Disappointed in local Secular Franciscan chapter

[JReducation]

The Spiritual Assistant might not be available at the time, but both the Minister and the Formation Director should’ve introduced themselves to you right at the first visit. If anything, this doesn’t seem to bode well…

Augustine is completely right. Something is not right here. Just out of courtessy, the Minister should have introduced himself. If you expressed an interest in joining the fraternity, the Minister is supposed to hand you over to the Formation Director.

The Constitutions and the Franciscan Ritual are very specific on how this is done. You first arrive as a visitor and you may visit as often as you like. Once you decide that you would like to explore and discern a vocation, you are to be handed over to the Formation Director who then gives you a bunch of papers that you have to fill out to apply for admission to the postulancy called the period of inguiry. The Formation Director must ask you for your baptism certificate, confirmation certificate, a reference from your pastor or spiritual director and proof that you are not a member of another order. A statement from your spiritual director or pastor is enough, as long as they know you well.

Once you have done this, which is doesn’t take long at all. There is the right of introduction during which the new postulant or inquierer is introduced to the community. There is a brief rite for this that is in the Franciscan Ritual. It’s the same rite for the postulants of the Regular Franciscans and takes all of 10 minutes, but it must be done.

From that point forward you attend classes with the Formation Director. These classes are not at the same time as the fraternity gathering. In some fraternities they hold them just before or right after the fraternal gathering, so that you don’t have to make two trips.

During this process you are given a copy of the Gospel and a series of readings and other study aides to become familiar with the externals of the Franciscan family.

I guess the only question that I can come up with is did you ask for admission to the fraternity? Even if the Minister feels that you’re not a good candidate for the Franciscan Order, he or she has an obligation to tell you so and explain. If they feel that you should continue coming as a visitor and wait longer, that should be told to you as well . . . that is, if you asked to be received into the fraternity.

Something is not right here. I can’t tell what it is. I wish I could be more helpful.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[JReducation]

The Spiritual Assistant might not be available at the time, but both the Minister and the Formation Director should’ve introduced themselves to you right at the first visit. If anything, this doesn’t seem to bode well…

Augustine is completely right. Something is not right here. Just out of courtessy, the Minister should have introduced himself. If you expressed an interest in joining the fraternity, the Minister is supposed to hand you over to the Formation Director.

The Constitutions and the Franciscan Ritual are very specific on how this is done. You first arrive as a visitor and you may visit as often as you like. Once you decide that you would like to explore and discern a vocation, you are to be handed over to the Formation Director who then gives you a bunch of papers that you have to fill out to apply for admission to the postulancy called the period of inguiry. The Formation Director must ask you for your baptism certificate, confirmation certificate, a reference from your pastor or spiritual director and proof that you are not a member of another order. A statement from your spiritual director or pastor is enough, as long as they know you well.

Once you have done this, which is doesn’t take long at all, there is the right of introduction during which the new postulant or inquierer is introduced to the community. There is a brief rite for this that is in the Franciscan Ritual. It’s the same rite for the postulants of the Regular Franciscans and takes all of 10 minutes, but it must be done.

From that point forward you attend classes with the Formation Director. These classes are not at the same time as the fraternity gathering. In some fraternities they hold them just before or right after the fraternal gathering, so that you don’t have to make two trips.

During this process you are given a copy of the Gospel and a series of readings and other study aides to become familiar with the externals of the Franciscan family.

I guess the only question that I can come up with is did you ask for admission to the fraternity? Even if the Minister feels that you’re not a candidate for the Franciscan Order, he or she has an obligation to tell you so and explain. If they feel that you should continue coming as a visitor and wait longer, that should be told to you as well . . . that is, if you asked to be received into the fraternity.

Something is not right here. I can’t tell what it is. I wish I could be more helpful.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Epistemes]

I guess the only question that I can come up with is did you ask for admission to the fraternity? Even if the Minister feels that you’re not a candidate for the Franciscan Order, he or she has an obligation to tell you so and explain. If they feel that you should continue coming as a visitor and wait longer, that should be told to you as well . . . that is, if you asked to be received into the fraternity.

Something is not right here. I can’t tell what it is. I wish I could be more helpful.

