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Greetings of Peace and Joy  to my brothers and sisters:

This message comes to you all at this time of waiting for the birth of the  Christ Child. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah promised by God, the God Who comes into our History, Who shares our human condition to make us sharers in His life and grace.

This is the good news that we as Franciscans proclaim to all peoples loved by God. In a sence we can say that Christmas is a late feast. Carlo Maria Martini, former Cardinal Archbishop of Milano writes:   “At the beginning, the Church first grasped the mystery of being  saved and redeemed.   It received  Christ as Saviour at Easter.  It is the mystery we celebrate in every Eucharist – the mystery of redemption.

From that point on, the early church enlarged its  reflection regarding its roots towards the beginning of Jesus’ “ Epiphanies”.   It began to contemplate His hidden years, the mystery of His Birth.   It found out that even in Jesus first manifestations of Himself,  those ways of being through which Jesus – as the Anointed One of God – would give us salvation”

At His birth, the humility of Jesus appeared, His choice of Poverty  -  so dear to Francis and Clare -  the  Glory of thwe only Son of the Father; obedient, available listening to the Father.

The Gospel account then takes up this profession of faith in Christ the Saviour from Easter onwards, makes it grow until the moment when Jesus makes His entry into our History.

It was the desire of Francis to bring home to people that nearness to Christ, that led him to create the first Christmas Crib.   We all know  of the small town of Greccio, when in December 1223, Francis asked a man named John to prepare a er with hay, anox, and an ass.   Then he, Francis, his brothers and the local people, came at Christmas with great rejoicing to celebrate the birth and Francis preached “ concerning the nativity of the poor King”.  Let us all, at this time renew our solomn promise to follow the Gospel Way, as did our Father  and all who follow him.

A  blessed and peace filled Christmas to you all.

Monica Tardiani sfo.

A WORD ON FORMATION
BY THE REGIONAL FORMATOR

If a house in built on straw or on sand, comes bad weather and it is in trouble; so, too, with a Fraternity. Unless its members have solid, adequate, up-to-date Formation, in times of trouble, it flounders.

Fraternity Councils need to be continually re-appraising and up-dating their initial formation programme, always being open to the Spirit who is the primary Formator.
Of equal importance is On-going Formation which must capture the interest of, and challenge all members of the Fraternity to active participation and discussion.

A key person in all of this is the Fraternity’s Spiritual Assistant who has a most important role in both initial and on-going formation. We cannot live by the practices of the past 20, 30 or 40 years. The world has changed. The Church has changed. The Church has changed. So, too, has the Secular Franciscan Order.

The Rule was updated, together with our name change, in 1978 and must continually be part of our reading, reflection and study. Not just Councillors but all members, including our Candidates, should look at the Constitutions on a regular basis which serve to open up the Rule, remembering at all times we are an Order. An excellent book to read is “Called to Rebuild the Church” – a Spiritual Commentary on the General Constitutions of the Secular Franciscan Order by Fr Lester Bach OFM Cap.

The Rule talks of the responsibility of the Fraternity to provide good, vibrant formation and in Article 37.3 it tells us:
 “The brothers and sisters are responsible for their own formation developing in
   an ever more perfect way the vocation received from the Lord.”

So, apart from the formation received at our meetings we have a responsibility to further our own Franciscan spirituality by reading, studying, talks, etc.

For those who were able to attend our Retreat, we experienced great teaching on our Franciscan charism. To quote Fr Norbert: “Our task is to continually grasp the vision that inflamed St Francis and St Clare and grasp what is of perennial, on-going value in that vision for our day.”
And, having grasped that vision, we pass it on to others – remembering that our formation is “caught” as well as “taught”.

