7/30 The Portiuncula Indulgence starts at noon on August 1st!

S_St Francis portiuncula indulgence vision
St. Francis’s Vision

Note:  Please click here for full information.

THE PORTIUNCULA INDULGENCE
(THE PARDON PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS)
FEAST DAY CELEBRATED:
FROM VESPERS (NOON) ON AUGUST 1ST
TO MIDNIGHT ON AUGUST 2ND
In the words of Saint Francis:
“O my brothers and sisters, I want you all to go to Heaven!”
 The Portiuncula Indulgence is a grace not to be missed – not only for yourself but for the many suffering souls in Purgatory.

The conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi (for oneself or for a departed soul) is as follows:

  1. Sacramental Confession: to be in God’s Grace (the Sacramental Confession can be done during the eight days before or after).
  2. Participation in the Holy Mass and Eucharist.
  3. Recitation of the Apostles Creed, Our Father and also a prayer for the Pope’s Intention (such as an Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.).

Tell everyone of the magnitude of this gift. Once again, we see the unfathomable Divine Mercy of God.

 

 

1/5 The Tree of Life, rooted in the Heart of Jesus.

Book of Heaven
11/5/02 – Vol. 4

Mulberry Tree at  Torre Disperata
Luisa used to hide in its trunk when she was little in order to pray, unnoticed

      Nicola Piccarreta, Luisa’s father, was a worker on a farm that belonged to the Mastrorilli family. Luisa spent many years of her childhood and adolescence on that farm located at the middle of Via delle Murge in a neighborhood called Torre Disperata, 27 kilometers from Corato.
     In front of the old house on that farm, this impressive, centuries-old mulberry tree still stands, with the great hollow in its trunk where Luisa used to hide when she was little in order to pray, far from prying eyes.   

Book of Heaven
11/5/02 – Vol. 4

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior, and He seemed to have a tree planted in His Heart, and so rooted into It, that its roots arose from the center of His Heart. In sum, it seemed to be born together with It, with the same nature. I was amazed at seeing its beauty, strikingness and height, which seemed to touch the heavens; and its branches extended out to the farthest ends of the world. Now, on seeing me so amazed, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, this Tree was conceived together with Me, in the center of my Heart, and from that moment I felt in my inmost Heart all the good and the evil that man would do with this Tree of Redemption, called Tree of Life’. In fact, all those souls who remain united to this Tree will receive the life of grace in time, and when the Tree has raised them well, It will administer to them the life of glory in eternity. Yet, what is not my sorrow? Even though they cannot root out the Tree, nor can they touch the trunk, many try to cut some branches so that souls may not receive life, and to take away from Me all the glory and the pleasure that this Tree of Life would have produced for Me.” While saying this, He disappeared.

Luisa with the Tree of Life

12/31 New Year’s Eve – Te Deum Prayer

Te Deum Prayer

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite the Te Deum in thanksgiving. A plenary indulgence is granted if the hymn is recited publicly on the last day of the year.

We praise you, O God; we acclaim you Lord and Master.

Everlasting Father, all the world bows down before You.

All the Angels sing Your praise, the hosts of Heaven and all the Angelic Powers,

all the Cherubim and Seraphim call out to you in unending chorus:

Holy, Holy, Holy,
is the Lord God of Angel hosts!

The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, with your Majesty and Glory.

Your praises are sung by the renowned Apostles;

By all the Prophets, who themselves deserve our praise;

By that mighty white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, Your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:

Father, whose Majesty is boundless; Your only Son, who is to be adored;
the Holy Ghost, sent to be our Advocate.

O Christ, the King of Glory!
You alone are the Father’s Eternal Son.

When you were to become Man so as to save mankind,

You did not shrink back from the Chaste Virgin’s womb.

You Triumphantly destroyed death’s sting,

You opened up to believers the Kingdom of Heaven.

You are now Enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s Glory.
We believe that You will come for Judgment.

We therefore implore You to grant Your servants Grace and Aid,

for You shed Your Precious Blood for their Redemption.

Admit them all to the ranks of Your Saints in Everlasting Glory.

Be the Saviour of Your faithful people, Lord;

grant them Your Blessing, for they belong to You.

