Order of Franciscan Penitents

Order of Franciscan Penitents The Order of Franciscan Penitents (OFP) is a Franciscan Religious Order of vowed religious men and women in the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

05/18/2026

Hello to all!
Well, the reason for Lent, Holy Week and Easter was so that Pentecost--the availability of God's Holy Spirit would happen for us. Jesus came not only to SAVE us, but to EMPOWER and SANCTIFY US. That is what we will celebrate this weekend. Our scripture readings are Acts 2: 1-11 (the description of the coming of the Holy Spirit as described on that first Pentecost), Psalm 104; 1 Corinthians 13; 1-13 (the descriptions of the gifts, ways of serving and Godly workings that come out into the faith community as the Holy Spirit is poured out on us) and John 20: 19-23 (the description of Resurrected Jesus BREATHING THE HOLY SPIRIT into the frightened disciples.

It is NOVENA TIME; the nine days of waiting and praying for MORE of God's Holy Spirit. Seek the Lord while He may be found. VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS!!!

Chapel Schedule
Noon Tuesday Eucharist (May 19), Fr. John presiding
+++++++Franciscan Fraternity Business meeting on GoToMeeting at 7:30 pm++++++
Noon Thursday Eucharist (May 21), Fr. John presiding
5 pm Saturday Eucharist (PENTECOST), Fr. Jim presiding
++++++We will celebrate with a Carry-In meal after the Eucharist+++++++

SAYINGS OF THE SAINTS
"Pentecost is not over. In fact, it is continually going on in every time and in every place, because the Holy Spirit desired to give himself to all" St Elena Guerra, founder of the Oblates of the Holy Spirit.
"Religious Life is only the Gospel translated into practice." St. Magdalene of Canossa
"The call of the Church today is to transcend the limits of the institutional structures and to open itself to the presence of the Spirit in the Church and in every Christian" Bede Griffiths osb, a monk who did much evangelizing in India, dialoguing with Hindus.

That is all that comes to me. Blessed Novena, seeking more of the Holy Spirit.

Love in Messiah Jesus! Fr. John ofp

05/14/2026

On the Ascension from Leo, Bishop of Rome, c 461 A. D.:

“At Easter, it was the Lord‘s resurrection which was the cause of our joy. Our present rejoicing is on account of his Ascension into heaven with all due celebrity. We are commemorating that day on which our poor human nature was carried up, in Christ, above all the host of heaven, above all the ranks of angels, beyond the highest heavenly powers to the very throne of God the Father. It is upon this ordered structure of divine acts that we have been firmly established, so that the grace of God shows itself still more marvelous when, in spite of the withdrawal from our sight of everything that is rightly felt to command our reverence, faith does not fail, hope is not shaken, charity does not grow cold”.

For many, Christ’s work is completed on the day of resurrection when the tomb is empty, and he is risen. For others, the work is completed on the day of Pentecost when the promised Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples as fire, and the church is empowered to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. But in between those two glorious events, we have Acts chapter 1, and the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to the right hand of the Father in heaven. Without the Ascension resurrection has little meaning, death is not truly conquered. Without the Ascension, the Holy Spirit does not descend upon humanity in Pentecost, and does not empower and embolden the world to embrace the one living and true God. It is the Ascension that completes the resurrection story, and it is the Ascension that opens the way for the Holy Spirit of God to light upon his people. I pray that each of us enjoys this glorious ascension, and that we proclaim it as part of our story as children of God.

- The Most Rev. Christopher Keough, OFP is Bishop Co-Adjutor of the Central Diocese of the Charismatic Episcopal Church in the United States, and a professed member of the Order of Franciscan Penitents, a religious order in the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

05/12/2026

Hello to each and everyone of you.