I knew who the Minister was from Day 1 because I had spoken with her previously, stating my interest in joining the Secular Franciscans. When I attended my first meeting back in September, she introduced me to the group, stating that I would be sitting in. Since then, no one has said a word to me about anything, but I have been treated as one of the group, going so far as to have my e-mail address, telephone number and address recorded. At the recent “Rite of Extraction,” I was given a prayer partner which is a professed Secular. Apparently I begin the orientation process next month even though I haven’t said anything about postulancy or candidacy or anything…or, at least, no formal statements have been made aside from passing conversation (“Hi, I’m thinking about joining the Franciscans”). And, as already stated, I don’t know who the Formation Director is, and no papers have been filled out (as described above).

I’m not sure what to do or what to think or what to ask. Not only do I not know what is supposed to happen, I don’t know an incredible lot about living the life of a Secular Franciscan, or how a fraternity is supposed to operate, and I’m really doubting that I’ll ever know what to do if I join this particular chapter. Unfortunately, though, the next available chapter is 45 minutes away – which wouldn’t foster much of a fraternal mindset.

I’m thinking of just e-mailing the Minister and saying, “Nice knowing ya,” and ditching this whole thing. It’s too confusing.

 

[JReducation]

I knew who the Minister was from Day 1 because I had spoken with her previously, stating my interest in joining the Secular Franciscans. When I attended my first meeting back in September, she introduced me to the group, stating that I would be sitting in. Since then, no one has said a word to me about anything, but I have been treated as one of the group, going so far as to have my e-mail address, telephone number and address recorded. At the recent “Rite of Extraction,” I was given a prayer partner which is a professed Secular. Apparently I begin the orientation process next month even though I haven’t said anything about postulancy or candidacy or anything…or, at least, no formal statements have been made aside from passing conversation (“Hi, I’m thinking about joining the Franciscans”). And, as already stated, I don’t know who the Formation Director is, and no papers have been filled out (as described above).

I’m not sure what to do or what to think or what to ask. Not only do I not know what is supposed to happen, I don’t know an incredible lot about living the life of a Secular Franciscan, or how a fraternity is supposed to operate, and I’m really doubting that I’ll ever know what to do if I join this particular chapter. Unfortunately, though, the next available chapter is 45 minutes away – which wouldn’t foster much of a fraternal mindset.

I’m thinking of just e-mailing the Minister and saying, “Nice knowing ya,” and ditching this whole thing. It’s too confusing.

If you do know who the Minister is, the ask for a meeting and explain your confusion and ask all your questions. After that meeting you can make a more informed choice.

If you have been given a prayer partner it sounds like they want to help you along

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Epistemes]

If you do know who the Minister is, the ask for a meeting and explain your confusion and ask all your questions. After that meeting you can make a more informed choice.

If you have been given a prayer partner it sounds like they want to help you along

Yes yes, I know – meet with the Minister (sigh).

I guess I’m not conveying adequately enough that I don’t know what to ask. “Pardon me, Ms. Minister, but why isn’t this fraternity being operated like other fraternities which I know little to nothing about? Could you please explain my disappointment?” Please excuse the sarcasm.

And I don’t know if receiving a prayer partner is part of helping me along or was just another one of those “we’re all doing it, so I guess he is too” type of things. The prayer partner wasn’t even explained to me until (just before the meeting adjourned) someone spoke up and said, “Maybe we should explain to him this whole thing?”

Yes, maybe we should.

 

[JReducation]

Yes yes, I know – meet with the Minister (sigh).

I guess I’m not conveying adequately enough that I don’t know what to ask. “Pardon me, Ms. Minister, but why isn’t this fraternity being operated like other fraternities which I know little to nothing about? Could you please explain my disappointment?” Please excuse the sarcasm.

And I don’t know if receiving a prayer partner is part of helping me along or was just another one of those “we’re all doing it, so I guess he is too” type of things. The prayer partner wasn’t even explained to me until (just before the meeting adjourned) someone spoke up and said, “Maybe we should explain to him this whole thing?”

Yes, maybe we should.

Well, if I can offer some ideas how about, let me think here for a minute.

OK, how about . . .

1. I’m a little disappointed because I was hoping to find ___________ for my life. I’m wondering if that’s part of your charism.
2. I’m wondering what the next step is.
3. I feel a little overwhelmed by ____________________
4. Is there anything that I can read and study on my own that will help me better understand the Secular Franciscan Order?
5. I understand that other fraternities have ________________ or do _____________, I was wondering if this fraternity has anything like that. If not, can you explain why not so that I can understand it better.

