"We call for responsible reporting that sheds a light on systemic injustices and highlights the voices of those most affected by them." The Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network have signed this joint statement 👇

We were three in the Hub this morning. Advices & Queries 13 was read as part of our worship, & Tony offered ministry on the word 'wellspring' which he characterised as the seat of human spirituality, faith, hope.. After meeting our conversation (over a hearty fruit loaf) turned to health,

Damian joined local Sufis for Zikr at the mosque this evening. First visit for a while. It was lovely to be so warmly welcomed. Zikr was a vibrant occasion tonight; resonant voices, gathered prayer. And, afterwards - as ever - food & fellowship 🤲🏻

Integrity & authenticity ✊🏻

Photo taken in Barcelona, yesterday. Shared by Misan Harriman.

We were seven at Meeting; six at the Hub, & Margaret keeping the quiet hour at home. We had ministry springing from recent statements by the Pope, & how these might relate to the prophetic voice of Mary, articulated in Luke's gospel. Luke 1: 46ff

"A poem is the next best thing to silence" Another snippet from 'Borges & Me'.

Friends Summer School, and Teenage General Meeting (The Great Mingle!), has its own website now 😎 fsstgm.org

This ⬇️ From Jorge Luis Borges, to Jay Parini

What Leo says ⬇️

This snippet from Jay Parini, in his book, "Borges and Me" -

We were five at Meeting - Margaret keeping the quiet hour at home, & four of us in the Hub. We had spoken ministry on the topic of 'burdens'- relating to the story from the Little Flowers shared yesterday. Damian had come to see that burdens need not be material. They might be psychological,

'The Little Flowers' ends with Francis' Canticle, composed at San Damiano, when he was seriously ill. A fitting way to end these Lenten posts.

Pendle Hill Area Meeting Trustees met today, hosted by Crawshawbooth Friends. Varied ministry & viewpoints, valued occasion for discernment, good outcomes.

In this story from the Little Flowers, Francis calls brother Leo to him, and explains a vision Leo had had. In it, the friars were crossing a river, and those carrying burdens were swept away and drowned. Some got a third of the way, others more, but none reached the far shore.

The Dalai Lama on truth & integrity ⬇️ x.com/i/status/203...

This snippet from the Little Flowers tells of two students at Bologna, who heard Francis preach in the city (1222) and determined to join the Order. The personal details in it give it the flavour of authenticity. The one student - called Pellegrino - remained a lay brother - never being ordained.

Quakers have joined faith leaders from across the UK in writing to the Home Secretary warning against permanently restricting refugee family reunion. "These proposals deny the humanity of some of the world's most vulnerable people" www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

The Little Flowers provides us with the story of the Wolf of Gubbio, which was ravaging the flocks (and the people) of the town. Francis, the story says, made a pact with the wolf so that it would do no harm, and the townsfolk would care for it. So far, so hagiographical.

There are several instances of Francis preaching to the birds, or telling them to be quiet until he'd finished preaching to people. This instance is enlivened by the particular context. Francis had asked Masseo to visit Clare (now living in San Damiano with her own sisterhood)

Happy #transgenderdayofvisibility ... an international celebration! 🏳️‍⚧️ 🧡 🏳️‍⚧️

A story from the The Little Flowers. It features Francis & Masseo. (Masseo is one of the four close companions buried with Francis, the others being brothers Leo, Angelo, & Rufino). The two were journeying to France, & separated to beg food on different streets in a town they passed though.

This from EAPPI / Quakers in Britain www.facebook.com/share/17n6EL...

We were six at Meeting this morning. Margaret kept the quiet hour at home, & five gathered at the Community Hub. We were very happy to see Sarah, who joined us for the first time in our new home (it being half-term!). We had no spoken ministry. Afterword was enlivened by Anne's Florentines 😋

One of my favourite stories of Francis: this from the 'Little Flowers'. It is perfectly believable, entirely consistent with what we know of Francis' spirituality. Francis owned only his sins & infirmities, laying claim to nothing more; he attributed every else to God's generosity, finding therein.