Be their Shepherd, Lord, uphold and exalt them forever and ever.

Day by day we praise You, daily we acclaim You.

We will confess and Glorify Your Holy Name, now and for all Eternity.

In Your great Mercy, Lord, throughout this day, keep us free from sin

by Your Protection. Have Mercy on us, we humbly pray;

Lord, have Mercy on us. May Your Mercy, Lord, Your Loving Kindness,

always remain with us; for we have placed our confidence in You.

In You alone, Lord, I have hoped, may I not be disappointed.

Amen

11/10 Effects of meditating continuously on the Passion.

Book of Heaven
11/9/06 – Vol. 7

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about the Passion of Our Lord; and while I was doing this, He came and told me: “My daughter, one who meditates continuously on my Passion and feels sorrow for it and compassion for Me, pleases Me so much that I feel as though comforted for all that I suffered in the course of my Passion; and by always meditating on it, the soul arrives at preparing a continuous food. In this food there are many different spices and flavors, which form different effects. So, if in the course of my Passion they gave Me ropes and chains to tie Me, the soul releases Me and gives Me freedom. They despised Me, spat on Me, and dishonored Me; she appreciates Me, cleans Me of that spittle, and honors Me. They stripped Me and scourged Me; she heals Me and clothes Me. They crowned Me with thorns, mocking Me as king, embittered my mouth with bile, and crucified Me; while the soul, meditating on all my pains, crowns Me with glory and honors Me as her king, fills my mouth with sweetness, giving Me the most delicious food, which is the memory of my own works; and unnailing Me from the Cross, she makes Me rise again in her heart. And every time she does so, I give her a new life of grace as recompense. She is my food, and I become her continuous food. So, the thing that pleases Me the most is meditating continuously on my Passion.”

11/7 How all the Truths written about the Divine Will will form the Day for those who will Live in It.

Book of Heaven
11/7/37 – Vol. 35

I felt my poor mind as though crowded by so many Truths that Jesus made me write about the Divine Will; and I was thinking to myself:  “Who knows when these Truths on the Divine Fiat will come to Light, and what Good they will produce?” 

My sweet Jesus, surprising me with His little visit, all Goodness and Tenderness told me:  “My daughter, I too feel the Love-need of making you see the Order that these Truths will have and the Good they will produce.

“These Truths on My Divine Will will form the Day of My Fiat in the midst of the creatures.  According to their knowledge, this day will be rising.  So, as they begin to know the first Truths that I have Manifested to you, a Most Splendid Dawn will arise—provided that they will have good will and the disposition to make their own life of these Truths.  However, these Truths will also have the virtue of disposing the creatures, and of giving the Light to many blind who don’t know My Will or love It.

“Then, once the Dawn is risen, they will feel invested by a Celestial Peace, and more strengthened in the Good.  They, themselves, will yearn to know more Truths, which will form the beginning of the Day of My Divine Will.  This beginning of the Day will increase the Light and the Love; all things will turn into Good for the creatures; passions will lose the power to make them fall into sin.  One can say that they will feel the first Order of the Divine Good, which will facilitate their actions for them.  They will feel a Strength with which they can do everything, since its Primary Virtue is exactly this:  to inject in the soul a Transformation of her nature in Good.  So, feeling the Great Good of the beginning of the Day, they will long for the Day to advance.  They will then know more Truths that will form the Full Day.

“In this Full Day they will vividly feel the Life of My Will within themselves—Its Joy and Happiness, Its Operative and Creative Virtue within them.  They will feel the possession of My very Life, becoming the bearers of My Divine Will.  The Full Day will provoke in them so much yearning to know more Truths that, once known, they will form the Full Afternoon.  In this, the creature will no longer feel alone:  between her and My Will there will be no more separation.  What My Will will do, she will do as well—Operating together.  All will be her own by right—Heaven, earth, and God Himself.

