Our Rule, Our Future

As we move into the future, the Confraternity of Penitents

The CFP Chief of Staff House, Gift Shop and Administrative Offices, Mary’s Glen and Chapel, and Franciscan Vocation Houses.

The CFP is a faithful Catholic Franciscan Third Order Confraternity in the Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend, Indiana, USA, serving penitents worldwide.

May the Lord Grant You Peace!

FISHERS OF MEN BANK -- We will gladly send you a free

Fishers of Men Bank (shown here) to save your loose

change to assist Our Rule, Our Future initiative. Send your request

for the bank to copenitents@yahoo.com or write to CFP, 1702 Lumbard Street,

Fort Wayne IN 46803 USA When the bank is full of loose change, send us your contribution and we will apply it toward Our Rule, Our Future initiative.

It seems that our world has become unhinged. In so very many ways, we seem to have turned our back on God. We know the answer is not to wring our hands and fret. The answer is penance – prayer, fasting and self-giving acts of charity.

Penance brings us personally closer to God. And penance can help rescue our world and our Church from the darkness.
Penance can reestablish a proper relationship to money, to health, to the exercise of power.
Penance can save our souls, our Church, and our world.
Promoting penance is what the Confraternity of Penitents is all about.

Over the past 20 years, we together have grown spiritually. Living the Rule of 1221, we have disciplined ourselves, drawn closer to God. None of us are the people we were before we began our formation as penitents.

The Penitential Movement is the Holy Spirit’s inspiration to adapt the Rule of 1221 to the modern age. The Holy Spirit led each of us to find this way of life and to embrace it.

Now is the time to step up our game. To carry the message of penance forward. To actively promote to others a life of prayer, fasting and charity. But our Lord warned us not to build our house upon sand but upon a solid foundation. The plan that we propose is the solid foundation, we believe, for the Confraternity of Penitents.

Providing for the continual growth and development of our Confraternity is a priority. As the Minister General (also acting as Chief of Staff) is now almost 71 and her husband 74, they will have to retire sometime from the day-to-day administration of the Confraternity of Penitents, but the CFP Council has developed a plan to ensure that the charism of prayer, penance, and holiness, as laid out in the Rule of 1221, can continue in an orderly and logical way. This newsletter will introduce this plan.

Thank you for your prayer support and consideration. – CFP Council of Directors

Kay-Marie is a live in volunteer discerner who, along with her part time job, manages the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop. Here she is sitting at her computer, printing off orders. Kay-Marie also does the dishes and keeps the kitchen and bathrooms clean and tidy. She has discerned a vocation to marriage and will be married in August, 2020.

Erin has discerned a call to be house parent for Annunciation House. She holds a part time job and also compiles, posts to the internet, and postal mails the CFP Weekly Prayer list. She also prepares and posts the weekly Oratory of Divine Love Bible Study reflection. In addition, Erin does a range of other jobs such as weeding, housekeeping, and posting items on line to the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop. Here she is dusting the Holy Family Statue in the Holy House in Mary's Glen at CFP headquarters.

WORK CURRENTLY BEING DONE AND FUTURE GOALS

Most CFP members have little idea of the work that is currently being done at the CFP Administrative Headquarters in Fort Wayne IN USA. This work keeps the CFP operating on a day to day basis to spread the message of penance world wide and to minister to its members and others. In addition to the work of the Church, which is praying the Divine Office daily, and attending daily Mass, CFP volunteers in Fort Wayne are involved in the following activities. These naturally take time and money.

Management of the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop/Net income approximately $18,000 yearly.
Maintenance of Mary’s Glen ½ acre Catholic Prayer Park
Composition, printing, mailing of weekly prayer list and monthly newsletter and putting these on line.
Maintenance and development of CFP website and Gift Shop website as well as two Franciscan Penance Library sites, Oratory of Divine Love (weekly on line Bible Study reflections), and four additional websites dealing with conversion and Franciscan topics.
Updating CFP address list and membership files, mailing out information on CFP, answering calls about the CFP, etc.
Corresponding with prisoners in the CFP Alessandro Prison Ministry.
Continuous contact with Regional Ministers regarding new inquirers, current members.
Continuous contact with Formators who lead members through the 4 year formation program.
Payment of bills for offices, gift shop, utilities, etc.
Managing 6 live in. on site volunteers
Managing two volunteers who live in their own homes and who assist in the work weekly.

GOALS

Our goals over the next five years have been thought about and prayed about for a year or more. Many options have presented themselves, but the Confraternity Council considers our proposal to be the wisest in order to meet the following goals.

