Podcasts about San Damiano

Friends of the Rosary,Today, August 11, we celebrate the Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), a virgin and a most perfect follower of St. Francis of Assisi, who practiced a life of entire poverty.At the wish of St Francis, she established a community of nuns in the small convent of San Damiano — the Order of Poor Clares — and acted as their superior for forty-two years — her own life serving as a constant sermon for her sisters to emulate.Their Rule included austerities, walking barefoot, sleeping on the ground, keeping perpetual abstinence, and making poverty the basis of their lives. St. Clare died on August 11, 1253, and was canonized two years later.The Breviary says of her:"When the Saracens were besieging Assisi and were preparing to attack the convent, St. Clare asked to be assisted as far as the entrance, for she was ill. In her hand she carried a vessel containing the blessed Eucharist as she prayed: O Lord, do not deliver over to beasts the souls that praise You! (Ps. 73). Protect Your servants, for You have redeemed them by Your precious Blood. And in the midst of that prayer, a voice was heard, saying: Always will I protect you! The Saracens took to flight."Heroic in suffering (she was sick for twenty-seven years), she was canonized only two years after her death.In our twentieth century, there still remain large areas with millions suffering under extreme poverty. Poverty in itself is no virtue, but it should be made into a virtue. Christ was poor. His entrance into the world and His departure from it took place in circumstances of greatest need. He had no house wherein to be born, no crib; no house wherein to die, no deathbed. Poverty stood watch at birth and remained to see His death. "The foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Matt. 3:20).At least, we can be moderate and frugal, and thereby find the way to the spirit of Christian poverty. St. Clare, help us, pray for us!Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• August 11, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Send us Fan MailAn invading army at the gates of a poor convent is not a setting most of us will ever face, yet the fear underneath it is familiar. We share the gripping Catholic story of Saint Clare of Assisi and the miracle of the monstrance at San Damiano, where a frail, cloistered abbess meets violence with the one “weapon” she believes the world cannot defeat: Jesus in the Eucharist.We walk through who Clare is, how a noblewoman in 1194 Assisi hears the Gospel through Saint Francis of Assisi, and why she leaves privilege behind to found what becomes the Poor Clares. That quiet foundation matters, because her most famous act of courage is not a spontaneous stunt. It is the fruit of a lifetime of Eucharistic devotion, prayer, and surrender, shaped by faith in the Real Presence.Then the crisis hits. Tradition places the siege in 1240 as Saracen mercenaries advance on the countryside. Clare gathers her sisters before the Blessed Sacrament, prays for protection, and lifts the monstrance toward the threat. The story ends with the attackers retreating and the community spared, and we sit with what that means for modern Catholics who are anxious, overwhelmed, or worn down by a world that feels hostile.If you want to deepen your Eucharistic faith, renew your love for adoration, or simply learn how to choose peace when fear feels loud, this one is for you. Subscribe for more Catholic saint stories, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review with the line that stayed with you most.Open by Steve Bailey Support the showJourneys of Faith brings you Super Saints PodcastsVisit our blog for full text of our podcasts https://journeysoffaith.com/blogs/eucharist-mary-saintsDownload Journeys of Faith App for Iphone or Android FREE https://journeysoffaith.com/pages/download-our-appPlease consider subscribing to this podcast or making a donation to Journeys of Faith Help us Grow!Journeys of Faith is blessed to provide Catholic media, including podcasts and inspirational content, free of charge across multiple media platforms for viewers and listeners around the world. While access to this content remains free, there are significant and continually increasing costs associated with producing, hosting, and distributing these programs. Your support helps us continue sharing the beauty of the Catholic faith with souls everywhere. We want to reach more souls and you can help us do that by becoming a Mission Angel. Make a Donation Any AmountRefer a FriendYou can help us by referring a friend! When they upgrade you get $20 and so does Journeys of Faith...

Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Clare, 1194-1253; Clare heard Saint Francis of Assisi preach and it ignited in her a desire to follow Christ in a similar way; Saint Francis took Saint Clare to San Paolo and placed her in the care of Benedictine nuns; her sister joined her in holy vows within a month; Saint Francis established a community for them, and other women, at San Damiano and the Second Order of Saint Francis was born; later called the Poor Clares; as abbess, Saint Clare nurtured women in Christ and sent daughters planting convents all throughout Europe. Saint Clare was canonized two years after her death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/11/26 Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin Lectionary: 414 The Saint of the day is Saint Clare of Assisi Saint Clare of Assisi's Story One of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of one-woman counterpart to the new Franciscan Order. The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having refused to marry at 15, Clare of Assisi was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. At 18, Clare of Assisi escaped from her father's home one night, was met on the road by friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed her long tresses to Francis' scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent, which her father and uncles immediately stormed in rage. Clare clung to the altar of the church, threw aside her veil to show her cropped hair, and remained adamant. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her. Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. At age 21, Francis obliged Clare under obedience to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death. The Poor Ladies went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat, and observed almost complete silence. Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to moderate this rigor: “Our bodies are not made of brass.” The greatest emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to persuade Clare to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic firmness: “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of Saint Clare of Assisi's life in the convent of San Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick and washed the feet of the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals, and bishops often came to consult her—Clare herself never left the walls of San Damiano. Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. Saint Clare of Assisi was always obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was making real. A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. Saint Clare of Assisi had the Blessed Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by invading Saracens. “Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect.” To her sisters she said, “Don't be afraid. Trust in Jesus.” The Saracens fled. Reflection The 41 years of Clare's religious life are scenarios of sanctity: an indomitable resolve to lead the simple, literal gospel life as Francis taught her; courageous resistance to the ever-present pressure to dilute the ideal; a passion for poverty and humility; an ardent life of prayer; and a generous concern for her sisters.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Der Sommer ist da – und mit ihm das absolute Chaos! Während Eva in NRW noch die Tage bis zu den Ferien zählt, haben sie bei Inke in Niedersachsen schon begonnen. Allerdings ganz anders als geplant: Inke startet das Urlaubsabenteuer flachliegend mit einem waschechten Bandscheibenvorfall auf der Liege, während Evas Familie noch den gebrochenen Trampolin-Fuß auskuriert. Wir haben das Lazarett-Leben für euch getestet – Fazit: Muss man nicht nachmachen! Doch bevor es positiv wird, müssen wir über ein echtes Drama in der Camping-Welt sprechen. Der legendäre 5-Sterne-Platz La Brasilia in Südfrankreich musste wegen verheerender Waldbrände in der Umgebung evakuiert werden. Wir berichten, was wir über den Krisenstab vor Ort wissen, teilen Evas Erinnerungen an das Hochwasser-Drama nahe dem San Damiano im letzten Herbst und stellen die brennende Frage: Was packt man in nur einer Minute ein, wenn es hart auf hart kommt? ✨ Das erwartet euch in dieser Folge

Waar komt het wij-zij denken vandaan? Hans-Peter Bartels is franciscaan, woont in het stadklooster San Damiano in Den Bosch gaat op zoek naar een antwoord.

