Vader (Father)

I have been most fortunate in receiving a compelling prayer from Belgium entitled Vader (Father).  It was composed by Flemish chemistry professor Mark Waterinckx, with whom I have communicated previously, and it is receiving world-wide circulation.

He writes:  "I  have the honour to send you the English translation of my Dutch prayer 'Vader' (I have it in 17 languages already).

It's a very strong prayer I composed when I was in deep misery on the feast day of Saint Thomas More long ago.

I have many good reactions on my prayer by 1 archbishop (Pakistan), 1 bishop (France), many priests (whole world).

If you like it, please spread it among your friends.

It helps me (and others) a lot every day.

 

The original text  by me was in Flemish (Dutch). English translation was made by a good friend professor Octaaf Boie around 80 yrs. old, now almost 100! 

 

I have translations in Arabic, Vietnamese, Dutch, Slovakian, Tschechish, Indonesian, Chinese, Portuguese, Polish, Rumanian, French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Croatian, Danish, and awaiting others."

 

Mark Waterinckx can be reached here: markwaterinckx AT skynet.be 

Following is the English translation as it was emailed to me.

 

Father, forgive it to me:

not my will, but Thine be done.

Father, I am a sinful human being and still Thou lovest me.

I want to serve Thee and still I am weak. 

The good I long to do, I do not do, 

and the bad that I do not want to do, that I do.

And still Lord, Thou lovest me in the same way as Thou loved Peter,

who three times denied Thee. 

Father I am a haughty fool. 

I want to be a saint,

but everything I do is wrong.

I want to be an  instrument of Thy Peace

and never I succeed.

Lord, I am of good will, but I feel myself incomprehended. 

But still, Lord, thanks for everything,

for Thy Creation, for Life itself.

Lord, to Thee belongs all glory.  I thank Thee.

I cannot do without Thy Love. 

Never let anything separate me from Thee.

Destroy whatever is wrong in me. 

Lord, embrace me with Thy divine Love.

I totally trust in Thee with endless confidence. 

Do with me whatever seems good to Thee.

I thank Thee for the crosses.

I thank Thee for the favours. 

My God I believe in Thee.  I adore Thee

I hope on Thee, I love Thee. 

I ask Thy pardon for those who do not believe in Thee;

who do not adore Thee; who do not hope on Thee;

who do not love Thee.

Lord, come in to my heart.

Thou died on the Cross for my sins.

I too will give my life for Thee, Father. 

Have pity on my soul.

I want to die with Thee and to rise with Thee.

Father I love Thee; I thank Thee.

 

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Follow Jesus and not the News.

Follow Jesus and not the news.  Follow Christ and not the world. 

Two short selections from the Catholic classic The Imitation of Christ. 

“Count the whole world as naught; seek to be alone with God before all outward things.” 

 

CHAPTER 44. OF NOT TROUBLING OURSELVES ABOUT OUTWARD THINGS

My Son, in many things it behooves thee to be ignorant, and to esteem thyself as one dead upon the earth, and as one to whom the whole world is crucified. Many things also thou must pass by with deaf ear, and must rather think upon those things which belong unto thy peace. It is more profitable to turn away thine eyes from those things that displease, and to leave each man to his own opinion, than to give thyself to discourses of strife. If thou stand well with God and hast His judgment in thy mind, thou wilt verily easily bear to be as one conquered.

 “O Lord, to what have we come? Behold a temporal loss is mourned over; for a trifling gain we labor and hurry; and spiritual loss passes away into forgetfulness, and we rarely recover it. That which profits little or nothing is looked after, and that which is altogether necessary is negligently passed by; because the whole man slides away to outward things, and unless he quickly recovers himself in outward things he willingly lieth down.” 

 CHAPTER 53. THAT THE GRACE OF GOD DOTH NOT JOIN ITSELF TO THOSE WHO MIND EARTHLY THINGS

My Son, precious is My grace, it suffers not itself to be joined with outward things, nor with earthly consolations. Therefore thou ought to cast away all things which hinder grace, if thou longest to receive the outpouring thereof. Seek a secret place for thyself, love to dwell alone with thyself, desire the conversation of no one; but rather pour out thy devout prayer to God, that thou may possess a contrite mind and a pure conscience. Count the whole world as naught; seek to be alone with God before all outward things. For thou canst not be alone with Me, and at the same time be delighted with transitory things. Thou ought to be separated from thy acquaintances and dear friends, and keep thy mind free from all worldly comfort. So the blessed Apostle Peter beseeches, that Christ's faithful ones bear themselves in this world as strangers and pilgrims. [1 Peter 2:11.] 

