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• Today, day five of “Holy Week”
  Structure of the Octave (November 1 to November 8) On November 4, the primary Mass celebrated the bishop St. Charles Borromeo (wearing white). However, immediately after praying for St. Charles, the priest chanted the prayers honouring the Octave of All Saints, followed by a third prayer commemorating the martyrs Ss. Vitalis and Agricola. The liturgy effortlessly carried three distinct spiritual memories at once. About Saint Charles Borromeo Discover more from … Continue reading →
• The “Short Call to Prayer”
  Take 10 seconds. Prayer Cenacle Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• Today, day four of “Holy Week”
  Structure of the Octave (November 1 to November 8) November 3: November 7 (Days within the Octave): Octave Days, Continuation of the solemnity of All Saints. Liturgies, prayers, and Masses throughout these days repeated or reflected upon the glory of the saints, eternal life, and suffrage (prayers and penances) for the souls. Throughout the eight-day period, the faithful visit cemeteries and pray for the dead to gain indulgences. Days Within … Continue reading →
• Triduum Colours and the Octavus following
  Nov1, Roman Catholic Missal 2011 Version This is why: Liturgical colours are specific colours used for vestments and hangings in Christian liturgy. The symbolism of violet, blue, white, green, red, gold, black, rose, and other colours may underline moods appropriate to a season of the liturgical year or highlight a special occasion. The colour of the vestments worn by the clergy differs from their choir dress, which, with a few … Continue reading →
• 35 Faces of Brother Eric
  I often wear a black clergy tab shirt, black or grey pants, and a blue blazer (Legion Logo) outside formal liturgical celebrations. This attire serves as my standard “streetwear” or everyday professional dress, blending traditional clerical identity with a practical, modern look. I wear my pectoral cross on a chain (or a Franciscan Tau) over my shirt, even in casual settings, though I sometimes tuck it into my blazer pocket … Continue reading →
• Today, day three of “Holy Week”
  Structure of the Octave (November 1 to November 8) November 2: All Souls’ Day, commemorating the Church Suffering (all the faithful departed souls). Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• Censers & Boat
  A censer is a specialized vessel or container used to burn solid or indirect incense and release fragrant smoke. Purpose and Symbolism In the Latin Church and its Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church as well as other groups like the Anglican Communion and some Lutheran churches, the censer is often called a thurible, and used during important offices (benedictions, processions, and important Masses). A common design for a … Continue reading →
• Today, day two of “Holy Week”
  Structure of the Octave (November 1 to November 8) November 1 (The Feast / Solemnity): All Saints’ Day, Honouring the Church Triumphant (all known and unknown saints in heaven) Opening Day (Nov 1) Double of the First Class Highest solemnity. No other feast could take its place. The antiphons (short chants preceding the psalms) were “doubled,” meaning they were sung in full before and after every psalm in the Breviary. … Continue reading →
• Today, we are starting “Holy Week”
  All Hallow Mass At EMMI, across all ministries, we are celebrating the Allhallowtide, an eight-day octave established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1430. Key Details of the Octave Timeframe: The 8-day observance ran from October 31 through November 8 We ignore that Pope Pius XII eliminated the Octave of All Saints (along with several other octaves and vigils) in his 1955 liturgical reforms (Cum nostra hac aetate), reducing the core … Continue reading →
• Out of the Manse in 2025
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• THE FIRST NOVEMBER MORNING
  THE FIRST NOVEMBER MORNING The sun is shining around usEverything is crisp and clear,On the first November morningA touch of autumn’s in the air. The trees are standing tall and bareThe leaves are all lying on the groundAll blowing in the windLike children twirling round and round The nighttime sky comes early nowThe moon is large; it’s looking cold.The clouds are gray, and Autumn’s hereThere’s a touch of winter in … Continue reading →
• This Polaroid photo is 50 years old
  Note: Jesus of Prague has a Rosary around his neck, and beside the brown missal, a white rectangle is another missal. Micro History Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• Cassock Suite
  Previous A Roman Catholic cassock can be worn without a sash (known as a fascia or cincture), hanging loosely around the body in a traditional, single-breasted or tailored style. Characteristics of the Cassock Without a Sash Garment Design: Roman cassocks are traditionally single-breasted, with a row of buttons down the front (often 33, symbolizing the earthly years of Jesus Christ). Fit: Without a fascia or belt, the cassock hangs straight … Continue reading →
• Is it mandatory to wear the sash with a cassock?
