Excerpt from my 2004 translation of John’s gospel, which begins at Start With John, along with a brief explanation of my interpretive approach.
My 2012 translation of John’s first epistle begins at John A.
My 2015 translation of John’s second epistle begins at John B.
My 2015 translation of John’s third epistle begins at John Γ.
My 2015 and 2017 translation of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians begins at To The Thessalonians A.
My 2015 translation of Paul’s letter to The Romans begins at To the Romans.
My 2004 translation of Paul’s first letter to the Korinthians begins at And Now For Something Completely Different….
My 2004 translation of Mark’s gospel begins at Mark 1.
6 1 After that Jesus went up across the Sea of Galilee to Tiberiados. 2 And a crowd of many followed because they saw the miracles which he performed upon those who were sick. 3 So Jesus went up onto a mountain and rested there with his disciples. 4 And it was near the Passover celebration of the Judeans. 5 So when Jesus raised his eyes and saw the crowd of many coming to him, he says to Philip, “Where will we buy bread to feed them all?” 6 He said this to test him; for he himself knew what he was about to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each one to receive some.” 8 One of the disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, says to him, 9 “There is a young man here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what is this among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Get all the men to sit down.” Now there was a large open space where they could eat and when they sat down, the men numbered five thousand. 11 Jesus took the loaves and giving thanks, gave them out to the men sitting around each a portion, and of the fish, as much as they wished. 12 And when they were full, he says to his disciples, “Gather up the remaining fragments lest there be waste.” 13 And when they were all gathered, they had twelve baskets of fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by the ones who had eaten. 14 The men then observed what a miracle he performed and said, “This is truly a prophet who comes from heaven into the world.” 15 Jesus then knowing that they were about to come and forcefully take and make him king, retreated [or ‘fled’] again onto the mountain alone.
16 And when evening came, his disciples went down to the seashore 17 and embarking in a boat they went across the sea to Kapharnaoum. It was already dark and Jesus had not come to them, 18 when a great wind rose up on the sea. 19 When they had gone about twenty-five or thirty stades [σταδιους, the race course at Olympia, as a measure, was one stade, about an eighth of a Roman mile] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But Jesus said, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they went to receive him in the boat, and then [ευθυς] the boat came upon the land where they were going.
22 The next day the crowd was standing across the sea and they saw that the other boats were there except one, and that Jesus did not go with his disciples in the boat but his disciples went alone; 23 then boats came from Tiberiados near the place where they ate the bread for which the lord gave thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they embarked in their boats and went to Kapharnaoum seeking Jesus. 21 And finding him across the sea, they said to him, “How (or ‘when’) did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered and said, “Listen carefully, you seek me not because you saw miracles but because you ate the bread and were filled. 27 Do not put all your energy into material sustenance which will eventually be entirely lost [i.e., ‘utterly destroyed,’ ‘demolished’] but [put all your energy] into sustenance which will remain [‘endure,’ ‘continue’] forever, [sustenance] which the son of man will give you; for god the father has approved this one [i.e., the son of man].
28 Then they said to him, “What should we do in order that we might do the great works [‘astounding miracles,’ apply the energy, εργα] of god?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the great miraculous work of god – that you believe in the one he sent.”
30 Then they said to him, “What evidence [‘sign,’ σημειον] will you do so that we might see it and believe in you? What [great miracle] are you going to do? [Dramatic irony – the literary audience knows the answer but the ‘actors’ or characters do not. John is using this device to amplify the meaning of this story – i.e., that it points to the crucifixion and subsequent, resulting resurrection as the ‘great miracle’ or ‘work’ of god that Jesus will do. Now the characters bring up the history of Israel, the great works of god through Moses:] 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert and so it is written:
Bread from heaven he gave them to eat.” [Ex 16:15]
32 Jesus said to them, “Listen carefully, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, rather, my father gives you the true bread from heaven; 33 for the ‘bread of god’ is that which descended from heaven and which gives eternal life to the universe.”