Oh how great a confidence shall there be to the dying man whom no affection to anything detains in the world? But to have a heart so separated from all things, a sickly soul doth not yet comprehend, nor doth the carnal man know the liberty of the spiritual man. But if indeed he desire to be spiritually minded, he must renounce both those who are far off, and those who are near, and to beware of no man more than himself. If thou perfectly conquer thyself, very easily shalt thou subdue all things besides. Perfect victory is the triumph over oneself. For whoso keeps himself in subjection, in such manner that the sensual affections obey the reason, and the reason in all things obeys Me, he truly is conqueror of himself, and lord of the world. 

If thou desire to climb to this height, thou ought to start bravely, and to lay the ax to the root, to the end that thou may pull up and destroy the hidden inordinate inclination towards thyself, and towards all selfish and earthly good. From this sin, that a man loves himself too inordinately, almost everything hangs which needs to be utterly overcome: when that evil is conquered and put under foot, there shall be great peace and tranquility continually. But because few strive earnestly to die perfectly to themselves, and do not heartily go forth from themselves, therefore do they remain entangled in themselves, and cannot be raised in spirit above themselves. But he who desires to walk at liberty with Me, must of necessity mortify all his evil and inordinate affections, and must cling to no creature with selfish love.

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When St. Francis Levitated and other Wonders.

In The Little Flowers of St. Francis we read:

And from thenceforward, because he continued always in prayer, St. Francis began, more often than heretofore, to taste the sweetness of Divine contemplation; whereby he was ofttimes so rapt in God that he was seen by his companions raised up in the air from the ground and rapt from out of himself.

And further on:

From a certain hour Brother Leo commenced to scrutinize and to consider the actions of St. Francis, with great purity and goodwill; and, by reason of his purity, he merited to behold how many a time and oft St. Francis was rapt in God and uplifted from the ground, sometimes for the space of 4 and a half feet, sometimes of six feet and sometimes even to the height of the beech-tree; and sometimes he beheld him raised so high in the air, and surrounded by such radiance, that scarcely could he see him.

And what did this simple friar do when St. Francis was so little raised above the ground that he could reach him? He went softly and embraced his feet and kissed them with tears, saying: "My God, have mercy upon me a sinner; and, for the merits of this holy man, grant me to find Thy grace." And, one time among the rest, while Brother Leo stood thus beneath the feet of St. Francis, when he was so far uplifted from the ground, that he could not touch him, he beheld a scroll inscribed with letters of gold descend from heaven and rest above the head of St. Francis, upon the which scroll these words were written: "QUI È LA GRAZIA DI DIO—Here is the grace of God"; and, after that he had read it, he saw it return again to heaven. (Adapted from The Little Flowers of St. Francis, Second Consideration on the Stigmata.)

By Terry Nelson at upyourstreet.blogspot.com

 

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How Francis, like another Moses, brought water out of a rock.

Once when the blessed Francis wanted to go to a certain hermitage that he might devote himself more freely to contemplation, he obtained a donkey from a certain peasant to ride on, because he was feeling a little weak from lack of sleep, since he had spent the whole night in prayer. Since it was summer, the peasant, following the man of God up the mountain, became fatigued from the difficulty and the length of the trip; and before they had reached the place, he collapsed exhausted by a burning thirst. He called after the saint and begged him to have pity on him; he said he would die unless he would be refreshed by some drink. The holy man of God, who always had compassion on those who were suffering, got down without delay from the donkey and kneeling upon the ground, he stretched his hands toward heaven; and he did not let up in his prayers until he felt he had been heard. “Hurry,” he said to the peasant, “and you will find living water over there, which Christ has just now mercifully brought from that rock for you to drink.”

O how astounding is the condescension of God which readily inclines him to help his servants! The peasant drank the water, that came from the rock by the power of him who had prayed, and he drew drink from the hardest rock. There had never been a flow of water there before, and, as diligent search has proved, none could be found there afterwards. Why should we wonder that a man who is full of the Holy Spirit should show forth in himself the wonderful deeds of all the just? For, to a man who is joined with Christ by the gift of a special grace it is not something great if he does things similar to the things that have been done by other saints. (Adapted from 2 Celano Chapter 17, no. 46)

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How St. Francis, like Our Lord, changed water into wine.