As St Francis exhorted his brothers, so too, let us begin again and again on our journey to serve the Lord.
 Joan Jowett, SFO

A Message from Fr Norbert, ofm

My dear brothers and Sisters,

You know the story: two prisoners looked out from their prison window. One saw stars; one saw mud. As obedient servants of the Church, we know that St Francis and St Clare would like us to listen carefully to our holy Father, the Pope. When Pope Paul VI gave the SFO a new Rule, he set it up on its own feet as an autonomous body and running its own affairs. Let us look at the bright side and see the stars.

If you go back to the sources, you will find that this was clearly in the mind of St Francis, but it took the Franciscan Family a long time to discover this. How you should glory that now you can say, “We are an Order, recognized by the Church and adding the many other Orders in the Church. We are no longer to be regarded as a sodality, a pious group of fervent worshippers, a simple prayer group.” This is something to be proud of and you should work to preserve this wonderful gift from St Francis. Not only are you one, unified Order throughout the world, but you are autonomous, standing on your own two feet as a Secular Order with your own identity. I believe the Holy Spirit is guiding the Secular Franciscan Order to holiness.

May I wish you all the joy and peace and serenity of this season of Christmas and the blessings of Almighty God in the coming New Year.

     Fr Norbert ofm  Regional Assistant,

SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER

Saint Clare Regional Fraternity of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

June 2008 Volume 14 Issue 26

MESSAGE FROM THE REGIONAL MINISTER

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Saints Francis and Clare.  As I write this message we are approaching Pentecost – the fiftieth day following Passover. The coming of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Jesus who were gathered in a house in Jerusalem (possibly the 120 persons mentioned by Luke in Acts 1:15) signifies the birth of the Church. On that day Peter, with the eleven, was empowered to address the people of Jerusalem, “and that day about three thousand persons were added (to Jesus’ first followers)” (Acts 2:41).  St. Francis and his followers – including Secular Franciscans – are on mission in the world like Peter and the apostles were. May we too, through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, “go forth as witnesses and instruments of (the Church’s) mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by (our) life and words” (Rule 6).

At the recent National Council Meeting of the SFO Oceania (25-27 April) I reported two noteworthy events that I would like you to know about. Both relate to the Warrawong Fraternity and involve the migrant Croatian community at St. Johns Park, a western suburb of Sydney. Thanks to the endeavours of a Franciscan priest, Fr. Marijan Glamocak OFM, who is the Croatian Migrant Chaplain at St. Johns Park, our first Franciscan Youth (YOUFRA) Fraternity (sixteen members) and an adult emerging fraternity (25 received members) have been established. These Croatian emigrants to Australia have been very well formed in the Franciscan charism over recent years by Fr. Marijan. Fr. Marijan’s work has been ably assisted by Fr. Carl Schafer OFM and Jordan Cajna, viceminister of the Warrawong Fraternity to which these new  aternities have been attached. The Franciscan involvement in the forthcoming World Youth Day festival received mention at the National Council Meeting. There are at least four separate ctivities being conducted by Franciscans, and each will have had some SFO involvement.

• During the week prior to WYD there will be an international YOUFRA gathering at St. Francis School, Paddington. The meeting of probably one hundred Franciscan Youth will be conducted by members of the Presidency of the SFO International Council.

• Also during the week prior to WYD, a Franciscan gathering is to take place in Brisbane. Our National Fraternity, through the Peter Keogh Memorial Fund - to which the NSW Region made a significant contribution - is sponsoring a large number of PNG youths to fly to Brisbane, attend this event and then move-on to the WYD program in Sydney.

 • Some members of the Franciscan Federation of Australia have taken a triple stall at the WYD Vocations Exposition at Darling Harbour during the week of WYD. The SFO is a contributor to this stall and will provide staff during the week.

• The Franciscan Friars (OFM) are conducting a festival event at Bondi Beach on the Wednesday afternoon and evening. The event is titled, “Come to the Water” and will require many volunteers to host the thousands of pilgrims and visitors expected.

Much is going on in our SFO Region of St.Clare and I wish to thank all those who are contributing to the work. There are elections, visitations, promotion events andmuch more.

