecost Series 2023 https://vineyardusa.org/pentecost2023/ GCF Vineyard- Jason's church https://www.gcfvineyard.church/ The Great Awakening by Thomas Kidd https://amzn.to/3F3t2t8 Taking Heaven By Storm by John Wigger https://amzn.to/3YvpMNT American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists by John Wigger https://amzn.to/3ykqTW8 The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson https://amzn.to/3IWJnAL St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton https://amzn.to/3l1mhRv The Korean Pentecost And The Sufferings Which Followed https://amzn.to/3kN3tpj  

March 8: Saint John of God, Religious 1495–1550 Optional Memorial; Liturgical Color: White (Violet when Lenten Weekday) Patron Saint of hospitals, printers, the sick, and alcoholics He walked the fine line between madness and holiness There are many “Johns” who are saints, beginning with those found in Scripture itself: Saint John the Baptist, Saint John the Evangelist, Saint John of the Cross, Saint John Fisher, etc. The name John has also been taken by many popes. Today's John has the title “of God.” It is a simple and direct title. The word “God” conveys everything under God and everything that is God, without distinctions such as “of the Cross,” “of the Holy Name,” or “of the Infant Jesus.” Neither does it carry any hint of a homeland such as “of Assisi,” “of Calcutta,” or “of Padua.” All saints are “of God,” of course, but the plain title “of God” fits the personality, outlook, education, and simplicity of today's John very well. The name was not given to him posthumously. John said that the Infant Jesus gave him the name in a dream. A Spanish Bishop who personally knew John and his work ordered him to bear this appellation once he knew its divine origins. Saint John of God did not have the advantage of an excellent education. But what his mind lacked his heart supplied. He left his Portuguese home as a child in the care of a priest and went to neighboring Spain. From there he lived an itinerant life as a farmer, shepherd, adventurer, and then soldier. He travelled the length and breadth of Europe fighting in the service of kings and princes, mostly against Muslim Turks. Many years later he found his way back home and went to see if his parents were still alive. But he had been gone so long, and had left so young, that he could not even remember their names. An uncle told him that they had died. At this point, the wandering John decided to ransom his own freedom to North African Muslims in exchange for Christian hostages. The plan came to nothing and he returned to Southern Spain. At this, the lowest point of his aimless life, John had a breakthrough, or perhaps a breakdown. He was selling religious books from town to town when he fell under the influence of a saint, John of Ávila. Saints know saints. Upon hearing John of Ávila preach about the martyr Saint Sebastian, and upon receiving his advice in spiritual direction, the wandering John stopped in his tracks. He fasted, he prayed, and he went on pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, Spain. So total was his repentance for his past sins that he was placed for a time in a hospital for the mentally ill. But his repentance was real. He changed forever and always and started caring for the kind of person that he used to be.John somehow raised enough money to start a small hospital and thus began, in an orderly and professional manner, to care for the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, convert the sinner, and shelter the homeless and orphans. He had no equal in giving of himself to his patients, and his reputation for holiness spread across Spain. He gave away his cloaks so often that his Bishop had a habit made, ordered John to put it on, and told him not to give it away. John's total dedication to the poor and sick drew many followers. They emulated his generosity, and soon an Order was born. The group was eventually approved by the Holy See in 1572 under the title The Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God. The Order spread quickly throughout the world, often with the support of the Spanish Crown. Its work on behalf of the poor continues today in numerous countries through hundreds of institutions. Saint John of God practiced a type of Ignatian spirituality in evaluating his own life. But he was not just a spectator of his life, observing it from the outside. He became a student of himself, evaluated his own errors, listened to advice, stopped what he was doing, changed direction, and charted a new course in middle age. He was, in modern terms, a “late vocation.” He cared little for his own physical health and died on his fifty-fifth birthday while kneeling in prayer before an altar in his room. In some saints there is a fine line between sanctity and madness. Saint John of God straddled that fine line. He became mad for the Lord and was canonized by the Church for his holy madness in serving the poor and the God who loves them. Saint John of God, help us to follow your example of service to the poor through gift of self. You did not just ask for charitable donations but for charity itself. You did not ask others to do what you did not do yourself. Through your intercession, may all those in need encounter a servant as generous as yourself to satisfy their basic needs.

