Holy Guardian Angels Chapel

Holy Guardian Angels Chapel, LCAC Province of the Holy Cross - Salinas CA, USA Description serving the poor,the marginalized of the Chinatown area of Salinas Under the Direction of Brother Robert Mills, FMC has received a Charter from the Province of the Holy Cross, USA. It is our hope that this "little portion" will become a place of refuge for those who most need Christ's loving and healing embrace in the world. we will provide a space to worship, serve and love God as a Catholic Community with an emphasis on Sacraments, prayer and contemplation open to all. A mission ofthe Franciscan Missionaries of the Cross https://www.facebook.com/groups/174027049349426/ We are Free Catholic Christians...Apostolic, Sacramental, evangelical and progressive... In the Free Catholic Church, we embrace all people as dear brothers and sisters, despite the different denominational or faith tradition labels we wear. We refuse to be compelled to look at the Church, or spirituality in general, from such a narrow and sectarian perspective that would force us to exclude anyone (Colossians 1:16). In our day and age, we cannot remain narrow and sectarian... the evidence of the world is too overwhelming demonstrating Oneness and unity. "a place of refuge for those who most need Christ's loving and healing embrace in the world." St Francis in his little rule for those who desire to be hermits emphasis is on the roles of the life of Mary and Martha, and if there are four hermits living in community, two are to live the life of Mary and two are to live the life of Martha, with one living that of service to the other and thus free the other to concentrate on prayer and conemplation. For the religious, this is obviously going to be practiced in the dwellings of the hermatage. But it can also be applied to the secular or normal life of a family. By doing so, a greater love can be cultivated within the family and will encourage the family to be more prayerful. A family whose children has left the house to be on their own, are especially suited to live this way. But some will say that the these roles of Mary and Martha are not very transforming, and merely copy the status qua. How might such challenge and transform the structure of heirachy within 'church-dom'. Observe the rule as it promotes equality and sharing of tasks. Actually the way such a community would or could be lived need not be confined to brothers, but could equally be used by couples who so choose such a lifestyle. And could be a Catholic Worker community in a Farm setting, and even be modeled after the Calmodolese hermatage but for lay people. Those who have made a visit to the New Calmodoli in Big Sur may have experienced directly both the Benedictine influence and the way the hermit-brothers practice the works of mercy towards their guests. In this current time of global crisis, many who have lost hope and despair forget there is a 'home' to which we can abide in, a place of comfort, and a refuge to flee the troubles of the world, while at the same time embrace the world and assist in it's transformation. As to the oppresiveness and outright betrayal of the heirachical structure of 'church-dom, it is to live a prophetic community creating a deeper element for significant change. When one commits themselves to prayer and to a contemplative life, it is motivated by a deeply compassionate desire to be in the world, but not of it.Such a desire cannot also ignore the structure of 'Church' as well. A second observation regarding being a contemplative in this 21st century: As Christians, we speak a lot about the corporal works of mercy, while at the same time unintentionally play down the equally important spiritual works of mercy. The one committed to contemplative prayer has a special role in supporting and promoting the spiritual works of mercy: To comfort the sorrowful To counsel the doubtful To instruct the ignorant To admonish sinners To bear wrongs patiently To forgive offenses willingly To comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable To pray for the living and the dead. Note: The spiritual work of 'comforting the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable' speaks eloquently of the prophetic role the contemplative may engage in. Thomos Merton in much of his writing dd this very part, as does St Francis in some of his writings. More could be explored on this matter than can be in this little note.