A upcoming special event is the Regional Franciscan Retreat, which will be held at Hartzer Park in the beautiful Southern Highlands over the weekend 15- 17 August. Please make a point of gathering as many of your fraternity as you can for the trip to Bowral.

May the Good Lord bless you all,

Barry Blake sfo

Sandra Tilley SFO (International Councillor) has requested us to pray for the success of the forthcoming General Chapter of our Order, to be held in Hungary, from 15th – 22nd November 2008.

Prayer for the General Chapter

Extract from St Francis & St Clare (Toronto) Lake Macquarie NSW Fraternity,

News Sheet for 27 February 2008 meeting:

Congratulations to our brother Dr Dein Vindigni who received the Medal of Order of Australia on 26 January 2008. Dein was professed into this Fraternity and is now a non-active member since he and his wife Catherine and two children Daniel and Chiara moved to Lalor Vic. Dein received his recognition:

For services to community health, particularly through the establishment and provision of a range of voluntary services and training programs for disadvantaged people in the Asian-Pacific through Hands on Health Australia, and as a chiropractor through clinical practice and support for community education programs.

It is worthy of note that it was Mick Arthur who nominated his friend for this accolade, because he valued so highly the work that Dein was doing. It was Mick's dream, in collaboration with Dein, and Mick's personal perseverance, that a clinic for Hands on Health be established again in the Newcastle or Lake Macquarie area. Hopefully, we'll see this dream come to fruition in the very near future in Toronto. You have gone to a place reserved for those who have been good, faithful and generous

Mick, and you will be missed dear brother by your Franciscan family. May you rest in peace.

Clare Murphy, SFO

Joshua James (Mick) Arthur, SFO

16 August 1931 - 24 February 2008

St Francis & St Clare Fraternity (Toronto) Lake Macquarie NSW

Mick Arthur converted from the Anglican Church into the Catholic faith in his latter years. He was professed into the Toronto NSW (now Lake Macquarie) Fraternity on 9 May 1990. The following is an extract from the eulogy delivered at his funeral by his good friend Dein Vindigni SFO.

"Betty Arthur has asked me to say a few words to celebrate the life our dearest Mick. She mentioned that 'he didn't want a eulogy, and especially some old bugger up here saying nice things about him'. Sorry, Mick, you've got a young or middle-aged one up here to say some nice things about you instead! As many of you would know, Mick was known by  many aliases. Some of the ones I knew about were Joshua, JJ, McCarthur, General McCarthur, or just 'The General'. He called me Deino, Deino Cappuccino, and during challenging times, flat white. Despite the many and varied names by which he was known, all here would agree that Mick had a big, beautiful and gracious heart.  Helping others and organising other people so that they could maximise their giving were amongst the things that uplifted him the most throughout his life and right until the end. His daughter Fiona recalls that 'Mick would always put his family, friends and those in need first. He had incredible manners and a constant appreciation of others. Even during this last week while he was dying and gasping for breath he tried to manage a smile, a please, a thank you for whoever was trying to assist him from the tea lady, the cleaners, the ancillary staff and the nursing staff and the doctor.'

There are many facets to Mick's personality, and I would like to touch on just a few. We know Mick could be opinionated and even a bit dogmatic. As the eternal teacher he would often find faults in various authoritative texts including dictionaries, and even the Bible, but in spite of some regular, healthy debate and strong-held convictions, you couldn't hold a grudge against Mick because he always came from a gracious heart and from a place of truth - even though it was Mick's truth!

Mick the Teacher: Mick loved words. He was a teacher and Principal for half a century and even in the last letter that he sent me just over a week ago he was still kindly correcting spelling mistakes from previous correspondence.  His three favourite words in the Bible and in life were Love, Peace and Service. These words were well and truly reflected in his actions throughout life. He once explained to me that the Latin definition of educate (educatus) is to bring out the giftedness of people. Mick had a profound respect for the dignity of all people and creatures. He delighted in helping people to be the best they could be, and had a great gift in recognising and drawing out the hidden potential of every human being, especially students or others who were too difficult or troublesome to reach or teach.

