Franciscans Of The Immaculate

[Rising_Suns]

Here is a nice picture of the Sisters in the Indiana location.

[img]http://airmaria.com/media/finews/finews0029_240x180.jpg[/img]

[VeniteAdoremus]

Oh, those veils!

[Selah]

They're lovely, aren't they?

[Rising_Suns]

Please forgive me if this is too far off topic, but I wanted to ask everyone in this thread to please remember me in their prayers, as I will be entering the FFI in just under two weeks.

Your prayers are very much appreciated.


In Corde Matris,

-Davide

Edited August 7, 2008 by Rising_Suns

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Rising_Suns' post='1619962' date='Aug 6 2008, 10:56 PM']Please forgive me if this is too far off topic, but I wanted to ask everyone in this thread to please remember me in their prayers, as I will be entering the FFI in just under two weeks.

Your prayers are very much appreciated.
In Corde Matris,

-Davide[/quote]
That's wonderful! Congratulations! God bless you!

[Selah]

[johnnydigit]

13AUG UNITED DEPART 647A INDIANAPOLIS ARRIVE 441P

5 more days until my first visit and 2 week stay! i'm getting more excited as i learn just how much media they cover with all their videos on the net i'm seeing, as well as the recent coverage of the dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is staffed by the FI. i have a very special devotion to OLG so that works out nicely.

coincidentally (..right!), i will be there for the feast of St. Max (one of their patrons) on the 14th, and of Our Lady's Assumption on the 15th, commemorating my 1 year anniversary of Marian consecration in Czestochowa with the Fr. Kolbe Missionaries.

*crosses hands*

[img]http://www.marymediatrix.com/images/friars-sisters-pope.jpg[/img]

[img]http://bp0.blogger.com/_2si1O7F5f4o/SBg9J_QPP1I/AAAAAAAAAiQ/W3g-2Z5_OI4/s400/rl_friars_pray3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://bp3.blogger.com/_2si1O7F5f4o/SBg8_vQPPyI/AAAAAAAAAh4/BbtEefctxTU/s400/fsi_community.jpg[/img]

[img]http://bp0.blogger.com/_y65sKUEdILQ/SAuSYLufXLI/AAAAAAAAAaY/i9xNEly34Ls/s320/FRANCISCAN%20FRIARS%20OF%20THE%20IMMACULATE.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.marymediatrix.com/images/fsi_novice.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.immacolata.com/rpaceffi/images/Gruppo_Francescani_Immacolata_2000.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.marymediatrix.com/images/fsi_pope.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.marymediatrix.com/images/ftis_paint.jpg[/img]

[johnnydigit]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1576778' date='Jun 19 2008, 07:58 PM']They kiss the floor when they enter and leave the chapel.[/quote]

that just made my day! the first time i experienced that was when i first visited the CFR's. since then i have so wished that the order i go to would do that as well!


[quote name='MandyKhatoon' post='1577232' date='Jun 20 2008, 05:20 AM']I had a friend who was discerning with the Franciscans of the Immaculate and she has a type of arthritis that was the cause of her leaving a different order. When she wrote to them expressing interest to their Community they told her that, "nobody is too sick to serve the Lord" and that she would still be eligible to join their Community. I just thought that was really cool and I was very impressed by that.[/quote]

i know just the person (who had to leave due to health) that would be delighted to hear that!

[johnnydigit]

fyi, the skateboarding brother from down under,


[img]http://airmaria.com/media/musc/musc0003_240x180.jpg[/img]
Fra Gabriel Mary, FI does all things for the Immaculate near our Friary in Perth, Australia. He inspires the youth to aim for higher things as he skateboards to the tune of Schubert’s “Ave Maria.”
[url="http://www.airmaria.com/2007/03/25/video-fra-gabriel-skateboarding-down-under-to-schuberts-ave-maria/"]http://www.airmaria.com/2007/03/25/video-f...erts-ave-maria/[/url]
[url="http://revver.com/video/953895/fra-gabriel-skateboarding-down-under-to-schuberts-ave-maria/"]http://revver.com/video/953895/fra-gabriel...erts-ave-maria/[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKX7QmaL_bw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKX7QmaL_bw[/url]


[img]http://airmaria.com/media/rovr/rovr0038_240x180.jpg[/img]
Roving Reporter #38: Fra Gabriel M. of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Ave Maria from the Land Down Under! In this Roving Reporter, Fra Gabriel discusses his unique apostolate - skateboarding, and how this unique apostolate fits into the daily life of a Franciscan of the Immaculate. Ave Maria! +++
[url="http://www.airmaria.com/2008/06/05/video-roving-reporter-38-fra-gabriel-m-of-our-lady-of-guadalupe"]http://www.airmaria.com/2008/06/05/video-r...dy-of-guadalupe[/url]


[img]http://airmaria.com/media/finews/finews0032_240x180.jpg[/img]
FI News #32: Friar Gabriel Skates Again
Ave Maria! Friar Gabriel’s brother, friar Didicus, himself being an accomplished skater, recently visited our two friaries in Western Australia, and while he was there shot another video of Friar ...
[url="http://www.airmaria.com/2008/03/14/video-fi-news-32-friar-gabriel-skates-again/"]http://www.airmaria.com/2008/03/14/video-f...l-skates-again/[/url]
[url="http://www.revver.com/video/744629/fi-news-32-friar-gabriel-skates-again/"]http://www.revver.com/video/744629/fi-news...l-skates-again/[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKUJZ7hutQQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKUJZ7hutQQ[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5kmuEW3W3Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5kmuEW3W3Y[/url]


===========

i think it's awesome. i try to skate a little. i love to snowboard. like to do crazy stuff sometimes.. mountain bike, offroading, etc. like he and JP2 with skiing, i'd like to hit the halfpipe in full habit to evangelize someday..

