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MilesChristi

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Brothers and Sisters,

I'll be spending my spring break in early March with the Franciscans of Primitive Observance. It's still about three weeks away, but I thought I'd post anyway since I'm feeling pretty excited about the whole thing, and Phatmass played a part in making it possible. :) I posted a question on here about the FPOs last spring, and I was soon contacted by a Phatmasser who had just joined the board. He was preparing to enter the FPOs, and he kindly gave me a bit of an introduction to the order before he became a brother. It'll be cool to finally meet him in person. I've been exploring various orders for a while now, and there's something particularly compelling about these guys. Hopefully, spending this time praying and working with them will give some indication one way or the other of what God wills.

Here's some cool stuff.....
The friars don't have a website, but you can check out this [url="http://204.27.188.70/daily/03-97/03-31-97/c01ho236.htm"]article[/url] written about them.

Also, some of you girls out there may be interested in the female branch - the Capuchin Recollect Sisters. Here's an [url="http://204.27.188.70/daily/03-97/03-31-97/c01ho238.htm"]article[/url].

Christ's peace,
Peter

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  • 4 weeks later...
MilesChristi

I'm leaving for the friary early tomorrow morning. Please keep me in your prayers, that I may be completely open and receptive to whatever God wills. :)

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Interesting...I've never heard of them before! May the peace of Christ be with you and may your eyes and heart be open to what it is God wants you to experience with the Friars.

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be_thou_my_vision

I was in contact with the sisters for a while. Sister Kelly is the one I talked to. She was so kind and patient to me. I like them very much... they moved the pennsylvania to a new convent a couple of years ago. The website is www.medugorje.com/sisters/. There is also a link to another one of their websites... it's on the left side of the above address. Have fun!

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  • 3 weeks later...
MilesChristi

Hey Brothers and Sisters,

I'm sorry I didn't post about my visit sooner; things were kind of busy when I got back to the university.

Anyhow, here's an outline of their schedule....
1:30 AM - rise, Office of Readings
5:30 AM - rise again, Morning Prayer, Angelus
6:30 AM - hour of mental prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
7:30 AM - Holy Mass
8:30 AM - optional quick breakfast
9:00 AM - manual labor, apostolic work, etc.
12 Noon - Angelus, Daytime Prayer
12:20 PM - lunch
1:00 PM - manual labor, apostolic work, etc.
4:00 PM - stow tools, shower, etc.
4:30 PM - Evening Prayer
5:00 PM - Holy Hour
6:00 PM - Angelus, supper with conversation
7:00 PM - clean refectory/kitchen, free time
8:30 PM - chapter of faults, Night Prayer
8:50 PM - Holy Rosary

Their complete poverty on a communal and individual level really resonates with me. I found that the austerity of my surroundings drew me powerfully toward God. When I saw my cell, a small wooden cubicle with a bare lightbulb and a sleeping bag on the floor, I was filled with joy for some reason. The rhythm of prayer through the day and night was wonderful. Work became a prayer as well, since my heart was continually recollected in God's presence, and I was doing my tasks for love of Him. The brothers are building a new friary on a mountain near their current house, so I spent a lot of time insulating, drilling, and drywalling. Friday is reserved as a special day of fasting and prayer, so no outside work was done then. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the chapel all day. I soon found that the exterior silence eased me into a corresponding interior calm. I was also able to spend some time reading and praying over their constitutions that afternoon. The brothers themselves are great guys. There is quite a mix of different backgrounds within the community.

I've been invited back to make a more extended visit. I definitely plan to do so, but it probably won't be right away since I'll be on Crossroads all summer and then the fall semester starts right after that. In the meantime, I'll continue praying and discerning God's will regarding this community. :)

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Sounds just wonderful.... glad to hear that it really resonated in your heart as well! Prayers and keep us posted!!!

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What an incredibly awesome bunch of ascetics! I read their articles. God bless you if you do join. I'll be sure to keep you in my prayers. What is Crossroads, btw?

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