Confraternity of Penitents August 2025
LIFE PLEDGE DAY OF RECOLLECTION SUMMARY
(Penitents who have completed formation and who apply to pledge to live the CFP Rule are required to make a day of recollection, either formally or informally, prior to pledging. During this time, they are to pray about their pledge and ask God’s guidance. This reflection is from Alessandro Prison Ministry Anthony LaCalamita who has pledged to live the Rule for a year. He is planning to pledge to live the CFP Rule for life on August 13.)
In accordance with the documents needed for pledging, I am submitting this writing as a summary of my thoughts about the day of recollection made prior to my life pledge. Since I am incarcerated, I am unable to make a formal event in a church, retreat house or other place apart from my housing unit. With this in mind I spent much of the day on Sunday, June 15, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, here at Muskegon Correctional Facility reflecting on my relationship with God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how I can enter into this great love relationship with each person of the Most High God.
On the Wednesday prior, I was able to make a good confession and participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with the readings taken from today. This day of recollection started with my prayer this morning, seeking to deepen my relationship with our heavenly Father, as today the secular calendar celebrates Fathers' Day. My meditation time began with the Liturgy of the Hours and the Mass readings for the day. I recalled the Psalm 8 response, "O Lord our God, how wonderful your name, in all the earth", and the verse, "what is man that you should be mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him." Despite my prior
bad acts, sinfulness, and acting outside his will, he cares for me!!! The CfP and the Rule is a community and a way of life for someone like me who recognizes his sinful nature and seeks to be renewed through Christ in a deeper way of living via prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, providing a path of penance toward sanctification.
The first reading from Proverbs spoke to me about God's wisdom that delights in us everyday, as God the Father revealing himself to us through Jesus, his Son, and the Spirit. What a great gift we have in Jesus! He softens my heart and enables me to share with others. This morning my meditation was interrupted in a positive way by a young man who is finding it difficult to write a letter to his young son because it is too painful. I shared that it is necessary for us to literally cry out to God quoting Psalm 42 (""My tears have been my food day and night, while people say continually, 'where is your God?'"). For me, that means sharing my loneliness, frustration, anger, sadness, etc. with him in prayer, even tears.
Living this penitential lifestyle is a means for opening my heart and mind to the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be in fellowship with the One who made me. Another point of reflection came from the antiphons used in the Liturgy of the Hours for the office of Readings for today : "the Father utters the Truth, the Son is the Truth he utters, and the Holy Spirit is Truth." Where can I find truth? Through the accountability I have living the Rule, as it's principles and provisions are designed to draw us closer to the Truth, who is the Son of God.
This morning we had an ecumenical service in the unit, and the theme revolved about transformation of the mind as expressed by Paul's letter to the Romans. I was struck by one of the guys whose message revolved around staying connected to the Lord in prayer, calling it "Login, Sync, and Refresh" throughout the day as needed to remain in relationship and remain obedient the Father' will. The Rule is a means for me to me guided in that obedience, being "logged in through the LOTH, daily meditation, praying Psalms, daily CfP prayers, and spontaneous prayer throughout the day. Lately I've been allowing other projects, tasks, and demands on my time, albeit for good things, to cause my to "log out" and not "syncing" back up or allowing the Spirit of God to "refresh" my soul. Providentially, two weeks ago the first memory verse of a discipleship group I was asked to join is the motto of the CfP: "...Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and all of your mind and all of your soul...and love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt 22:36-38, NIV).
In addition, upon further reflection on the mission statement of the CfP that was given to St. Francis of repairing the Father's house which is falling into ruins, I see myself doing just that, called to show others how Jesus has restored me and continues to sanctify me, witnessing to how he can do the same for them, while also bringing that love to others.
It is my prayer that I can stay connected to that fellowship of love that our Triune God wants to share with me and each one of us, as I seek to share that with others. Much like a wireless device that needs to be recharged and connected to its network hub to function properly, so may I, through the CfP Rule and community, be prompted to remain "logged in" through the actions of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and continuing formation required by the CfP Rule. The words of the prophet Micah come to mind: "He has told you, O mortal what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" May this commitment to pledge to live the Rule for life be a catalyst for remaining "logged in" to the Father, through the Son, powered by the Holy Spirit this day and the rest of my days. May I be more dedicated to the commitment of the Rule and fellowship with the CfP and share the love of Christ as his love has been shared with me. Pax et bonum!!! –Anthony LaCalamita, CfP
Spiritual Guardian’s Reflection: The Portiuncula: A Gateway of Grace for the Penitent Soul
by Fr. Joseph Tuscan, OFM Cap., Spiritual Guardian of the Confraternity of Penitents
Each year on August 2nd, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula—a date of deep significance not only for Franciscans but for every member of the Confraternity of Penitents. For us, it is not merely a commemoration of a chapel near Assisi, but a reminder of our own call to ongoing conversion, humility, and radical trust in God’s mercy.