Hans-Peter Bartels is franciscaan en woont in het stadklooster San Damiano in Den Bosch. Hij vertelt hoe hij in het klooster vrijheid vindt.

Hans-Peter Bartels is minderbroeder franciscaan en hij woont in het San Damiano klooster in Den Bosch. Aan de hand van de leefregels van Franciscus van Assisi onderzoekt hij of armoede iets is dat je moet bestrijden. Maak kennis met Hans-Peter Bartels via deze link:  https://kro-ncrv.nl/maak-kennis-met-broeder-hans-peter-bartels-ware-vrede-zit-in-jezelf  

Aus Assisi grüße ich Dich herzlich und wünsche Dir ein gesegnetes Pfingstfest und alle notwendigen Gaben des Heiligen Geistes. Heute steht auf dem Programmplan die schöne Formulierung: Der heutige Tag steht zur freien Verfügung. Ist das nicht herrlich? Ein Tag, da uns zugesprochen wird, damit wir frei über Zeit und Inhalt verfügen können. Da der Pfingstmontag ja bei uns in Deutschland ein Feiertag ist, werden wir ihn auch hier in Italien feiertäglich beginnen und um 8.00 Uhr die Heilige Messe in der Krypta von San Francesco am Grab des heiligen Franziskus mitfeiern. Und dann, nach dem Frühstück im Hotel, mit allen, die dazu Lust haben, über San Damiano nach Rivotorto zu wandern, das unten im Tal liegt. Dort liegt ein sehr altes Kloster der Franziskaner-Minoriten und eine sehr schöne Kirche mit wunderbaren bunten Glasfenstern, die Szenen aus dem Leben des Heiligen Franziskus zeigen.Ein bisschen beeindruckend sind die Nachbauten von zwei Stallungen mitten in der Kirche, die dort gestanden haben. Dort im leeren Stall haben die Brüder einige Zeit miteinander gelebt und alle Höhen und Tiefen eines einfachen Lebens in Armut geteilt. In der Nachbarschaft war ein Leprosenhospital und die Brüder haben dort bei der Pflege und Betreuung der schwerkranken, an Geschwüren leidenden, schrecklich entstellten und stinkenden Kranken geholfen. Eine Skulptur draußen zeigt das ziemlich eindrücklich: Franziskus kniet vor einem der Kranken, der sich schämt und die Augen bedeckt und wäscht ihn. Er schaut zu ihm auf und zeigt ihm all seine Liebe und Fürsorge, nicht von oben herab, sondern von unten, zu seinen Füßen knieend.Das ist ein sehr entscheidender Perspektivwechsel für den Kranken. Die anderen Brüder konnten sein Geschimpfe und das Fluchen dieses Mannes nicht mehr ertragen und haben Franziskus davon erzählt. Und Franz hat sofort Krug und Schüssel genommen und ist zu ihm gegangen. Und der hat plötzlich gespürt, dass dieser Dienst an ihm aus Liebe und vollem Herzen geschah. Und so konnte er nach und nach sein Schicksal annehmen und geduldiger und friedlicher mit seinen Pflegern und den anderen Kranken sein und auch mit sich selbst.Ach, und übrigens, irgendwann kam der Bauer, dem die Stallungen gehört haben, und hat sie für seine Esel wieder beansprucht. Und die Brüder haben den Stall singend und lachend den Brüdern Esel zur Verfügung gestellt und sind weitergezogen. Das nenne ich pfingstliche Begeisterung und die Freiheit der Kinder Gottes.

Dans ce nouvel épisode de Pas de messes basses, Sabine et Samuel Cognacq présentent le grand pèlerinage diocésain à Assise, organisé du 12 au 19 septembre 2026. Sur les pas de saint François d'Assise, ils évoquent un voyage placé sous le signe de la fraternité, de l'écologie intégrale, de la simplicité et de la paix, des thèmes toujours très actuels huit siècles plus tard.Au programme : Turin, Modène, Assise, Parme et Ars, avec la découverte de lieux spirituels majeurs comme la basilique Saint-François, San Damiano, ou encore les tombeaux de Carlo Acutis et Pier Giorgio Frassati. Un pèlerinage vécu en bus pour prendre le temps de la rencontre, de la prière et du partage.Le pèlerinage vous intéresse ? Toutes les informations sont disponibles ici : https://www.cathotroyes.fr/pelerinage/Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Heute Abend geht es also los. Die Gruppe der DOMRADIO-Hörer, die sich angemeldet hat, trifft sich heute Abend am Flughafen in Köln. Und dann geht es nach Rom und von dort mit dem Bus nach Assisi. Warst Du schon mal dort? Ich gebe gerne zu, dass ich schon sehr oft dort war und mir diese Stadt sehr ans Herz gewachsen ist. Zum einen, weil die Stadt immer noch aus der Entfernung sehr mittelalterlich aussieht und wenn man durch ihre Gassen geht, immer das Gefühl hat, Franziskus oder andere Brüder von ihm oder Klara und ihre Schwestern könnten einem geradewegs über den Weg laufen. Und zum anderen, weil es viele Ordenshäuser dort gibt und man immer wieder Ordensleuten über den Weg läuft, was ja hier in Deutschland nicht mehr so oft vorkommt; und auch weil in diese kleine Stadt noch so viele Menschen kommen, die Franz und Klara sehr verehren und ihre Kirchen besuchen, Gottesdienste feiern, Andenken kaufen und das herrliche Flair Umbriens genießen.Franziskus hat vor 800 Jahren gelebt und dann ist ja immer die Frage danach, warum er immer noch so populär ist, sehr verständlich. Im Laufe der Jahrhunderte waren es immer andere Aspekte, die die Menschen beeindruckt haben. Am Anfang sein Leben in freiwilliger Armut, obwohl er aus sehr reichem Haus war. Dann sein Dienst an den Aussätzigen und anderen Kranken, obwohl es damals kein Heilmittel gegen die Lepra gab und eine Ansteckung tödlich war. Dann seine Liebe zur Kirche, obwohl sie damals in chaotischen Zuständen war und kaum noch Gott im Mittelpunkt stand. Ebenso sein geschwisterlicher Umgang mit seinen Brüdern, die auf Augenhöhe und ohne Hierarchie zusammenleben wollten. Später die Ablehnung jeglichen Waffentragens, wodurch im zersplitterten Italien plötzlich kaum noch Städtekrieg möglich waren. Und heute ist den meisten die Liebe zur Schöpfung ein Begriff, der sich bei Franziskus im Sonnengesang manifestierte, wobei den meisten nicht klar ist, dass dieser wunderbare Sonnengesang kein liebes Sonne- Mond- und Sterne-Liedchen ist, sondern ein Loblied auf den Schöpfergott.Du merkst schon, dieser Mensch Franziskus hat so viele Seiten in seinem eigenen und dem Leben über die Jahrhunderte angeregt, dass man irgendwie nie fertig wird. Aber der wichtigste Punkt in diesem Leben war die Begegnung mit Christus am Kreuz von San Damiano. Dort erhält er den Auftrag, seine Kirche wieder aufzubauen und damit sind seine Brüder und Schwestern damals und bis heute beschäftigt.

