CORD - Vol. IV No. II - Our Monthly Conference - February 1954

Oct 13, 2026

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Franciscan spirituality-focused conference reflections centered on Saint Francis’ love of God and the goodness of the divine heart. The text explains how recognizing God as “all good” draws the soul into joy, gratitude, and an expansive movement of loving and giving—from creation and revelation to the Incarnation, Eucharist, and final face-to-face vision. It highlights gratitude expressed through praise, song, and the celebratory character of Franciscan asceticism as joy-filled love.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

OUR MONTHLY CONFERENCE

Saint Francis’ Love of God

Gratitude, praise, and song

hARYGROVE COLLEGE LIBRARDETRO1T,MICHIGA附EASE DO NOT REMOVCORD Franciscan Institute SUMMER SESSION 1954Saint Bonaventure University,Saint Bonaventure,New York 1.FRANCISCAN PHILOSOPHY John Duns Scotus,Life,Works,and Fr.Allan Wolter,O.F.M.Faculty Doctrine Seminar II.FRANCISCAN THEOLOGY Theology,Part V: Biblical xegesis in the FranciscanFr.Eligius Buytaert,O.F.M. School III.PRACTICAL THEOLOGY Franciscan Spirituality,Part I: Survey of Schools;Character of Fran-ciscan School Fr.Ignatius Brady,O.F.M. Commentary on the(Third Order) Rule of Saint Francis,Part IFr.Allan Wolter,O.F.M.Third Order(Secular)Workshop, Fr.Gerard Fitzsimmons,O.F.M.Fr.Thomas Plassmann,O.F.M.Fr.Ignatius Brady,O.F.M. Part II Franciscan Retreats Life of Saint Francis Readings in Saint Bonaventure's Fr.Philotheus Boehner,O.F.M. De Perfectione Vitae IV.FRANCISCAN HISTORY (To be announced next month) For further information regarding courses,credits,accommodations,rates,send for catalog or inquire directly from THE GRADUATE OFFICE Saint Bonaventure University Saint Bonaventure P.O.,New York Courses pursued at the Franciscan Institute may lead to the degrees of M.A.,and Ph.D. CORD he VOL. IV NO. II, FEBRUARY 1954 CONTENTS OUR MONTHLY CONFERENCE………………………………………………34 Fr. Silvano Matulich, O.F,M. ST. BONAVENTURE’S RULE FOR NOVICES(II)………………37 Joseph F.Mahoney, T.O.F.(trans.) THE OBLIGATION OF ADEQUATE ACADEMIC AND THEOLOGICAL TRAINING FOR TEACHING SISTERS……………………………………………43 Very Rev.Fr.Theophane Kalinowski, O.F.M. FRANCISCAN EDUCATION(II)………………………………………………48 Fr. Cajetan Esser, O.F.M. AS FRANKINCENSE BURNING IN THE FIRE………………………59 Sr. Francis, S.M.I.C.(trans.) + + + The CORD, a monthly magazine specifically devoted to Franciscan Spirituality, is published under the sponsorship of the Franciscan Educational Conference by The Franciscan Institute, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure P.O., New York. Managing Editor: Columban Duffy, O.F.M., Christ the King Seminary;Editor: Philotheus Boehner, O.F.M. Franciscan Institute; Assistant Editor: Sr. Francis, S.M.I.C., Paterson, N.J.; Consulting Editor:Denis Gallagher, O.F.M. Conv., Albany,N.Y.Annual subscription,$2.00.Entered as second class matter on November 25,1950,at St. Bonaventure P.O., New York, under Act of March 3,1879. Al1 communications, whether of a business or a literary nature, should be addressed to The CORD, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure P.O.,New York. Cum permissu superiorum. # OUR MONTHLY CONFERENCE Saint Francis'Love of God In our last conference we considered Saint Francis'love of God.Let us go into a little detail.What seems to have ravished the heartof Francis was the goodness of God.He comes back to the thoughtoften.Thus in his"Praises of God”,he says,"Thou are good,allgood,highest good,Lord God living and true."In his eyes God iswonderfully good,Supreme Goodness.You can imagine how the soulof such a sensitive man would exult in this sublime conviction.So,to Francis and his early brethren God is “sweet”,the sweet God,thesweet Lord Jesus. Thus,by loving the goodness of God,Francis found himself atthe very center of God's essence,love;for the most spontaneousmovement of love is to be good,to give,to communicate,to give itsgifts by creation,to give knowledge of itself through revelation,togive itself irrevocably to mankind through the Incarnation,to giveHis Flesh and Blood to us in the Eucharist,to give us glory throughits grace,to give itself forever and ever by a face to face revelationin beatific vision,for this generous movement of loving and givingwhich is so essential in God cannot satisfy its infinite urge till Hehas given Himself,the infinite Gift.—“Thou are good,all good,highest good,Lord God living and true.” For any man who realizes all this,a fountain is broken open inhim of boundless joy.Goodness overshadows him,pours itself outupon him by its gifts,po

FAQs

What does the conference say about the source of Saint Francis’ joy?

Joy arises from recognizing God’s goodness as “sweet” and supreme, so goodness pours gifts into the soul and draws the person into a transforming beauty.

How does the text connect love with God’s goodness and giving?

By loving God’s goodness, Francis is placed at the center of God’s essence of love, which moves spontaneously toward giving—creation, revelation, the Incarnation, the Eucharist, grace, and final revelation.

Why is Franciscan asceticism described as not somber in the passage?

It is portrayed as the “wooing” of the one great love of the heart—goodness done in joy—expressed through songs and gratitude to God through creation.

Oct 13, 2026

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