I think if you put it in “I questions” and “I statements” you may get more information than you think and it may help you discern better. I’m praying that it will help you, whether you stay or not.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Giustina]

I have read these posts with interest.

I have also been very disappointed with our local SFO fraternity.

Reading these posts has helped me to understand a little. Apparently the fraternity I attended was also very bound up into the apostolic mindset.

I found them to barely touch on the what I believed to be the charism. I also saw a number of individuals attend one meeting and then never return due to the negative tone and being so far removed from what I believe Saint Francis intended. They lost potential members several times.

I also ended up not returning and I won’t go back. It is sad because I really felt that I resonated with the charism and not everyone was like that. Nonetheless, the majority fell into this mindset and it set the tone for the rest of the group.

Very interesting that my experience was not unique.

 

[JReducation]

I have read these posts with interest.

I have also been very disappointed with our local SFO fraternity.

Reading these posts has helped me to understand a little. Apparently the fraternity I attended was also very bound up into the apostolic mindset.

I found them to barely touch on the what I believed to be the charism. I also saw a number of individuals attend one meeting and then never return due to the negative tone and being so far removed from what I believe Saint Francis intended. They lost potential members several times.

I also ended up not returning and I won’t go back. It is sad because I really felt that I resonated with the charism and not everyone was like that. Nonetheless, the majority fell into this mindset and it set the tone for the rest of the group.

Very interesting that my experience was not unique.

This is very sad to hear, because that’s not the tone of the Franciscan family at all. First, the Franciscan family is not just an apostolic family. In reality, it is a fraternal family. Francis left to his sons and daughters a strong fraternal spririt in his writings and by way of personal example. Nothing was more important to him than his brothers and sisters. He would give up preaching to heretics, for the sake of being with his brothers and sisters. It is this spirit of community that has drawn so many millions to the Franciscan family through the centuries. There is a bond among us.

Francis was very unique in his way of doing things. He was the first religious founder to introduce the idea of a secular religious order into the Church. There were other secular movements, but they were heretical. The most likely reason is that they were not an order.

The term itself implies that there is a way of being, living and working. It is a life that is ordered by an ideal and follows the road to Christ in a very specific manner. In our case, it is by imitating Francis and his journey. In other communities it would be St. Teresa of Avila, St. Dominica, St. Benedict and so forth.

What has kept the Secular Franciscan Order alive for 800 years has been its great love and devotion for Francis. You don’t need Francis to be a good holy Christian. Those who joined the order were inspired by his journey and his application of the Gospel.

Franciscan gatherings have to spend time reflecting on Francis’ spirituality and apply it when they are together. The gathering is a school where the individual learns how to live the Gospel using Francis’ manner and takes that with him/her where ever one goes. Even when you’re away from the fraternity, people can see that you live by a different set of values.

It is important to keep one thing clear. The Secular Order was not meant to be an extension of the friars or the nuns. What makes the Secular Order very unique is that it believes that the secular world is holy and that secular men and women can live a religious life in this world, without having to enter a friary or cloistered monastery. The Secular Order must always protect and preserve the secular life style, but not the worldly life style. There is a difference.

I strongly recommend that anyone who is interested in the Secular Franciscan Order and has been disappointed think about it again from another perspective. Maybe the question can be, is the Lord calling me to bring this fraternity back to its roots by my fidelity to Francis?

In my own fraternity, we had a very apostolic vision of Christianity. Over the years we have had some very powerful members who began to address the question of identity, belonging to an Order, Franciscan history, Franciscan community, Franciscan poverty, and other Franciscan themes. As the fraternity discussed and studied these themes, gradually it evolved.

Today it is a thriving community of over 40 members from ages 24 to 75. Some are in private vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, living celibate lives. There are three community houses where young Secular Franciscans live with older ones who have no one to care for them or be their companions. We have three fraternity ministries: the disabled, Pro-Life Education, and on-going formation for adult Catholics.

Everyone prays the Liturgy of the Hours either together when possible or individually when together is not possible. Younger members take older ones shopping, sit with them at the hospital when they are in-patient, take care of the children of those who are married and we even have a member who is a “Big Brother” to the son a widowed Franciscan sister. I use quotation marks because it’s not officially the Big Brother program. But you guys know what I mean.