“Do you see then, how noble, Divine and precious will be the scope of these Truths that I made you write on My Divine Will in order to form the Day of the creature?  For some they will form the Dawn; for some the beginning of the Day; for some others the Full Day and, lastly, the Full Afternoon.  These Truths will form, according to their knowledge, the different categories of the souls who will Live in My Will.  One Knowledge more, or one less, will make them rise or stay in the different categories. Knowledge will be the hand to boost them up to the higher categories—it will be the very Life of the Fullness of My Will within them.  Therefore, I can say that with these Truths I formed the Day for whoever wants to Live in My Divine Will—a Day of Heaven, greater than Creation itself; not of sun or stars, because each Truth has the Virtue of Creating Our Life in the creature.  O, how this surpasses the whole of Creation!  Our Love surpassed everything in Manifesting so many Truths on My Divine Will.  Our Glory, on the part of the creatures, will be Full, because they will possess Our Life to Glorify Us and to Love Us.

“As far as the emerging of these Truths goes, just as I had the Power and the Love to assist the one to whom I had to Manifest Them, in the same way I will have Power and Love to Invest the creatures, and Transform them into these very Truths.  And feeling Their Life, they will also feel a great need to give to the Light what They feel within Themselves.  Therefore, don’t get worried.  I, who can do all, will do all and take care of all.” . . .

11/6 The good that the Hours of the Passion produce for Jesus and for the soul who does them.

 

Jesus’ voice led the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta to detachment from herself and from everyone. At about eighteen, from the balcony of her house in Via Nazario Sauro, she had a vision of Jesus suffering under the weight of the Cross, who raised his eyes to her saying: O soul, help Me! From that moment an insatiable longing to suffer for Jesus and for the salvation of souls was enkindled in Luisa.  

 Balcony of Luisa’s home at Via Nazario Sauro
now named Via Luisa Piccarreta
The Pious Association Luisa Piccarreta
is now located in Luisa’s former home on Via Luisa Piccarreta

***

Book of Heaven
11/6/14 – Vol. 11

The good that the Hours of the Passion produce for Jesus and for the soul who does them.

As I continued the usual Hours of the Passion, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, the world is in continuous act of renewing my Passion; and since my Immensity envelopes everything, inside and outside the creatures, I am forced to receive from their contact nails, thorns, scourges, scorns, spits and all the rest which I suffered in the Passion – and still more. Now, at the contact with souls who do these Hours of my Passion I feel the nails being removed, the thorns shattered, the wounds soothed, the spits taken away. I feel compensated by good for the evil that others do to Me. Feeling that their contact does not do harm to Me, but good, I lean more and more on them.”

Furthermore, returning to speak about these Hours of the Passion, blessed Jesus said: “My daughter, know that by doing these Hours the soul takes my thoughts and makes them her own; she takes my reparations, my prayers, desires, affections, and even my most intimate fibers and makes them her own. So, rising up between Heaven and earth, she does my same office, and as co-redemptrix, she says to Me: ‘Ecce ego, mitte me [Here I am, send me]. I want to repair for all, answer to You for all, and plead good for all.’”

7/30 The Portiuncula Indulgence (that we can gain every year from vespers ( noon) of the first of August until midnight on the second of August, the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels. )

THE PORTIUNCULA INDULGENCE

(THE PARDON PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS)

FROM VESPERS (NOON) OF AUGUST 1st
UNTIL MIDNIGHT
OF AUGUST 2nd,
THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS 

In the words of Saint Francis:

“O my brothers and sisters, I want you all to go to Heaven!”

 

The Portiuncula Indulgence is a grace not to be missed – not only for yourself but for the many suffering souls in Purgatory.

The conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi (for oneself or for a departed soul) is as follows:

  1. Sacramental Confession: to be in God’s Grace (the Sacramental Confession can be done during the eight days before or after).
  2. Participation in the Holy Mass and Eucharist.
  3. Recitation of the Apostles Creed, Our Father and also a prayer for the Pope’s Intention (such as an Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.).

Mark your calendar for the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels beginning at Vespers (Noon) on the First of August to August 2nd at Midnight.

Tell everyone of the magnitude of this gift. Once again, we see the unfathomable Divine Mercy of God.

