Celebrate Mass on the Franciscan feast of Our Lady of the Angels   at St. Francis Parish, St. Mary of the Assumption Church* 821 Herman Rd., Herman, Pa with the Secular Franciscan Order, Mary Queen of Franciscans, together with the Capuchin Friars. Mass will be celebrated by Fr. James Kurtz, OFM Cap., at 7:00 pm with confessions available at 6:30 pm. This feast day  has a special Franciscan gift associated with it, following the prescription outlined below* can lead to a Plenary Indulgence. All are welcome to join our fellowship after Mass in Marian Hall.St. Francis of Assisi had a special love for the Blessed Virgin Mary and he was fond of the small Church  outside of Assisi dedicated to her - Our Lady of the Angels. Because this Church was such a small structure it was referred to as the Portiuncula (little portion).  It was here in Our Lady of the Angels at the Portiuncula that St. Francis started the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) and where he inaugurated the Order of  Poor Clares, and it was in this tiny Church that he died in 1226. Before he died, he obtained from the Pope the famous Portiuncula Indulgence** which has been extended to all Churches throughout the world served by Franciscans.
   *Each year, The ‘Portiuncula Indulgence’ may be obtained by going to confession and receiving communion within a week before or after the feast of Our Lady of the Angels on August 2, and by making a visit to any one of the Churches in St. Francis of Assisi or St. Clare of Assisi Parishes from noon August 1, to midnight August 2, and praying during the visit, at least One (1) ‘Our Father ’and the ‘Creed’ for the intention of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. One (1) Plenary Indulgence may be obtained for oneself or for a departed loved one.

   **Indulgences, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins, whose guilt has already been forgiven. The faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains the indulgence under the prescribed conditions for either him/herself or the departed. Indulgences are granted through the ministry of the Church which, as the dispenser of the grace of redemption, distributes the treasury of the merits of Christ and the Saints. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.