34 Then they said to him, “Master, give us all this bread.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of eternal life; the one who comes to me will not hunger and the one who believes in me will never thirst. 36 Now I told you that you have seen me but still you will not believe. [So now I will explain to you the way it is:]
37 Everything the father gives me will come to me, and I will not cast out [or ‘expel’] the one who comes to me 38 because I have not come down from heaven to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 39 This is the will of the one who sent me, that everything he has given me should not be lost or taken away from him but [on the contrary] I will raise it [all] in the eschatological [‘last’] day. 40 For this is the will of my father, that everyone who meets the son [θεωρεω, ‘sees him’ with the implication of presence, like a governmental envoy or diplomatic meeting] and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up in the eschatological day.” [He is referring to apocalyptic themes in the prophets and the popular literature of the time – now known as apocryphal and pseudepigraphic – that he himself is this eschatological son of man seen in the visions of, say, Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah, Ezekiel. This is very hard for them to believe, probably, as Jesus says, because they never really believed or understood it in the first place.]
[So, of course, they are offended…] 41 Then the Judeans were grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread which descended from heaven,” 42 and they said, “Is this Jesus not the son of Joseph; don’t we know his father and mother? How is it that he now says, “from heaven I have descended?” 43 Jesus answered back and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one is able to come to me but the one whom the father who sent me draws to me; and then I will raise him up in the eschatological day. 45 It is written in the prophets, “And all will be taught by God.” Everyone who heard [the teachings] of the father and learned comes to me. 46 No one has seen the father [i.e., face to face] except the one who was with God [i.e., from the beginning] – this one has seen the father. [He is referring to Moses, who saw God, but not his face.]
47 Listen carefully, the one who believes [what I’m saying] has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of eternal life. 49 Now, our fathers ate the manna in the desert and they died; 50 but the bread I’m talking about descended from heaven so that anyone who eats it should not die. 51 I am the bread of life which descended from heaven; if anyone should eat this bread he will live forever; now the bread which I will give is my body in behalf of the life of the world.”
52 Then the Judeans were quarreling among themselves saying, “How can this one give us his body to eat?”
53 Jesus said to them, “Listen carefully, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you will not have eternal life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the judgement. 55 For my flesh truly is sustenance and my blood truly is the [marriage] sacrament of wine [ποσις means both ‘husband’ or ‘mate’ and ‘drink.’ This is a play on words to suggest the Israelite ceremony which included the notion of Israel as bride and God as groom, a recurring theme in John]. 56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me and I in him. 57 And just as the eternal life of the father raises me up and I will live eternally because of the father, so also will the one who eats me live because of me. 58 This is the bread which descended from heaven – not what the forefathers ate and died – rather, the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Kapharnaoum.
60 Then many of his disciples, hearing [him] said, “This word [this guy’s teaching] is harsh [‘tough’ as in ‘sclera’ (σκλνρος) of the eye, which is cartilaginous and gristly – the teaching is ‘hard’]; who is able to listen to it?” 61 And Jesus, knowing within himself [ειδος ‘knowing‘…εν εαυτω ‘in himself‘] that his disciples were grumbling concerning these things says to them, “Does this offend you? Why do you wonder [θεωρεω, can also mean, ‘contemplation,’ ‘reflection’] that the son of man will be lifted up to where he was before? 63 The spirit is the one who gives eternal life, the body is of absolutely no benefit; rather, these little words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are eternal life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning that some would not believe and that some one would betray him. 65 So he said, “This is why I told you that no one is able to come to me unless it has been gifted to him from the father.” 66 Then many of his disciples went elsewhere and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus then said to the twelve [who were left, presumably], “Don’t you wish to leave?”
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Master, where will we go? You have (little) words of eternal life; 69 we have believed and we know that you are the holy one of god.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose the twelve of you? And yet, one of you is ‘diabolos,’ a false accuser.” 71 He was speaking about Judas Simon Iscariot; for this guy was about to betray him, [even though] he was one of the twelve.