In vielen Klöstern und Konventen und Häusern von franziskanischen Menschen weltweit, hängt das Kreuz von San Damiano. Es sind Nachbildungen des Originals, das in Santa Chiara in Assisi hängt. Es ist ein Tafelkreuz, wie es das in den Jahren um 1200 in Italien nicht selten gegeben hat. Wir haben diese Art Kreuze in den Zimmern hängen und auf dem Flur und im Wohnzimmer. Und manchmal bleibe ich davor stehen und kann immer wieder Dinge entdecken, die darauf dargestellt sind. Das schwarze Grab hinter den Armen des Gekreuzigten zum Beispiel. Es ist leer und weist unmissverständlich daraufhin, dass der Gekreuzigte nicht mehr darin liegt. In den Evangelien der Ostertage werden wir immer wieder davon hören und ich bekomme ehrlich gesagt, nie genug davon, wenn die Engel sagen: „Was sucht ihr den der lebt, bei den Toten? Er ist nicht hier. Er ist auferstanden.“In den schwierigen und zum Teil unmöglichen Situationen, in denen die Welt zurzeit steht, bekomme ich echt die Krise. Ein Präsident, der ein Land bombardieren lässt, einfach so, ohne auf Diplomatie und Menschenrechte zu achten. Ein Wahlverlierer, der komische Forderungen an den Sieger stellt. Eine Kirche, die immer erst nach und nach die Missbrauchsvorwürfe zugibt und immer neu Entsetzen auslöst. Es ist eine Fastenzeit, die mich immer neu herausfordert zu schauen, was kann ich tun, was muss ich ändern, was fordert mich heraus. Und manchmal geht mir da echt auch die Puste aus und ich wünschte mir, Ostern wäre morgen oder spätestens am nächsten Sonntag. Aus dem Buch Jesaja stammt der heutige Lobgesang und heißt: "Von Herzen will ich mich freuen über den Herrn. Meine Seele soll jubeln über meinen Gott. Denn er kleidet mich in Gewänder des Heils, er hüllt mich in den Mantel der Gerechtigkeit, Denn wie die Erde die Saat wachsen lässt und der Garten die Pflanzen hervorbringt, so bringt Gott, der Herr, Gerechtigkeit hervor und Ruhm vor allen Völkern."Und auch diese Verse sind aus Zeiten, in denen Krise auf Krise gefolgt ist und das Volk kaum noch auf Gott und seine Verheißungen hoffen konnte. Aber ein kleiner Teil hat immer weiter geglaubt und vertraut und gehofft. Seien wir heute dieser, vielleicht gar nicht so kleine Teil derer, die ihr Vertrauen auf den Gott setzen, der die Toten aus dem Grab holen und seine Gerechtigkeit vor allen Völkern zeigen wird.

Guten Morgen, kommst Du eigentlich morgens gut aus dem Bett? Das ist ja bei jedem anders: Meine Mitschwestern, die hier in San Damiano mit mir leben, tun sich schwerer als ich. Wenn mein Wecker loslegt, bin ich sofort da und muss mich fast bremsen, nicht ganz so eifrig sofort aus dem Bett zu springen. Auf dem Weg zum Bad höre ich dann einen Wecker aus dem anderen Zimmer, der einen Hahnenschrei imitiert und ich muss lächeln, wie lange der sich bemühen muss, ehe er sein Werk getan hat und seine Kundin wach ist.Der Schrei des Hahnes hat für uns ja eine besondere Bedeutung: Petrus, in seinem ungestümen Eifer für seinen Meister Jesus Christus, beteuert, dass er ihm folgen wird, wohin er auch geht. Und Jesus, der seinen Jünger kennt, kann ganz klar sagen: "Du? bevor der Hahn kräht, wirst Du mich dreimal verleugnen." In einem Hymnus, den ich sehr gern habe, werden wir daran erinnert und es ist gut zu bedenken, dass dieser Hahnenschrei des Petrus auch für mich gültig ist:Der Hahn, des Tages Herold, ruft, der Wächter in der Finsternis.Sein Schrei trennt von der Nacht die Nacht, dem Wanderer zur Nacht ein LichtDa fühlt der Schiffer neue Kraft, des Meeres Brandung sänftigt sich,der Fels der Kirche, Petrus, weint, bereut die Schuld beim Hahnenschrei.So stehet rasch vom Schlafe auf: Der Hahn weckt jeden, der noch träumt.Der Hahn bedrängt, die säumig sind, der Hahn klagt die Verleugner an.Herr, wenn wir fallen, sieh uns an und heile uns durch deinen Blick.Dein Blick löscht Fehl und Sünde aus, in Tränen löst sich unsre Schuld.Du Licht, durchdringe unsern Geist, von unsren Herzen scheuch den Schlaf,dir sei das erste Wort geweiht, dich preise unser Morgenlob. Amen.Aufstehen und neu beginnen. Schuld und Fehler in den Blick nehmen, bekennen, bereuen und bekehren. Die Fastenzeit ruft uns dazu ganz besonders auf.

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Second Week of Lent Lectionary: 230 The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of Bohemia Saint Agnes of Bohemia's Story Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for all who knew her. Saint Agnes of Bohemia was the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. She was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life. After declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and King Henry III of England, Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to him. After Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. Saint Clare sent five sisters from San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters advising her on the beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess. Saint Agnes of Bohemia became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her to accept her election as abbess, nevertheless, the title she preferred was “senior sister.” Her position did not prevent her from cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal brother's offer to set up an endowment for the monastery. Devotion to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. Canonized in 1989, her liturgical feast is celebrated on March 6. Reflection Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn't vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns “have it made” regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards—inclinations to selfishness—for God's standard of generosity.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Kent Lasnoski, President of San Damiano College for the Trades, a new Catholic trades college in Illinois. Dr. Lasnoski shares his journey from professor and dean at Wyoming Catholic College to founding a Catholic Trade School. They discuss the importance of integrating intellectual and practical skills in education, the impact of AI on the trades, and the significance of fostering a community and entrepreneurial mindset among students. Dr. Lasnoski also describes the unique educational model at San Damiano, which prepares students for a fulfilling life in both mind and the trades.

Op Allerheiligen (1 nov.) start het nieuwe seizoen van de Kloostercast! Tot die tijd hoor je maandag t/m zaterdag uitgelichte afleveringen van de afgelopen jaren. Iedere zondag is er een nieuwe aflevering met de evangelielezing volgens het leesrooster. In de aflevering van vandaag; Hans-Peter Bartels is minderbroeder franciscaan en hij woont in het San Damiano klooster in Den Bosch. Aan de hand van de leefregels van Franciscus van Assisi onderzoekt hij of armoede iets is dat je moet bestrijden. Volg of abonneer je op de Kloostercast in de app waar je nu naar luistert.  Meer informatie kun je vinden op kro-ncrv.nl/kloostercast. 