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Second Week in Lent Lectionary: 230The Saint of the day is Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of ParedesSaint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes' Story Mary Ann grew close to God and his people during her short life. The youngest of eight, Mary Ann was born in Quito, Ecuador, which had been brought under Spanish control in 1534. She joined the Secular Franciscans and led a life of prayer and penance at home, leaving her parents' house only to go to church and to perform some work of charity. She established in Quito a clinic and a school for Africans and indigenous Americans. When a plague broke out, she nursed the sick and died shortly thereafter. She was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950. The liturgical feast of Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes is celebrated on May 28. Reflection Francis of Assisi overcame himself and his upbringing when he kissed the man afflicted with leprosy. If our self-denial does not lead to charity, the penance is being practiced for the wrong reason. The penances of Mary Ann made her more sensitive to the needs of others and more courageous in trying to serve those needs. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

This week on A Podcast About Catholic Things, Eric (the Ambassador of Common Sense) and Dan (the Ambassador of Nonsense) discuss Pope Francis' trip to Iraq, compares to, by some, Saint Francis of Assisi's trip to the East. Did Pope Francis really accomplish anything… other than granting affirmation to antisemitism? Are his accomplishments Catholic? Also, Dan dispels some of the myths concerning the Covid19 vaccines. In current events, California opens Disneyland and other venues… sort of. US Senate reject minimum wage bill, but pass MASSIVE spending bill. Swiss voters ban full-facial coverings. Biden grants Venezuelan immigrants a free-stay. China and Russia plan for a Lunar Space Station. In the Land Of Nonsense, Biden cuts poverty… sharply. High schooler with .13 GPA is near top half of class. Man lives in an airport for 3 months. The Girl Scouts sue Boy Scouts.VIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS VIEW ON GOOGLE PODCASTS VIEW ON AMAZON VIEW ON AUDIBLE VIEW ON CASTBOX VIEW ON PODCASTADDICT VIEW ON STITCHER VIEW ON BITCHUTE VIEW ON RUMBLE VIEW ON TUNE-IN VISIT US ON FACEBOOK

GET MY FREE INSTANT POT COOKBOOK: https://www.chefaj.com/instapot-download ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MY LATEST BESTSELLING BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1570674086?tag=onamzchefajsh-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=1570674086&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Brenda Carey is the creator and host of Kindness Magazine, which is the latest incarnation of Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine, which she founded and ran from 2012.While many say that they miss seeing this title on the newsstands in Whole Foods Market, and other natural food stores and bookstores, she explains that the recent change to (mostly) video and podcast instead of written word, came about because of changes in the primary ways in which most people absorb information these days. The name change reflects an expansion of the subject matter to include kindness for all, which still very much involves veganism and the self-care of fitness and health. In addition to this project, Brenda is also a former professor of Communication Studies, and is currently an immigration attorney in the San Francisco area. Brenda is also an avid yogi with multiple teacher certifications. Her favorite form of exercise is "anything outdoors." Brenda has been vegan since 1991 and has been studying nutrition since then also. She is a big advocate for organic, whole plant food, and enjoys preparing delicious and nutritious meals that knock the socks off of unsuspecting tasters. They often remark, "I can't believe this is good for me!" Her biggest influences are T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, St. Francis of Assisi, Mother Theresa, Dr. Jane Goodall, her grandmother, and every animal she has ever met, especially the ones she adopted and had the honor of caring for. She is also a huge fan of Chef AJ from way back! Brenda's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1KpMJKBVEZDUWr2BPQRGWQ You can find her at www.veganhealthandfitnessmag.com

Today some parts of the world celebrate the feast of Saint Gabriel Possenti born in Assisi in 1838. Saint Gabriel is one of the patron saints of young people. It took him a long time to answer his vocation which shows us it is never too late to become holy.

