He is Lord!  He is Lord! He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!  Every knee shall bend, every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Minister’s Letter

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.  What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do in the evening, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.  Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”  – Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

As we enter into the Easter season, this is my wish for all of us.  May we fall evermore in love and may Sts. Francis and Clare keep us in His love as we follow Christ through their example, especially as Jesus taught in the Beatitudes.

Peace and Love,
michele, ofs

In Memoriam

Our sister Florence Grimes, OFS (in blue suit in the wheelchair above), met Sister Death on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19th.  She had been ill for some time.  We were happy that Cecelia Rayburn, OFS and Michele Brodoski, OFS were able to visit her the day before her passing. We watched in amazement as she ate a whole bowl of mac ‘n cheese!, which was to be her last meal.  We sang The Peace Prayer of St. Francis, My God and My All, and Holy Is His Name.  She lip-sinced along with us the entire time.  We read from the Song of Songs and Psalms.  When we left she was completely at rest and both Cecelia and I were very peaceful along with her…… Many thanks to all of our members who helped provide a very nice funeral reception for Florence’s family and friends.  … Florence’s son, Dale, played Christmas Carols on his harp every year for years at our fraternity Christmas party……Her daughter-in-law, Bunny, was always the go-between/organizer whenever their was a doing.  Florence will be missed by all of us and her family.

Lord in your mercy, Lord hear our prayer!
For the repose of Florence’s soul
For all the newly professed in our Region
For Glenn and Gloria Ray, OFS’
For Mary Gulrich, OFS
For Paul & Elsie Williams, OFS’
For Clare & Mike Reidy, OFS’
For Bob & Patty Fitzsimmons, OFS’
For Bill & Sue Ballinger, OFS’
For healing of unborn Patrick Gabriel who has trisomy 13 and for the Snodgrass family
For all those facing special challenges
For peace in all the violent fraught places of this world
That we always be close to the poor and infirm.

In March we also sponsored our every-two-years’ So. Oregon Third Order Get Together and we had representatives from the Augustinians, the Carmelites, the Dominicans and Holy Names Society Affiliates along with us.  This year we decided to make it more meaningful by everyone bringing a towel and/or other toiletries for donation to the Urban Rest Stop at St. Vincent de Paul. Many thanks to all for this!  As a group we attended 8:30 am Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Medford before sharing a pot luck brunch.  We were a small group of just under 30, but a good time was had by all. It was especially touching as we went around the room and everyone spoke about their vocations.

Our Vice Minister Debbie Wasche, OFS with two Third Order Dominicans.

Another March event for fun saw Patricia Doyle, OFS and Jo Ann Kemp, OFS celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

Ongoing Formation

We continue to study The Joy of the Gospel  by Pope Francis.  What a Franciscan spirit our Pope has!  It is radical and demands transcending the usual conservative/liberal splits so apparent these days.  We are taking turns leading the discussion as we are nearing the end of the book.

Up and Coming

We look forward to meeting with Dan and Sarah Mulholland, OFS’ to oversee and facilitate our council elections on May 17th.  Thanks Dan for the photo below.

We also look forward to the Annual Minister’s meeting
in June.  More to be shared later.

SFRV Treasurer’s Report by Cecelia Rayburn, OFS
Gathering Fund:  $644.91
Fair Share:  $0
Well Fund:  $60.38

SFRV Fraternity Members Birthdays

March

1      Blanche Richman

4      Patricia Doyle

10    Catherine Paradis

April

9      Ralph Wasche

May

12    Mary Gulrich

19    Jocelyn Pendergast

23    Glenn Ray

SFRV Fraternity Members Profession Anniversaries

March

None

April

Jocelyn Pendergast  (April 1, 1989)

May

Jo Ann Kemp  (May 1, 1951)

Franciscan Calendar, USA

March

2     Blessed Agnes of Prague, virgin,  II Order

9     Saint Frances of Rome, religious,  III Order

24   Blessed Didacusjoseph of Cadiz, priest,  I Order

April

3     Saint Benedict the Black, religious, I Order

16   Saint Bernadette Soubirous, Cordbearer of Saint Francis

17   Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, Cordbearer of Saint Francis

21   Saint Conrad of Parzham, religious, I Order

23   Blessed Giles of Assisi, religious, I Order

24   Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr, I Order

28   Blessed Luchesius, layman, III Order

May

9     Saint Catherine of Bologna, virgin, III Order

11   Saint Ignatius of Laconi, religious, I Order

16   Saint Margaret of Cortona, member, III Order

17   Saint Pascal Baylon, religious, I Order

18   Saint Felix of Cantalice, religious, I Order

20   Saint Bernadine of Siena, priest, I Order

24   Dedication of Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

28   Saint Mariana of Jesus de Paredes, virgin, III Order

30   Blessed Baptista Varano, virgin, II Order

30   Saint Ferdinand, king, member, III Order