In This Issue
Allegany Franciscans Website
FSA Jamaica Website
Like us on Facebook
 
UPCOMING MEETINGS
AND EVENTS 
 
Leadership Meetings
CL meeting Tuesday, Sept 25
 
Assembly in Florida
St. Joseph's Hospital, Tampa
October 6 and 7
 
FSA Board of Directors Meeting October 10-16, Allegany
 
Allegany Assembly
Saturday, October 20
 
Jamaica Assembly
October 27-28
 
Brazil Assembly
November 1-3
 
Issue 6.18
September 24, 2018  
Feast of the Archangels

 
We know that Francis of Assisi went to pray and fast on La Verna for 40 days in preparation for Michaelmas. Today's feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (the archangels) is what once was called the feast of Michaelmas.
 
During the Medieval times, Michaelmas was not only a religious feast, it was a festive cultural celebration. Many popular customs and traditions grew up around this feast day, which coincided with the harvest season in much of Europe.
 
Francis held a deep concern that people got too caught up in popular religious and social customs and were drifting away from the true love and conviction of following the crucified Christ in service of the poor and those in need.
 
Francis was a penitent. He embraced a life of penance, not simply for his own sinfulness - he took on the burden of the sin of others as a sign of reparation and to bring healing and wholeness to the lives of others, to the church, and to the world.
 
As Franciscans, we are called to be the penitents in and for our world today, especially in a church and a world demoralized and fractured by sin and violence. Let us embrace our call and engage in the prayer, witness, and outreach that brings transparency, truth, and a new spirit of oneness and wholeness in the Body of Christ.
Namaste! Assisi Institute Retreat
By: Margaret Magee OSF
 
   Namaste! On the weekend of September 14-16, 2018, "Namaste" was the greeting experienced by Sisters Carol Kenyon, Ann Wachter, Joyce Ramage, and Margaret Magee as they gathered with about 100 people to enter into a weekend retreat at the Assisi Institute in Rochester, NY.
   We became connected with the Assisi Institute and the practice of Kriya Yoga through the Olean Meditation Center, Olean, NY. This was our first opportunity to be at the Institute and experience a weekend retreat. The Assisi Institute is dedicated to assisting individuals seeking a deeper relationship with God through the practices of prayer, meditation, and contemplation and integrates the traditions of Kriya Yoga and Mystical Christianity with a special focus on our Franciscan-Clarian Spirituality as a way to nurture a sacred community of inquiry and compassionate living for all people and for all creation. 
   The weekend retreat, entitled "The Path Home", was an experience of prayerful meditation, chanting to music led by Swami Nirvanananda and presentations by Craig Bullock, founder of the Assisi Institute and Fr. Dan Riley OFM of Mt. Irenaeus. More information on the Assisi Institute can be found on their website at http://www.assisi-institute.org/ 
 
St. Elizabeth Mission Society Awards Grants
By: Connie Cooper, Communications Coordinator, St. Elizabeth Mission Society

  In August, the St. Elizabeth Mission Society Board of Directors met to review the grant applications for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The Board approved and awarded nine grants totaling $45,000. Each funded non-profit organization has an affiliation with a Franciscan Sister of Allegany or Associate. All programs and projects are in line with the Sisters' mission, vision, and direction and provide services to those who are poor and promote self-sufficiency and systemic change. To learn more about the Mission Society grants or to apply, visit   www.FranciscanHope.org or email [email protected].

   See a full list of grant recipients in the upcoming edition of Allegany Connections!

A Day with St. Clare of Assisi

   The Franciscan Spirituality Committee, in conjunction with the Franciscan Center of Tampa, is hosting a Day with St. Clare of Assisi. The presentation will be held Saturday, November 17, from 9:30-5 p.m.
   Fr. Tom Hartle OFM will direct the retreat, which will focus on St. Clare and her faith. Registration is required and must be completed by November 15. Cost for the day is $25 and lunch is included. Overnight accommodations at the Center are also available for an additional fee.
   For more information or to register, visit franciscancentertampa.org /registration/

 Upcoming Days of Observance  
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 
 
September 26 marks the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This day encourages a renewed commitment to nuclear disarmament throughout the world, recognizing the benefits of these efforts and the
consequences of their perpetuation.



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October 3, 2018 - First edition e-newsletter
October 17, 2018 - Second edition e-newsletter