In this Sunday Sermon, the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi brings us a wonderful message of faith, love and happiness.  Please tell your friends about our podcast.

23 febbraio 2023 - Italiano in Podcast. Episodio di mercoledì e giovedì ma questa sera podcast senza video. E' tardissimo, la giornata è stata molto lunga e l'aspetto è davvero quello di un vampiro con occhi arrossati e barba lunga, meglio evitare il video. Giornate fatte di lezioni e lavoro intenso sui progetti di iSpeakItaliano. Poche le notizie, solo due. La prima riguarda la famosa marcia per la pace da Perugia ad Assisi. La seconda riguarda il nostro Albertone nazionale. L'aforisma è proprio del grandissimo Alberto Sordi. Si tratta di una sua frase famosa in uno dei film più iconici del cinema italiano. Il vampiro di iSpeakItaliano vi saluta e vi da appuntamento alla prossima puntata di Italiano in Podcast. Buonanotte! Abbonati per dare un contributo e ascoltare gli episodi speciali di Italiano in Podcast https://anchor.fm/ispeakitaliano/subscribe Supporta iSpeakItaliano su BuyMeACoffee Il negozio di iSpeakItaliano https://www.ispeakitaliano.it/merchandise/ Tutti i collegamenti del progetto iSpeakItaliano --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ispeakitaliano/message

February 21: Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor 1007–1072 Optional Memorial; Liturgical Color: White (Violet on Lenten Weekday) Patron Saint of Faenza and Font-Avellana, Italy A wise monk becomes a Cardinal and thunders for reform Every Catholic knows that the Pope is elected by, and from, the Cardinals of the Church gathered in the Sistine Chapel. Every Catholic knows that the Pope then goes to a large balcony perched high in the facade of St. Peter's Basilica to greet the faithful and receive their acceptance. This is simply the way things are done in the Church. But it's not the way things were always done. A Catholic in the early Middle Ages would have described a papal election as something like a bar room brawl, a knife fight, or a political horse race replete with bribes, connivings, and promises made just to be broken. Everyone—far-off emperors, the nobility of Rome, military generals, influential laity—tried to steer the rudder of the Church in one direction or another. Papal elections were deeply divisive and caused lasting damage to the Body of Christ. Then along came Saint Peter Damian to save the day. Saint Peter headed a group of reform-minded Cardinals and others who decided in 1059 that only Cardinal Bishops could elect the Pope. No nobles. No crowds. No emperors. Saint Peter wrote that the Cardinal Bishops do the electing, the other clergy give their assent, and the people give their applause. This is exactly the program the Church has followed for almost a thousand years. Today's saint sought to reform himself first, and then to pull every weed that choked life from the healthy plants in the garden of the Church. After a difficult upbringing of poverty and neglect, Peter was saved from destitution by an older brother named Damian. Out of gratitude, he added his older brother's name to his own. He was given an excellent education, in which his natural gifts became apparent, and then entered a strict monastery to live as a monk. Peter's extreme mortifications, learning, wisdom, uninterrupted life of prayer, and desire to right the ship of the Church put him into contact with many other Church leaders who desired the same. Peter eventually was called to Rome and became a counselor to a succession of popes. Against his will, he was ordained a Bishop, made a Cardinal, and headed a diocese. He fought against simony (the purchasing of church offices), against clerical marriage, and for the reform of papal elections. He also thundered, in the strongest language, against the scourge of homosexuality in the priesthood. After being personally involved in various ecclesiastical battles for reform, he requested leave to return to his monastery. His request was repeatedly denied until finally the Holy Father let him return to a life of prayer and penance, where his primary distraction was carving wooden spoons. After fulfilling a few more sensitive missions to France and Italy, Peter Damian died of fever in 1072. Pope Benedict XVI has described him as "one of the most significant figures of the eleventh century...a lover of solitude and at the same time a fearless man of the Church, committed personally to the task of reform." He died about one hundred years before Saint Francis of Assisi was born, yet some have referred to him as the Saint Francis of his age. More than two hundred years after our saint's death, Dante wrote his Divine Comedy. The author is guided through paradise and sees a golden ladder, lit by a sunbeam, stretching into the clouds above. Dante begins to climb and meets a soul radiating the pure love of God. Dante is in awe that the heavenly choirs have fallen silent to listen to this soul speak: "The mind is light here, on earth it is smoke. Consider, then, how it can do down there what it cannot do up here with heaven's help." God is unknowable even in heaven itself, so how much more unfathomable must He be on earth. Dante drinks in this wisdom and, transfixed, asks this soul its name. The soul then describes its prior earthly life: “In that cloister I became so steadfast in the service of our God that with food seasoned just with olive-juice lightheartedly I bore both heat and cold, content with thoughtful prayers of contemplation. I was, in that place, Peter Damian.” Dante is among refined company in the loftiest ranks of heaven with today's saint. Saint Peter Damian, you never asked of others what you did not demand of yourself. You even endured the detraction and calumny of your peers. Help us to reform others by our example, learning, perseverance, mortifications, and prayers.