To enable the Confraternity of Penitents to continue and expand its mission to spread the message of penance (conversion)
To provide administrative help to run the Confraternity of Penitents by providing CFP owned housing for the Chief of Staff and for live-in volunteers in the process of discernment who will work in CFP ministry, in exchange for housing, as part of their discernment.
To generate ongoing income to meet the expenses on these buildings, through the donations of live-in, elderly, able bodied gentlemen.
To avoid having continually to fund raise to pay salaries.
To avoid having to ask members to triple their suggested tithe in order to pay salaries.

WHAT WAS MINE TO DO

At the end of his life, Francis told his brothers, “I have done what was mine to do. May you do what God shows you is yours to do.” God has given each of us a mission in life, and for those who are or will be pledged in living the CFP Rule and Constitutions, this life is part of what is “yours to do.” When a CFP member attends a CFP retreat, he or she realizes, at once, that they are not living this life alone. Others are benefiting from living this same, self-giving and self-emptying way. We are all sisters and brothers.

As CFP members, we realize that many people, just like us, could benefit from this way of life, if only they knew about it and had the support to embrace it. God is calling people to the vocation of living a life of continual conversion, which is what penance is all about. People may or may not recognize the call. Those who do recognize it, look for others to support them. Striving to give up one’s will and surrender it to God (whom many no longer believe exists) is certainly counter cultural in today’s world. Yet the Holy Spirit leads individuals to the Confraternity of Penitents, and it is our great joy to walk with and support them. Your prayers and continual support are critical to this ministry.

Francis was no longer minister general when he died. He had passed that baton on to another friar. He knew that the Order was not his. It belonged to the Lord Who had called him initially to do penance and Who had grown things from there. The CFP is at the point where it, like Francis, must look to the future. The plan outlined here is the CFP Council’s solution, reached through God-portunities and much prayer, to address the future needs of those now living a life of penance and those whom God will call to do so. Please pray for this initiative and support it as the Lord leads. –Madeline Pecora Nugent, CFP.

What We Have Now --- What We Propose: A Three Part Plan

What We Have Now—RENTED CFP ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS, CFP HOLY ANGELS GIFT SHOP, MARY'S GLEN

What We Propose—CFP OWNED ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS, CFP HOLY ANGELS GIFT SHOP AND MARY'S GLEN.
Purchase the Lumbard Street Property (house pictured above). Convert the house into Annunciation Franciscan Vocation House for up to four women who will assist the CFP on the property as part of their ministry work.
Relocate CFP Administrative Offices to the outbuilding to share space with the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop. Communicate with CFP Council and Minister General from the new office location.
Further development of Mary's Glen.

What We Have Now -- CFP VOLUNTEERS AND DISCERNERS BEING HOUSED IN A PRIVATE HOME. A block from the Lumbard Street property, a private home is currently being utilized as a Franciscan Vocation House for four women. While discerning their life's path, these women are voluntarily assisting the Confraternity with its administrative and gift shop work.

What We Propose – CFP OWNED SAINT JOSEPH FRANCISCAN VOCATION HOUSE for up to eight men and CFP OWNED ANNUNCIATION FRANCISCAN VOCATION HOUSE for up to 11 women. Both houses are within walking distance of the CFP Administrative Offices and Holy Angels Gift Shop where the residents can voluntarily assist the CFP as part of their discernment.

What We Have Now –NO PRAYER CHAPEL AT EITHER LOCATION. The city and county deemed that the prayer chapel we had in Mary's Glen did not meet code so it has been sold.

Left: Bishop Kevin Rhoades blessing original prayer chapel which city, county determined did not meet code. Pews, icons, altar, tabernacle, etc. saved for use in new chapel.

Below: Rendering of proposed prayer chapel which will be built to meet city and county code. Windows overlook Mary's Glen.

What We Propose— A PRAYER CHAPEL FOR MARY'S GLEN. This will be built on a foundation attached to the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop, and will meet all city, county, and state commercial code requirements.

THE COST

The Diocese is very generous in asking only $50,000 for the Lumbard Street House which will become Annunciation Franciscan Vocation House for women. The property also includes the CFP Administrative Offices and Holy Angels Gift Shop, as well as Mary’s Glen, covering seven city lots amounting to 1.75 acres of property.
The 24 room residence (former convent) two blocks from the Lumbard Street property, which will become St. Joseph Franciscan Vocation House for men, has been purchased from a nonprofit organization for $10,000, the cost of cleaning up water damage that occurred when a water pipe burst in the vacant building. The cost of renovating and restoring this residence will come to $120,000.
The property for the chapel in Mary’s Glen will be part of the Lumbard Street purchase. The cost of building the chapel from the ground up (new construction) will be $55-$65,000.
The CFP is also seeking to purchase housing for the Chief of Staff in the vicinity.

