Dear Franciscan Brothers & Sisters, Our Franciscan Profession marked our entry into a life of holiness. This radical transformation can’t just be something we think and pray about; it must impact the way we live. Paul reminds us that we are “living sacrifices.” Through our lives, Christ completes the work of reconciling God and the universe. “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection.” This love must extend to everyone ... and even to those who will reject it... to those who ignore us, or mistreat us, or disagree with us. Satan is the one who does not love and this is the essence of damnation. This is the state in which a person lives who does not love and does not forgive. Discipleship is an all or nothing enterprise. If the risen Christ through whom God is fully revealed does not have first place in the Secular Franciscan then discipleship is a fraud. We are called to be “temples of the living God.” If there is anything else at the center, our “temple” is sure to crumble and we will stop attending meetings, etc. For the person caught up in this new life in Christ, everyday is a new adventure as the fire of God’s love in our lives and the world glows hotter and hotter and our desire grows deeper and deeper. Let us allow ourselves to be transformed daily beginning with our renewal at the April 17 Profession Ceremony! Then allow Christ’s love and joy burst forth from us and embrace everyone around us!

Your Franciscan servant-leader, Marie Thomas, SFO

Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Committee

Marie Thomas, SFO
At this month’s meeting, we will celebrate the profession of three women: Cecilia Gostkowski,
Rosemary Ingersoll, and Cris Skidgell. At the same time, we will renew our own permanent
commitments. Therefore, let’s use this ceremony to help us recall our own profession and how it
brought us closer to God and to each other in the Franciscan Family. Since we spoke the words of
commitment to living the Gospel Life, our lives should have been changed; not exteriorly but
interiorly. On the exterior, we look the same, do the same routine things of cleaning, cooking, etc. but
on the interior, we carry Christ in our minds and hearts. Our motives are different because we are
prompted by our love of God and each other. We bring the Gospel to life. Daily, when we examine our
consciences, we realize that we have fallen short of our promises but we renew this commitment and
start again for we know that “up to now, we have nothing.” Together, as a Franciscan Family, we will
renew our promises this month. Together, let us help each other fulfill these promises, as a Franciscan
Family.