Have the great Christian saints, over millennia, been in agreement about some central points and practices if we hope to continue our growth? One scholar says they have been indeed. Dave Schmelzer runs down some key points of interest, not least the happy surprise that, if we keep at this, our reward will be an overflowing playfulness in our lives. Mentioned on this podcast:Jason M. Baxter's book An Introduction to Christian Mysticism; Recovering the Wildness of Spiritual LifePete Holmes on not knowingSome mystics who come up: Hildegard of Bingen, Gregory of Nyssa, Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton, Evagrius, Nicholas of Cusa, Pseudo-Dionysius, Augustine, Francis of Assisi, John Ruusbroec, Evelyn Underhill, C.S. Lewis

Full Text of ReadingsSeventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 79The Saint of the day is Saint Conrad of PiacenzaSaint Conrad of Piacenza's Story Born of a noble family in northern Italy, Conrad as a young man married Euphrosyne, daughter of a nobleman. One day while hunting he ordered attendants to set fire to some brush in order to flush out the game. The fire spread to nearby fields and to a large forest. Conrad fled. An innocent peasant was imprisoned, tortured to confess, and condemned to death. Conrad confessed his guilt, saved the man's life, and paid for the damaged property. Soon after this event, Conrad and his wife agreed to separate: she to a Poor Clare monastery and he to a group of hermits following the Third Order Rule. His reputation for holiness, however, spread quickly. Since his many visitors destroyed his solitude, Conrad went to a more remote spot in Sicily where he lived 36 years as a hermit, praying for himself and for the rest of the world. Prayer and penance were his answer to the temptations that beset him. Conrad died kneeling before a crucifix. He was canonized in 1625. Reflection Francis of Assisi was drawn both to contemplation and to a life of preaching; periods of intense prayer nourished his preaching. Some of his early followers, however, felt called to a life of greater contemplation, and he accepted that. Though Conrad of Piacenza is not the norm in the Church, he and other contemplatives remind us of the greatness of God and of the joys of heaven. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Midday Prayer for Wednesday, February 8, 2023Opening SentencesApocrypha: Esther (Greek) 15:1-16; 5:3-8Old Testament: Isaiah 59:1-21Confession of Faith: The Heidelberg Catechism, Questions 57-58Ancient or Classic Prayer: Attributed to Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226)Prayer for Various Occasions: For the Mission of the ChurchCollectThe Lord's Prayer ("debts")DismissalThis service is adapted from The Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer, copyright (c) 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. Scripture quotations (except the Psalms and Canticles) are from the New Revised Standard Version - Updated Edition, copyright (c) 2021 by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. The Confessions are from The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part I: The Book of Confessions, published by the Office of the General Assembly, copyright (c) 2016.  "Aleluya" music by JosepMonter from Pixabay. Candle image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay. An introduction to Daily Prayer is available here. 