Mick's capacity to endure suffering was truly amazing. Nothing would hold him back and there is a sense that now that he is freed of the suffering he will be even more unstoppable as he peers over our shoulders, from his classroom in heaven, and continues to correct those spelling errors and theological nconsistencies.

Mick the Franciscan: I first met Mick at a gathering of the SFO in Toronto, where he was very quick to clarify the correct spelling and pronunciation of my surname: ' It is not Vindigni, its Vindigni. The 'gn' is silent and pronounced as in lasagna! He was very fond of his Franciscan brothers and sisters,who knew him well, and loved him including his larrikinisms.

Mick the Volunteer: Among one of Mick's incredible range of lifelong voluntary initiatives, which touched the lives of countless people, is his teaching in the outback with VISE - Volunteers for Isolated Student Education, not just as a volunteer, but as an advocate and organiser for the organisation. I recall Mick back in 1992 at the Salvation Army, Hands On Health Clinic in Hannel Street, Newcastle. He would sit patiently with a fellow called 'Bones'. Mick's job as a volunteer was to teach 'Bones' how to present at a job interview. Not sure how 'Bones' went at his first interview, or whether it happened at all, but I have fond memories of how 'Bones' loved turning up for his regular job-counselling session with kind, patient, funny Mick. When we couldn't find a place to work from, General MickArthur went straight into action, fervently gathering all the troops and resources so that he could re-establish this voluntary health program for marginalized people in the community that he felt so passionate about. He called and visited every major denomination in Newcastle, and was well known to the Anglican and Catholic Bishops and leaders of all other denominations and political parties. There was no stopping Mick.

Mick the Man of Faith and Surprises:  The fact that Mick's funeral service is being celebrated at Christ The King Anglican Church Toronto, rather than St Joseph's Catholic Church, Toronto, where he spent much of his latter life as a practising Catholic, is a good example of Mick the man of many surprises. It is also witness to his great ecumenical heart and spirit. He was reassured and even heartened by how lay Franciscans existed in both Catholic and Anglican traditions.  Mick frequently challenged his family, friends and students, but beneath this debate and exchange, was a never-ending desire to 'educate' to 'bring out' their giftedness and contribution of love and service for all of God's creation. I think that this little story of Poppy, written by Mick's granddaughter Sarah several years ago, says it all:

Dear Poppy

You are the most amazing, important person in my life, and I love you more than anyone in this whole entire world. I have never ever met or heard of anyone as special as you and I never will. I would do absolutely anything for you because you are the most important, special, amazing person in my life and ALWAYS will be. You are amazing in every way. I will feel so privileged if I even become a tenth of the person you are. I have never loved or cared about someone in my life as much as I love and care about you. I wish you would be here with me forever. You have taught me endless things that I will keep with me forever. You have been my favourite person my whole life and always will be. I will never stop missing you. I love you more than anything in the world. Love always, Sarah.

Mick, General Mick, General MickArthur, we love your dearly and (as the Salvos say) now that 'you have been promoted to glory' we salute you as you make your way to heaven. We look forward to meeting you once again when it is our turn.

Noreen O’Hanlon sfo (1919-2008)

On 26th February I attended the Funeral Mass at Mosman Church of a dear friend, Noreen O’Hanlon SFO. Noreen, who was born in Ireland on 28th December 1919, had been one of the Non-Active members of our Mosman Fraternity over recent years. Noreen was professed into the Third Order of St. Francis at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Dublin on 12th February 1946. She married, and had five children (four girls and one boy) before coming to Australia and settling in Mosman with her family. With music from Visions of Ireland playing in the background, Noreen’s grandchildren placed symbols of her life on her coffin – white pall, Irish flag, family crest, Rosary beads, Franciscan badge and prayer book. Bishop Terry Brady celebrated the Funeral Mass and the four daughters gave eulogies.