This translation was taken from The Greek New Testament, Kurt Aland, et. al. eds., Third Edition (corrected), United Bible Societies, (in cooperation with the Institute for New Testament Textual Research, Münster/Westphalia, Printed in West Germany by Biblia-Druck GmbH Stuttgart),1983.


The Winners Mandate
Winners Chapel International, New York is a branch of the Living Faith Church Worldwide and the regional headquarters of the Ministry in North and South America. Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel International is an end time liberation Ministry presided over by Bishop David O. Oyedepo with worldwide headquarters in Canaan Land, Ota, Nigeria. Our primary objective is the general development and liberation of mankind by stirring up the God given potentials embedded in people of all races and nations through the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our task is to liberate the entire world from all forms of oppression’s of the enemy through the teaching and preaching of the Word of Faith, schooling men to exploits in life and releasing men and women to their full potentials for the benefit of all mankind.
God gave the Presiding Bishop of this Commission, Bishop David Oyedepo this mandate after an eighteen-hour vision. God told him:
“The hour has come to liberate the world from all oppressions of the devil through the preaching of the Word of Faith, and I am sending you to undertake this task.”
Today, testimonies of liberation as a result of our messages, books, tapes, magazines and other periodicals are most humbling. We have diverse proofs to date that the task is enjoying tremendous success by the grace of God, through testimonies of dramatic changes and improvements in the quality of life of the people, every where these churches are represented.


The St. Joseph Worker Program empowers women committed to social change to respond to the needs of the times.
The St. Joseph Worker Program fosters the self-empowerment of women through the values of the leadership, spirituality, social justice, intentional community and living simply, to allow them in the tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph, to serve where the need is greatest.
Women ages 21-30 are welcome to become St. Joseph Workers. Every volunteer is matched with a placement, where they spend a thirty-six hour work week. One night a week is designated for Sharing of the Heart, in which each household spends an evening with spirituality, listening and learning from one another. In addition, the program includes weekly community nights, multiple retreats, social justice opportunities, and other development activities to make the year a truly transformative experience.
Forming small intentional communities, St. Joseph Workers focus on living simply and building respectful relationships. Weekly Sharing of the Heart evenings (a Sisters of St. Joseph tradition spanning hundreds of years) allows household members to share and learn from each other. This program informed by a Sharing of the Heart is proven to be highly transformational in terms of personal growth.
Justice related work placements (thirty six hours a week) are in the areas of social service, health care, immigration, education and social change and, as the Sisters of St. Joseph have said for nearly 500 years, care for the “Dear Neighbor.” Placements are intended to provide opportunities to serve and learn about direct service and systemic action: the “two feet of justice.”
Women are encouraged and supported in growing their spiritualty and are invited to experience the spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph who focus on love of God and neighbor without distinction. This spirituality extends beyond religious denomination, recognizing that all living beings are recognized as sacred and deserving of our love and respect. Love of God and neighbor without distinction is the foundation that moves the Sisters into social action.
Everyone leads differently. A well rounded experience in leadership benefits career development, activism, community and civic engagement. Through experiences such as trainings, intentional conversations (one-to-ones), mentorship at service sites and unique leadership opportunities, the St. Joseph Worker Program supports women as they strengthen their individual leadership skills.
All women, ages 21 to 30, are invited to apply to the St. Joseph Worker Program.
- Volunteers are matched with a placement site where they serve full-time (36 hours per work week)
- One night a week is designated for “Sharing of the Heart.” This CSJ tradition provides Workers with an opportunity to develop spirituality, listen and learn from each other.
- Community nights, retreats, social justice opportunities, and other personal development activities help make the year a truly transformative experience.
St. Joseph Workers receive:
- Room & Board
- Health insurance (premiums and some additional funds toward copays and other medical expenses are covered)
- Transportation to and from placement site
- Living allowance
- Spiritual mentor
Additional benefits may include:
- Graduate or undergraduate course credits through St. Catherine University (some exclusions apply -- please ask)
- College loan forbearance or deferment
- Professional networking and mentor possibilities
The St. Joseph Worker Program is an 11-month program (typically August to June) based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota, U.S.A.
