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Welcome
Los Tres Compañeros – The Three Companions Region Origins
The Venerable Anthony Margil OFM (1657 – 1726), a Spanish Franciscan, helped found many Franciscan Missions throughout Mexico, Central America, Louisiana and Texas (1683 – 1723) with San Jose Mission (1720) in San Antonio being the most famous among them. While there is no evidence of the presence of Tertiaries (Secular Franciscans) during those early mission years, the absence of such records does not negate the possibility. The last Franciscan of the OFM in Texas, Fr. Antonio Diaz de Leon was found shot dead in 1834 at Big Sandy Creek near Nacogdoches. In 1855 – 1858, there were five OFM Conventual Franciscans active in Texas. It was not until 1931 that the OFM Franciscans returned to San Antonio.
Concerning Those Who Do Penance
All who love the Lord with their whole heart, with their whole soul and mind, with all their strength (cf. Mk 12:30), and love their neighbors as themselves (cf. Mt 22:39) and hate their bodies with their vices and sins, and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and produce worthy fruits of penance.
Oh, how happy and blessed are these men and women when they do these things and persevere in doing them, because "the spirit of the Lord will rest upon them" (cf. Is 11:2) and he will make "his home and dwelling among them" (cf Jn 14:23), and they are the sons of the heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:45), whose works they do, and they are the spouses, brothers, and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 12:50).
We are spouses, when by the Holy Spirit the faithful soul is united with our Lord Jesus Christ; we are brothers to him when we fulfill "the will of the Father who is in heaven" (Mt 12:50).
We are mothers, when we carry him in our heart and body (cf. 1 Cor 6:20) through divine love and a pure and sincere conscience; we give birth to him through a holy life which must give life to others by example (cf. Mt 5:16).
Oh, how glorious it is to have a great and holy Father in heaven! Oh, how glorious it is to have such a beautiful and admirable Spouse, the Holy Paraclete.
Oh, how glorious it is to have such a Brother and such a Son, loved, beloved, humble, peaceful, sweet, lovable, and desirable above all: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up his life for his sheep (cf. Jn 10:15) and prayed to the Father saying:
"Oh, holy Father, protect them with your name (cf. Jn 17:11) whom you gave me out of the world. I entrusted to them the message you entrusted to me and they received it. They have known that in truth I came from you; they have believed that it was you who sent me. For these I pray, not for the world (cf. Jn 17:9). Bless and consecrate them, and I consecrate myself for their sakes. I do not pray for them alone; I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word (cf. Jn 17:20) that they may be holy by being one, as we are (cf. Jn 17:11). And I desire, Father, to have them in my company where I am to see this glory of mine in your kingdom" (cf. Jn 17:6-24). |
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Local Fraternity Receives Visits That Express Unity With Our Religious Brothers.January 19, 2012 More »Beloved National Family,January 18, 2012As all of us know, we are experiencing language changes in how we celebrate Mass. I am absolutely certain that it is still the same Lord and Savior that I receive at Holy Communion. At the last International Chapter in October in Brazil, the following document was introduced, voted upon and approved. You may read it. I must send it to you in a PDF file because this is how I have received it. It is signed by our Minister General. I'm sorry that my computer skills do not allow me to translate this file to another medium if you cannot open it. If you can open and read it, you will see in the official document the words "Secular Franciscan Order" still used when referring to our Order in English, as well as "Secular Franciscans" still used when referring to us. I also give you these exact words in an email from Doug Clorey, who many of us know from previous visitations: "Document on the 'Name of the Order' should be released shortly in a circular from our Minister General. This document was presented to the General Chapter in Brazil, voted and approved. Doug Clorey, ofs Vice-Minister General Secular Franciscan Order" Note that Doug, our Order's Vice-Minister General, is still a member of the Secular Franciscan Order. When we use English, we are still the Secular Francisan Order, not the Order of Franciscan Seculars or whatever. We remain Secular Franciscans, not Franciscan Seculars, when we use English. What has changed is that Doug is now, in English, when he uses the initials after his name, Doug Clorey, OFS not SFO. Again, I am absolutely certain that OFS or SFO does not make me or you or Doug any more or less Franciscan. We are still permanently professed. Our Order is still, in English, the Secular Franciscan Order. Peace and Love in this New Year with our new language changes! The substance remains. Tom More » by Tom Bello, OFS Recent Photo Albums view all »
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