Der junge Mann hatte alles, was man sich so wünscht: einen reichen Papa, der seinen Sohn gern mit allem ausgestattet hat, was er haben wollte, eine Mutter, die ihn über alles liebte und mit ihrer Liebe die Härten des Vaters abgemildert hat, französisches und italienisches Blut in den Adern und somit eine angenehme Stimme, überschäumendes Temperament und tänzerische Begabung, eine große Clique von Jugendlichen, deren Anführer er gern war – aber er hatte keine Idee, was er mit seinem Leben machen sollte. Als Tuchhändler, Kaufmann und Europareisender zu leben war irgendwie nicht seins, ein angesehener Ritter in einem großen Heer schon eher; aber eine Stimme im Inneren sagt ihm: geh nachhause, ich werde Dir sagen, was zu tun ist. Ein dritter Versuch als junger Stadtbürger in den Krieg gegen die Feindesstadt Perugia zu ziehen, endete im Gefängnis und dann, wieder in Freiheit, in Depressionen und tiefste innere Verzweiflung. In seiner Not brüllt er den Herrn am Kreuz in San Damiano an: "Was willst Du eigentlich von mir?" und er hört: "Bau mir meine Kirche wieder auf, siehst Du nicht, wie sie zerfällt?" Nach dem ersten Erschrecken und der ersten Verblüffung wird klar: Jetzt endlich hat er eine Idee, einen Plan, einen Auftrag für sein Leben - Kirche bauen. Erst baut er die steinernen kleinen Kapellen und Kirchen ringsum auf und merkt später: Nein, es geht nicht um einen Kirchbauverein, es geht um alle Getauften, die in Wirklichkeit die Kirche Gottes sind. Und er lebt und betet und arbeitet und singt und leidet und pflegt Aussätzige und immer mehr Brüder kommen dazu. Und immer mehr Menschen spüren durch ihn ihren Auftrag: Baue meine Kirche wieder auf! Das ist es, was uns Franziskus von Assisi, dessen Fest wir weltweit am Samstag gefeiert haben, mit auf den Weg und auch heute mit in den Tag gibt: Da, wo Du lebst, da, wo Du arbeitest, da, wo Gott Dich hingestellt hat: baue seine Kirche wieder auf! Und vergiss nicht zu singen und den Schöpfer für seine Geschöpfe zu danken. 

Saturday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, 1181-1226; a serious illness caused him to abandon his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth; lengthy and difficult prayer led him to a self-emptying; from the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, “Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down”; he gave up all of his possessions, he had no intention of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it; his devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute; two years before his death, received the stigmata, the painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet, and side; Francis died in 1221 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/4/25 Gospel: Luke 10:17-24

In this episode of Catechesis, Father Adrian and Harry explore the life and spirituality of Saint Francis of Assisi. They highlight Francis' transformation after hearing the Gospel of the rich young man, which led him to embrace a life of poverty, prayer, and simplicity. Stories from his life—rebuilding the church at San Damiano, taming the […] L'articolo E55 | Catechesis – Fr Adrian Crowley & Harry – Learning from St. Francis of Assisi proviene da Radio Maria.

Wenn ich zu manchen Texten und Quellen zu Namen und Ursprüngen nochmal sichergehen will, schaue ich im Internet nach. Und da kann ich eingeben, was ich will, die Suchmaschine bietet mir immer zuerst an, dass ich das Eingegebene kaufen kann. Im Allgemeinen ist das Unfug und ich scrolle weiter auf der Suche nach einem richtigen Hinweis.Bei Cosmas und Damian, den heiligen Märtyrern des heutigen Tages, ist das nochmal mehr daneben. Beide waren christliche Ärzte im 3. Jahrhundert und haben ihre Patienten, ob reich oder arm, immer kostenlos behandelt und viele von ihnen geheilt. Und die Legenden sagen, dass sie durch ihr Tun und ihre Bescheidenheit viele Menschen zum Christentum bewegt haben. Die Beiden sind die Stadtpatrone der Stadt Essen, also die Vorbilder für die vielen ausländischen Mitarbeiter, die es im Ruhrgebiet schon immer gab.Die bekannteste Kirche ist San Damiano in Assisi, wo der heilige Franziskus sein ganz spezielles Berufungserlebnis hatte und wo wir heute hinwandern werden, um ihm und uns selbst ein wenig auf die Spur zu kommen. Und so gibt es in der franziskanischen Welt unzählig viele Kirchen und Konvente, die diesen Namen San Damiano tragen. Auch für unser Haus in Olpe und den Konvent haben wir diesen Namen ausgesucht und denken oft nur zufällig, wie heute, an den eigentlichen Namensgeber.Ein bisschen ist es doch typisch für die heiligen Ärztebrüder. Sie treten durch ihr bescheidenes Leben und Sterben für ihren Glauben, durch ihre ärztliche Kunst und ihr Eintreten für Christus völlig hinter ihren eigenen Ruhm zurück. Unendlich vielen Christen ging und geht es heute nicht anders: Sie leben und arbeiten ganz normal in ihrem Alltag, ihrem Beruf und ihrem Engagement und geben damit ihrem Glauben Hand und Fuß. Und nur selten wird eine oder einer von ihnen so bekannt, dass es als Vorbild für andere taugt. Und doch geschieht es immer wieder, weil Menschen in der Umgebung ein sicheres Gespür dafür haben, wer sein Leben im Dienst an den Anderen lebt.

Hans-Peter Bartels is franciscaan en woont in het stadklooster San Damiano in Den Bosch. Hij vertelt hoe hij in het klooster vrijheid vindt. Tot de start van het het nieuwe seizoen hoor je maandag t/m zaterdag uitgelichte afleveringen van de afgelopen jaren.   Iedere zondag een nieuwe aflevering met de evangelielezing volgens het leesrooster. Volg of abonneer je op de Kloostercast in de app waar je nu naar luistert.  Meer informatie kun je vinden op kro-ncrv.nl/kloostercast. 