Workers live in intentional community in dedicated St. Joseph Worker houses with other St. Joseph Workers. Currently, St. Joseph Worker houses are located in the Phillips neighborhood


My mom insisted that I add some saints names to the list since that's how my parents chose names for most of my siblings. Many of the names I've already mentioned are saints' names anyway, but here are a few that gain much of their appeal from who they once belonged to...
Anthony Latin "priceless one" I try not to list the same name twice but I had to make an exception for Anthony (also #10 on the most popular names list). St. Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of lost items, and as a kid I often remember my mom saying "Tony, Tony look around. There's something lost that must be found." You'd be amazed at how well it worked to help her find her purse, misplaced keys, and once, even Ryan!
Bede English "prayer" The Venerable St. Bede is the patron saint of scholars and is recognized as one of the Doctors of the Church.
Dominic Latin "belonging to the Lord" St. Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers, and the founder of the Dominican order, to which my sister belongs.
Francis Latin "free man" St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals.
Ignatius Latin "fiery" St. Ignatius of Loyola is the patron saint of retreats, the founder of the Jesuit order, and the saint my school was named after.
Luke Greek "from Lucanus" St. Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, and is the patron saint of artists and doctors.
Maximillian Latin "greatest" St. Maximillian Kolbe is the patron saint of drug addicts.
Nicholas Greek "people of victory" Also known as Santa Claus, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of bakers, brewers, brides, grooms, children, Russia, Greece, and travelers!
Patrick Latin "noble, patrician" St. Patrick is the patron saint of engineers, Nigeria, and of course, Ireland.
St. John (SIN-jin) English saint's name. At first Noah and I were a bit baffled to find this name in our baby name book (seems a little presumptuous), but then it started turning up all over the place (as an alias for James Bond in A View to Kill, a character on Mad Men, and even in the Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre). Then I looked at the list of saints and discovered that John is by far the most popular saint's name. I guess it's a nice way to honor a favorite saint, but it won't get you into heaven any faster - there are no Saint St. Johns.
Xavier Arabic "bright" St. Francis Xavier is the patron saint of missionaries, and a founding member of the Jesuit order.


What We Offer
For babies and toddlers we provide creche facilities every Sunday.
Sunday School meets each Sunday from 10:45am - 12:00noon. They take an active part in the first part of our worship together leading prayers.
Youth Group (secondary age) meets on a Sunday night, usually the second Sunday of the month, from 7-9pm.
Our Holiday Club runs each August during the school holidays. Watch out for more information soon!
All our volunteers are PVG checked and follow the Church of Scotland's Safeguarding Good Practice policies and proceedures.


Whenever I go to the hometown of my mother in Pangasinan, I am reminded of the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag, a minor Basilica, which is situated in a nearby town. My mother's place goes to the right, after the town of Binalonan, and the shrine on the left going to the town proper of Manaoag.
Filipinos by nature are ardent devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They pray for her intercession in asking special favors to her son, Jesus Christ. In Manila, we have the church of the Lady of Perpetual Help where Marian devotees flock, especially during Wednesdays. It is a pilgrimage site where people from all walks of life congregate to pay homage to the Blessed Virgin.
The Shrine of the Lady of Manaoag, however, is considered as a place of miracles. It is replete with stories and anecdotes about the Holy Mother. Many have been written in various journals ,and among my favorites are stories that were told firsthand, by my own mother.
She often says that the Virgin is miraculous. During the Japanese era, the Blessed Mother is known to show herself to local farmers whenever there is danger or pestilence.She is a beautiful lady with a shining face who talked placidly with the natives. A farmer who saw her in the fields, was surprised to see her image in the church.
Several people claims to have seen here walking around. As of result, the pilgrimage to the site grew in numbers. Devotees came from all parts of the Philippines, and some of them are from other countries like the United States and Europe.