The further we get into the Evergetinos, the more we are poised to begin to understand something important: our pursuit of virtue, such as obedience, is rooted first and foremost in our love and desire for God. We embrace the ascetical life, we embrace very difficult practices and and pursue virtue, not as a test of endurance. It is a response to a love and a desire deeply rooted within our hearts. The grace of God begins to allow us to comprehend that we are heirs of the kingdom, that we are sons and daughters of God. To pursue this path outside of this context is to make ourselves the most pitiable of all creatures. To embrace all, even the hatred of the world for the love of Christ is most beautiful and precious of things.  --- Text of chat during the group: 00:12:04 FrDavid Abernethy: page 290 paragraph 6   00:42:10 Anthony: Is this why there are numerous examples of the monastics in tears, but little about the sacrament of Confession?  Because they saw their hearts and were in a state of grief and contrition?   00:42:55 Lee Graham: “Love and do what you will.” Augustine (354-430). A sermon on love. St Aurelius Augustine Sermon on 1 John 4:4-12.   00:44:10 carol nypaver: I thought it was “Love God, then do as you please.” ?   00:59:19 Ambrose Little, OP: See #8 here for the St. Augustine quote in context: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/170207.htm   01:01:19 Anthony: Then St. Francis of Assisi was a marble pillar - almost a Fool for Christ, but so joyful and at times profoundly mournful   01:03:11 Anthony: Did saints like Francis and Philp Neri have elders or were they directly inspired?   01:03:12 Ambrose Little, OP: You mean he didn't publish a blog about how wrong the Holy Father was??

One of the first commands that God gave to humans was to take dominion of the animals. But what does that mean exactly? St. Francis of Assisi modeled for us a care and concern for all life, especially animals. We should live at peace with all creatures.REFLECTION QUESTIONS:1. What are your favorite memories involving a pet or other animals?2. What do you think it means for humans to have “dominion” over animals?3. How will you work to help animals fulfill their potential to add more richness and beauty to the world?

A rare prophecy delivered by St. Francis of Assisi — in which he speaks of the appearance of an apostate anti-pope — will leave you shocked and wondering if we are indeed living just moments before the appearance of the “fiery red dragon." According to St. Francis, “Someone who is not canonically elected and is infected with heretical wickedness” would be “raised to the papacy.” Has the false prophet now infiltrated the Church? What can be done about it, and what happens next?FAITH-BASED FINANCIAL INVESTING IS HERE! CHECK IT OUT!https://www.stjosephpartners.com/lifesite-silver-roundFIGHT FOR THE CULTURE OF LIFE ASAP!https://give.lifesitenews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 323The Saint of the day is Blessed Mary Angela TruszkowskaBlessed Mary Angela Truszkowska's Story Today we honor a woman who submitted to God's will throughout her life—a life filled with pain and suffering. Born in 1825 in central Poland and baptized Sophia, she contracted tuberculosis as a young girl. The forced period of convalescence gave her ample time for reflection. Sophia felt called to serve God by working with the poor, including street children and the elderly homeless in Warsaw's slums. In time, her cousin joined her in the work. In 1855, the two women made private vows and consecrated themselves to the Blessed Mother. New followers joined them. Within two years, they formed a new congregation, which came to be known as the Felician Sisters. As their numbers grew, so did their work, and so did the pressures on Mother Angela (the new name Sophia took in religious life). Mother Angela served as superior for many years until ill health forced her to resign at the age of 44. She watched the order grow and expand, including missions to the United States among the sons and daughters of Polish immigrants. Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Angela in 1993. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on October 10. Reflection Like Saints Francis of Assisi and Ignatius of Loyola, Blessed Mary Angela experienced a conversion while convalescing from an illness. The Lord can use sickness as well as other situations to speak to the heart of an individual. This does not imply that God caused the illness; just that he used the opportunity to speak to Mother Angela's heart. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Questions Covered: 09:16 – Are Catholics finding it difficult to argue for certain moral issues since the issuance of Vatican II documents that emphasize the primacy of conscience? 17:47 – I think if we followed what the Council said things would be a lot better, and fewer people would receive Communion unworthily. 19:59 – Do you think we can get back to what the documents of the council truly say? 24:15 – If we believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, why did Vatican II change the way of receiving communion to the hand? 32:16 – Why would anyone become Catholic if we teach ecumenism? 35:06 – Why were Protestants involved in Vatican II? 39:10 – How can Lumen Gentium 16 be true since the Muslims deny the Trinity? 45:57 – The faithful never received what the bishops voted on at the Council. So it's hard to discern the fruits of the council. 49:04 – Why do all the Vatican II popes have all these ecumenical events with other world religions, like the Assisi events, that are explicit violations of the first commandment? …