I myself, have been asked to transfer to this fraternity because they needed a Formation Director. They communicated their need to the regional Minister and somehow my Minister volunteered me. I accepted and went. It is 45 minutes away, compared to my local fraternity, which is 15 minutes away. But that’s part of being a family.

We also have a writing ministry. We write short articles on Franciscan life and we publish a newsletter with them and other stuff too.

None of this would have been possible, if someone had not said “let’s get back to basics.”

I suggest that those reading this thread look at this web page and read the documents from the SFO General Chapter. These documents are very telling what the SFO is about. It may give someone an idea of why God is putting an attraction to the Order into their heads. Maybe God wants you to be a reformer. All things are possible.

ciofs.org/en.htm

We cannot pray or live with the heart of another. We can only do so with our own heart.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Marauder]

I have read these posts with interest.

I have also been very disappointed with our local SFO fraternity.

There are two things to consider when looking at SFO, one is whether YOU truely have a calling to SFO and the other is whether the local fraternity is appropriate to you. If after attending a meeting or two of the local fraternity you no longer have a desire to pursue SFO then honestly the calling wasn’t meant for you. If it is a true calling then minor obstacles wouldn’t stand in your way. If you felt truely called to follow St. Francis in a secular way, you could:

1. Talk to the minister or formation director of the local fraternity and ask them questions. There could be a major misunderstanding.
2. Seek out other local fraternities.
3. Contact a spiritual director, preferably a Franciscan spiritual director whether they be SFO, OFM, Capuchin, etc. doesn’t matter, just one that is in the Franciscan family.

When I started looking at the current fraternity I felt very put off by the minister of the fraternity. I felt like she was ignoring me and even being rude, but I didn’t let that stop me. Humbily, I made an effort to approach people and found other people within the fraternity to talk to. After awhile I found out the minister’s husband had recently died and there were other major things going on in her personal life.

SFO isn’t another club, it is a calling. If you are just looking to join another prayer group then you should look elsewhere. If you feel called to follow St. Francis in a secular manner, then SFO is for you. Don’t expect every aspect of every fraternity to be exactly what you expect. Without knowing the true details, it could be you that is the problem or it could be the group that is the problem. If you just give up, then the calling wasn’t meant for you.

 

[Augustine]

SFO isn’t another club, it is a calling.

This is very true. A tertiary community is not much unlike a religious community in which there are members that get in your hair and others that are your soul mates. Not unlike a family, actually, where we love all our family members. A natural family is bonded by blood, a religious family, by the faith and a charisma.

 

[Giustina]

it could be you that is the problem or it could be the group that is the problem. If you just give up, then the calling wasn’t meant for you.

Maybe a little of both.

I think the group has established internal dynamics that work for them. That doesn’t make it good or bad, it just means it works for them,but not for me.

Unfortunately, I think their dynamics are also really off putting to potential new members since they seem to lose a number of people that are interested.

Maybe someday I will seek out the fraternity again. In the meantime, I have spent all of my life living and doing things Franciscan without the benefit of an organized group. That won’t change.

 

[Marauder]

Maybe someday I will seek out the fraternity again. In the meantime, I have spent all of my life living and doing things Franciscan without the benefit of an organized group. That won’t change.

St. Francis never wanted his followers to “live alone”, he always stressed community. Yes there were occasional hermits or people that would live alone for a time being, but he preferred the community aspects.

You need community, whether it be a Franciscan spiritual director, a formal group like SFO, or maybe become a tertiary at a local monestary to help guide you.

This is not meant as an attack since I only know you from two posts on a message board but statements like “It is sad because I really felt that I resonated with the charism and not everyone was like that” show that you aren’t really as far along in the Franciscan way of thinking as you might think.

St. Francis preached continual conversion, humility, community and many other things. Many people that say they are following St. Francis individually usually are following only certain aspects of his life or what they think his life was like. Some people see St. Francis as an eco-friendly hippy type. Some people see him as a person out there to rebuild the church and stand up to authority. Some see him as a conservative person that always followed church teaching. Some see him as a hermit that lived in a cave. Some see him as person that loved everyone and lived in community. The real answer is he was actually none of them and all of them at the same time, if that makes sense.