The Portiuncula—or "Little Portion"—was a small, crumbling church that St. Francis of Assisi rebuilt with his own hands after he heard Christ's call to "repair My Church." It was here that Francis laid the foundations of the Franciscan movement, embracing poverty, forming brotherhood, and welcoming St. Clare into religious life. For the penitent, the Portiuncula is a symbol of restoration: a place where the broken become whole, the proud become humble, and the wandering heart returns to God.
One of the greatest treasures associated with this holy place is the Portiuncula Indulgence, which St. Francis obtained from Pope Honorius III. Francis, filled with love for poor sinners, desired that anyone who came to the little chapel with true contrition and confession could receive full remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. This indulgence was later extended to any church on August 2nd, under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, reception of the Eucharist, praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, and complete detachment from sin.
For members of the Confraternity of Penitents, the Portiuncula Indulgence is more than a pious tradition—it is a spiritual lifeline. We are pilgrims walking the narrow road of conversion, and this feast offers a profound opportunity for spiritual renewal. It reminds us that grace is not earned but received; that God's mercy flows freely to the humble and contrite.
Our Rule calls us to live the Gospel through prayer, fasting, and penance, in the footsteps of St. Francis. On this feast, we touch the very heart of that calling. We are invited to remember that penance is not punishment but transformation—a return to the Father’s house, like the prodigal son, where love waits with open arms.
Under the title Our Lady of the Angels, Mary too shines brightly over this day. She is the Mother of Mercy, the refuge of sinners, and the perfect model of humble obedience. Her presence at the Portiuncula reminds us that we never walk the penitential path alone. She walks with us, prays for us, and leads us always to her Son.
Dear brothers and sisters in penance, I urge you to celebrate this feast with devotion and joy. Visit a church, receive the sacraments, obtain the indulgence, and recommit yourself to the Gospel way of life. The “Little Portion” has become a great fountain of mercy. Come and drink deeply. – Fr. Joseph Tuscan, OFM Cap, CFP Spiritual Guardian
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NO GREATER LOVE: THE LORD’S EXAMINATION BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
After His arrest at Gethsemane, after the Last Supper, Jesus was brought before the Jewish governing body, called the Sanhedrin, to cross-examine Him. They wished to establish a charge against Him so that He could be handed over to Pontius Pilate to be crucified. There were two charges levelled against Christ. The first charge was that He had threatened to destroy the Temple. However, the witnesses could not establish exactly what He had said. Actually, He had only predicted the destruction of the Temple. (Mt 24:1-2, Mk 13:1-2, Lk 21:5-6) Given the tense political situation between the Jews and the Romans, this was an event which was not hard to foresee and certainly not a reason to have a man crucified.
Pope Benedict tells us about the second charge levelled against Jesus, the charge which led to His crucifixion. On the basis of Jesus' teaching in the Temple, a second charge was in circulation: that Jesus had made a Messianic claim, through which he somehow put himself on a par with God and thus seemed to contradict the very basis of Israel's faith-the firm belief that there is only one God. We should note that both charges are of a purely theological nature. Yet given the inseparability of the religious and political realms, of which we spoke earlier, the charges do also have a political dimension. As the place of Israel's sacrifices, to which the whole people comes on pilgrimage for great feasts, the Temple is the basis of Israel's inner unity. The Messianic claim is a claim to kingship over Israel. Hence the placing of the charge "King of the Jews" above the Cross, to indicate the reason for Jesus' execution.
As the events of the Jewish War show, there were certain circles within the Sanhedrin that would have favored the liberation of Israel through political and military means. But the way in which Jesus presented his claim seemed to them clearly unsuited to the effective advancement of their cause. So the status quo was preferable, since Rome at least respected the religious foundations of Israel, with the result that the survival of Temple and nation could be considered more or less secure.