Jesus was not impressed by those in his day who claimed to keep—and teach—the law of Moses. How Jesus' interpretation of Moses is the right one. our Q&A segment: Did St Francis of Assisi write the “Serenity Prayer”?

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Anthony, Abbott Lectionary: 312The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony of EgyptSaint Anthony of Egypt's Story The life of Anthony will remind many people of Saint Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony's life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance. At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again, like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.” At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ. Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at age 105. Reflection In an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony's hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God's good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us. Saint Anthony of Egypt is the Patron Saint of: ButchersGravediggersSkin Diseases Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Tucked into the middle of the Italian peninsula is the verdant, hilly land of Umbria. This small province is overshadowed by its neighbor, Tuscany, for many things, but Umbria has history, culture, and wine all its own. In this show, we explore the long history of Umbrian wine, what makes the province unique in its grapes and wine styles, and why Umbrian wine is too often unfairly forgotten in the pantheon of great wines of Italy. We review the three major wine regions of Umbria – Orvieto, Torgiano, and Montefalco – and give many reasons to give these wines a try.  Photo: Umbrian countryside. Getty Images  Here are the show notes: As of January 2023, Umbria has just 2 DOCGs, 13 DOCs, and 6 IGPs, 48% is DOP wine, 42% IGP, 10% table wine. 12,400 ha (30,600 acres) is 7.2 million cases of wine The main grapes of the region are: Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscano, Grechetto, Sagrantino   Umbria has had winemaking for more than 3000 years   Climate: Landlocked Umbria has no sea breeze, although its lakes do help moderate the temperatures. The climate varies, but is mostly Mediterranean with cold, rainy winters and dry summers with abundant sunshine to ripen grapes   Photo: Chiesa in Assisi. Getty Images  Land Umbria is 29% Mtns, 71% hills, no plains. Most vineyards are on terraces cut into hillsides. The vineyards have good diurnals, which maintains acidity. Umbria is the only Italian region with no coastline nor a common border with another country. It is partly hilly and mountainous from the Apennines, and partly flat and fertile from the Tiber River Valley and the Umbrian valley around Perugia     Grapes: 53% red/rose, 47% white Sangiovese 20% of plantings, Trebbiano Toscano –12%, Grechetto 11%, Sagrantino 7%   Whites: Grechetto is two distinct grape varieties, Grechetto di Orvieto and Grechetto di Todi Grechetto di Orvieto: is light bodied, high in acidity with apple, pear, citrus, white flower notes Grechetto di Todi is Pignoletto (called that in Emilia Romagna). It is very floral with a soft mouthfeel Trebbiano Spoletino: Only found in Umbria around Spoleto and Montefalco. This wine is like limes, it can range from light to heavy and high in alcohol and can be barrel aged, or made into orange wine – no set identity Reds: Sangiovese and Sagrantino with Colorino, Mammolo, Vernaccia Nera International grapes: Cab, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc for, Umbria Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)   Photo: Sagrantino. Getty Images  Orvieto Producing wine since the Middle Ages when it was a famed sweet wine, today this wine is more of a dry white. Despite a long history, Orvieto was the victim of overproduction in the 1960s and its reputation suffered There are many styles and it is Umbria's biggest appellation – 10%+ of all Umbrian wine production Known for whites made of mostly Trebbiano and