„Czy da się z trucizny zrobić lekarstwo na życie? ⚕️✝️ To nie teoria. To trzy prawdziwe historie, które zmieniają sposób, w jaki patrzysz na ból, wiarę i nadzieję.”W tym odcinku zabieram Cię: od biblijnego węża miedzianego, przez aptekę, gdzie gorzkie składniki stają się lekarstwem, aż po świadectwa, które łamią logikę zemsty — matki Jamesa Foleya i trenera, który przed meczem daje drużynie minutę ciszy. Na końcu staniemy pod Krzyżem z San Damiano, by usłyszeć „zegar”, który pomaga odnaleźć właściwą godzinę życia.Jeśli szukasz sensu pośród chaosu — wejdź. A potem w zakładce Społeczność wrzuć zdjęcie krzyża, przy którym odzyskujesz pokój. Może stanie się drogowskazem dla kogoś obok.• „Bóg–Farmaceuta: z rany robi lekarstwo, z goryczy — łaskę.”• „Krzyż nie usuwa bólu. Uczy, by go nie zmarnować.”Aby nas wesprzeć kliknij tu

Bob Johnston interviews Kent Lasnowski about San Damiano College for the Trades in Springfield, Illinois, a new Catholic men's college rooted in Franciscan and Norbertine tradition that seeks to “rebuild the church” by integrating faithful formation and classical learning with hands‑on training in the seven construction trades. The episode outlines the college's current one‑year non‑degree formation program with trade exposure, plans for an associate degree, its strong Catholic identity and religious partnerships, and how the school prepares students for meaningful, durable work and apprenticeship opportunities. https://www.sandamianotrades.org/

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In this episode of Being Catholic with Bob Johnston, Bob and his wife Lynn discuss the newly opened San Damiano College for the Trades in Springfield, Illinois. They explore how the college combines hands-on vocational training with liberal arts, theology, and the Church's tradition to form independent, debt-free workers and revive a holistic model of education. The conversation also touches on broader concerns about modern education, dependence on the state, and the need to evolve learning for the AI era by emphasizing moral, practical, and integrative thinking. https://www.sandamianotrades.org/

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Clare, Virgin Lectionary: 413The Saint of the day is Saint Clare of AssisiSaint Clare of Assisi's Story One of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of one-woman counterpart to the new Franciscan Order. The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having refused to marry at 15, Clare was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. At 18, Clare escaped from her father's home one night, was met on the road by friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed her long tresses to Francis' scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent, which her father and uncles immediately stormed in rage. Clare clung to the altar of the church, threw aside her veil to show her cropped hair, and remained adamant. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her. Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. At age 21, Francis obliged Clare under obedience to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death. hbspt.cta.load(465210, '696def14-21e8-4eb1-857d-6eca58078dc1', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The Poor Ladies went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat, and observed almost complete silence. Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to moderate this rigor: “Our bodies are not made of brass.” The greatest emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to persuade Clare to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic firmness: “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of Clare’s life in the convent of San Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick and washed the feet of the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals, and bishops often came to consult her—Clare herself never left the walls of San Damiano. Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. Clare was always obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was making real. A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. Clare had the Blessed Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by invading Saracens. “Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect.” To her sisters she said, “Don't be afraid. Trust in Jesus.” The Saracens fled. Reflection The 41 years of Clare's religious life are scenarios of sanctity: an indomitable resolve to lead the simple, literal gospel life as Francis taught her; courageous resistance to the ever-present pressure to dilute the ideal; a passion for poverty and humility; an ardent life of prayer; and a generous concern for her sisters. Saint Clare is the Patron Saint of: Protection from eye disordersTelevision Read: Poor Clare, Rich in Spirit Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsEighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 84The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of BohemiaSaint Agnes of Bohemia's Story Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for all who knew her. Agnes was the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. She was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life. After declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and King Henry III of England, Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to him. After Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. Saint Clare sent five sisters from San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters advising her on the beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess. Agnes became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her to accept her election as abbess, nevertheless, the title she preferred was “senior sister.” Her position did not prevent her from cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal brother's offer to set up an endowment for the monastery. Devotion to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. Canonized in 1989, her liturgical feast is celebrated on March 6. Reflection Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn't vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns “have it made” regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards—inclinations to selfishness—for God's standard of generosity. Click here for more on Saint Agnes of Bohemia! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 498The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of AssisiSaint Agnes of Assisi's Story Born Caterina Offreducia, Agnes was the younger sister of Saint Clare, and her first follower. When Caterina left home two weeks after Clare's departure, their family attempted to bring her back by force. They tried to drag her out of the monastery, but her body suddenly became so heavy that several knights could not budge it. Her uncle Monaldo tried to strike her but was temporarily paralyzed. The knights then left Caterina and Clare in peace. Saint Francis himself gave Clare's sister the name Agnes, because she was gentle like a young lamb. Agnes matched her sister in devotion to prayer and in willingness to endure the strict penances that characterized the Poor Ladies' lives at San Damiano. In 1221, a group of Benedictine nuns in Monticelli near Florence asked to become Poor Ladies. Saint Clare sent Agnes to become abbess of that monastery. Agnes soon wrote a rather sad letter about how much she missed Clare and the other nuns at San Damiano. After establishing other monasteries of Poor Ladies in northern Italy, Agnes was recalled to San Damiano in 1253, as Clare lay dying. Three months later Agnes followed Clare in death, and was canonized in 1753. Reflection God must love irony; the world is so full of it. In 1212, many in Assisi surely felt that Clare and Agnes were wasting their lives and were turning their backs on the world. In reality, their lives were tremendously life-giving, and the world has been enriched by the example of these poor contemplatives. Enjoy this prayer in honor of St. Agnes of Assisi! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Francis of Assisi Lectionary: 459The Saint of the day is Saint Francis of AssisiSaint Francis of Assisi's Story The patron saint of Italy, Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit, and without a sense of self-importance. Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth. Prayer—lengthy and difficult—led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: “Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy.” From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, “Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down.” Francis became the totally poor and humble workman. He must have suspected a deeper meaning to “build up my house.” But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor “nothing” man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up all his possessions, piling even his clothes before his earthly father—who was demanding restitution for Francis' “gifts” to the poor—so that he would be totally free to say, “Our Father in heaven.” He was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, evoking sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking. hbspt.cta.load(465210, 'e81a6973-0bd4-4108-9c62-3b2eab85eb25', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: “Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff” (Luke 9:1-3). Francis' first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no intention of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church's unity. Francis was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade. During the last years of his relatively short life, he died at 44, Francis was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side. On his deathbed, Francis said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, “Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death.” He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior's permission to have his clothes removed when the last hour came in order that he could expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord. Reflection Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He recognized creation as another manifestation of the beauty of God. In 1979, he was named patron of ecology. He did great penance—apologizing to “Brother Body” later in life—that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. Francis' poverty had a sister, Humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist. Saint Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of: AnimalsArchaeologistsEcologyItalyMerchantsMessengersMetal Workers Learn more about St. Francis! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsNineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 116The Saint of the day is Saint Clare of AssisiSaint Clare of Assisi's Story One of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of one-woman counterpart to the new Franciscan Order. The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having refused to marry at 15, Clare was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. At 18, Clare escaped from her father's home one night, was met on the road by friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed her long tresses to Francis' scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent, which her father and uncles immediately stormed in rage. Clare clung to the altar of the church, threw aside her veil to show her cropped hair, and remained adamant. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her. Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. At age 21, Francis obliged Clare under obedience to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death. hbspt.cta.load(465210, '92bc4a0b-e12d-4df2-b1d8-6770a67f6f3b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The Poor Ladies went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat, and observed almost complete silence. Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to moderate this rigor: “Our bodies are not made of brass.” The greatest emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to persuade Clare to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic firmness: “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of Clare’s life in the convent of San Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick and washed the feet of the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals, and bishops often came to consult her—Clare herself never left the walls of San Damiano. Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. Clare was always obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was making real. A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. Clare had the Blessed Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by invading Saracens. “Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect.” To her sisters she said, “Don't be afraid. Trust in Jesus.” The Saracens fled. To learn more, visit the Novena to Saint Clare. Reflection The 41 years of Clare's religious life are scenarios of sanctity: an indomitable resolve to lead the simple, literal gospel life as Francis taught her; courageous resistance to the ever-present pressure to dilute the ideal; a passion for poverty and humility; an ardent life of prayer; and a generous concern for her sisters. Saint Clare is the Patron Saint of: Protection from eye disordersTelevision Learn more about Saint Clare of Assisi! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Second Week of Lent Lectionary: 235The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of BohemiaSaint Agnes of Bohemia's Story Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for all who knew her. Agnes was the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. She was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life. After declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and King Henry III of England, Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to him. After Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. Saint Clare sent five sisters from San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters advising her on the beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess. Agnes became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her to accept her election as abbess, nevertheless, the title she preferred was “senior sister.” Her position did not prevent her from cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal brother's offer to set up an endowment for the monastery. Devotion to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. Canonized in 1989, her liturgical feast is celebrated on March 6. Reflection Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn't vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns “have it made” regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards—inclinations to selfishness—for God's standard of generosity. Click here for more on Saint Agnes of Bohemia! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsThirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 157The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of AssisiSaint Agnes of Assisi's Story Born Caterina Offreducia, Agnes was the younger sister of Saint Clare, and her first follower. When Caterina left home two weeks after Clare's departure, their family attempted to bring her back by force. They tried to drag her out of the monastery, but her body suddenly became so heavy that several knights could not budge it. Her uncle Monaldo tried to strike her but was temporarily paralyzed. The knights then left Caterina and Clare in peace. Saint Francis himself gave Clare's sister the name Agnes, because she was gentle like a young lamb. Agnes matched her sister in devotion to prayer and in willingness to endure the strict penances that characterized the Poor Ladies' lives at San Damiano. In 1221, a group of Benedictine nuns in Monticelli near Florence asked to become Poor Ladies. Saint Clare sent Agnes to become abbess of that monastery. Agnes soon wrote a rather sad letter about how much she missed Clare and the other nuns at San Damiano. After establishing other monasteries of Poor Ladies in northern Italy, Agnes was recalled to San Damiano in 1253, as Clare lay dying. Three months later Agnes followed Clare in death, and was canonized in 1753. Reflection God must love irony; the world is so full of it. In 1212, many in Assisi surely felt that Clare and Agnes were wasting their lives and were turning their backs on the world. In reality, their lives were tremendously life-giving, and the world has been enriched by the example of these poor contemplatives. Enjoy this prayer in honor of St. Agnes of Assisi! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