When I went there a few months ago, I saw the same number of people flocking around the church. The entrance was full of vendors of : rosaries, replica of the Virgin and the Sto. Nino, kakanin (sweet bread), tupig (sticky rice with coco strips and charbroiled), fruits, and native bags and decors. The church was basically the same as when I last saw it and the lines going to the Virgin at the altar is still long as ever.
There are several stores managed by the church where I bought a few floating candles, calendars, and a t-shirt for my kid. It was a religious experience and I could have finished hearing the mass had I not been distracted by the commerce that were all around me.I saw several ladies selling ginger juice in different sizes of bottles. I wondered what that has got to do with the veneration of the Virgin. But I let go of the ill thoughts and went to the small pool to float my candles. These candles were said to be for special favours and I lighted ten of them.
I stood there transfixed with the Blessed Virgin gazing down at me. I asked for forgiveness from all the distractions that must have shaken my unwavering faith in her. I then sense a sudden calmness that must have meant, that she has forgiven me. I left the site with a feeling of contentment and inner peace.
Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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The Bair Room
The Bair Room is named for Robert C. Bair, Dr. Henry Smyser’s son-in-law who, with his wife Ella, inherited the Smyser-Bair house and lived out his life in it. Robert Bair was a lawyer who taught Sunday School in the church across the parking lot. His Sunday school lesson books remain on display in the house, and some of them include his portrait, signature, notes, and handwritten lists of his students. The room itself is decorated with soft, comforting wallpaper and includes three tall windows looking down from the third floor.


How to join the Jericho Rosary
What is the Rosary Jericho
- Jericho rosary is a continuous rosary prayer for the given intention. It lasts for 7 days, 24 hours a day.
and why the Jericho website
- Usually, the rosary prayer (one part of the rosary) takes about half an hour (30 minutes). So one day, there should be at least 48 rosaries.
- In the weekly Jericho rosary, at least 336 rosaries are prayed (24x2x7).
- For the weekly Jericho rosary, 336 people are needed to cover all the hours (day and night of Polish time) of the week with the prayer.
- Our website is only a help in organizing the prayer time efficiently so that all the hours of the week are covered by the rosary prayer.
- In the whole Jericho Rosary, the most important thing is our prayer, to which the Blessed Virgin Mary constantly calls us.
- You can join our Jericho rosary in two ways.
The first way to join the Jericho – one-time prayer- To join the one-time prayer, just fill in our form.
- When you choose a one-time prayer, you have two options: "with an account" and "without an account".
- ‘One-time prayer without an account’ consists of : choosing the time of your prayer (day, hour), choosing one of the four parts of the rosary, and entering your name in the form on our website: Join the prayer (One time without an account). This form of choosing a prayer requires the approval of your entry by the administrator of our website.
- When choosing the ‘one-time prayer with an account’ (I’ve got an account) you must have an account in Jericho. You can ask a moderator to create it for you by clicking the link: Contact
- If you have an account (username and PIN code), after you define your rosary in the form, the prayer will be automatically added to the Jericho calendar.
The second way to join in Jericho – permanent prayer- Your contact with the moderator of Jericho is required to join the permanent prayer.
- You can contact the moderator by clicking the link: Contact.
- The moderator will create an account for you and then you can log in using your username and PIN code which will be sent to you in response to your request.
- Having your username and PIN code will enable you to choose one-time prayers anytime you want.
- Permanent prayer is reported to the moderator.
- Permanent prayer consists of choosing at least one day and hour a week (eg Friday - 7.30 pm). You pray the permanent rosary in our Jericho until your resignation.
- By joining the permanent prayer you will receive a text message reminding you of the beginning of your prayer time (available only in Poland) , with a short verse of the Scriptures to contemplate while praying your Rosary. You’ll also receive and email (in any part of the world) with short verses of the Scriptures.


Why Saint Joan?
Burned at the stake at Rouen in 1431, at the age of fourteen Saint Joan of Arc heard and saw Saint Catharine of Alexandria, Saint Margaret of Antioch and Saint Michael the Archangel.