Whether that fraternity was the right community for you or not, or even if SFO is right for you or not, only you will be able to tell, but if you are truely called to be a Franciscan you will continue searching for the right path.

 

[JollyGal88]

There are two things to consider when looking at SFO, one is whether YOU truely have a calling to SFO and the other is whether the local fraternity is appropriate to you. If after attending a meeting or two of the local fraternity you no longer have a desire to pursue SFO then honestly the calling wasn’t meant for you. If it is a true calling then minor obstacles wouldn’t stand in your way. If you felt truely called to follow St. Francis in a secular way, you could:

1. Talk to the minister or formation director of the local fraternity and ask them questions. There could be a major misunderstanding.
2. Seek out other local fraternities.
3. Contact a spiritual director, preferably a Franciscan spiritual director whether they be SFO, OFM, Capuchin, etc. doesn’t matter, just one that is in the Franciscan family.

When I started looking at the current fraternity I felt very put off by the minister of the fraternity. I felt like she was ignoring me and even being rude, but I didn’t let that stop me. Humbily, I made an effort to approach people and found other people within the fraternity to talk to. After awhile I found out the minister’s husband had recently died and there were other major things going on in her personal life.

SFO isn’t another club, it is a calling. If you are just looking to join another prayer group then you should look elsewhere. If you feel called to follow St. Francis in a secular manner, then SFO is for you. Don’t expect every aspect of every fraternity to be exactly what you expect. Without knowing the true details, it could be you that is the problem or it could be the group that is the problem. If you just give up, then the calling wasn’t meant for you.

Epistemes,Maurader is right. I would just like to give you another pointer. I don’t mean to scare you or make you feel even more anxious, but someone told me if you feel anxious and you’re NOT at peace with this, God may NOT be calling you to this. Does God want to put anxiety into our hearts while we discern? A lot of people disregard things like this. You should keep discerning, but keep in mind, what does God want for you? Maybe this is God’s way of telling you it’s not your vocation. How did you feel called to this? Through word of mouth? Or through a random find on the internet? A lot of times people feel called to something because they hear great things about an order(the SFO is amazing) and they are in regular contact with a lot of people in the orders, but when they actually get to it, They find themselves dissapointed. It happens often. But if you really do feel a true calling, just keep in mind that in discerning, try not to form negative opinions about individuals in the order. Try and look at yourself and how you think God might be calling you to this. Because after all, we are human and imperfect.
*Also i’m discerning joining the Lay Dominicans. God also wants people to be interested in the possibility of joining other orders also. Don’t limit yourself to one. We don’t want to cheat God. Be open to other possibilities too.

 

[JReducation]

The Secular Franciscans had their General Chapter in November 2008. There were delegates from 114 countries around the world. They were there to elect a new Minister General and General Council and to discuss the Franciscan life. Here are some things that came out of that chapter that resonate with what Augustine and Maurader are saying. The bold comes from the chapter.

**1. The Secular Franciscan Order is a real religious order. **

Like every religious family that is very large there are going to be differences, strengths and weaknesses. What unites a religious community is the sense of belonging of each member. Whether it’s Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite or other. We know that we have arrived when we feel that sense of belonging. When we feel that we are living the religious life in the secular world, which is what a secular religious does. If we are tentative or anxious, either we are in the wrong place or we are expecting too much too fast.

2. The Secular Franciscans are not a substitute for the Friars or the nuns of the Franciscan family.

The secular religious retains his or her secular state, because it is essential. If you are to bring the Gospel to the world, you are going to do it as one of many. In other words, you are bringing the gospel to your office as another employee. You bring it to your school, as another student. This makes you very unique. Your faith and spirituality should be very visible, but your appearance should be very typical. You are not a friar or a nun.

3. The profession the Secular Franciscan is equal to that of the friars and the nuns in grace, validity, commitment, and intensity. It is a public canonical profession binding until death. All three have promised to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the manner of St. Francis. The differences are two: mandatory celibacy and conventual life.

The secular religious vocation is equivalent to that of the religious, but different. It is living the same charism, but in a different context. A Carmelite nun lives her ascetic and contemplative life within the walls of a cloister. A Secular Carmelite lives the same life in the secular world whre others can witness it and learn from it. You have to have a true calling from Christ to do this.