The majority of the Sanhedrin wanted Jesus to be crucified by the Romans because they believed that He claimed to be the Messiah, the “King of the Jews”. However, they still had to establish this charge in order to justify asking the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to crucify Jesus. The High Priest, Caiaphas, therefore questioned Jesus personally. “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” (Mt 26:63) Jesus answered him, “You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mt 26:64) Caiaphas then tears his garments and says, “He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgement?”. (Mt 26: 65-66). The majority of the Sanhedrin answers, “He deserves death.” (Mt 26:66)
In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord does not directly admit to be being the “Son of God” since that title had political implications. While Jesus is the Son of God, that title was also given to David’s son, Solomon, by God speaking through the prophet Nathan, “I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives.” (2 Sam 7:14) Rather, Jesus admits to being the “Son of Man”. Jesus is referring to a vision of the prophet Daniel. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." (Dan 7:13-14)
Jesus had previously identified Himself with the Son of Man coming in glory. (Mt 16:27, Mt 24:30, Mk 13:26, Lk 21:27) Here, He make this claim right before the High Priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. The Lord’s claim to be the “Son of Man” referred to in Daniel’s vision caused Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to charge Jesus with the crime of blasphemy. They assumed that Jesus was not the Son of Man or the Son of God or the Messiah. He was no more than the son of a carpenter from Nazareth and therefore not the Son of Man.
They still needed to confirm their judgement about Jesus. The Old Testament book of the Wisdom of Solomon, which most scholars believe was written around the middle of the first century B.C., gives us an insight into the thinking of those who condemned Jesus to death. “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange. We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s son, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. Let us test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.” (Wis 2:12-20) This passage refers to a righteous Jew who is an irritation to those who are not so righteous. It is very easy to see how Christians would see this as a prophecy of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
The question facing Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin is the same question which faces all of us. Who is Jesus? Caiaphas asked Him the question and Jesus told Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin the answer. He is the “Son of Man” as described in the book of Daniel. Caiaphas did not believe Him, and thus considered His claim to be blasphemy, a crime punishable by death. The question of whether He really is the “Son of Man” was not taken up by Caiaphas or the majority of the Sanhedrin. They did not call witnesses to attest to His miracles or His teachings. Rather, they tested Him by scorn, mistreatment, and insults. This was all predicted in the Book of Wisdom.
They assumed that God would never allow His anointed Messiah to undergo such mistreatment. Since this mistreatment was happening to Jesus, He could not be the Messiah. In other words, He could not be the “Son of Man” or the Messiah since He did not fulfill their expectations that He should display great power and glory before their eyes.
Many modern theologians and teachers assume that Jesus never really claimed to be the “Son of Man” or the Messiah. He was exalted to that level by the Church over time. Yet that idea has serious problems. Why was He convicted of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin when He never claimed such titles for Himself? Certainly, he did criticize the Jewish establishment, (for example Mt 23:1-36, Mk 7:1-23, Lk 11:37-54) but rabbis did criticize each other over interpretations of the Law. He could have denied that He had any Divine rank, and said that His statements about the “Son of Man” referred to someone else. Of course, that would be a lie. He was crucified for the “crime” of telling the truth about Himself.
What was offensive about Jesus to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin is still the most offensive thing about Jesus for enlightened modernity. He can be recognized as a great teacher and example of goodness. However, His claims to be the “Son of Man” sitting at the right hand of Power gives His teachings an authority which is unacceptable to many people. They would rather use the things which He said to their own benefit and reject or ignore that which they don’t like or find uncomfortable. The Father did not want Jesus to force anything on the Sanhedrin by a great display of power. We must voluntarily accept His offer of Eternal Life with Him.
The Church which Jesus Christ founded is in the same position as Jesus Christ Himself in the sense that she cannot force people to join her. When that has been tried, it has not worked out well. Just as some found excuses to reject Jesus because He was the Son of a carpenter and they knew His family and where He was from, so people reject the Church because of the very human people who are in the Church. We hear things like “Jesus yes, the Church no”. Yet, when we separate the Lord from the Church which the Lord founded, we reject an important way in which the Lord mediates His presence to us. We need to consider whether, by rejecting the authority which the Lord gave the Church, we are rejecting the Lord Himself. “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Lk 10:16) The Church is constantly “on trial” just as the Lord was on trial, but the Church is His Church, not our Church, and it is up to Him to fix her problems, as He has done in the past. – Jim Nugent, CfP
HUMOR: SIGNS
On an office restroom door: “TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.”
In a Laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT.
In a London department store: BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS...
In an office: WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN.
In an office: AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD.
Outside a second-hand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS...