DISTINGUISHING THIS INDULGENCE FROM OTHERS:

*On the day (August 2nd) on which it is granted, it can be gained not only once, but oftener. You can gain other indulgences only once on the same day, but the Portiuncula
Indulgence you can gain on the first Sunday of August, and that, too, as often
as on that day you visit a church of the Franciscans, or the parish church,
(you may go out of the church and re-enter as many times as you wish) and there
pray according to the intention of the Holy Father. The Congregation of the
Council has twice confirmed the Indulgence on July 17, 1700 and again on
December 4, 1723.

Again, the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences on February 22, 1847 reaffirmed the Indulgence and noted that Communion did not have to be received only in a Franciscan Church. Pope Pius IX confirmed these decisions by a decree dated July 12, 1849. It is indeed true that on one day we can gain a plenary indulgence for ourselves only once,
but this does not interfere with the doctrine that the Portiuncula Indulgence
can be gained more than once on the same day, for we may apply it to the souls
in purgatory, if we gain in the second and the third time, etc. A question
arose if a visit was made on the second Sunday if the indulgence still applies,
and the visit repeated the answer by the Congregation of Indulgences on Feb.
22, 1847 was in the affirmative.

*(excerpted from: http://friarsminor.org/sermons/portiuncula.html)

NOTE: A review of the meaning of the above with a retired provincial of the Holy Name Province, of the Franciscan Order, and in consultation with the Franciscan Ordo, states that this indulgence may only be transferred to Sunday as a special concession to
remote areas of the world where Mission Chapels are not usually open during the
week. Otherwise, the normal rules for August 2nd apply.

 

As we honor Our Lady of the Angels, may we find inspiration for our own growth and development  in the Gospel way of life that Saint Francis embraced and lived so completely.

 

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI AND THE PORTIUNCULA INDULGENCE

(THE GREAT PARDON)

by Susan Tassone

 

The Portiuncula (small portion) refers to the land in Assisi, Italy, that belonged to the
Benedictines. On this land was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of
God but abandoned.

The great St. Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly and repair it. He heard that the angels often visited it, so that it was called St. Mary of the Angels.

The Benedictines wanted to give Francis the church but in order to remain faithful to lady Poverty, Francis rented it from them with the annual compensation of a basket of fish from the Tescio River. Here is where Francis began his service to Christ and
His Church.

Here Francis founded his Order, received Clare as his spiritual daughter, and where he died commending this spot above all others to the friars.

St. Francis had great love and compassion for everyone.

On a night in July, 1216, Francis was praying in the little church of the Portiuncula devoured by love for God and a thirst to save souls. He prayed for the forgiveness of sins of mankind.

Suddenly a brilliant light shone all around. In great splendor Jesus and Mary appeared in the midst of a dazzling cloud surrounded by a multitude of radiant angels.

Out of fear and reverence, St. Francis adored Our Lord prostrate upon the ground.

Then Jesus said to him: Francis you are very zealous for the good of souls. Ask me what you want for their salvation. St. Francis was rapt in ecstasy before Jesus.

When he regained his courage he said: “Lord, I a miserable sinner beg You to concede an indulgence to all those who enter this church, who are truly contrite and have confessed their sins. And I beg Blessed Mary, Your Mother, intercessor of man, that She intercede on behalf of this grace.”

Our Lady at once began to beseech Her Son on behalf of Francis. Jesus answered: “It is a very great thing that which you ask Me, but you are worthy of even greater things, Friar Francis, and greater things you will have. So I accept your request, but I want you to go to My Vicar, to whom I have given the power to bind and loose in Heaven and on earth, to ask him on My behalf for this indulgence.” (ed. Note: Matthew 16:19).

With one of his companions, Francis hastened to Pope Honorius III and prostrate implored him to proclaim that every one visiting the church and confessing their sins with a contrite heart would be as pure from all sin and punishments as he was immediately after baptism. The Pope granted this petition. This indulgence has been extended to all parish churches throughout the world.

The date was set from vespers (noon) of the first of August until midnight on the second of August, the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels. It is said that St. Francis was given this day by Our Lord because the Feast of the Chains of St. Peter celebrated on August first is the day Peter was released from prison and his chains removed.

This is an extraordinary demonstration of God’s Mercy in removing the chains of sin from those whodevoutly and faithfully seek to gain the indulgence by completing its requirements.