Franciscan Commissions

Commission Resources (NAFRA)

The National Work Commission of the Secular Franciscan Order in the United States is dedicated to a two-fold task: (1) helping Secular Franciscans and other people of goodwill to discover the Good News in the work we do and the way that it helps us grow in holiness and dignity as we share our gifts with the world and (2) showing solidarity with workers whose dignity is denied by work that oppresses rather than liberates.

The National Work Commission is one of four Apostolic Commissions established by the National Fraternity of Secular Franciscan Order in the U.S.A. The other three Commissions are Ecology, Family, and Peace and Justice. All four Commissions emerge from the 1978 Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order which updated the Order to be consonant with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. The present Rule embodies the "secular spirituality" which the Vatican II developed for the laity; one which placed the growth in holiness and the carrying out of mission within the context of a layperson's ordinary life. This secular spirituality is an incarnational spirituality that has Franciscan roots - for it was St. Francis who brought the Church a renewed reverence for the goodness and wonder of God's magnificent creation and humankind's participation in it. Work is God's way of allowing us to participate in his on-going activities of creating, sustaining and redeeming the world. Work is a principal means by which God intends for us to serve our brothers and sisters and our world. In so doing, we ourselves are blessed as we cultivate our gifts and talents and become better persons more fully revealing the divine image in which we were created.

Family Commission

WELCOME to the inaugural issue of the Franciscan Family Network - a resource publication created for Franciscan families by the National Family Commission of the Secular Franciscan Order.  It features an insightful array of information, practical tips, and Franciscan wisdom that will help and guide us in promoting the Franciscan family.

We include a list of resources such as: websites, books, videos, tapes, magazines, and articles addressing the range of issues and questions faced by families; family activities and family games you can do at your meetings.  There is a column, Legislative Update on bills concerning the family, status of the bills, action taken and the position of the Church on these bills if this information is available.

It is our hope that this web site will serve as a vehicle for sharing information among the family commissioners of the different regions.  Through this medium the regional fraternities will be exchanging apostolates, programs, and activities.  This sharing will make us a vibrant spirit-filled community.

We encourage, therefore, Family Commission chairs to share their experiences and we invite all Franciscans to contribute articles on family.  Alina Zygmunt, one of the members of the National Family Commission is our first contributor.  She wrote about care-giving.

 “As each has received a gift, employ it for another, as good stewards of God’s varied gifts.” (1 Peter 4:20)

To access the Franciscan Family Network, please click here: National Family Commission     

Stem Cell Research: Facts & Fallacies (.pdf) from: Divine Mercy Fraternity's Family Commissioner (Susan Solloway, SFO)

Living by Faith: The National Family Commission website (above) prepares, what seems to be, a monthly letter for the ill, the aged, the shut-in and the handicapped. This is very useful for Fraternity use.        

Introduction

It is easy to identify serious social and environmental problems on the global and local levels. The violations of human rights, abortion, genocide, abandoned children, armament industries, drugs, and environmental pollution are just a few. However, solutions and the resolve to address these problems are difficult to find. The difficulties are compounded by voices from various traditions suggesting or demanding conflicting responses. Some voices are gentle, some violent. Our response needs to be authentic and Franciscan.

"-Pace e Bene!-" (Peace and All Good!) is a greeting used on all continents by millions of Franciscan men and women since the time of St. Francis to acknowledge peasants, rulers, saints and sinners alike. It has grown to be an unofficial motto of the Franciscan family. Intuitively and simply, "-Peace and All Good-" expresses the Franciscan approach to life. We ask what our wish and work for "-Peace and All Good-" mean today?

This document is an attempt of the International Inter-Franciscan Commission for Justice and Peace to write a consensus statement describing what we believe to be important characteristics of Franciscan approaches to work for justice, peace and the respect for creation. We gleaned ideas from many discussions among ourselves and others whom we met in our work. We share with you our ideas in the hope that our comments will stimulate reflection and further discussion.

Peace

Peace comes from the poor God who is revealed in Jesus Christ.

The Saints of Assisi radiated a joyful peace that has been universally recognized. This peace was not the result of their achievements, their physical well-being or security. In a very public manner they chose to move from their protected birthplace, the Commune of Assisi, to the precarious dwellings of the outcast lepers and the poor who were living on the margins of their society.