In St. Bonaventure’s biography we read:

At another time, when the servant of God was afflicted by a very grievous sickness, at the hermitage of Saint Urban, and, feeling his strength failing, had asked for a draft of wine, answer was made him that there was no wine there that could be brought unto him; whereupon he bade that water should be brought, and, when brought, he blessed it, making the sign of the Cross over it. At once that which had been pure water became excellent wine, and that which the poverty of the lonely place could not provide was obtained by the purity of the holy man. Tasting thereof, he forthwith so easily recovered his strength as that the new flavor and the renewed health, by the sense of taste and by the miracle renewing him that tasted, attested, with twofold witness, his perfect laying aside of the old man and putting on of the new. (St. Bonaventure Major Life, Chap. V no. 10.)

Celano’s biography adds: For thus did the glorious father Francis, walking in the way of obedience and embracing perfectly the yoke of obedience to God, acquire great dignity in the sight of God in that creatures obeyed him. For even water was turned into wine for him, when on one occasion he was grievously ill at the hermitage of St. Urban. At the taste of it he became well so easily that it was thought to be a miracle by all, as it really was. And truly he is a saint whom creatures obey in this way, and at whose nod the elements change themselves to other uses. (1 Celano Chapter 21, no. 61.)

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How Francis freed the people of Greccio from wolves and hail.

Francis liked to stay at the brothers’ place at Greccio, both because he saw that it was rich by reason of its poverty and because he could give himself more freely to heavenly things in a more secluded cell hewn from a projecting rock. It happened, however, that the inhabitants were being annoyed by many evils, for a pack of ravening wolves was devouring not only animals but even men, and every year hail storms were devastating the fields and vineyards. One day, while he was preaching to them, Francis said: "To the honor and glory of Almighty God, hear the truth I announce to you. If every one of you confesses his sins and brings forth fruits befitting repentance, I give you my word that every pestilence will depart and the Lord, looking kindly upon you, will grant you an increase of temporal goods. But hear this also: again I announce to you that if you are ungrateful for his gifts and return to your vomit, the plague will be renewed, your punishment will be doubled, and even greater wrath will be let loose against you."

It happened, therefore, by the merits and prayers of the holy father, that from that hour the destruction ceased, the dangers passed, and neither the wolves nor the hailstorms caused any further damage. Moreover, what is greater still, if any hail came over the fields of their neighbors, it either stopped short when it got near the borders of their lands or turned aside to some other region. Now that they had peace, they were multiplied exceedingly and filled beyond measure with temporal goods. But prosperity did what it usually does: their faces were covered with grossness and the fat of temporal things; or rather, they were blinded with dung. In the end, relapsing into even worse things, they forgot God who saved them. But not with impunity, for the censure of divine justice punishes those who lapse into sin less severely than those who relapse. The anger of God was aroused against them and the evils that had departed returned, and over and above, there was added the sword of man and a heaven-sent sickness consumed very many of them; eventually the whole town was burned up in avenging flames. Of a truth, it is just that they who turn their backs upon the benefit they have received come to destruction. (2 Celano Chapter 7, no. 35.)

 

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Citizen’s Prayer to St. Michael.

Please hold the forces of public order against the crimes of evil men. 

"Please protect us, St. Michael the Archangel, against violence, murder and robbery. In your goodness preserve us today from all the malice of sinful and wicked men. In your sleepless vigilance watch over the safety and welfare of our homes, and keep guard over our possessions. Ever hold in your special care, most triumphant St. Michael, the forces of public order against the crimes of evil men, and defend all honest citizens in time of peril. We ask this of you through Christ, our Lord. Amen."  (Author unknown.)

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The story of the following prayer to our Blessed Mother, Queen of the Angels, is from the TIA website. 

A Bernardine Sister was shown in spirit the vast desolation caused by the devil throughout the world. At the same time, she heard the Blessed Virgin telling her it was true, Hell had been let loose upon the earth, and that the time had come to pray to her as Queen of Angels and to ask of her the assistance of the Heavenly Legions to fight against these deadly foes of God and of men. “But, my good Mother,” she replied, “you who are so kind, could you not send them without our asking?” “No,” Our Lady answered, “because prayer is one of the conditions required by God Himself for obtaining favors.” Then the Blessed Virgin communicated the following prayer, bidding her to have it printed and distribute it gratis. 

