August 2nd The Indulgence Of Forgiveness

[cappie]

August 2nd is the feast of Our Lady of the Angels

The Portiuncula is an ancient church dedicated to Mary under the title Our Lady of the Angels and is located in Assisi, Italy. It was a spot very dear to the heart of Saint Francis.Here he began and grew in his religious life; here he founded the Franciscan Order; here he manifested his love and great devotion to the Mother of God. When Francis knew he was dying, he requested to be brought to the Portiuncula to end his earthly life.As we honor Our Lady of the Angels, may we find inspiration for our own growth and development in the Gospel way of life that Saint Francis embraced and lived so completly.

[center] [img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/555429_362751863787349_1323873937_n.jpg[/img][/center]
[center]([u]The following is an excerpt from the Major Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure[/u].)[/center]
" The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned . Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the Angels often visited it, so that it was called Saint Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ.

He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here he began his religious life in a very small way; it is here he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin.

This was the place where Saint Francis founded his Order by divine inspiration and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel.
This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later.

As he was living there by the church of Our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of mercy and he brought it to fruition.

He embraced the Mother of Our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars."

[center][b]HOW ST. FRANCIS ASKED AND
OBTAINED THE INDULGENCE OF FORGIVENESS[/b][/center]
[left]He awoke one night in 1216 at the Porziuncola and an inspiration stronger than usual prompted him to arise and go into the little chapel. He knelt in prayer and, as he prayed, our Lord, accompanied by His Mother, appeared to him and bade him ask for that which he desired most. "0 God," he said, "although I m a great sinner, I beseech You to grant a full pardon of all sins to all who, having repented and confessed their sins, shall visit this church." And Jesus said to him: "Francis, you ask much, but you are worthy of greater things, and greater things you shall have."[/left]

[left]Our Lord then granted Francis' request and told him to go to His Vicar for ratification of the indulgence. Honorius III, who was just beginning his Pontificate, was holding court at Perugia, and it was to him that Francis presented his petition.

Honorius was a spiritual, unworldly man, yet at such a request he hesitated. "Holy Father," Francis said urgently, "a little while ago I restored a chapel for you in honour of the Virgin Mother of Christ (the Portiuncula), and I beseech you to bestow on it an indulgence."[/left]

"For how many years do you want this indulgence?" the Pontiff inquired. "Holy Father," said Francis, "I ask not for years but for souls." "Just what do you want?" Honorius asked. "Holy Father," replied Francis, "the Lord has commanded me to ask you that all those who after confession shall visit the Portiuncula with contrite hearts may obtain full remission of the punishment due to the sins of their whole lives from the day of Baptism to the day they enter this church." Honorius pondered the extraordinary request, and said slowly three times: "I also, in the name of God, grant you the indulgence."

Honorius wanted to give Francis the document of the indulgence, but Francis saw no need for it. "What have you to show that this indulgence has been granted you?" the Pope asked in amazement as Francis prepared to depart for Assisi without any written confirmation of the great permission. "Holy Father," he replied, "Your word is enough for me. If this is the work of God, it is for Him to make His work manifest. I desire no other document. The Blessed Virgin Mary shall be the charter, Christ the notary, and the angels the witnesses." Some days later, before the Bishops of Umbria, Francis said: "Brethren, I want to send you all to Heaven!"

[center]CONDITIONS TO OBTAIN
THE PLENARY INDULGENCE
OF THE FORGIVENESS OF ASSISI
(for oneself or for a departed soul)[/center][list]
[*]Sacramental Confession to be in God's grace
(during the eight days before or after);
[*]Participation in the Holy Mass and Eucharist.
[*]Visit to a Catholic Church, followed by PROFESSION OF FAITH, in order to reaffirm one's own Christian identity;
[*]Say the OUR FATHER, in order to reaffirm the dignity as child of God that one received in Baptism;
[*]A prayer for the Pope's intention, in order to reaffirm one's membership in the Church, of which the Roman Pontiff is the foundation and sign of visible unity.
[/list]

[BG45]

Thank you for posting about this Father

[Amppax]

There's a replica of the Portiuncula (referred to as "the Port") on Franciscan's campus. Ugh, this makes me want to just drive up there and visit it.

Thank you for the post Father.

[Egidio]

Ah yes, i had the grace to celebrate my first Holy Mass there!!!

Pax et Bonum!

[Hubertus]

We have a Portiuncula-styled adoration chapel at our parish!

Edited August 1, 2012 by Hubertus

[cappie]

Santa Maria degli Angeli, prega per noi. Happy feast day of the mother church of the Franciscan family!

[cappie]

[url="http://youtu.be/J0VgOtiis3s"]http://youtu.be/J0VgOtiis3s[/url]

[cmaD2006]

More info here:

[url="http://airmaria.com/2009/08/02/our-lady-of-the-angels-of-the-portiuncula/"]http://airmaria.com/2009/08/02/our-lady-of-the-angels-of-the-portiuncula/[/url]

[cmaD2006]

double post!

Edited August 2, 2012 by cmariadiaz