The fourth century martyr Saint Catharine of Alexandria (Feast Day: 25th November), and the third century martyr Saint Margaret of Antioch (Feast Day: 20th July) were excluded from the new liturgical calendar in 1969, along with many other well-known saints and powerful intercessors such as Saint Philomena.
Devotion to the Holy Michael Archangel dates from the very beginnings of the Church. In 1969 Saint Michael was deprived of his sole Feast Day, known as Michaelmas. The Feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael on 8th May was also dropped. The sudden abandonment by the Catholic Church of such powerful and universally popular devotions is one symptom of the liturgical revolution described in the first publication of The Saint Joan Press by John Wetherell, "Lex Orandi Lex Credendi: An Examination of the Ethos of the Tridentine Mass and that of the Novus Ordo of Pope Paul VI."
The illustrations by Madeleine Sarah Beard are derived from fifteenth century French manuscripts in memory of the fifteenth century martyr Saint Joan, canonised by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.


Citylight Church is a local church. We are a gospel community of people here in Roanoke whose lives have been and are being changed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. Together we are pursuing what it means to live life in a way that shows Jesus to be as worthy as He really is.
Citylight Church is an interdenominational Christian church, which means we have people from all different backgrounds. Yet we have a common core: we are a community that is about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Citylight Church is about Jesus. Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8.12). In the extreme cosmic makeover to come, there will be no sun or moon, but rather Jesus will be the constant illumination for God’s glorious and eternal city (Rev. 21-22, Isa. 60). Both in this world and the world to come, Jesus is the one true cityLight.
Citylight Church is about following Jesus. Jesus says to those who follow Him, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5.14-16). In this we find both our name and our mission, for Jesus calls us to be citylights in our homes, in this city and into the world.
Citylight Church aligns itself with the historic Christian faith. Belief in these doctrines is not necessary for participation in the Citylight community, but is required for those decide to become church members and leaders.
If you’re considering visiting Citylight Church or if you’re new to our church community, we want you to know that we understand how difficult or awkward it can be to find a church home. Thank you for reading about us here on this site, but we also invite you to connect with us.


CUB SCOUT PACK 794
Also sponsored by Mission Hills Church, Cub Scout Pack 794 is an active group of boys.
Details about where and when this pack meets:
When: 3 Thursday nights a month, at 7:00PM to 8:00PM
Where: Mission Hills Church, in the “Kids’ Sidewalk” area. Please enter on the east side of the building
Who: Boys in grades 1 to 5, or ages 7 to 10
We are a Christian Cub Scout Pack that meets to help our boys grow into young men by teaching them Cub Scout Values such as doing your best, doing your duty to God and the country, and helping other people at all times.


Franciscan Theology can be hard to explain to someone in a few minutes. I think this video does a great job of doing so. https://youtu.be/PlAdNvf334A. Would you like a transcript? In the lower right hand corner of the Youtube screen just to the right of the word SAVE are three dots. Click on those three dots to access the transcript.
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
The national fraternity has a very nice website. It is getting better all the time. Check it out. If you have questions about the Secular Franciscan Order in the United States, then there is a good possibility you will find the answers there. It is a great resource.
This is a BIG year for Secular Franciscans worldwide. Our first rule was Memoriale Propositi. It was approved in 1221 by Pope Honorius III. Learn more about our heritage and plans for celebrating on the international fraternity's website.
After reading about the plans to celebrate, you might want to explore other pages on the international fraternity's website.
Thursday, December 31, 2020
The Second Vatican Council encouraged religious communities to explore the founder's charism. The Degree on The Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life Perfectae Caritatis Proclaimed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965 is the first major milestone in the renewal of the Franciscan Movement. It said "The spirit and aims of each founder should be faithfully accepted and retained." As a result, among Franciscans there was a renewed interest in Sts. Francis and Clare and their earlier followers.