“August Queen of Heaven, sovereign Mistress of the Angels, who didst receive from the beginning the mission and the power to crush the serpent’s head, we beseech thee to send thy holy angels, that under thy command and by thy power, they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every side, resist their bold attacks, and drive them hence into the abyss of woe. Most holy Mother, send thy angels to defend us and to drive the cruel enemy from us. All ye holy angels and archangel, help and defend us. Amen. 

O good and tender Mother! Thou shalt ever be our Love and our Hope. Holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend us. Amen” 

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St. Michael prayer from the EWTN website: 

"St. Michael the Archangel,  defend us in battle.  Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,  and do thou,  O Prince of the heavenly hosts,  by the power of God,  thrust into hell Satan,  and all the evil spirits,  who prowl about the world  seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. 

O glorious prince St. Michael,  chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,  guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,  servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor,  you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day." 

 

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Jesus, Mary, I Love You! Save Souls!

Be calm! And pray “Jesus, Mary, I love you! Save souls!” This should be part of a continuous, unceasing act of love. The Lord taught this prayer to Venerable Consolata Betrone, who was a spiritual daughter of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Jesus also said to Consolata: “If the soul can keep calm, then she will remain master of herself; but if she is perturbed, then it is easy for her to fall. . . Never let yourself become perturbed, never never! For when you become perturbed, the devil is content; then his victory will be assured.” 

 

The beautiful prayer “Jesus, Mary I Love You! Save souls!” was revealed through locutions to Sister Consolata, who received her heavenly reward in 1946. In 2019 the Church declared her Venerable Maria Consolata Betrone. She considered herself a spiritual daughter of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, of the Child Jesus, the “Little Flower.” In 1929 she entered a convent of the Poor Clares at Torino, Italy, where she began to hear the voice of Jesus. The Lord told Consolata that in her He has found someone even more little than St. Thérèse, who in her diary had referred to an “even smaller one” than herself. St. Thérèse had written: “I feel that if you found a soul weaker and littler than Mine, you would be pleased to grant it still greater favors, provided it abandoned itself with total confidence to your infinite mercy.” 

 

The Lord told Consolata, “Well, I have found that still weaker soul who has abandoned herself with complete faith to My infinite mercy: it is you, Consolata, and through you I will perform marvels which will far exceed your fondest desires!” She progressed along the Little Way of Love, pointed out by St. Thérèse, the way of spiritual childhood. Often, in the intellectual visions by which she was favored, Jesus would press her to His heart, and she would see herself as a very young child. 

 

She felt called to increase her love for Jesus, and would try to think and act with this end in mind. However, sometimes she would lose herself in trifles. But the Lord told her: “You trouble yourself about many things; but only one thing is necessary, to love Me.” In 1931 Jesus asked her to make a vow to offer him a continuous act of love. In her diary, she wrote, “I promise Thee to live for love from today on and until my last breath, offering Thee one unceasing act of love, accomplishing everything with love, and searching for nothing but love!” And also, “Yes, an unceasing act of love! That alone and nothing else; for love is everything, and in the practice of this love all other virtues are practiced.” 

 

But the enemy of souls was not asleep. One day a voice pretending to be divine foretold that she would have to endure pains, sorrows and sufferings, and accused her of having done nothing for souls. She was overcome by a violent emotion, but she rejected that voice, abandoned herself to the divine will, and regained her inner peace. “I soon discovered the enemy's trick by which he had hoped to draw me away from my simple way of love.” 

 

On the feast day of St. Joseph in 1935, Consolata was made privy to a great revelation concerning the sanctity of the foster father of Our Lord, which astounded and deeply moved her. But she humbly turned to Jesus, and asked Him why He tells her these things, she who can do nothing. Why does he not reveal them to great personages who might be able to do so much? Jesus simply replied, “To the little ones I tell everything. Do you understand Consolata? . . . I tell everything to little souls; they deprive Me of nothing; they direct all praise, honor, and glory to Me alone”. He also told her, “To little souls I concede everything! You deny Me nothing, so I deny you nothing!” 

 

As to her diary, He told her “And besides, you are so little that you are content to write it all down, and it is My wish that you should put everything in writing, and so I can tell you everything.” A little later He added, “If I ask you to write it down, it is because My words will bear much fruit. My reasoning may at times seem childish to you, but that is because I adapt My words to you who are so little; but remember that any word of Mine is spirit, is light!” 

