St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity: Secular Franciscans in Boynton Beach, FL

St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity: Secular Franciscans in Boynton Beach, FL St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity is a fraternity of Secular Franciscans living according to the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi. Mark Church in Boynton Beach.

Our meetings are held on the third Sunday of the month after we all attend the 10:30am Mass at St.

Congratulations to the four new members of our St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity who were professed on Saturday, June 13th...
06/16/2026

Congratulations to the four new members of our St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity who were professed on Saturday, June 13th, the Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua.

Watch the St. Anthony of Padua feast day mass and the profession of four new fraternity members live-streamed on Faceboo...
06/13/2026

Watch the St. Anthony of Padua feast day mass and the profession of four new fraternity members live-streamed on Facebook today at 12:30pm from St. Mark Church in Boynton Beach.

06/12/2026

HOW TO RECEIVE A PLENARY INDULGENCE ON THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS ⤵️

📅 Friday, June 12, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast honoring Christ's love and mercy for humanity.

On this feast day, the Church grants a plenary indulgence (the full remission of temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven) to the faithful who publicly recite the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This can be done in a church, with your family, or in a religious community.

To receive the indulgence, the usual conditions also apply:

➜ Be free from attachment to all sin, even venial sin
➜ Receive the Sacrament of Confession within about 20 days before or after
➜ Receive Holy Communion, preferably on the feast itself
➜ Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (such as one Our Father and one Hail Mary)

Many Catholics know this feast because of the promises associated with devotion to the Sacred Heart. But at its core is something much simpler. Jesus asks to be loved in return.

In a world that often ignores God or pushes Him aside, acts of reparation may seem unnecessary. Yet Catholics believe that love responds to love. The Sacred Heart reminds us that Christ's mercy is always available and that our prayers and sacrifices can be united to His love for the world.

This is a beautiful opportunity to return to Confession, receive Our Lord in the Eucharist, and entrust yourself and your family to His Sacred Heart.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

🙏 Recite the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 🙏

Most sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence, and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

Mindful, alas, that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their Baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.

We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee. We are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holy days, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love, and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

Would that we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the Cross and which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars. We offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins which we and others have committed in the past.

Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, and of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel, especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may one day come to that happy home where Thou, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, livest and reignest, God, world without end.

Amen.

06/09/2026

Simplicity
The Beauty of Less

Most people think simplicity means having less. St Francis discovered it means needing less. There is a difference!

Our world constantly tells us that more is better: more possessions, more commitments, more noise, more achievements. Yet St Francis discovered that by letting go of what was unnecessary, he gained more than he prayed for.

St Francis understood that the greatest clutter is not in our homes but in our souls. The soul becomes crowded with endless desires, old wounds, unnecessary fears, constant comparison, and the exhausting effort to control everything. Eventually, we become so surrounded by noise that we can no longer hear the quiet voice of God.

So St Francis began to remove whatever stood between his heart and Christ.

Simplicity is the courage to ask:
What in my life is essential?

Not everything that demands our attention deserves our attention. Not everything that is good is necessary. Not every opportunity is our vocation.

A simple heart is free. Free from the need to impress others. Free from endless comparison. Free from chasing things that cannot satisfy the soul.

Many people today feel exhausted not because they have too little, but because they are carrying too much: too many worries, too many distractions, too many expectations, too many voices competing for their attention.

The Franciscan path is not about escaping the world. It is about seeing clearly. When our lives become simpler, we begin to recognize God's presence in ordinary things: a conversation, a sunrise, a meal, a moment of prayer, a brother or sister in need.

St Francis invites us to ask:

🔹 ️What can I let go of?
🔹️ What truly matters?
🔹️ What brings me closer to God?
🔹️ What brings me closer to others?

We can simplify our lives by:

🔸 ️Creating space for daily silence and prayer
🔸️ Reducing unnecessary purchases
🔸️ Limiting the noise of social media/news
🔸 ️Learning gratitude for what we already have

St Francis knew a secret that we often forget:
a simple heart is a powerful heart.

06/08/2026

The grace of slowing down

St. Francis did not rush through life trying to do more, achieve more, or become more important. He discovered that the deepest things in life cannot be hurried.

Love grows slowly. Prayer grows slowly. Healing grows slowly. Holiness grows slowly.

The modern world teaches us to move faster, consume more, and fill every moment with activity. St Francis chose a different path. He walked. He listened. He prayed. He noticed birds, flowers, lepers, and the poor. He lived with a heart awake to God's presence.

A fast life often scatters the soul.
A deep life gathers it.