4. The Secular Franciscan Order is built upon obedience, prayer, penance, simplicity, brotherhood and service to the Church in the manner of St. Francis, not anyone else. This is not to put down or deny the value of other religious giants. But to simplify our spirituality.

If you pull too many spiritualities together before you are well versed and well formed in Franciscan spirituality, you will be stressed out and you will become disappointed. It is easy to ask why don’t the Fanciscan practice prayer the way the Carmelites do? In fact, there have been many Franciscans who are experts on Carmelite prayer and have introduced elements of it into the order and these elements have made a difference. But this happens slowly.

You may ask why don’t Franciscans practice the poverty of Mother Teresa? There are many who do. The Order welcomes it. But not everyone is fit to do so. You take what gifts the person brings and you polish them to fit the way of St. Francis. If you want to start the Franciscan life living like Mother Teresa, because there is a complimentarity between the two, you’re taking on too much. Be a Franciscan first, then borrow from others as you go along. That’s how Francis did it and so did other religious giants.

5. The Secular Franciscan is over extended, said the Chapter. Franciscans must pull back from the many apostolates in which they involve themselves and focus on the interior life, fraternal life, and the ministries of the community.

Many fraternities can’t engage in ministry because the members are over extended in their parishes and other ministries. The chapter has now called the Secualr Franciscans to drop many of those ministries to make room for prayer, fraternal gatherings, and specifically Franciscan ministries. This is the same order that was given to the friars. They were told to preserve the lay nature of the Friars Minor, because they are a lay order, not a clerical order. Too many priests tips the scale. They were told to avoid taking on more parish ministries, because parish life interferes with the interior life of he community. There are too many conflicts in schedules. Friars in parishes can’t always make it to community functions. Francis was very demanding about the love and life within the brotherhood. Only those ministries that allow the brotherhood to exist without sacrificing community time are to be considered. But in fairness to the Church, they are not to drop the commitments they already have. They are to ease out slowly over several years.

The Secular Franciscan Order is undergoing the same reorganization. The pendalum is swinging back. After Vatican II, it became too secular, now it’s swinging back to the center and seeing itself as secular religious, not just seculars who like St. Francis.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Augustine]

I think the group has established internal dynamics that work for them. That doesn’t make it good or bad, it just means it works for them, but not for me.

Actually, it does make it bad. A religious community must be welcoming to those seeking the charisma of their order, no matter its internal dynamics, which is, in a significant part, dictated by the rule of life, common to other communities. A rule of life is typically very specific about welcoming and forming new comers into the community and if the group failed to abide by them, they’re not being faithful to their vocation.

If this speculation is the case, then your best choice is seeking another group, even if it’s a longer drive. I know members in my community who drive about 2h to our monthly meetings, and they don’t even blink about it, even though they have families.

 

[Augustine]

The Secular Franciscan Order is undergoing the same reorganization. The pendalum is swinging back. After Vatican II, it became too secular, now it’s swinging back to the center and seeing itself as secular religious, not just seculars who like St. Francis.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

[JReducation]

Actually, it does make it bad. A religious community must be welcoming to those seeking the charisma of their order, no matter its internal dynamics, which is, in a significant part, dictated by the rule of life, common to other communities. A rule of life is typically very specific about welcoming and forming new comers into the community and if the group failed to abide by them, they’re not being faithful to their vocation.

If this speculation is the case, then your best choice is seeking another group, even if it’s a longer drive. I know members in my community who drive about 2h to our monthly meetings, and they don’t even blink about it, even though they have families.

I agree with this 100%. Sometimes fraternities die by atrition, because they fall so far away from the roots that they can’t recover. It may work for them, but it changes who they are.

I’m not sure how other Secular Orders do this. The Secular Franciscans have several layers of authority and guidance that they have to follow.

1. The Rule of St. Francis
2. The General Constitutions approved by the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes.
3. The Franciscan Ritual, which spells out everything from how you are to be received to how you are to be burried.
4. The Minister General of the Secular Franciscans and his council
5. The Minister Provincial (in the USA called the Regional Minister)
6. The Local Minister and his council

If a community becomes unidentifiable as Franciscan, they are not following the above authority and guidance systems. They are slowly falling out of communion with the Order. What they’re doing may work for them, but it does not help preserve their Franciscan identity.