 

Regarding chastisements, He told Consolata, “Do not think the sorrowful conditions on earth do not move Me; but I love souls; I wish them to be saved; and in order to achieve My end, I am constrained to be severe; but believe Me, I do it out of mercy! During times of abundance souls forget Me and are lost; in times of distress they turn to Me and save themselves. That is indeed the way it happens!” Another time He said, “The world is going to its ruin, but I wish to save it. . . Satan also swore he would ruin the world, and I vowed I would save it; and I will save it through the triumph of My mercy and My love. Yes, I will save the world through My merciful love! Write this down!” He added: “Do not make Me out a God of rigor, whereas I am naught but a God of love! . . . You see, My Heart needs to be comforted; it wishes to dispense mercy, not justice.” This is precisely the mission of Consolata, to point out to the world the limitless mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to all souls. 

 

The saying, “honor God with your confidence” was repeated many times by Jesus and also by the heavenly Father, in their instructions to her. If confidence is lost, the soul will become perturbed in trials; instead of doing battle, the soul will retreat instead of advancing. “If the soul can keep calm, then she will remain master of herself; but if she is perturbed, then it is easy for her to fall. . . Never let yourself become perturbed, never never! For when you become perturbed, the devil is content; then his victory will be assured.” The Lord did not want Consolata to place any limits on her confidence in Him. He told her never to fear anything, but to trust solely and completely in Him. She wrote: “I repeat that a bridge has been thrown across from this maiden to the Heart of God: limitless confidence!” 

 

But it was her love that He desired most of all. “Consolata, love Me on behalf of each and every one of My creatures, of each and every heart that exists. I thirst so much for love!” He told her that when she loves Him continuously, He enjoys heaven in her heart. He implored Consolata, “Ask from Me love, the triumph of My love over you and over every soul who is now on earth or who will ever exist until the end of time. By means of unceasing prayer, prepare for the triumph of My Heart and of My love throughout the earth!” The coming of His love would be like a new Pentecost, to cleanse humanity from its sinfulness. “Consolata, love Me on behalf of all, and through your prayer and your immolation, prepare the world for the coming of My love!” 

 

On the prayer of love, Consolata writes, “At the beginning it was: Jesus, I love Thee! Later He desired me to add: Jesus, Mary, I love you! And finally He wanted it completed thus: Jesus, Mary, I love you! Save souls!” The Lord told her: “You must live in self-effacement and enveloped in one single and continual 'Jesus, Mary, I love you! Save souls!' Nothing else! No one and nothing else must exist for you, only the act of love!” He asked her to observe a rigorous silence, and not to speak a single sentence unless it was necessary to make a reply. Jesus would take care of everything in her daily life, she had only to concentrate on making the continuous act of love. 

 

This unceasing act of love was the cross that Jesus gave to Consolata. “I give you as your cross never to lose one single 'Jesus, Mary, I love you! Save souls!' But I also give you the grace to carry this cross faithfully until your dying day.” “You must know that it is a very fruitful one – the cross of love is more fruitful than any other cross for Me and for souls.” All that was left was for Consolata to offer herself as a victim of love, and she did so at the request of the Lord. On the eve of First Friday in December, 1935, He prepared her for her consecration as a victim soul. “You must love Me always and accept all consequences, but never interrupt the act of love! I know that this will gradually consume and immolate My Consolata . . . That is what it means to be a victim of love!” 

 

The next morning, Jesus carried out this consecration. “This day do I consecrate you as a victim of love. I do not wound you with a dart, but I inflame you in silence. Now you can no longer interrupt your act of love even if you wished to. What time is left you to live from today to your last hour, is united with this unceasing act of love. Believe Me, with that you give Me everything!” 

 

Sister Consolata attained her heavenly reward on July 18, 1946, at the age of only 43, afflicted with tuberculosis. 

 

The facts in this post are from Jesus Appeals to the World, by Fr. Lorenzo Sales, I.M.C.

 

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Invoking the Holy Wounds of Christ for the triumph of the Church.

Invoking the Holy Wounds of Christ for the triumph of the Church, as revealed to the mystic of the Holy Wounds, Mary Martha Chambon.

The triumph of the Church will come from offering the Holy Wounds of Jesus, and through His Immaculate Mother, but it will not be a visible triumph. "They do not know what is demanded in asking its triumph... My Church will never triumph visibly."

