Yesterday our class went on a visit to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at St Fidelis Friary in Canning Town. This was such a contrast from the week we visited the Benedictine Abbey. For one the Friars live and work in a converted church hall set in the middle of a council estate as opposed to the Abbey which was set in a 'nice' part of Eailing with a fee-paying school attached.
The Friars were really nice. Dressed in their grey habits tied with rope with a knot representing one of the three vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) and wearing sandals they made tea and coffee for us and offered us biscuits. The Friar who met us at the gates was really good looking! Brother Angelo is American and probably 20-25 years younger than me but wow! The Friars have close cropped hair (shaven) and all have beards. They run a soup kitchen for around 60 people three times a week. They live only on donations. So all the food and drink etc. is either donated as goods or money contributions. They have never run out. Things, they say, just arrive!
While we took our refreshments two of the brothers gave us a little talk about how the Renewal came about (it was started in the USA with eight 'breakaway' brothers who wanted to get back to the roots of the Order), what they do there and how, if you are interested, you become a Friar. There was a chance for questions afterwards.
It takes seven years to become a full-blown Friar. Up until then you can leave. There are various stages - spending a day, a week, then longer in a Friary before becoming a novice. There is time studying, learning to live together. We were told a story about one novice who was learning to cook. He found some onions and chopped them up, cooked them and then five minutes after serving them the brothers were heading off to the loo. The novice had chopped up daffodil bulbs!
I didn't realise that Stations of the Cross (found in Catholic churches and some Anglican churches) originates with St Francis. I did know that the Christmas crib did. The Friars live a simple life with regular prayer times (the divine office), study, Eucharist and work. Friars live in a community of between 9 and 11. They have no internet, TV or mobiles. They do have a radio which they said they listened to sometimes. They could use the internet in a library but did not want the distractions in the Friary (well I know how time consuming these things can be!!)
They go out to talk in schools as part of their mission and to conferences and they always go out in their habits. Before we left they showed us their chapel. It was very plain with a laminated floor, a wooden altar, a cross, a couple of wooden stands and two small rows of chairs. If you would like to know a little more have a look at www.romanmiscellany.blogspot.co.uk where you can also watch a short video of the brothers playing basketball with some visiting children.
The Friars were really nice. Dressed in their grey habits tied with rope with a knot representing one of the three vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) and wearing sandals they made tea and coffee for us and offered us biscuits. The Friar who met us at the gates was really good looking! Brother Angelo is American and probably 20-25 years younger than me but wow! The Friars have close cropped hair (shaven) and all have beards. They run a soup kitchen for around 60 people three times a week. They live only on donations. So all the food and drink etc. is either donated as goods or money contributions. They have never run out. Things, they say, just arrive!
While we took our refreshments two of the brothers gave us a little talk about how the Renewal came about (it was started in the USA with eight 'breakaway' brothers who wanted to get back to the roots of the Order), what they do there and how, if you are interested, you become a Friar. There was a chance for questions afterwards.
It takes seven years to become a full-blown Friar. Up until then you can leave. There are various stages - spending a day, a week, then longer in a Friary before becoming a novice. There is time studying, learning to live together. We were told a story about one novice who was learning to cook. He found some onions and chopped them up, cooked them and then five minutes after serving them the brothers were heading off to the loo. The novice had chopped up daffodil bulbs!
I didn't realise that Stations of the Cross (found in Catholic churches and some Anglican churches) originates with St Francis. I did know that the Christmas crib did. The Friars live a simple life with regular prayer times (the divine office), study, Eucharist and work. Friars live in a community of between 9 and 11. They have no internet, TV or mobiles. They do have a radio which they said they listened to sometimes. They could use the internet in a library but did not want the distractions in the Friary (well I know how time consuming these things can be!!)
They go out to talk in schools as part of their mission and to conferences and they always go out in their habits. Before we left they showed us their chapel. It was very plain with a laminated floor, a wooden altar, a cross, a couple of wooden stands and two small rows of chairs. If you would like to know a little more have a look at www.romanmiscellany.blogspot.co.uk where you can also watch a short video of the brothers playing basketball with some visiting children.
These sound like very interesting visits.
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