In that case, it’s better to go to another fraternity as Augustine suggests.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Cara_Serrano]

No one will ever be able to live up to the example of St Francis, maybe you were called to this group to raise the bar a little.

 

[JReducation]

No one will ever be able to live up to the example of St Francis, maybe you were called to this group to raise the bar a little.

When Vatican II called religious communities to recover the charism of their founders it did not mean to do things exactly as their founders did. It meant to recover the heart of the founer.

If we look at Francis and the first brothers and sisters we can get a pretty clear picture of the standards that we’re to live by.

1. OBEDIENCE: while poverty may be Francis’ trademark his rule and his desire was to be obedient to the Gospel and to the Church. He spelled it out when he wrote the formula for profession. The formula goes: I vow and promise to obey, live without property and in chastity. Obey comes first. Francis’ example of obedience is a must for every Franciscan. It is interesting, we do not know if Francis agreed or not with everything that the Church of his time demanded. He lives during the Lateran Council. There were many changes. Francis simply obeys without expressing his opinion. That’s one thing that Franciscans are called to do. Obey and share your opinion when asked. Otherwise, think it but don’t say it.
2. PRAYER: for Francis this came before any other pious practice or work of charity. He wrote to St. Anthony that the brothers could study theology as long as it did not extinguish the spirit of prayer. What is interesting in his rule is that he never says that the brothers and sisters must pray the Liturgy of the Hours or attend daily mass or spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. He did it. It is through our early Franciscan biographers that we get the idea that he expected everyone to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, go to mass, adore the Blessed Sacrament, pray to our Lady and the saints. Prayer was such a natural thing for him that he didn’t think that he had to spell it out in the rule. If one is to be a Franciscan, one has to look at Francis’ prayer life and follow along.
3. BROTHERHOOD: no other religoius founder exalted the life of brotherhood as much as Francis. Every religious founded has always encouraged fraternal life and charity among the members of the family. What made Francis slightly different was that for him no one and nothing came before the brothers. Even rules were suspended when the brothers had a special need. During a fast he woke up the community, because a novice was hungry and Francis did not want to embarass the novice by making him eat alone. It was this kind of brotherhood that made the Franciscan family very different.

From its early days, the Order always had priests. Some were friars and others were Secular Franciscans. But you would not know who was who, because they all went by the title Brother and they wore the same clothing. They had the same obligations and rights. To this day, we have priests and they still are brothers. This was another interesting feature that teaches us about Francis’ love and passion for a brotherhood where there are no distinctions, no special privileges and where even service to the Church is often sacrificed before sacrificing a brother. That was rather confusing, because in reality, it is service to the Church, but within the brotherhood, then to the outside world.

1. POVERTY: notice how it comes fourth is Francis hieararchy of religious life. Detachment from things and people is essential to make room for God in the soul. Detachment has to be with great love and without remorse or resentment. The individual has to be able to give things up freely, not by force or by law. Even though Francis wrote a great deal about poverty in our rule, he describes it as a form of penance. Today we unerstand him better. We understand that penance is a form of conversion or change of life. It involves changing our priorities from material and social priorities to spiritual and charitable priorities. Being a Secular Franciscan or being a friar carries the same obligation to change the way one views himself and the material things of this world and to see God as the only and supreme Good to be desired. All other things are set aside, because they are not needed.

We keep only what we need for our dependant children, spouses or parents if we have them; but not for us. I may have a larger car, because I have a family. You have no children, you do need the van. I should have said that the other way around. I am celibate. My children are adults. I drive a small care that’s 10 years old. But my fellow Franciscan has two young children. His children need a larger car. My brother has a moral obligation to provide for his children’s needs. Francis would not sacrifice the family for poverty. This kind of takes us back to the concept of brotherhood.

These are the first of a set of values that every Franciscan (secular and regular) must live by. If you can’t live by them and commit to perfect them until death, then this is not your vocation.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Cara_Serrano]

Yes, you have a clear understanding of the Franciscan charism, the perfect person to bring that message to a group of tepid SFOs.

Sometimes we are called where we are needed and not necessarily where we would choose to be.

I recall something about St Francis being called to “rebuild My Church”. That seems like the ultimate Franciscan charism for those who, like Francis, are up to the challenge.