  You don’t strictly need to wear a sash (known as a fascia) with a cassock in every circumstance; it depends on the setting, occasion, and ecclesiastical tradition. When the Sash Is Expected or Required When the Sash Is Often Omitted Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• Rest In Peace, Jean Luc
  Sir Patrick Stewart was an English actor. With a career spanning over 60 years on stage and screen, he received various accolades, including two Laurence Olivier Awards and a Grammy Award, as well as nominations for a Tony Award, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Wikipedia Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. … Continue reading →
• THE IMPORTANCE AND DIGNITY OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
  The celebration of Mass, as the action of Christ and of the People of God arrayed hierarchically, is the center of the whole of Christian life for the Church both universal and local, as well as for each of the faithful individually.22 For in it is found the high point both of the action by which God sanctifies the world in Christ and of the worship that the human race … Continue reading →
• The Vestry
  Because of the space available in the living room when I turn it into a chapel, our vestry is a Wardrobe Cabinet, and our sacristy is a dresser. At one point, I had a brilliant idea to bring it all into the vestry… Since then, I have been fighting to get the door to close for at least 6 months, so today I decided to bring back my 12 clergy … Continue reading →
• The Shrine is 15 years old.
  I started picking up items for the Shrine while living in Belleville, ON, around 2009-2010. I purchased the casing shelves in the summer of 2011. So, as of summer 2026, the Shrine is 15 years old. To the people of the Manse: HAPPY SHRINE Celebration Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• My blessings upon you
  “Blessings upon you” is a warm, traditional expression of goodwill, gratitude, or comfort that wishes good fortune, happiness, and divine protection for someone like you, reader Everyday Goodwill: The phrase conveys a universal desire to uplift, respect, and care for others in daily interactions, during hardships, or in celebrations. Biblical Foundations: It mirrors classic scriptural benedictions like the Aaronic Blessing in Numbers 6:24–26 (“The LORD bless you and keep you…”) … Continue reading →
• Recevoir la communion sous les deux espèces – To receive communion in both kinds
  Receiving communion under both kinds means receiving Christ’s Body (the host) and Blood (the wine) at Mass. This practice is rich in symbolic meaning and more fully expresses the sign of the Eucharistic banquet. Here is what you need to know about this practice, particularly in the Catholic Church: Theological SignificanceThe Second Vatican Council emphasized this practice. Receiving both bread and wine responds more faithfully to Jesus’ invitation at the … Continue reading →
• Are you Ready for Allhallowtide?
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• AFRICA
  Hello to our African friends visiting our site. We appreciate it very much. To the visitors from Ghana, Senegal, and Rwanda, thank you Did you know we have an African Subsidiary website? The EMMI African office is in Johannesburg, South Africa. Through the Interdenominational Association of Churches, we are in eight Christian African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Burundi. Cameroon, South Africa, Togo and Nigeria. HISTORY In spring 2017, Rev. B. … Continue reading →
• Corpus Christi
  The Most Holy Body, Blood, Heart of ChristThird Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, historically known as Corpus Christi, is a major Catholic liturgical feast. It celebrates the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist—his literal Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—making it a core celebration of the Christian faith. The Core of the Feast Transubstantiation: The central … Continue reading →
• Facebook And Me
  This is me, Eric Michel, in clergy dress-up for Mass. Facebook says that I cannot be identified with this profile picture. In my Facebook account, I had over 300 pictures of myself as a clergy member, a chaplain, in a paramilitary uniform, and in civilian clothes. Plus all ministry credentials from the government This isn’t the first time Facebook has been after me; in fact, it is the 5th time, … Continue reading →
• Cross Road – Chemin de croix
  The Cross Road is not permanently displayed at the Chapel; it appears during Holy Week and is available on request for special devotion. The Stations of the Cross (in Latin, Via Crucis) is, in the Christian tradition, a private or communal act of devotion, by commemorating the Passion of Christ through the reenactment of fourteen specific moments (some drawn from tradition rather than recorded in the biblical texts), the faithful … Continue reading →
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• General Assembly and Symposium VS Synod and Council
  Before our new structure as Catholic Ministry, we used the term Symposium because our members were spread worldwide and met on different dates and times. It may last a week, whereas a general assembly lasts only a few hours. In Canada, the general assembly, commonly referred to as the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or a members’ meeting, of a private non-profit corporation is governed either federally by the Canada Not-for-profit … Continue reading →
• Devoted to the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
  From our post yesterday: We are NOT a church; the first line, “We (EMMI) are Independent Catholics (ISM) and Clerics devoted to the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching authority,” is ambiguous to our readers. Let me explain the differences. 1: We view Vatican II as a valid ecumenical council intended to renew the Church for the modern world. We think, as studies such as a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper … Continue reading →
• We are NOT a church