She her final years in a nursing home. Noreen remained faithful to saying the Divine Office each night and welcomed the Spiritual Message I would send her each month.  May she rest in peace.

Eileen Kew SFO

Minister, Sacred Heart Fraternity, Mosman

1207-1231, Patron of Secular Franciscan Order (3rd Order) - Feast Day: Nov. 17

Elizabeth was born at a time when it was still the practice that parents decided whom their children should marry. By today's standards it seems atrocious that the fate of a child should be decided at age 3 - before the child was even capable of understanding what a spousal relationship meant. That is exactly what happen to Elizabeth, she was to be raised in the castle of her future husband, Louis, also still a child.

Elizabeth was a lovely child and as she matured she was known for her charity to the poor and the needy. Louis, recognized what a generous girl Elizabeth had become, really wanted to marry Elizabeth and when they were 18, they were married. The marriage was a happy one. Elizabeth built a large hospital where she daily fed nine hundred people. That in itself was a very large accomplishment. She gave herself totally to the work, and while Louis was away, she took over the regency of the area. In her spare time she tended to the poor, especially the lepers.

Elizabeth was no stranger to suffering. The crusade to the Holy Land began in 1227 and Louis also went, but on the way, still in Italy, he died. Louis' brothers rose up against Elizabeth upon the news of his death, and Elizabeth was driven out of the palace. She was really not
welcome anywhere. She was destitute and homeless with four children, the youngest being just two months old.  Finally, after much searching for a place to stay, she was offered shelter in a stable. Elizabeth prayed in gratitude, recalling how Jesus Christ came down to Bethlehem only to find a stable. The only work she found was to spin flax and even from that she saved some money for the poor.

 Turning down a proposal of marriage by Emperor Frederick II, she eventually settled in Marburg in a small house near a Franciscan Church. She joined the Third Order of St. Francis and built a hospice for the poor and sick at Marburg. In those days, Third Order members wore a habit and cord. When only 24 years old, in Marburg, Elizabeth died from disease or fatigue. She was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1235.  Her body can still be seen today in Marburg in a beautiful gold shrine. Some of the bones found their way to other places, but some are still in the beautiful gothic St. Elizabeth Church at Marburg which is now a protestant church. Pope Leo XIII named her patroness of all charitable organizations of women. We are honored to have her as a Patron to the Secular Franciscan Order.
F. Schaeffer

A copy of the letter written by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to Cardinal Peter Erdo, Primate of Hungary, on St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

I learned with deep pleasure that special festivities are planned for the eighth centenary of the birth of St Elizabeth of Thuringia or Hungary, being celebrated this year. On this happy occasion, I ask you to convey to the faithful of Hungary and of the whole of Europe my spiritual participation in the scheduled celebrations: they will be an appropriate opportunity to present to the entire People of God, and of Europe in particular, the splendid testimony of this Saint, whose fame has crossed the boundaries of her own Homeland involving a great many people throughout the Continent, including non-Christians.

Elizabeth, a "European" Saint, was born into a social context of recent evangelization.  Andrew and Gertrude, parents of this authentic pearl of the new Christian Hungary, were careful to instil in her an awareness of her own dignity as God's adoptive daughter.  Elizabeth made her own the programme of Jesus Christ, Son of God, who in becoming man "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Phil 2: 7). Thanks to the help of her excellent teachers, she trod in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi and set Christ, the one Redeemer of humanity, as her personal and ultimate goal and model in life.

Called to be the wife of the Landgrave of Thuringia, she never ceased to devote herself to the care of the poor, in whom she recognized the likeness of the divine Master. She was able to combine her gifts as an exemplary wife and mother with the exercise of the Gospel virtues that she had learned at the school of the Saint of Assisi.  She proved to be a true daughter of the Church, who bore a concrete, visible and meaningful witness to Christ's love.  Innumerable people down the ages followed her example, viewing her as a model who mirrored the Christian virtues, lived radically in marriage, in the family and also in widowhood.

