Saint John Vianney (1786-1859)
When people want to destroy religion, they
start by attacking priests, because where there are
no priests, there is no sacrifice; and where there
is no sacrifice, there is no religion.
Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.
When y ou see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
--St. John Vianney
The government of souls is the art of arts.
--Pope Saint Gregory the Great
O venerable dignity of priests, in whose hands
the Son of God becomes incarnate anew as He formerly
became incarnate in the womb of Mary!
--St. Augustine of Hippo
Jesus' Charge to St. Peter
Stained Glass Window designed by Ford Madox
Brown, Jesus Church, Troutbeck, Cumbria (UK)
"Repent and believe the Good News!"
Penance means conversion. The Confraternity of
Penitents is a world wide private Catholic
association of the faithful, completely loyal to our
Pope and the Magisterium.
Our Rule of Life has been reviewed by our bishop and
recognized in these words: "this Rule does not
contain anything contrary to our faith; therefore it
may be safely practiced privately by you or by
anyone inclined to do so. . . . His Excellency
is appreciative of your efforts to live and promote
Franciscan spirituality and especially promote the
neglected practice of penance and he wishes you
success" (January 30, 1998).
Members of the Confraternity of Penitents live this
Rule in their own homes, devoted to prayer, penance,
fasting, conversion, and works of mercy modeled on
Jesus Christ and inspired by the lives and teachings
of
St. Francis,
St. Dominic,
St. Therese,
St. Benedict,
St. Augustine,
St. Ignatius,
and all the saints, most especially Mary, the Mother
of God, who lived a life of true penance
(conversion) in perfect union with our Lord.
May Our Lady and all the saints intercede for all
who wish to embrace a life of penance, anywhere in
the world, so that the grace of God will assist them
to obtain every virtue necessary for a life of
holiness and surrender to the Will of God! Amen.
PRAYER OF PENITENTS
"Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness
of my mind, give me right faith, a firm hope and
perfect charity, so that I may always and in all
things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen."
(Saint Francis's prayer before the San Damiano
Crucifix)
MISSION OF PENITENTS
"Go and repair My House
which, as you can see, is falling into ruin." (The
message given to St. Francis in a voice from the San
Damiano Crucifix.)
ACTION OF PENITENTS
To pray for God's
specific direction in one's life so that, through
humbly living our Rule of Life, each penitent may
help to rebuild the house of God by bringing love of
God and neighbor to his or her own corner of the
world.
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SPIRITUAL
ADVISORS AND VISITOR FOR THE CONFRATERNITY OF
PENITENTS
The Confraternity
of Penitents is blessed to have the following
spiritual advisors and Visitor.
VISITOR
Father
Micheal Anthony Sisco is a diocesan priest in
the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. He is
active in youth ministry, chaplain to one of the
Rhode Island colleges, a teacher in a Catholic
School, a sought after homilist, and a general
all around "good guy." The Confraternity is blessed
to have Father Sisco as Visitor.
SPIRITUAL
ADVISORS
CFP ADVISOR ON
WORLDWIDE CONTACTS AND NETWORKING.
Dom Julian Stead, OSB is a priest in the
Order of St. Benedict at Portsmouth Abbey
School, Portsmouth, RI (USA). STL Theology Degree from
Rome. Author of book on St. Benedict, poet
(There Shines Forth Christ is the title of his
book of poetry), artist, and translator of
Chiara Lubich's works from Italian and of St.
Maximus the Confessor from Greek. Patristics is
his hobby. Clergy member of the Focolare.
 CFP
ADVISOR ON GRIEF COUNSELING AND DISCERNMENT
ISSUES. Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC, a
member of the International Missionary
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of
Cluny, was born in Ireland in County Clare.
After her First Profession, Sister was missioned
to California where she ministered as an
educator and religious educator as well as
organist and choir director in the Archdiocese
of Los Angeles for twenty five years. She also
served as a Master Catechist for the
Archdiocese. Sister has taught
Catholic school and continued her music ministry
there. She has served as Director of
Religious Education in a parish and served as
diocesan Director of Religious Education in the
Fall River, Massachusetts, Diocese. Sister
was instrumental in bringing RAINBOWS, a grief
program, to the South Eastern MA area as she
served in the Office of Family Ministry in North
Dartmouth, MA. In more recent years Sister has
been available as a Retreat and Spiritual
Director at The Edmundite Retreat Center on
Enders Island, CT and at Nazareth Spiritual Life
Center in Monroe, CT, as well as other retreat
centers and religious communities up and down
the East Coast. Sister Eugenia lives in Rhode
Island from whence she travels to answer the
calls of ministry.
 CFP
ADVISOR ON THEOLOGICAL MATTERS AND ORGANIZATION
Father Martin
Mary Fonte, FI, is a priest with the Franciscan
Friars of the Immaculate. Webmaster for their
website
www.marymediatrix.com,
Father Martin has presented retreats and Days of
Recollection for the Confraternity of Penitents
is also a resource for consultation on the CFP
Members' Forum.
CFP ADVISOR ON
COMMUNITY D EVELOPMENT
Father David Engo,
FBM, is the founder of the Franciscan Brothers
Minor. He has also founded four community houses
of prayer and discernment for lay people
discerning religious vocations. He is a sought
after preacher for parish missions and youth
events.
CFP ADVISORS FOR
LITURGICAL MATTERS AND CONVERTS TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
An Affiliate of the Confraternity of Penitents, Deacon Jo seph
Pasquella is a convert to the Catholic faith, a
husband, and father, in the Diocese of Buffalo,
New York. He has appeared on EWTN's program
The Journey Home and the story of his
conversion has been featured in various
publications.
 A
wife, mother, and life-pledged and privately
vowed member of the Confraternity of Penitents, Karen Sadock is a convert to
Catholicism and the administrator of a prominent
Catholic web blog. She has been featured on
EWTN's program The Journey Home.
Please pray for
our spiritual advisors and Visitor. May
God bless them always.
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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