The Scripture readings for Ascension Thursday are Acts 1: 1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1: 17-23; and Matthew 28: 16-20. The readings for the seventh weekend are Acts 1: 12-14; Psalm 27; 1 Peter 4; 13-16; and John 17: 1-11 Reminder that with Ascension Thursday we celebrate Jesus taking his throne at the right hand of the Father and begin our NOVENA of Pentecost, seeking a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Chapel Schedule
Noon Tuesday Eucharist (May 12), Fr. John presiding
Noon Thursday Ascension Eucharist, Fr. Jim presiding
5 pm Saturday Eucharist, Fr Jim presiding

SAYINGS OF THE SAINTS
"Whatever differences on points of doctrine may exist amongst the different denominations of Christians, all should be united in the bonds of charity, all should pray for one another, all should be willing to assist one another." Servant of God Fr. Demetrius Gallitzin, (1770-1840), known as the Apostle of the Alleghenies.

"This is what God's Kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there is always room for more."" Rachel Held Evans, who became a rising star as a blogger on areas of faith, till her sudden death in 1019. (I particularly like this thought, mainly because it describes our little faith community.)

That does it for me. God bless us in our yearning for more of God's Holy Spirit. Peace and all Good! Fr. John ofp

05/02/2026

No Mass tonight. Back to the regular schedule this coming week:

Tuesday: Eucharistic Adoration
Thursday: Midweek Mass
Saturday: Weekend Mass

04/16/2026

The April 25 Mass is cancelled.

04/14/2026

franciscan penitents
10:29 AM (8 hours ago)
to bcc: me

Hello and God's Love to all!!
The upcoming weekend scriptures are Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1: 17-21; and Luke 24: 13-35. The first reading is Peter's sermon after the Holy Spirit had come upon the waiting disciples in the upper room. The account from first Peter encourages us to conduct ourselves well because we know how precious we are because of the action of Jesus in offering His life for us. Finally, the gospel is the beautiful account of the two leaving Jerusalem totally undone by the events of Jesus's Crucifixion. And of course, Jesus walks with them explaining how the Hebrew scriptures elucidate that this HAD TO HAPPEN because it was God's plan to defeat death and sin. They recognize Him when they break Eucharistic bread together and Resurrection JOY ensues.

Chapel Schedule
Noon Tuesday (April 14), Holy Hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Noon Thursday (April 16), Eucharist, Fr. Jim presiding
5 pm Saturday (April 18), Eucharist, Fr. John presiding

FYI, Chiara Prenger turns 21 today and Micah Prenger turns 25 on Friday April 17. Please pray with them as the continue into their young adulthood.

Keep ForColumbia in prayer. The date of serving our city is Saturday April 25 and though no one from our chapel community is serving this year, it continues to give deep Christian witness that THE WHOLE CHURCH of our city are truly good citizens. I am so proud personally for having been associated with this move of God over the 11 years it has been done and am sorry that I am unable to participate.

SAYINGS OF THE SAINTS
(I found two excellent quotes on the primacy of the need for our well formed conscience over any law. I pass them along today. I believe it is very important when we in the church must witness by obeying God rather than humans, or as recently deceased U. S. Representative John Lewis called, 'making good trouble'.)

"Conscience is more to be obeyed than authority imposed from the outside. By following a right conscience you not only do not incur sin but are also immune from sin, whatever superiors may say to the contrary. To act against one's conscience and to disobey a superior can both be sinful. Of the two the first is the worst since the dictate of conscience is more binding than the decree of external authority." St. Thomas Aquinas

"Over the pope as expression of the binding claims of ecclesiastical authority, there stands one's own conscience which must be obeyed before all else, even if necessary against the requirement of ecclesiastical authority. The emphasis on the individual, whose conscience confronts him with a supreme and ultimate tribunal, and one which is the last resort is beyond the claim of external social groups, even the official church, also establishes a principle in opposition to increasing totalitarianism." Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI)

We live in an era when we must stand against evil and sin as the followers of Jesus Christ that we are. May God give us the 'mind of Christ' and the courage to speak and act in His name always and in all ways.

Big Hug to all! Much love! Fr. John ofp

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903 Old Highway 63
Columbia, MO
65201

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