After Perfectae Caritatis, the next major milestone is the publishing of St. Francis of Assisi: Writing and Early Biographies: English Omnibus of the Sources for the Life of St. Francis in 1972 by Marion A. Habig and Raphael Brown, et al. In its day, the Omnibus, as it was affectionately referred to, was the "gold standard" of sources for information about the life of St. Francis. The Omnibus gave Franciscans and scholars access to the early Franciscan sources.
The next important milestone is the development and approval of new SFO Rule in 1978. Amazingly, the new rule for Secular Franciscans incorporates Francis of Assisi's "First Letter to the Faithful," which had been misplaced for 750 years. The 1978 rule is perfect for our time. Secular Franciscans are encouraged to devote themselves to careful reading of the gospel, going from gospel to life and life to gospel.
The next important milestone is the publishing of Studying The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi - A Beginner's Workbook (1st Edition) in 1996 by William R. Hugo, OFM Cap. I highly recommend Hugo's method for studying Franciscan documents. Simply put, you have a mind and Hugo shows you how to use it.
The 2nd Edition of Hugo's book is coordinated with the Francis of Assisi: Early Documents Volume I, II and III, which is the next important milestone. The three volume set, published in 1999, is in widespread use by scholars, academics, and the laity.
The next important milestone occurred in 2001. That is when "The Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (CFIT) was established in 2001 by the English-Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) to promote a contemporary retrieval of the distinctive theological and spiritual vision that animates the Franciscan movement." Around 2007, CFIT established an internet presence allowing scholars, academics and laity to have access to an array of digital documents, including the three volume set of Franciscan documents published in 1999.
In 2010, during a General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI offered the world a catechesis on St. Francis of Assisi and two more on St. Bonaventure.
The Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) published For Up to Now: Foundational Topics for Initial Formation in 2011, which is the next important milestone for the Order. The FUN Manual is an absolutely outstanding resource that is widely available on the internet as a digital document.
Finally, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, a papal conclave elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio as his successor in March 2013. He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. The first pope to do so.
Yes, this is a very good time to be a member of the Secular Franciscan Order.


Weddings and Sacred Occasions
Celebrations and special occasions are among our most memorable moments in life. Birth, coming of age, marriage, special anniversaries, and celebrations of life are just some of the sacred events we observe in our lives.
As a legally ordained minister with Universal Life Church and the Order of Melchizedek, as well as an initiated Priestess in the Order of Magdalen, I work in a broad, deep, and nondenominational space to provide the design and delivery of your sacred occasion.
In addition to design and officiation of your wedding, I am also available to provide design and/or facilitation of:
Mother blessing ceremonies
Menarche rites or parties
Memorials or celebrations of life
Contact me to discuss your sacred occasion and learn how I can help you to make a memorable and profound moment in time last for your lifetime.


For more information and to register, please contact the Faith Formation Office:
Phone - (716) 297-5010
Fax - (716) 297 - 4648
Director of Life Long Faith Formation: Sister Mary Joanne Suranni, CSSF ext. 202
Office Manager: Belinda Pappal ext 200 email@example.com
The St. Vincent de Paul Parish Faith Formation Program follows the guidelines of the Diocese of Buffalo in the structure and implementation of its sessions. In order to meet the needs of busy families and young people, there are options for instruction.
Students meet at their particular age/grade level in a discipleship group from grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade under the direction of a classroom catechist teaches Catholic doctrine, and gives witness to his/her faith by sharing experiences of God and the Sacraments.
St. Vincent de Paul Parish has implemented a NEW FAITH FORMATION CURRICULUM as directed by the Diocese of Buffalo called Forming Disciples. This curriculum looks at the six tasks of catechesis namely:
Catholic Doctrine: Knowledge of the teachings of the Catholic faith
Liturgy: How the Church celebrates the Sacraments and enters into the mystery of God
Morality: Living out God’s commandments
Prayer: Developing a relationship with God
Community Life: Love of God cannot be separated from love of neighbor.
Missionary Activity: Catholic Christians serve God by doing good works in order to build up God’s Kingdom on earth.