OUR RULE, OUR FUTURE --IF WE DO NOTHING

The CFP does not bring in sufficient income to pay a Chief of Staff or employees. Scattered volunteers are unable to manage the almost 400 members, associates, affiliates, inquirers, and Alessandro Prison Ministry members in the CFP.
When the current Minister General (also currently Chief of Staff) becomes unable to continue, CFP Life Pledged members will elect a new Minister General who will unlikely be able to relocate to Fort Wayne to live.
The owner of the private residence, that is now serving as the Franciscan Vocation House wishes to assume use of that house.
Without a viable plan to provide for a centralized Administrative CFP Office and Gift Shop, along with workers for these, the CFP will be unable to function efficiently in its evangelical outreach and will likely eventually dissolve.

Above: CFP Life Pledged Member Mariah with most of her family at Gazebo in Mary's Glen.

CFO Hermit Ally Sr. Elizabeth, CFP Spiritual Advisor Fr. Jacob Meyer, with CFP Life Pledged Members Sandy and Rita.

OUR RULE, OUR FUTURE --IF WE ACT ON THIS PLAN

The proposed plan provides housing in exchange for volunteer work by those discerning God's plan for their lives. It also includes CFP administrative offices and the CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop, both a ministry and a source of income.
Both properties are within 2 blocks of each other.
Both properties are 2 blocks from historic Saint Andrew’s Catholic Church, home to Franciscan friars and Poor Clare nuns. Once renovations to the church are completed, daily public Mass will resume there and be readily available.
Excluding the Mary’s Glen Prayer Chapel, the total cost comes to $175,000. There are few areas in the USA where two residences totaling 30+ rooms (excluding bathrooms) can be obtained for $175,000. We know this is a lot to most of our members, but we ask your sacrificial help.

OUR RULE, OUR FUTURE --WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Pray. We believe that the Lord has led us to this decision and will bring in the needed funds.
Make donation. ALL DONATIONS to Our Rule, Our Future are tax deductible.
Sponsor a room in one of the Franciscan Vocation Houses. Those who commit to a $5000 room sponsorship are invited to name and/or dedicate the room via a bronze plaque which will be placed in the room, and to personalize the room with one piece of religious art of their choice. Rooms will be assigned by lot to those committing to the $5000 sponsorship. This pledge may be paid over 3 years.
Make a monthly gift in the amount of your choice for a period of three years.
If you’re 70 ½ or older, and make your donation straight from your IRA, it will count toward your Required Minimum Distribution and will not be reported as income to the IRS.

Our Lady of Guadalupe outdoor shrine at St. Joseph Franciscan Vocation House for men. May Our Lady intercede for the CFP and all its members and intentions and may she obtain a blessing for you who are reading this.

OUR RULE, OUR FUTURE PLEDGE FORM ALL DONATIONS are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.

[ ] YES! I will pray for the success of the Our Rule, Our Future initiative.

] I I will make a tax deductible contribution of $______ a month for the next three years for the purchase/renovation fund in addition to my current donation of $_______ for CFP operations.

{ } I would like to sponsor a room in the Franciscan Vocation Houses. Please Check: ___ $5000 one time tax deductible donation; ____ $417/month for a year; ____ $208/month for 2 years; ____$139/month for 3 years ___

[ ] Enclosed is my one time, tax deductible check for $__________.

[ ] Charge my VISA/MasterCard/Amex Card $________________________________

Exp ___/___ Signature (required for card donations________________________

[ ] I am 70-1/2 or older and will make a donation of $________ from my IRA. I understand my donation will not be taxable to me and will count as part of my required minimum distribution.

[ ] I can donate $_________ in securities. Please provide information on how to do this.

{ } Please send me ____ additional brochures to distribute to potential donors.

{ } I can conduct a fund raiser of __________ to raise funds for this project. Proposed date _________

{ } I will make an interest free loan to the CFP in the amount of _____________ to be paid back in full by _____________.

[ ] I will donate on line using the donation button to the right.

Name __________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City ________________________________________State ______ ZIP _____________

Phone ______________________________ email _______________________________

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Mail to: To: Our Rule/Our Future Fund, Confraternity of Penitents, 1702 Lumbard Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803 USA