Spotted in a safari park: ELEPHANTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.
Seen during a conference: FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR.
Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.
CONFRATERNITY OF PENITENTS PHOTO ALBUM: SINGIN' AGAINST THE RAIN FAMILY FESTIVAL
Singing’ Against the Rain Festival, held in July, earned $2,503 toward replacement of the roof on Guadalupe Men’s Vita Dei House. Come, enjoy the dancing and fun! More photos at MarysGlen.com As of this publication, about $5,800 still needed to complete the funds for the roof. God bless all who contributed!
OUR RULE: HOW TO AVOID BUILDING YOUR FINANCIAL HOUSE ON ‘SHIFTING SANDS
The first part of this year almost seemed like we were besieged by Biblical plagues. In one quarter, we had floods, tornados, fires that wiped out a significant part of Los Angeles and hundreds of thousands lost their jobs.
“These are the times that try men’s souls,” Thomas Paine might say. How do we get through them? First, of course, by recourse to the Lord and a primary turn to increased prayer.
But second, hopefully, we have prepared for bad times in advance. After all, Jesus himself warned against building our house on shifting sand rather than anchored in bedrock. Proverbs 27:12 tells us, “A provident man sees danger ahead and takes precautions.”
Precautions can take two forms: financial and supplies. Supplies is easy enough. Without having a “survivor” mentality and storing enough food and water to survive for six months, it is prudent to maintain a supply of canned vegetables and fruits and meats. After all, if your community is struck by a tornado, your house may be without power for three or four days. Having canned food stocks and bottled water may be of vital importance in that situation.
The other situation is being financially ready for disaster, which can come in the form of a storm the rips off part of your roof, sends a tree crashing into a bedroom. This is one type of emergency for which we need to be ready.
But first, let’s remember our Rule 29(c) requires us to “pay up our debts and begin to tithe if they have not been doing so.” The plain implication is that once we pay up our debts, we should avoid going into debt again, and that can be done only by having emergency funds and reserve funds.
The major emergencies
There are three types of financial emergencies for which you must be prepared. Insurance can go a long way, but you must also have funds to cover what insurance doesn’t pay.
Those three emergencies are:
Damage to your House. Insurance companies have been raising their deductible. Where you might have been able to get by paying only $500 out of pocket, you now need to be prepared to cover $2,000, $4,000 or more in repair costs. Two incidents, one soon after the other, could double that.
What to do now: Read your insurance policy. What is the deductible for each type of coverage. You will want to build an emergency fund that ultimately is at least twice that amount. Also, be sure to know what your policy does not cover. The standard homeowner’s policy does not include water damage caused by the sudden rise of water (aka “flooding,”) Make sure you either have specialized coverage or add that amount to your goal for your Housing Emergency Fund. This fund also includes replacing a roof, or your heating and air conditioning system, etc. When we replaced our roof three years ago, it cost $18,000. You need to plan to replace the most expensive thing in your house.
Medical Emergencies. In your normal budgeting, you should plan for a routine deductible. But suppose your spouse develops cancer. Treatment could far exceed what you plan for in your regular budget. Or, one of your spouse’s relatives across the country dies. You need to attend the funeral, but airlines are less accommodating on bereavement fare than they used to be, So you need to set aside money for Medical Emergencies, which are different than simply being able to pay a routine deductible.
Unemployment. Unemployment lasts about six months. But depending on your age, experience, location, etc., your unemployment may last much longer. Or you may need to move across the country to take a new job. When one family found their principal breadwinner laid off for the third time, they used their personal unemployment reserves to start their own business.
How this works
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your emergency funds won’t be either. Pick a number you can afford for each of the three categories (If you don’t own a house, you can skip that category) and begin saving it each pay period. If you can save $10 each pay period and you are paid twice a week and you put $10 in each category, after one year you will have saved a total of $780. After two years, $1560 and after three years, $2,340.
If you can afford $25 every two weeks, after one year you will have set aside $650 for each category, or a total of $1,950. After two years, the total would be $3,900 and after three years, $5,850. (The total would actually be higher because of interest.)
What happens if an emergency comes up and you don’t have enough set aside in the proper account? Borrow from the others. Just be sure to repay the accounts you borrowed from as soon as possible.
By following this procedure, you will take a major step toward avoiding the situation that has you reaching for your credit card. – Joel Whitaker, CfP
CONFRATERNITY OF PENITENTS HOLY ANGELS GIFT SHOP - NEW ITEMS
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