Grechetto, DOC Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. Other grapes include: Malvasia Bianco, Drupeggio, Verdello, Canaiolo bianco Styles: very simple and boring from Trebbiano or wines that use more Grechetto Red wine and 8 varietal wines sold under Rosso Orvietano DOC—French grapes plust Aleatico, Barbera, Canaiolo, Colorino, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Cesanese, Ciliegiolo   Torgiano Wine made in hills around Torgiano, southeast of Perugia where a tributary joins Tiber River Torgiano DOC is 81 ha/200 acres, 40K cases Whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling) (Labeled by grape, 85%+ of grape in bottle), Torgiano Bianco – 50-70% Trebbiano Toscano with Grechetto Reds: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese (known for elegance, high-quality Sangiovese). Rosso di Torgiano DOC is made with 50–100% Sangiovese Rosato of Sangiovese min 50% and other approved native grapes Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG, can age for decades It must be made with 70–100% Sangiovese with other native grapes. It must age at least three years before release The Lungarotti family is famed in Torgiano growing area   Montefalco and Sagrantino Montefalco Sagrantino – DOCG 1992 Montefalco is ancient hilltop town and its specialty is Sagrantino – a dry, powerful, complex red grape with herbal notes that is made into the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG wine, a famed wine that is aged a minimum of 37 months, 12 in barrel, 4 in bottle minimum With vines on the slopes of the hills, around the ancient town of Montefalco, and in surrounding villages, this area has a continental, that is warm and dry. Montefalco Sagrantino used to be a sweet wine but evolved into the dry version, which is one of the great reds of Italy Notable winerw are: Scaccia Diavoli, Fratelli Pardi and Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Sagrantino is on only 990 acres/400 ha, producing just 108,000 case (5 year average)   Montefalco DOC Established as a DOC in 1979, and lying on just 524 ha/1294 acres, this DOC Makes: Bianco: Grechetto, Trebbiano (Minimum of Trebbiano Spoletino with other native non aromatic whites). There is a varietal Grechetto as well Rosso: 60-80% Sangiovese, 10–25% Sagrantino with a maximum 30% with other native reds Photo: The wine we drank during the show.   Other DOCs: Assisi, Amelia, Colli Altotiberini, Colli Perugini, Lago di Corbara, Spoleto, Todi, Collie Martani, Colli del Trasimeno   All are the same combo of grapes Whites: Grechetto and Trebbiano for whites with supporting native and non-native grapes   Reds: Sangiovese with native and French grapes   _______________________________________________________________   I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order.Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!      Is the podcast worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year to you? If so, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes   __________________________________________ Sources: https://italianwinecentral.com/ THE GRAPES AND WINES OF ITALY: The definitive compendium region by region, Ian d'Agata, Michelle Longo Native Grapes of Italy, Ian d'Agata https://www.consorziomontefalco.it/en/montefalco-sagrantino-docg/ https://sommconusa.com/orvieto-doc-home-to-one-of-the-greatest-white-wines-of-italy/  

The Catholic community in the St. Louis region is at a crossroads. A sweeping plan from the Archdiocese, known as the All Things New initiative, is considering how to close schools and consolidate parishes. Among those preparing for the change is Fr. Andrew Auer, an associate pastor at St. Clare of Assisi in Ellisville. Fr. Auer discusses the reaction to All Things New, why St. Louis' Catholic community may be “over-planted,” and the impending announcement May 28, on Pentecost, of the final model for parish consolidation.

In this episode, Greg and Nathan explore the "bad" quote typically attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words."