Happy Feast of St. Francis!

In memoriam:

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you;
through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace,
for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whose embrace no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your most holy will.
The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve him with great humility.

And, in signs of life, a new community following Francis's radical path:

Amid the spartan life these men have chosen, the driving force is prayer. In imitation of St. Francis, the strict adherence to prayer includes praying the Divine Office seven times each day, two daily Eucharistic holy hours and communal Rosary after night prayers. Prayer, Father Engo said, is where the Franciscan Brothers’ ministry begins.

As their patron before them, who was called by God to “rebuild my house,” the brothers have begun their spirited evangelical efforts to rebuild the Catholic community in the neighborhood and around the diocese. Each brother shares his deep devotion to God through participation in Bible study, door-to-door evangelization walks, parish missions, confirmation and youth retreats, catechesis with the neighborhood children, Saturday devotions and Mass, and serving area parishes any way they can.

“We want to bring back the Catholic identity to the neighborhood,” Father Engo told OSV.

Not only are the brothers rebuilding the heart of the Church, but they have harkened to God’s call by literally restoring a place of worship as well.

With the assistance of a diocesan priest who offered his carpentry skills in exchange for communal prayers for a new school principal, the brothers labored in the summer heat to transform St. Andrew’s dilapidated church building into a sacred space that has become a spiritual haven for many neighborhood Catholics.

Though the church is open for Mass and prayer events, Father Engo is clear it’s not a parish, but an oratory. “We wanted to open it as a place of prayer. Then we’ll direct the people to the local parishes,” he said.