The following account is taken from the pamphlet that initially made public the graces granted to Sister Mary Martha Chambon (Imprimatur, 1923):

Our Lord often renewed to Sister Mary Martha the promise of the triumph of the Holy Church through the power of His Wounds and of the Immaculate Virgin: "My daughter, perform your charge well, which is to offer My divine Wounds to My Eternal Father, because from them must come the triumph of the Church, which will come to pass through My Immaculate Mother." But from the beginning our Lord anticipated every illusion and ambiguity. There could be no question of the material, visible triumph which was the dream of some. Never will the waves flow with perfect docility about the barque of Peter; one may sometimes tremble at the fury of their agitation... To struggle, always to struggle, is a law of the life of the Church: "They do not know what is demanded in asking its triumph... My Church will never triumph visibly." However, through all the struggles and anguish there is accomplished in the Church, and by the Church, the work of our Lord Jesus Christ: the salvation of the world.

The work of our Lord Jesus Christ is accomplished all the better, as prayer - which has its place in the divine plan, more urgently implores the help of heaven. And surely heaven is specially moved when invoked in the name of the redeeming Wounds. Jesus frequently insists: "The invocations of the holy Wounds will obtain an incessant victory for the Church." "You must incessantly draw from these Sources for the triumph of My Church."

"My good Master, it is a long time since you told me to do this ... and the triumph comes not!" she exclaimed in her usual simplicity. "My daughter," answered our benign Savior, "you should be well satisfied that there is not more chastisement, - you restrain My arm. I promise to give the triumph, but little by little." And the Holy Founder came [a vision of St. Francis de Sales] to complete the lesson of the Master: "Even though our Lord promises the triumph through Mary Immaculate, you must not relax in prayer and the offering of the holy Wounds."

At the period of a great persecution of the Church, Sister Mary Martha often asked Jesus to cover the Sovereign Pontiff with the protection of His holy Wounds. This prayer was very pleasing to our Lord. He caused our Sister to see that grace super-abounded over the Holy Father Pius IX, and that the prayers of the Community had greatly contributed to it: "A special grace was imparted to him from My Wounds." Towards the end of 1867, our Lord revealed to her that "His Holiness would have still more to suffer, he would have no more peace, but, thanks to prayer, he would be maintained in the Holy See in tribulation."

It is plain that our Lord wishes no illusion. However, this does not prevent Him from requiring constant prayers: "I wish the Community to be the support of the Holy See by prayer and above all by the invocation of My holy Wounds. You will thus oppose a barrier to its enemies.” Nor from expressing His satisfaction for the prayers offered: "I am contented with the prayers of the Community for the support of the Church. You will have an extra degree of glory for having been good soldiers of the Holy Father. You will always have occasion to be so, and you must pray much for the Holy Church." Nor from giving assurance of a protection against which nothing could prevail: "Whilst guarded by My Wounds there is nothing to be feared either for yourself or the Church. Should this benefit fail you would then understand what you possess.”

The booklet that made public the revelations to Mary Martha Chambon can be read Here. The primary invocations taught by Jesus are two: “Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls,” (on the large beads). “My Jesus, pardon and mercy, by the merits of Thy holy Wounds,” (on the small beads). They can be prayed as the Rosary of the Holy Wounds (indulgenced), as explained in the pamphlet. The booklet was later greatly expanded into a book by the Visitation Sisters (Imprimatur 1928). This book was excellently translated from the French in 2019, Mysticof the Holy Wounds, the Life and Revelations of Sister Mary MarthaChambon.

This post may be reprinted or reproduced, as long as proper credit is given.

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Holy Father, St. Francis did not teach subjection to other religions.

As the author of St. Francis of Assisi and the Conversion of the Muslims, I would be remiss if I remained silent, if by such silence it should seem that I consent to what is alleged in the papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti. St. Francis of Assisi did not preach a passive Christianity that must show a humble subjection to those of other faiths. This idea of subjection is taken completely out of context from the Franciscan Rule of 1221, which is the source cited by the encyclical. However, the encyclical does properly underscore the fact that St. Francis did not want his friars to directly criticize or oppose the tenets of the Muslim religion.