When we are constantly rushing, we can pass by the very things God is trying to teach us. We hear less, see less, and love less. But when we slow down, we begin to notice God's fingerprints everywhere.

Living deeply means:

🔸️ Praying with attention, not just words.
🔸️ Listening more than speaking
🔸️ Choosing quality over quantity
🔸️ Making space for silence
🔸️ Allowing God to work at His pace rather than demanding our own

St Francis knew that the goal of life was not to get through the day as quickly as possible. The goal was communion with God.

Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is not to hurry. Slow down. Breathe. Pray. Pay attention.

God is often waiting for us in the places we rush past.

05/22/2026

Heaven sees what the world overlooks...

St Francis did not live to be admired. He lived to disappear so Christ could be seen.

The world teaches people to perform goodness publicly, collect praise, and build an image around virtue. But St Francis understood that a deed loses something sacred when it is done mainly to be noticed.

There is a subtle danger in always needing others to see what we do. The soul slowly begins to feed on attention instead of truth. Charity becomes performance. Humility becomes branding. Even holiness can become theatre when the heart craves recognition more than God.

St Francis chose hiddenness. He embraced simplicity, silence, and service that often went unseen. Because he knew that love is purest when it does not demand applause.

A soul rooted in God does not need constant validation. It serves because love itself is enough.

The holiest things are often done quietly:
a prayer no one hears,
a kindness no one posts about,
a sacrifice no one praises,
a burden carried without recognition.

And sometimes the most powerful thing a person can do is stop performing goodness and simply become good.

02/08/2026

On her feast day, we remember Lady Jacoba of Rome, a noblewoman and close companion of St. Francis of Assisi.

After her husband’s death, Jacoba managed her family’s estate and used her resources to serve the poor, the sick, and the dying. She founded a hospital in Rome where she worked alongside Francis and later became a major benefactor of the church of St. Francis in Assisi, where she is the only layperson buried near Francis and his companions.

Jacoba is often remembered for bringing cookies and practical supplies to Francis during his final days. But her story reflects something larger. She was one of many lay people who shared in Francis’ mission through leadership, service, and deep friendship rather than formal religious vows. Lady Jacoba reminds us that the Franciscan call is not limited to religious life, it is a way of living the Gospel available to all.

Her story also encourages us to notice voices that history has sometimes overlooked. Jacoba’s legacy invites us to recognize the countless women whose faith shaped the Church in ways history didn’t always preserve, often through caregiving, resilience, and presence with those on the margins.

02/06/2026

👣 The Franciscan Way of Life
🔸️10 Pillars of Wisdom for Today’s World

The spirituality of St. Francis is not just a religious tradition, the Franciscan way of life offers wisdom that is deeply relevant in a world marked by division and excess.

The Franciscan vision of life:

✨ 1. Poverty
Franciscan poverty is not misery, but freedom. By choosing simplicity and detachment from possessions, Franciscans place their trust in God rather than in wealth or power.

✨ 2. Simplicity of Life
A simple life clears space for what truly matters: relationships, gratitude, and God’s presence. It resists consumerism and invites intentional, mindful living.

✨ 3. Humility
Humility means serving rather than dominating, listening rather than demanding, and recognizing that all gifts come from God.

✨ 4. Love of Creation
St. Francis saw the sun, moon, animals, and earth itself as brothers and sisters. This pillar calls us to reverence creation, care for the environment, and recognize God reflected in all that exists.

✨ 5. Peace and Reconciliation
Franciscans are called to be peacemakers within their own hearts, in relationships, and in society. Peace begins with forgiveness, dialogue, and a commitment to nonviolence.

✨ 6. Joy
Franciscan joy is not dependent on comfort or success. It is a deep, resilient joy rooted in faithfulness to God, even in suffering, rejection, or hardship.

✨ 7. Brotherhood and Community
Life is meant to be lived together. Franciscan fraternity emphasizes equality, mutual care, hospitality, and shared responsibility, where leadership is exercised as service.

✨ 8. Service to the Poor
Franciscans do not merely help the poor, they walk with them. Service is grounded in dignity, compassion, and the belief that Christ is present in those on the margins.

✨ 9. Gospel-Centered Living
At the heart of everything is the Gospel. Following Christ’s footsteps with trust and joy, Franciscans strive to mirror His humility, mercy, and self-giving love in the ordinary moments of everyday life.

✨ 10. Prayer and Contemplation
In stillness and simplicity, Franciscans encounter God. Contemplation opens the heart to gratitude and praise.

In a world hungry for peace, meaning, and authenticity, the Franciscan way of life remains a powerful witness: Live simply and walk humbly with God ...

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St. Mark Catholic Church, 730 NE 6th Avenue
Boynton Beach, FL
33435

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