Political figures have been inspired by her, drawing from her the incentive to work for reconciliation among nations. 

The International Year of Elizabeth, which began in Rome last 17 November, is arousing new interest and a better understanding of the spirituality of this daughter of Pannonia, who still today reminds her fellow citizens and the inhabitants of the European Continent of the importance of the imperishable values of the Gospel.

Your Eminence, I express my fervent hope that a deeper knowledge of the personality and work of Elizabeth of Thuringia will help people to rediscover with ever livelier awareness the Christian roots of Hungary and of Europe itself, impelling their leaders to develop the dialogue between the Church and civil society in harmony and respect in order to build a world which is truly free and shows solidarity.

May the International Year of Elizabeth be an especially favourable opportunity to highlight for Hungarians, Germans and all Europeans the Christian heritage they have received from their ancestors, so that they may continue to draw from these roots the necessary nourishment for abundant fruitfulness in the new millennium which recently began.

As I invoke upon all the constant protection of Mary, Magna Domina Hungarorum, of St Stephen and of St Elizabeth, I impart a special Apostolic Blessing to you, Your Eminence, to the Bishops, clergy, Religious and all the faithful, as a pledge of abundant heavenly favours.

VICTORIAN FRATERNITY CONTACTS (2005)

Fraternity                           Day
And where they meet         And time

St Anthony's                      2nd Sunday
Italian Fraternity                  2.30PM
Incl  English group            4th Sunday
Power Street                       12 Noon
HAWTHORN 

St Augustine's                   3rd Sunday 
Magnificat House              12.45 PM 
Queensbury St  
NTHMELBOURNE

St. Paschal's                     3rd Sunday 
St. Paschal's Friary            2.00 PM   
YTC Common ROOM  
90 Albion Street
BOX HILL   

St. Joseph's-Chelsea.      3rd Tuesday 
St Josephs.                      4.00 PM 
Parish Centre  
Argyle street
CHELSEA    

St. Joseph's-Springvale     3rd Sunday 
St Joseph's Church            2.00 PM  
35 St John's Street  
SPRINGVALE

Vietnamese Fraternity         2nd Sunday 
Mary Immaculate                TBA
St Joseph’s     
25 St John's Ave
SPRINGVALE 3171  

COUNTRY:BENDIGO

Mount Alverna                   2nd Monday 
St Liborius                        7.30 PM 
Parish House 
388 Eaglehawk Rd  
EAGLE HAWK

Holy Family

Meetings:

2nd Sunday

12.30pm

St Francis Church

Francis St

Riverside West

Launceston 7250

Mary of the Angels

Meetings:

Last Tuesday

7pm

St Peter Chanel Church Foyer

Smithton 7330

The Immaculate Conception
Regional Fraternity
of South Australia 

Regional Minister:   Andrea Burvill

Email Contact:  Lynn         ltdsfo@optusnet.com.au

Mitchell Park Fraternity                        
3rd Tuesday at 7.00pm
Church of christ the Worker
Cnr Kelsey Ave/Parkmore  St
Mitchell Park

Contact: Patrick 8296 6495

Newton Fratenity                               
3rd Sunday at 2.00pm
St. Francis of Assisi Church
59 Newton Road
Newton

Contact: Maria 8331 0686

Lockleys Fraternity                             
2nd Friday at 7.00pm
Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus
454 Henley beach Road
Lockleys

