Some questions on this brotherhood - what happens when it is threatened by differences of social class, economic status, race, or sexual identity… is it even possible for this brotherhood to continue existing?
These are wonderful questions. I’ll try to answer each one individually. The responses apply to all three Franciscan Orders: Friars, Nuns and Secular Franciscans as we share in the same brotherhood.
- Differences of social class, economic status and race: These differences disappear the day a young man or woman enters the Franciscan Order. Among the friars and the nuns the individual must sign a legal document whereby he gives up his property to any person or charity of his or her choosing, except to the Church or the Order. The person also writes a last will and testament in which anything that he or she should acquire or inherit after joining the order automatically transfers to a person or charity of his choice that is neither the Church nor the Order. Therefore, the individual is totally poor of all material things. Nor can he or she receive gifts of any kind from anyone.
All gifts are to be surrendered to the superior of the house who decides how to use them. The superior may allow the friar or the nun to keep a simple gift such as a book or pen, but not an expensive one.
Among the Secular Franciscans, they are allowed to keep whatever they own or make from their salary to support their families, this includes dependent children, dependent spouses, dependent parents. They may only use what they need for their health and their work. Even among the Secular Franciscans, the economic scales are very level.
There are no social scales in the Franciscan family. Everyone is a brother or sister, as I have explained before. Some Franciscans are priests. However, the Franciscan Family considers the priesthood to be a vocation within a vocation. Therefore, the highest duty of any Franciscan is to be a brother, first and a priest second. The reason for this distinction is because Franciscanism is a way of living. Priesthood is a way of serving. Life always embraces service. Friars and Secular Franciscans who are priests, are still called Brother, not Father. They still do the same things that every brother and sister does: laundry, floors, cooking, cleaning, teaching, nursing, social work, preaching, praying and so forth.
Even superiors have to give an account to the community for their actions. There is a gathering called a chapter in which the superior gives an account of his work on behalf of the community to the community. The community votes to approve his actions and anything that he or she should do. In the constitutions, the community writes the role, duties and obligations of superiors. This way, superiors are not omnipotent. They can only perform those functions that are allowed to them by the community. That also eliminates social classes within the three orders.
Finally, the three orders are equal to each other. The Friars, Nuns and Secular Franciscans are equally religious orders with equal religious profession and each General Superior has a vote in the Franciscan Council of Ministers General. Again, social classes are eliminated.
- Sexual orientation:
The Franciscan family follows the teachings of the Church on sexual orientation. Therefore, a person’s sexual orientation is a non-issue if the person is celibate and fulfills his or her vow of consecrated chastity. I realize that the Holy Father gave a directive that persons with homosexual orientation were not allowed to be admitted to the a seminary without the careful consideration by the local bishop.
However, this decree does not apply to religious orders or religious congregations. It was not meant for them. Religious orders and religious congregations do not depend on the local bishop to select their candidates for the priesthood. This is done by the religious superior. Bishops have no authority inside of religious communities. They only have authority in ministries that religious communities do for the diocese and in institutions that religious communities run for the diocese.
Formation does not come under the authority of the bishops or the Roman Curia. Religious Orders of Pontifical Right (Franciscans, Benedictines, Carmelites, Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians, Trappists, Cistercians, Trinitarians, Redemptorists, Passionists and others) respond only to their superior and the superior to the Pope.
When the Pope gives them an order regarding formation, then it is implemented. Any other decrees regarding formation is usually meant for the secular priests and seminarians, unless the Holy Father specifically says, “regulars” too. Regular is a member of a religious community.
On this very delicate issue, it is up to the major superior and his council to make a judgment call as to whether the person’s sexual history (gay or straight) qualify or disqualify him or her from Franciscan life. Many people (gay and straight) are disqualified, because they have led very active sexual lives. There is always the concern that one can slip back into that pattern.
People who have observed a chaste lifestyle are less likely to slip into promiscuity, gay or straight. The key question is a person’s history. For that reason a letter from the person’s pastor and spiritual director is needed. Also, the Order reserves the right to require psychological testing to assess a person’s personality and stability.
In September 2009 the order will celebrate its 800th birthday. I guess all one million of us will be around for a while.
Yes, there are one million Franciscans around the world. I believe we are the largest religious family in the Church. I could be wrong. The Dominicans are also very large. They too are celebrating 800 years.
I hope this helps.
Fraternally,
JR
. Wow! Now I realized that there are a lot of things we would miss if we would just rely on ‘Brother Sun Sister Moon’!
I do want to extend on the question that I asked before though. Those are guidelines for Franciscan life and it is excellent to know the Franciscan vision, yet practical reality often makes it very hard to live up to a good vision. In practice, when tensions come up because of these issues - particularly race or sexual identity or gender or personal crises or even people who are overly pushy/forward/interested in converting/rebuking/aiding others - how do Franciscans address it with brotherhood? Is this a time of practicing infinite patience, meek confrontation, a time to sit back and let Christ work out any troubles and just keep a hands-off agenda until one feels comfortable instead of scared/intimidated/uncomfortable/awkward/angry? These touchy subjects are be careful areas and people often join Franciscan communities and leave them, hide their thoughts, attack other people without thoroughly researched justification, call for sympathy in cases that it is hard to sympathize with and it makes one scared/afraid of brotherhood or sisterhood with people who seem too “different.” Not saying that I don’t cause others stress of course or that I am not the most different one but I am highly interested in your opinion. 