[Rising_Suns]

[quote name='johnnydigit' post='1622348' date='Aug 9 2008, 03:29 AM']as well as the recent coverage of the dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is staffed by the FI. i have a very special devotion to OLG so that works out nicely.[/quote]

I was very excited to see coverage last night on EWTN's the World Over Live. The new Shrine is truly magnificent, and the FFI have been given a great honor to be the keepers of it.

JD, I hope your trip turns out well. Please be assured of my prayers. And please remember me in yours.

Perhaps we will both see each other in blue habits one day.

Blessings.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Rising_Suns

[johnnydigit]

[quote name='Rising_Suns' post='1598436' date='Jul 11 2008, 11:51 PM']Fridays they eat their meals on their knees. Dinner is optional, and fasting is encouraged. (they also know how to have fun, and enjoy their recreation time).

if you are a traditional Catholic and love the latin Mass, chanted divine office (rather than spoken), and prayers in latin, then the FI is really your only option.[/quote]

i've died and gone to heaven!

3 more days! Fr. says there are 2 more vocations flying in that evening as well.. prayers!

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1611153' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:43 PM']I can't believe I didn't notice this sooner! [url="http://www.airmaria.com/?sn=34&vp=1739&prefx=finews&plyrnb=1&ttl=FI%20News"]Slideshow on the AirMaria web site about the Poor Clares of the Immaculate.[/url]



edit. P.S. This Italian sister has the most lovely voice... Roma mi manca! I miss Rome![/quote]

she does! i love listening to Italian sisters as it reminds me of Italy, too!

[Rising_Suns]

I just received word that there may be up to eight (8) new postulants entering the FFI this year, which is more than last year. They seem to be growing steadily with young vocations each year, most of whom are in their early 20's.

I should note, I am not sure this number includes the aspirants/vocations guests staying at the Indiana friary or not (including you JD).

Blessings,

-Davide

[Thomist-in-Training]

Oh, I can't believe it! Well, maybe you won't be able to answer a while if you're staying two weeks... but JohnnyDigit, I didn't realize you were going to Indiana!! I was there too, one of the three girls with the Sisters for Assumption etc.! I was the one with the glasses and brown hair and the fancier mantilla... are you the Vietnamese one? If you read this send me a PM and tell me how it went...

[Thomist-in-Training]

Well, since I had the privilege of spending some time with the Sisters in Indiana, and have some free time, I will post a bit more about them.

They are very happy, almost boisterously so some days during recreation (which sometimes involves outdoor games--not actually tag and foursquare, but that sort of thing; or UNO with the "Ave Maria" house rule) and dinner. They asked for jokes and also told us many. They also shared many humorous stories of pranks and misadventures of the other friars and sisters. My favorite was the postulant who pretended to be levitating and convinced her co-postulants, who ran to call Mother...

They have a great deal of common prayer: Office of Readings (around 5:00, or shifted to afternoon), Morning Prayer, Holy Mass (usually, in Indiana, they sing hymns in the choir loft), Midday Prayer, Vespers (usually with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament), and Compline, and two Rosaries in the chapel. They also, after the example of Padre Pio, pray rosaries whenever they can "in the nooks and crannies of the day" as it were: walking, waiting for something, in the car etc. Either St. Pio, or Father Stefano their Founder, exhorts one to always have the Rosary in one's hand, and the Sisters seemed to, except when cleaning... but even then sometimes, one sister will lead aloud, and say 'First Hail Mary full of grace,' 'Second Hail Mary...' etc. to keep track. They have 1 hour of meditation and 2 hours of study daily. There is a wonderful blue book of chant called the 'Liber seraphicus' with chants for feasts, unchanging things like the Magnificat, Marian antiphons and so on. Right now in the US they still use the "Christian Prayer" books but they want very, very much to get 1962 (1961 is the date of the edition, I think) breviaries--Even having two would help. So, if you have some, send them to the address at the MaryMediatrix.com website ('religious life--Sisters') and they will be eternally (no joke) grateful.

They have many benefactors and we ate all kinds of things, the "misca Francescana," Franciscan mix, such as scrambled eggs with tuna in them (tasty!). The food is different every day, but there is always plenty, with treats for feast days, less for a monthly day of recollection (maybe Fridays too, but the Friday we were there was Assumption so I can't tell). The photo Rising_Suns posted is from last year and they already have an all different group of sisters except one--the Italian sister is still there (she is very funny and did many imitations, including of us!) and then there are 3 other Filipina sisters (not the ones in the photo) and 1 American sister right now, besides her; the FSI move around very often, it seems.

By the way Rising_Suns also put that entrance date is Aug. 14--but girls, do not despair! It seems the sisters (as opposed to the friars) don't have a fixed entrance date, just "some time in August or September." Maybe later even--they do an aspirancy, which varies in length depending on how quickly they can get a visa for you to go to Italy, and how quickly you learn Italian once there. They accept quite young girls also, 16 and up it seems. They don't have a very formal application process, I guess because they are still small.

If someone has questions, I have many stories and things of course that I will be happy to share (if I have any time to spend on the internet in the next few weeks, which is not certain). Ave Maria!

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1611153' date='Jul 28 2008, 09:43 PM']I can't believe I didn't notice this sooner! [url="http://www.airmaria.com/?sn=34&vp=1739&prefx=finews&plyrnb=1&ttl=FI%20News"]Slideshow on the AirMaria web site about the Poor Clares of the Immaculate.[/url][/quote]
Here this video is available with English subtitles now, [url="http://www.mtstfrancis.com/Poor_Clares.htm"]http://www.mtstfrancis.com/Poor_Clares.htm[/url] Their site under construction is looking beautiful!

Edited December 18, 2008 by Margaret Clare