Contact:   jeannine@chariot.net.au

PERTH FRATERNITY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS
On Sunday 24 July 2005 at 10.00 am a sung Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth was   offered in thanksgiving for the 75 year existence of the Perth Fraternity of the Secular      Franciscan Order.   Mons. Thomas McDonald celebrated the Mass and Fr Deeter   conducted the Cathedral Choir which sang St Francis’ Prayer of Peace.  Mons. McDonald’s homily focussed on the life of St Francis, especially his simplicity and universal  appeal. 
The Perth Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order,  formerly known as the Third Order of St Francis, was officially  established in Perth in the Cathedral Parish during July 1930.  It had been meeting and    forming members for some time prior to this.  Its founding members were Kathleen Lewis and Emilie Furse. The first minuted     meeting was held on 23 July 1930.
As there were no Franciscan Friars in Western Australia at the time the Archbishop  appointed diocesan priests to act as Spiritual Directors.  This continued until 1950 when the Franciscan Friars (OFM) arrived in Western Australia. They were instrumental in establishing   fraternities in Collie, Dardanup, Geraldton and Midland. Balcatta Fraternity was established by the Capuchin Friars – a branch of the Franciscan family.
During the early years of Perth Fraternity, Australia was in the grip of severe economic  depression.  There were many poor and needy people to be helped.  Emilie Furse founded a Sunday School hour for children and helped with their religious education.  She also gave them small gifts of clothing, fruit and sweets supplied by the fraternity. The fraternity helped at Castledare Boys’ Home with sewing, mending, knitting and various other ways.
Perth fraternity organised  nativity plays, picnic days and theatrical entertainment.  Bill Mangini was a wizard with    lighting and effects and the Sanderson sisters were noted for their dramatic skills.
In 1942, during the War Years, a Third Order Social Club was formed with the idea of  spreading the Franciscan    message to the secular community and attracting even more members.  Only 10 members had been professed in 1941 as opposed to over 50 in 1932 and more than 60 in 1933.  Archbishop Prendiville performed the opening of the club which flourished for years but eventually became a   member of the National   Council for Women.
Perth Fraternity adopted  Father Jerome, known to us as Monsignor Hawes of Geraldton who went to the Bahamas and lived as a hermit there.  The small church he built on Cat Island bears the inscription “This church was built with donations sent from the Tertiaries of the Third Order of St  Francis in Perth,  Western Australia.”  Mons. Hawes donated a painting of Cat Island to the SFO and it is now located in the Archbishop’s dining room.
As late as 1964 Perth had over 365 living members and although many of these were isolated due to age,  infirmity and distance, over 70 regularly attended the monthly Fraternity meetings.  A number of our members have gone on to embrace Religious life as priests and nuns.
(This article is extracted from one submitted by John Barich sfo of the Perth Fraternity in Oceania Christmas 2005)

REGIONAL FRATERNITY OF SAINT CLARE
NEW ZEALAND

The Divine Office

A talk given by Jackie Abraham at SFO Formation Day, 18 March 2006

The word "Office" comes from the Latin officium meaning "service", something done for someone! 

The Divine Office is the service given to God in prayer. The Office, or the Liturgy of the Hours, is not a private prayer even when said by one person. Like all liturgy it is the prayer of Christ and his Body carried throughout the whole world.

It is helpful to examine the oldest traditions of the Office to see how the essential purpose of it was to nourish the spiritual life of the people of God. We see how those traditions go right back to the Jewish disciplines of prayer. Jesus would have followed the Jewish custom: Morning prayer at sunrise, afternoon prayer at the time of the evening sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem (3 pm) and evening prayer at sunset. These three hours of prayer were the daily habit of every devout Jew and this would have been the pattern taught to his disciples.

Scripture tells us that after the resurrection the disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

By the end of the second century a transformation had produced a pattern with some remarkable parallels to the modem Office. The principle times of prayer were at daybreak and sunset, what we now call Morning and Evening Prayer. These two "hours" of prayer were assumed to be obligatory for all Christians.

In the third century we see that Christians in Rome were encouraged by Hippolytus to pray in addition to Morning and Evening prayer, at 9 am (3rd hour), at noon (6th hour), 3 pm (the 9th hour), at midnight and at cockcrow, known today as the Liturgy of the seven hours. And this was a pattern expected of all Christians, not just the clergy..

By the fourth century daily Morning and Evening Prayer in the local Cathedral had become a universal custom.