It is not often that I come across an organization and/or publication that really perks my interest. During my lifetime, I have been a member of several religious orders. Ideally, one should stick with just one, but in my case it worked out differently. The group I was with the longest, a few months shy of five years, was an order of monks that no longer exists (The Monks of Adoration). I am not at all sad that I had this experience, as this time was a time I felt closer to Our Lord than at any time before. I still feel just as close to Him now as I did then. There are a number of organizations that publish regular periodicals that I've found very helpful both when I was in religious life, and afterward.

As a professed Secular Franciscan, and having made private vows of obedience and chastity on Dec. 5, 2002 (a desire that bubbled forth during my religious life experiences that seems allowed under SFO Constitutions Art. 36), I am still very much interested in religious life where I have a few friends here and there. This interest is general, I have no desire (nor a vocation) to join or rejoin any religious order. As Secular Franciscans we are professed in an order that isn't so different in setup as religious orders are, except that we are a religious order for lay people. (SFO is a secular institute.) So I found and began to subscribe to the Institute on Religious Life (IRL), Libertyville, Illinois. (website: http://www.religiouslife.com)

IRL was founded in 1974 by the Rev. John A. Hardon, S.J., in response to the Holy See’s plea to help save religious life in the United States. He was aided by outstanding co-founders and by early collaborators, including Blessed Mother Teresa, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, and many others. While others were resigned to a generation of turmoil in religious life, the IRL’s founders persevered in hope. They weren’t content to sit back and watch the dire predictions come true. They rolled up their sleeves and began to build and prepare for a much brighter future. Today, the IRL has expanded to meet the needs of established orders and a growing number of emerging religious communities and other institutes of consecrated life. The supernatural hope of the IRL’s founders—which, to many, seemed foolhardy at the start—is beginning to come to fulfillment. (wording, in part, from IRL website's "About Us")

Their publication is published bi-monthly, titled: "Religious Life", is very, very good. I've just received the May/June 2010 issue, which contains four features, and other articles. There is an article "2010 National Meeting Examines Life and Legacy of IRL Founder" by Leon Suprenant, Jr. The article in a somewhat recurring series which especially draws my heart is one entitled, "Yours in Christ: Spiritual Encouragement from a Novice Master," subtitled, "Clothing the Heart." It is written, apparently, by a religious who wishes to be anonymous, and it is first rate.

By mentioning this publication, it is possible that other Catholic publications may find this unfair since I have, thusfar, as the wish of the SFO in general, refrained from mentioning any publication. As webmaster, I have that choice, I suppose, but if I learn of other wonderful publications, along the way, I may mention those too. References to publications are not in any way to be construed as endorsements by the Secular Franciscan Order. I am just stating my own opinions.

There are a number of websites out there, even bona fide websites of SFO Fraternities which carry advertisements. Please be extremely careful what advertising are agreed to in your websites. Some of those go completely against the grain. Unfortunately, even we are subject to the greed of others. Every time someone gets a "Page not Found" error on our website, they are also exposed to advertising. This advertising is at random and I have little control over it, except to repair the link. Since I have many dead links, and repairing same is a constant effort, I never seem to run out of them.

Getting back to religious orders, we, Secular Franciscans pray for them, as well as for Vocations to the Priesthood, and Diaconate. We pray that the Religious in existence continue to obey their Rule, the Rule of their founders. There have been a number of instances over the years, where people in orders have 'slackened off' in piety and zeal, and that is an extremely dangerous practice, dangerous to their souls as well as the soul of the order they belong to. Saint Francis of Assisi is known for his charity toward everyone, and certainly we as Franciscans should never stand in judgment over anyone. So I ask you all to pray for people in our Church who have, over the years, slackened in piety and zeal, knowing how dangerous that can be.

There is a wonderful Franciscan we all know and love, whose mission as psychologist, founder, retreatmaster, "TV personality," and lecturer, has done probably more than any other in providing support and prayer for priests and religious, and lay people who are at the edge of the abyss (if you will), and that is Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.

Fr. Benedict founded the order of the Franciscans of the Renewal (website: http://www.franciscanfriars.com/ ) now 15 (or 16?) friaries strong, in USA, Europe and Central America, and they keep growing! praise God!

May you have a wonderful summer, and let us pray that the hurricanes and tornados stay away from all of us this summer.

Peace and all Good!

Fred Schaeffer, SFO
June 12, 2010

 

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