Greetings, and may the Peace of the Lord be with you.
Sunday Service at 10 30 ALL ARE WELCOME
Throughout the eight centuries of Franciscan Spirituality, prayer has consistently remained the cornerstone for those who walk in the footsteps of Francis. With this sentiment in mind, the brothers of the House of Prayer cordially invite you to share your personal petitions with us. These requests will be cherished and remembered in our daily community prayer and good works. Moreover, once a month, a Mass in honor of Our Lady of Mercy will be dedicated to your intentions.
On the right the map for Parish Sts Francis and Clare
Father Matthew
6/19/2025 FRIDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME.
Hello, I do hope all is well. I remember a song when I was a kid called the “Happy Wonderer.” I think of this song when I read or hear about life and the ups and downs we have to walk. It is like taking a hike into the hills. The author, Victor Hugo wrote, […]
6/18/2026 THURSDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Hello, hope all is well. Last week, I mentioned that we sometimes become bored with what we do. They are the tasks that we have to do every day and sometimes we don’t even have to think about what we are doing. Sometimes, that is OK. just so long that the task does not result […]
6/17/2026 WEDNESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Good morning, hope all is well. The opening lines of our constitution states that we are all created equal and we all have a right to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” What is it that makes you happy? But remember, what you understand about happiness may not what another understand it to be. We all […]
6/16/2026 TUESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Hello to you all. I hope all goes well. I have often thought that we as believing Christians are asked and challenged to believe in some fantastic things such as angels, souls in heaven, a God who really loves us, His Son who became one of us, suffered and died for us, and rose to […]
6/15/2026 MONDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME.
Hello, hope you all had a good weekend. I have mentioned before that Ordinary Time gives us some “breathing room” between great feasts to reflect of what we have celebrated. In this case, the great feast of Easter. We do not have to look far to find reflections on this great feast. Many known saints […]
6-14-2026 THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
Hello, and a happy Sunday to you all. As we venture into our Ordinary Time, we have the opportunity to hear many other stories from the Old and New Testament. Biblical scholars tell us that the Gospels were written anywhere from 66-100 AD. Mathew, Mark, Luke are know as the synoptic Gospels as they used […]
6/13/2026 FEAST OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA 1195-1231
Hello. I would dare say we all have our special saints to which we turn to in prayer. Mine has been St. Anthony of Padua. When I was in the abbey I took the name Anthony when I entered the novitiate. St. Anthony has always been the one who I have turned to when I […]
6/12/2026 FEAST OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Greetings. Happy Friday. As I have said before, the first Friday of the month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But today we celebrated the Feast of the Most Sacred Heat of Jesus. Many a saint has given us much to ponder on in regard to the Sacred Heart. Today we turn to […]
6/11/2026 THURSDAY, THE FEAST OF ST. BARNABAS, APOSTLE
Hello. Hope your week is going along well. Today we remember one of the chosen twelve, St. Barnabas. He was a Jew from Cyprus. Barabas was the one who introduced St. Paul to St. Peter and the other apostles. It is said that he served as a kind of mentor to Paul and the Christians […]
6/10/2026 WEDNESDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME.
Greetings, hope all goes well. As mentioned last week, we have come into that time between holidays which we call “Ordinary Time.” As I said before, this is by no means “ordinary” time. This is an opportunity to reflect and grow in light of the celebrations of the birth and the resurrection of the Lord. […]
6/9/2026 TUESDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK OR ORDINARY TIME
Greetings to you all. I hope all is well with you and your families. I am sure that we all have had those days when we find ourselves getting bored with what we are do. The same job, the same housework, the same thing on a Tuesday night for dinner and the list can go […]
6/8/2026 MONDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Greetings, hope all is well. And here we are in Ordinary Time once again. Time waits for no one. Ordinary time may make us feel like we are just that “Ordinary”. But when we look at it we could not be further from the truth. Yes, we can be ordinary if we so wish. But […]
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6/19/2025 FRIDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME.
Hello, I do hope all is well. I remember a song when I was a kid called the “Happy Wonderer.” I think of this song when I read or hear about life and the ups and downs we have to walk. It is like taking a hike into the hills. The author, Victor Hugo wrote, […]
6/18/2026 THURSDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Hello, hope all is well. Last week, I mentioned that we sometimes become bored with what we do. They are the tasks that we have to do every day and sometimes we don’t even have to think about what we are doing. Sometimes, that is OK. just so long that the task does not result […]
6/17/2026 WEDNESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Good morning, hope all is well. The opening lines of our constitution states that we are all created equal and we all have a right to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” What is it that makes you happy? But remember, what you understand about happiness may not what another understand it to be. We all […]
PRAYERS
Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen.
The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Grace Before Meals
Bless Us O Lord,
and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive
from Thy bounty;
Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Grace After Meals
We give You thanks, Almighty God,
for these and all your blessings;
As you live and reign
For ever and ever.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day, He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
O God, we thank you for this earth, our home; For the wide sky and the blessed sun, For the salt sea and the running water, For the everlasting hills And the never-resting winds, For trees and the common grass underfoot. We thank you for our senses By which we hear the songs of birds, And see the splendor of the summer fields, And taste of the autumn fruits, And rejoice in the feel of the snow, And smell the breath of the spring. Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty; And save our souls from being so blind That we pass unseeing When even the common thorn bush Is aflame with your glory, O God our creator, Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer given to Brother Leo
You are holy, Lord, the only God, and Your deeds are wonderful. You are strong. You are great. You are the Most High. You are Almighty. You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth. You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good. You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true. You are love. You are wisdom. You are humility. You are endurance. You are rest. You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and moderation. You are all our riches, and You suffice for us. You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our protector. You are our guardian and defender. You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope. You are our faith, our great consolation. You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord, God Almighty, Merciful Savior.
Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon
Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings. To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods, by which You cherish all that You have made.
Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water, So useful, humble, precious and pure.
Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will. No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks, And serve Him with great humility.
St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer praising Mary the Mother of Jesus
Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen, Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin. You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven, consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good. Hail, His Palace. Hail His Tabernacle. Hail His Robe. Hail His Handmaid. Hail, His Mother. and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are poured into the hearts of the faithful so that from their faithless state, they may be made faithful servants of God through you.