  We (EMMI) are Independent Catholics (ISM) and Clerics devoted to the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching authority. The Difference between Church and Ministry In Christianity, ministry is the office held by persons set apart by ecclesiastical authority as ministers called to special vocational service of general recognition. The type of ministry varies across churches. The form that developed in the early church and is retained by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, … Continue reading →
• The Archbishop, The Most Reverend Eric M. Gagnon, OSF, MI, Founder and Chaplain
  *** In EMMI Independent Catholic jurisdictions, governance structures differ significantly from the Roman Catholic Church, so a local district, synod, or clergy council appoints a Metropolitan Archbishop rather than the Pope. Because Independent Catholicism comprises many distinct autocephalous (self-governing) churches, each jurisdiction operates under its own unique code of Canon Law. Synodical Selection: Many Independent Catholic jurisdictions use a synodical governance model in which the clergy, and sometimes laity, of … Continue reading →
• EWTN Missionary: The Children and Lourdes
  TUESDAY, October 13th, 2026 MARKS THE 28thWORLDWIDE CHILDREN OF THE EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR New! Worldwide Children’s Holy Hour TV GUIDE Confraternity of the Most Holy RosaryThe Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great. Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• New Testament
  The New Testament was NOT dropped from heaven.The New Testament was NOT delivered by an angel.The New Testament was NOT found in a farmer’s field, as the Book of Mormon was.The New Testament was NOT suddenly “discovered” in a clay jar with 27 “books” intact, like the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Nag Hammadi texts. The process of canonization of the New Testament was complex and lengthy. In the early … Continue reading →
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
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• FB Page Post from CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE AND BASIC
  I wish that I could chat with CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE AND BASIC, but he uses only WhatsApp, and I don’t, so the only choice is to post here, hoping that he will see it. Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• FB Groups for my chaplain work
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• OurLady of Walsingham
  A Lady that I didn’t know anything about OurLady of Walsingham The Vision: In 1061, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary led her in spirit to Nazareth and asked her to build a replica of the Holy House (where the Annunciation took place). Medieval Importance: The “Holy House” became known as “England’s Nazareth” and grew into a major medieval pilgrimage destination, … Continue reading →
• Sick-Call Kit
  CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE AND BASIC has beautiful images to teach about Catholicism; I like it a lot. On October 9th, they posted the Sick-Call Kit. That makes me remember that I do have one, not like the one from CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE AND BASIC, which is sold for thousands of dollars; I have a humble kit, as you can see on the Google Shop page; mine is similar. It comes from Holyart.com … Continue reading →
• My pins
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• EWTN Missionary: Pope Leo on AI art
  Pope Leo on AI art: Beyond aesthetics, ‘there is an ontological difference’Hannah Brockhaus via EWTN 04.10.26 The pontiff said the Catholic Church wishes to renew its alliance with artists. VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said there is a fundamental difference between the art humans create and what artificial intelligence can make based on the work of others, telling a group of artists on Friday. “The Church needs you,” the … Continue reading →
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
  Cenacle Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• The intersection of Christian faith and Buddhist practice
  When I created the page, The White Robed Monks of St. Benedict, yesterday, I used text and pictures from my previous site. I have been a member of the WRMSB Network only since last year, August 12, 2025; my text and pictures about Christianity and Buddhism are much older. I only have access to my backup files from 2020. The WRMSB from South Africa is on *****, but I didn’t … Continue reading →
• Commentaire de l’Évangile de ce dimanche 4 octobre 2026 par Brigitte Rigo : Un message d’une brûlante actualité
  CathoBel Quand la parabole évoque la violence des vignerons prêts à tout pour s’approprier les fruits de la vigne et l’héritage du maître, je ne puis m’empêcher d’y voir la spirale d’égoïsme et de violence qui gangrène nos sociétés et la… Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• Independent Sacramental Movement
  A sacramental is a sacred sign, object, or action instituted by the Church, rather than directly by Christ, to obtain spiritual effects and holiness in daily life. What is a Sacramental? Common Examples Independent Sacramental Movement The Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM) is a loose collection of autonomous Christian communities and clergy that practice historic, liturgical sacramental worship outside the jurisdiction of mainstream institutional bodies like the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, … Continue reading →
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
  Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• EMMI-TOSF Saint of the Day
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• Living crazy days
  But I love it; no time for anything else. The ministry now has five (5) websites If I am not with you, I am on one of these nine (9) places, when not with Marie… . Discover more from Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFS) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
• EWTN TV SEP TO NOV 2026
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• Brother Eric Michel New Business Card
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