THE LIFESTYLE OF THE
BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF
PENANCE
OF ST. FRANCIS
IN A SNAPSHOT
(SEE THE RULE AND STATUTES FOR MORE DETAIL)
DAILY LIFE:
Live and dress simply and
modestly. Choose simple garments of subdued solid colors or blue as defined by
the Rule. Avoid flashy personal décor, unseemly movies, excessive TV, and
needless communications. Convert your life to God. Wear a cross or crucifix
visibly. Take the Blessed Virgin as mother and guide, and heed her messages to
our world.
ABSTINENCE:
Abstain from meat, except in
soups, casseroles, or gravies, on everyday except Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays,
Solemnities, and other necessary or family occasions. Pray an Our Father before
and after all meals, or your regular meal prayer. Abstain from any other thing
to give glory to God as you wish. Keep this all invisible: between you and God.
FASTING: Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays from All Saints Day to Easter, and on
Fridays from Easter until All Saints Day (Solemnities and Octaves excluded). Fast
daily, except Sundays and Solemnities, during Lent and for 40 days before
Christmas. Fasting by Church regulations is eating two small meals that do not
equal one regular meal and one regular meal daily with no snacking in between.
Strict fasting may be done
with the permission of one’s spiritual director. The perfect strict fast is on
bread and water, according to Our Lady. Keep this all invisible: between you
and God. On non-fasting days, three
complete meals are permitted.
PRAYER:
Pray the complete Divine Office
every day. Or choose a different prayer option which can be one of the
following: praying all four sets of mysteries of the rosary; spending an hour
in mental prayer, or contemplation, daily; praying 12 Our Fathers, Hail Mary’s
and Glory Be’s for Matins and seven for the other
hours followed by the Requiem Aeternam; or creating a
serious personal prayer option with one’s spiritual director. Pray for the
dead: 50 psalms, or 50 Our Fathers with the Requiem Aeternam
after each Our Father, for a recently deceased friend or BSP member; pray the entire Psalter or 100 Our Fathers
with the Requiem Aeternam after each Our Father for
all deceased once per year. Pray each morning: Psalms 51, 54,119:1-32, and the
Creed; in the evening Psalm 51 and the Creed. Each day strive to do some
spiritual reading. Make prayer the center of your life.
SACRAMENTS/OTHER MATTERS: Attend
daily Mass if possible; Sunday and Holy Day Mass definitely. Go to confession
at least monthly. Make peace with everyone, avoid idle talk, gossip, oaths, and
street language of any kind. Pay tithes. Live the Gospel.
COMMUNITY LIFE: Meet with
others of like mind, especially other Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St.
Francis, but also any other Third Order members or committed religious, each
month. Celebrate the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours together. Review a
portion of the Rule and share your journey to heaven. Celebrate your family!
APOSTOLATES: Practice the corporal and spiritual works
of mercy in your own home, among your own relatives, and in the world around
you. Do other good things as you feel inspired. Work
for the Church.
OTHER:
Obtain permission
of your spouse before entering the Association. Be willing to obtain a
spiritual director and consult with him or her at least monthly. Once you profess to live the Rule, seek to follow it for life unless
entering religious life.
IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF IT, FOR
CHRIST.
WEB PAGE: www.bspenance.org
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