In 1221, a great gathering took place at the Portiuncula: 5000 friars gathered for what has become known as the .Chapter of the Mats'. Some Ministers present pressed Cardinal Ugolino to speak to Francis, & counsel him to take note of earlier Rules, when regularising the life of the Friars.

This is a decent stab! But the unconscious bias which frames the questions has, unsurprisingly, nudged me into the wrong category. Atheist Quaker here.

The Mirror of Perfection meets Advices and Queries, courtesy of a Dominican Friar, a conversation with Francis, and some scriptural exegesis. A Doctor of Theology, a member of the Order of Preachers, met Francis and the two were deep in conversation. A passage in Ezekiel was discussed.

Still with The Mirror of Perfection, but with a backward look to the Rule that Francis composed for the Friars in 1221. This Rule (really a cluster of gospel precepts strung together to give some shape to the life of the brothers) did not receive Papal approval, but it shows Francis' heart & intent.

From the Mirror of Perfection: "The Lord also revealed to him the greeting that the Friars were to use, and he caused it to be written in his Testament, saying: 'The Lord revealed to me that I should say as a greeting - The Lord give you peace' ".

Walking with the weavers 200 years after the Lancashire uprising

Staying with The Mirror of Perfection, and the novice who wanted a Psalter, we learn more about Francis' desire for simplicity and his yearning to follow the precepts of the gospel. He counsels against the thirst for knowledge, where pursuit of it rides roughshod over the Rule.

Beautiful.

Another episode from the Mirror of Perfection. The story concerns a novice who wanted to have a Psalter, and was given permission to have one. Not content with permission from his Minister, he wanted Francis' personal approval (which is where the story takes an interesting turn).

We were five at Meeting, Gordon & Tony being prevented. Our number was supplemented by Eric, from Wigan Meeting, who joined us. He's visiting each Pendle Hill AM local Meeting, in turn. We had no spoken ministry, but Advices & Queries 10 was read. We had a rich afterword, & lunch with our guest.

This, from Pope Leo

Today's snippet is taken from the Mirror of Perfection, and evidences the rift that opened up among the brothers, after Francis' death. Prominent in the story is Brother Elias, whom Francis appointed Vicar-General of the Order in 1221, after the sudden death of his predecessor, Peter of Catanii.

Yesterday, twenty Friends gathered at Clitheroe Meeting House, & online, for Area Meeting. As part of ongoing discernment, Pendle Hill AM Friends are posing three significant (& weighty) questions to themselves: 1. What sort of Area Meeting do we wish to be?

Sde Teman is an Israeli moral black hole, and as such it has its own moral "Hawking radiation": the truth. From Sde Teiman, the truth about Israel’s military justice system has been set free. www.972mag.com/sde-teiman-i...

The Legend of Perugia recounts that Francis wanted larks to be fed on Christmas day. He was utterly devoted to them - he saw them as signifiers for the brothers. They were dun brown and inconspicuous, they ate scarcely anything, yet they soared to the highest heights, praising God.

The following story, narrated in the Legend of Perugia, tells us of the origin of the Canticle of the Creatures. At this time, Francis was living in a hut made of mats, at the church of San Damiano (where the crucifix spoke to him, and which was now the home of the Poor Clares).

A member of Marsden Meeting has had a piece published in The Friend.

Another excerpt from the Legend of Perugia: this one speaks to Francis' determination to uphold integrity and authenticity. The circumstances present a challenge, in that Francis reproaches himself publicly for not being as rigorous as he might be, with respect to eating & drinking.

Towards the end of his life, Francis was increasingly troubled by eye problems (possibly as a result of trachoma, contracted during his visit to the Holy Land). Eventually, he went blind. The episode below relates to that period. It points to a cardinal aspect of Francis' spirituality.

Many of my theologian friends think this is one of my best cartoons. I suppose it's because it illustrates that we interpret scripture through our own fears and fantasies so that they confirm our preconceptions and magically mirror what we already believe. Confirmation bias.

The following episode is taken from the Legend of Perugia - an early source for Francis' life, and one which captures his simplicity and charm. Here a simple peasant, soon to be Brother John, expresses a desire to join Francis and his companions. His family - poor & numerous - are devastated.