“Leave aside every other thought, Just say Hari! Hari! Have faith in Him and cross the sea of the world.”- Anandamayi Ma  "Hari, Hari, Hari, Hari is the Name (of the Lord); rare are those who, as Gurmukh, obtain it."- Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Scripture)  I sang along with Anandamayi Ma to This Hari Bol mantra all day before the 7 peacocks found me!  mantra- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHZr81WEojI IG clip of the peacocks- https://www.instagram.com/p/CyMrkOjxKZ5/ If you want a version you can download and listen to on loop, I just uploaded it to Patreon!  Give it a chance... wait til it gets midway through before you judge it (like I almost did haha). You can feel the Bliss, the Love, the Ecstacy in Ma's voice, and if you sing along, you may even feel your shoulders, your chest start moving. You may start swaying. You may feel your Heart singing. Opening.    Then let me know in what form God appears to you (as you)! I love you! Nik   p.s. Hari Bol is the 'shortcut' for the Hare Krishna mantra. You can chant the full mantra formally, seated at your altar, and then keep Hari (or Hari Bol) going ALL DAY (and night). You'll see :) 'Hari' means 'the remover of illusion' and it is said that when one repeats It, sins, karmas , pain and suffering are removed. Hari or Hare is also known as the energy of God, the Love, the Bliss (Ananda). You're directing your attention to the Bliss that's here, and holding your attention (t)here with the chanting practice, until there's no you, no practice, just Bliss.  Look at the peacock on the Cross of San Damiano (the Icon of Jesus that looked up and spoke to St. Francis of Assisi and told him to re-build his church). It's on the right side of His legs. Also notice the tilak on Jesus' forehead. Apparently, many early Christians also wore forehead markings that look strikingly similar to a tilak and many icons were made with these markings-- even the other High Beings in the imagery of the Cross have them. I saw the real San Damiano Cross up close while in Assisi, Italy. It stopped me in my tracks.  Anandamayi Ma books- Death Must Die Mother Reveals Herself  राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम To claim your free gift, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, screenshot it and send it to me at nikki@curlynikki.com!  Join us on Patreon to support the show, and tune into and participate in live video Q&As with me!  Support the show राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम "Lord help me to live in Your Love and Forgiveness towards me and teach me how to extend it towards others today." -@therealsweetspot  "Back of all devices, back of all forms, stands that which is without form, that which needs no device; that which is without beginning or ending - Life. I am that Life; I fill you full of Myself. I endow every atom of your being with My completeness.You say you have lack. I say you have all.  All that I am, I am love - joy - beauty - fullness of living - largeness of personality. I am the complete whole functioning as soul through a physical vessel. So, My Beloved, come close to My Heart and know the fullness of a life lived in the knowledge of what life really means. Do not live an existence limited by seeming lack, a narrow stinted existence, but allow Me to fulfill My purpose in creating you, a unit of Myself." - Eva Bell Werber, Voice of the Master "And the sound of "Hare Krsna, Haribol," that become . .. according . . there are two slogans. One Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, and another, short, is Haribol, Haribol. You can practice also that. Haribol. Devotee: Haribol. Prabhupada: Yes. Haribol. That is a shortcut of Hare Krsna. Yes. Haribol. Haribol means "the sound of Hari, or the Lord." Haribol. So whenever there was some greeting, Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to answer, raising His hand, "Haribol." - Srila Prabhupada 