Paragraph 3 of the encyclical states:

Unconcerned for the hardships and dangers involved, Francis went to meet the Sultan with the same attitude that he instilled in his disciples: if they found themselves “among the Saracens and other nonbelievers”, without renouncing their own identity they were not to “engage in arguments or disputes, but to be subject to every human creature for God’s sake”.[3] In the context of the times, this was an extraordinary recommendation. We are impressed that some eight hundred years ago Saint Francis urged that all forms of hostility or conflict be avoided and that a humble and fraternal “subjection” be shown to those who did not share his faith.

The footnote indicated by [3] refers to the Franciscan Rule of 1221. The quote given is that Franciscans were “to be subject to every human creature for God's sake.” However, the last part of the sentence is omitted, which states, “. . . and confess themselves to be Christians.” However this is a minor omission compared to what follows. The Rule actually proposes two ways that the friars can conduct themselves among unbelievers. The first is what is presented in the encyclical. The second and most important way is completely ignored, for obvious reasons. The second way is that they should announce the word of God to unbelievers, even at the risk of their own lives, “so that they may be baptized and become Christians.”

The encyclical instead focuses entirely on the first recommendation, and alleges that St. Francis urged that his friars should humbly subject themselves and their Christianity to those who did not share the Catholic Faith. This is a total mis-representation of the intentions of St. Francis. This subjection, or the first way of meeting unbelievers, primarily applied to any brothers who were neither inclined, nor called, nor ready to preach the faith at the risk of martyrdom.

It is in the second way that true Franciscanism shines, when courageous Christian men of the Friars Minor willingly risked death or torture in order to preach Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith to unbelievers. Five hundred Franciscans have been martyred for the Faith in the Holy Land – are we to ignore their memory? However, rather than continuing with my own words, you can decide for yourself. Quoted below is the relevant section of the Rule of 1221; Chapter XVI On traveling among Saracens and other infidels, from pages 87-88 of my book:

The Lord says: "Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be prudent as snakes and simple as doves." (Matthew 10:16). Whence let whatever friar wants to go among the Saracens and other infidels, go in accord with the permission of his minister and servant. And let the minister give them permission and not forbid them, if he has seen that they are suitable to be sent; for he will be bound to render an account to the Lord (cf. Luke 16:2), if in this or in other things he will have proceed(ed) indiscreetly. Indeed the friars, who go, can conduct themselves spiritually among them in two manners. One manner is, that they cause no arguments or strife, but be subject "to every human creature for God's sake" (1 Peter 2:13) and confess themselves to be Christians. The other manner is, that, when they have seen that it pleases God, they announce the word of God, so that they may believe in God the Omnipotent, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the Creator of all things, (and) in the Redeemer and Savior, the Son, and that they may be baptized and become Christians, because "he who has not been reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, cannot enter the Kingdom of God." (cf. John 3:5). These things and others, which have pleased the Lord, they can say to them and to others, because the Lord says in the Gospel: "Every man, who confesses Me before men, him I will confess also before My Father, who is in Heaven." (Matthew 10:32). And: "He who is ashamed of Me and My discourses, of him the Son of man will also be ashamed, when He will have come in His Father's majesty and (that) of the Angels." (cf. Luke 9:26).

And let all the friars, wherever they are, remember, that they have given themselves and surrendered their bodies to the Lord Jesus Christ. And on behalf of His love (amor) they ought to confront their enemies both visible and invisible; because the Lord says: "He who will have lost his life for My sake, shall save it (cf. Luke 9:24) for eternal life." (Matthew 25:46). "Blessed are those who suffer persecution on account of justice, since theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:10). "If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:20). And: If they persecute you "in one city, flee to another." (cf. Matthew 10:23). "Blessed are you" (Matthew 5:11), "when men have hated you" (Luke 6:22) "and cursed you" and do persecute you (cf. Matthew 5:11) "and have separated you and reproached you and cast your name out as evil," (Luke 6:22) "and when they have said every evil against you, lying, on account of Me." (Matthew 5:11). "Rejoice on that day and exult" (Luke 6:23), "since your wage is great in heaven" (cf. Luke 12:4), and I "say to you My friends, do not be afraid of them" (cf. Luke 12:4), "and do not fear those who kill the body" (Matthew 10:28) "and after that have nothing more to do." (Luke 12:4). "See, that you are not disturbed." (Matthew 24:6). · For "in your patience you shall possess your souls" (Luke 21:19), · and the one who "will have persevered until the end, he shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22; 24:13).

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