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Francis of Assisi Lectionary: 457The Saint of the day is Saint Francis of AssisiSaint Francis of Assisi's Story The patron saint of Italy, Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit, and without a sense of self-importance. Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth. Prayer—lengthy and difficult—led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: “Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy.” From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, “Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down.” Francis became the totally poor and humble workman. He must have suspected a deeper meaning to “build up my house.” But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor “nothing” man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up all his possessions, piling even his clothes before his earthly father—who was demanding restitution for Francis' “gifts” to the poor—so that he would be totally free to say, “Our Father in heaven.” He was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, evoking sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking. hbspt.cta.load(465210, '6c39fea1-2749-49df-8155-d5a53383557f', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: “Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff” (Luke 9:1-3). Francis' first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no intention of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church's unity. Francis was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade. During the last years of his relatively short life, he died at 44, Francis was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side. On his deathbed, Francis said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, “Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death.” He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior's permission to have his clothes removed when the last hour came in order that he could expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord. Reflection Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He recognized creation as another manifestation of the beauty of God. In 1979, he was named patron of ecology. He did great penance—apologizing to “Brother Body” later in life—that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. Francis' poverty had a sister, Humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist. Saint Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of: AnimalsArchaeologistsEcologyItalyMerchantsMessengersMetal Workers Learn more about St. Francis! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus… for it is God who is at work in you” (Phil. 2). Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA | 2D68 | St. Francis Day - 18 Pentecost (Proper 21A) 11:00 a.m. Eucharist | St. Francis Day Pet Blessing                           Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 148:7-14 Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 How do you listen to your soul? How can you hear God's invitation to change your mind? Brené Brown writes about the difference between fitting in and belonging. All of us know what it means to fit in, to try to change essential parts of ourselves so that we will be accepted by others.   Belonging refers to a very different experience. It means learning to “be present with people without sacrificing who we are.” [i] It requires vulnerability and it happens in those rare places where we can really be who we are without pretending. It's one of our highest ideals at Grace Cathedral. Regardless of where we came from, what we may have done in the past, or whatever we believe now, we belong here.   Last Sunday the Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hōkūle'a, arrived at Aquatic Park in San Francisco after a dangerous journey. In the overflowing amphitheater we saw musicians and dancers; we heard prayers and proclamations from Native peoples from across the vast Pacific Ocean. I wish I could express the feeling of joy and celebration that we all shared together.   People describe Nainoa Thompson, the president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society as a Native Hawaiian master navigator but far more importantly he is one of the most significant storytellers of our time. On Tuesday night he talked about the world he was born into. In 1926 the Hawaiian culture and language were outlawed. By the 1970's there were fewer than one hundred people who could speak Hawaiian fluently and they were mostly advanced in age.   Hawaiians had lost so much – their land, sovereignty, language, religion, culture, music, art and even sports and pastimes. It no longer felt like they belonged in their own homeland. In 1948 the Norwegian writer Thor Heyerdahl published a book called The Kontiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas. For many Hawaiians the book's unspoken thesis was that Pacific Islanders could never have had the skill to build canoes and navigate them at will through the Pacific, but instead only arrived in Hawaii by luck on giant rafts setting out from South America.   And so in the 1970's a group of Hawaiians sought out the last remaining navigators (Mau Pialug) and re-learned the practices of their ancestors. They built the Hōkūle'a and in 1976 they successfully traveled to Tahiti. They were utterly surprised when 17,000 people met them on their arrival in Papeete. The mood was ecstatic. The world began to see how they belonged.   But then came the fateful voyage of 1978. Unprotected in a massive storm, stacking waves overturned the canoe. One of the hulls had filled water and the entire crew sat on the remaining upturned hull at midnight getting periodically washed off by waves barely able to hear the next person over because the winds.   The legendary lifeguard Eddie Aikau began to paddle his surfboard for help into the white water of the gale. Nainoa swam over and was the last person ever to speak to him. Later the rest of the crew was miraculously rescued. Back onshore Nainoa witnessed the terrible grief of Eddie's parents. He heard Eddie's mother wailing. After all hope was lost he saw Eddie's father implore everyone to call off the search for his son. For a while fear overtook him and Nainoa lost faith in his calling.   In the most pivotal moment of his life Nainoa's father came to meet with him. They talked about values, about supporting the community and most of all about the destination – not of a particular voyage, or even of his own life, but of the Hawaiian people. Nainoa had to ask himself if he was ready to be changed.   2. When the religious authorities fault Jesus for befriending tax collectors and prostitutes, he tells the story of a father who independently asks each of his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first says no, but changes his mind later and works. The second says, yes but does not follow through. The strict answer is that neither fully did the will of his father (that would have been to say yes and go). But the one who comes closest is the one who actually does the work. And for Jesus that means the sinners will enter heaven before religious leaders.   We may be familiar with the Greek word metanoia which means changing one's mind and is frequently translated as repentance. But this is different. The word here is metamelomai. More literally it means to change one's “cares,” to change what we consider important. It implies a kind of regret or remorse. Jesus says that obvious sinners have this in a way that the religious leaders do not. Understanding how we have fallen short makes us more willing to change our minds.   Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. Living off the riches of his father Francis had a reputation as spoiled but also for putting on great parties. For a while he tried to be a soldier. A serious illnesses in his early twenties made him wonder if he had to change. He dragged his feet, but then began spending time in the ruined church of San Damiano. One day he heard a voice coming from the cross. It said, “Go hence, now, Francis, and build my church, for it is nearly falling down.” He took this instruction literally and within two years had rebuilt three churches that had been falling apart.   Francis cared for impoverished people and became poor himself. He founded a movement of monks. He wrote songs. He attained notoriety for preaching to birds and to human beings. Some say that in the eight centuries since his death no one has more closely approximated the ideal that Jesus teaches.   The twentieth century writer G.K. Chesterton writes that one could never anticipate what Francis would do next. But once Francis did something, all you could say was, “Ah, how like him!” Brother Masseo once approached Francis and asked why the world followed him so ardently, when he didn't seem especially smart, beautiful or wealthy. A friend of mine thinks it is because that while Francis chose, “a life of intense and prayerful austerity,” unlike many other saints he made being a child of God seem fun. [ii] He said, “rejoice always,” both in words and how he lived. [iii]   The most famous prayer attributed to Francis is “Oh Lord let me be an instrument of thy will.” Francis lived by emptying himself out so that God could be a continually growing part of his life. Francis told Masseo that God had chosen him precisely because he was the greatest sinner and that this reminded everyone that all good comes only from God. [iv] Emptying out his ego Francis saw a world filled with God. All people, all animals and birds, even the sun, moon, water and fire became his family. When we empty ourselves of ego nothing lies outside of the spiritual life.   So today we remember and celebrate this remarkable figure by blessing the animals we love. Over the years I have blessed dogs, cats, turtles, geese, chickens, lizards, gerbils, hamsters, mice, etc. We will also pray for the wild animals around us: the pelicans, coyotes, whales, seals, dolphins, sea lions, salmon, hammer-head sharks, red-tailed hawks, racoons, squirrels, and butterflies too. It is a wonderful to live in a city dedicated to a person who we remember by trying to be particularly kind to animals, by in our awkward way blessing them and recognizing all the ways that they bless us. In our lifetime an uncountable number of species will be lost forever because of human activity. I have a dream that one day we will truly care for the other creatures and learn to better understand them.   Nainoa says that all storms come in pairs. When the storm hits, take your place at the helm and face into it. Be humble, pay respect, and stay with it. The second storm is the one inside of us. It is the storm of emotions. In that storm when we are tempted by hopelessness we can choose the way of faith. With God's grace we can decide to be courageous. That is what Nainoa Thompson did.   By the end of the 1960's after generations of being forced to fit in, a Hawaiian Renaissance in politics, art and culture began to truly unfold. We see many signs of its success. Today there are 22,500 fluent speakers of the Hawaiian language. The Hōkūle'a has been an indispensable part of an extraordinary transformation.   In the beginning I imagine Nainoa may have thought he was just building a canoe, but really what he was doing was building up a culture, a people, a promise that we can all belong. And this has grown into something even more powerful. Today the Hōkūle'a sails to unify all native peoples and to share a message, that human beings will never thrive unless the oceans do too.   How do you listen to your soul? How can you hear God's invitation to change your mind? Nainoa Thompson and St. Francis were open to being changed by God. They learned to be humble. They dared to imagine a future when all species will be valued and preserved. May each of us conquer our ego and become an instrument of God. May we belong and our life be a blessing to the whole family of God's creatures.

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Clare, Virgin Lectionary: 411The Saint of the day is Saint Clare of AssisiSaint Clare of Assisi's Story One of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of one-woman counterpart to the new Franciscan Order. The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having refused to marry at 15, Clare was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. At 18, Clare escaped from her father's home one night, was met on the road by friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed her long tresses to Francis' scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent, which her father and uncles immediately stormed in rage. Clare clung to the altar of the church, threw aside her veil to show her cropped hair, and remained adamant. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her. Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. At age 21, Francis obliged Clare under obedience to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death. hbspt.cta.load(465210, '0238bf79-d8a6-4b43-ab3f-f2e7e16c8804', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The Poor Ladies went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat, and observed almost complete silence. Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to moderate this rigor: “Our bodies are not made of brass.” The greatest emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to persuade Clare to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic firmness: “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of Clare’s life in the convent of San Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick and washed the feet of the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals, and bishops often came to consult her—Clare herself never left the walls of San Damiano. Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. Clare was always obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was making real. A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. Clare had the Blessed Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by invading Saracens. “Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect.” To her sisters she said, “Don't be afraid. Trust in Jesus.” The Saracens fled. Reflection The 41 years of Clare's religious life are scenarios of sanctity: an indomitable resolve to lead the simple, literal gospel life as Francis taught her; courageous resistance to the ever-present pressure to dilute the ideal; a passion for poverty and humility; an ardent life of prayer; and a generous concern for her sisters. Saint Clare is the Patron Saint of: Protection from eye disordersTelevision Learn more about Saint Clare of Assisi! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In our last episode, I began reading to you the first half of the article entitled, "Francis's Tenacious Lady" by Igrid Peterson. The article was about one of St. Francis's first female follower, Clare. Please go back and listen to this episode to have the full impact. Let me summarize by saying that Clare grew up different in her very affluent home. She was fascinated by Francis and wanted to follow him and live a celibate life. Her family has other more traditional plans for her and so she runs aways to the early Franciscans. After several attempts of the family to take her back by force, the Franciscans relocate her to San Damiano. We pick up the story here.You can read these articles and more if you click on this link:https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/st-francis-of-assisi

Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the First Week in Lent Lectionary: 227The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of BohemiaSaint Agnes of Bohemia's Story Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for all who knew her. Agnes was the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. She was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life. After declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and King Henry III of England, Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to him. After Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. Saint Clare sent five sisters from San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters advising her on the beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess. Agnes became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her to accept her election as abbess, nevertheless, the title she preferred was “senior sister.” Her position did not prevent her from cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal brother's offer to set up an endowment for the monastery. Devotion to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. Canonized in 1989, her liturgical feast is celebrated on March 6. Reflection Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn't vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns “have it made” regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards—inclinations to selfishness—for God's standard of generosity. Click here for more on Saint Agnes of Bohemia! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 502All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Agnes of AssisiBorn Caterina Offreducia, Agnes was the younger sister of Saint Clare, and her first follower. When Caterina left home two weeks after Clare's departure, their family attempted to bring her back by force. They tried to drag her out of the monastery, but her body suddenly became so heavy that several knights could not budge it. Her uncle Monaldo tried to strike her but was temporarily paralyzed. The knights then left Caterina and Clare in peace. Saint Francis himself gave Clare's sister the name Agnes, because she was gentle like a young lamb. Agnes matched her sister in devotion to prayer and in willingness to endure the strict penances that characterized the Poor Ladies' lives at San Damiano. In 1221, a group of Benedictine nuns in Monticelli near Florence asked to become Poor Ladies. Saint Clare sent Agnes to become abbess of that monastery. Agnes soon wrote a rather sad letter about how much she missed Clare and the other nuns at San Damiano. After establishing other monasteries of Poor Ladies in northern Italy, Agnes was recalled to San Damiano in 1253, as Clare lay dying. Three months later Agnes followed Clare in death, and was canonized in 1753. Reflection God must love irony; the world is so full of it. In 1212, many in Assisi surely felt that Clare and Agnes were wasting their lives and were turning their backs on the world. In reality, their lives were tremendously life-giving, and the world has been enriched by the example of these poor contemplatives. Enjoy this prayer in honor of St. Agnes of Assisi! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Please enter into the life's story 0f St. Clare's life by listening to one of the best storytellers we know...Sr. Joan Mueller. She is enthralling!!! St. Clare of Assisi was co-foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies or Clares and the first Abbess of San Damiano; born at Assisi, 16 July 1194; died there 11 August 1253. I can't even begin to describe the effect St. Clare has had on my life. My relationship with her goes so deep that any words I could come up with would not honor her as I wish I could. I should share this little story of my own. In 2007, I had a chance to visit Assisi...I just wanted to be near St. Clare. I didn't plan it, but my hotel ended up being right across the street from St. Clare's Basilica (it seems wrong to call it a street, its width is so small). Really early one morning, I couldn't sleep, so I got up and began walking around outside of the Basilica. No one was out; all the shops closed, the sun was coming up. On a whim, I thought I would see if the church's doors were open (thinking to myself, of course, they wouldn't be), but to my surprise, they opened. So I entered. No one was around. I saw steps leading down to a lower level. I stepped over the rope blocking the entrance (boorish American that I am) and walked down. The path led down to an area with a display of relics, like clothing and other items (I assumed they were Clare's), and then I turned around and saw something incredible...the crypt of St. Clare. It stopped me in my tracks, so much so that I had to remind myself to breathe again. I quietly walked over to the enclosure grates that blocked off getting any closer. I knelt, and I just started to weep...I couldn't help it. It was so quiet; it was such a gift. I began to pray. I brought to St. Clare all the petitions I held so deeply in my heart. And when that was done, silence filled the space. After about 10 minutes, out of nowhere, I could hear the sound of the Poor Clare Sisters in the distance chanting their morning prayers. I knelt at that spot, for a good 30 minutes or so, all alone with St. Clare. I then got up, praised God for this special moment, and left the basilica. She's been with me, especially, ever since. St. Clare, pray for us. The post St. Clare, pray for us – a model for the discerning heart…In Conversation with Sr. Joan Mueller appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.