Their contemporaries recognized the saints' impoverished lifestyles as prophetic commentary on the Gospels and a critique of their society. The implicit social analysis expressed in their way of life was not motivated by humanitarian concerns alone, nor by philosophy nor a condemnation of the "-status quo-". Rather they were impressed by God's Incarnation. Jesus Christ, their poor and crucified Lord, was the giver of and reason for their peace. Their attempts to follow literally the Gospel-life of Jesus in utter simplicity became the foundation and rule of their life. Unlike similar "-evangelical-" or prophetic groups of their day, Francis and Clare were persistent in securing the confirmation and approval of the Universal Church for their personal inspirations and convictions.

Contemplation and experience gave to Francis and Clare images of God, revealed in Jesus who was non-violent, vulnerable and poor in the stable of Bethlehem; naked and abandoned on the cross; and food in the Eucharist. God's perfect meekness, humility and poverty gave Francis and Clare the impassioned desire to become "-perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.-"

Poverty is the lamp we use to pass through the portal of faith in order to enter the mystery of God in Whom we find true peace (St. Bonaventure). Over the centuries, interpretations of poverty have generated many arguments and reforms within Franciscanism. Most Franciscans see themselves as working on behalf of the poor; many work with and among the poor; and some have become completely identified with the poor in their lifestyle and work. Pursuit of God's "-perfection-" led Francis to espouse Lady Poverty and to the peace of "-perfect joy-". Throughout her life Clare insisted on the absolute necessity and privilege of Perfect Poverty for her company of Poor Ladies.

Goodness

God is not only poor but Goodness Itself reflected within creation

The Franciscan approach to life is marked by a recognition of the importance, beauty and goodness of Creation created by a good God for no other reason than love. We share this earth, its resources, our lives and work with all of God's creatures, who are our brothers and sisters. Unlike some who strove to domesticate and dominate nature, the two great saints of Assisi expected to live lightly on our Sister, Mother Earth, being a burden to neither the Earth nor to those who fed and clothed them.

Francis' practical theology and spirituality gave him a social analysis that all persons have responsibilities and equal rights before God. Franciscan awareness of the sacred value of the individual flowered in the thinking of John Duns Scotus. Each individual a person, a plant, a stone, an amoeba is precious. No creature, no part of creation, can be dismissed as insignificant. Each creature must attain full measure of its own individuality if the total expression of God's love is to be realized in creation.

Characteristics

The Franciscan movement began with the lives and the treasured stories of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi which give it permanent inspiration and direction. For centuries, hundreds of thousands of men and women have been guided by the Holy Spirit and inspired by the simple genius and practical theological wisdom of Clare and Francis. Generation after generation, brothers and sisters have developed and popularized the original Franciscan inspiration. This evolution of the spirits of Francis and Clare has had profound humanizing effects within Christianity, Western civilization, and other cultures.

Franciscan men and women have a history of responding in practical ways to acute social problems, motivated by beliefs inherited from St. Francis: his conviction about the absolute Goodness of God and creation, the primacy of Love, the Incarnation and its Christocentric implications. The early ban on weapons for members of the Secular Order helped to collapse the feudal system in Europe. Franciscans were responsible for establishing some of the first pharmacies in Europe, initially to meet the needs of infirm pilgrims flooding into Assisi. To protect the poor who were being crippled with huge unjust interest payments on loans, friars in Italy organized the "-Mons Pietatis-", a financial society which was the precursor of the modern banking system. Countless Franciscan men and women have opened their homes to homeless young people, giving them the protection and education not provided by their societies. In countries where the poor could not afford health care, Franciscan women and men responded in practical ways by establishing hospitals and health care systems.

Francis was possessed by a great mission. He was the Herald of God and of God's message of Peace. The message of God's love burned so strongly within Francis that it could not be contained. Like the heralds of his day, who preceded their lords announcing their arrival, Francis travelled from village to village proclaiming the Goodness and Peace of God. According to Francis, the Gospel is to be proclaimed primarily by our witness of Gospel life, not only by words. When it is appropriate and we are prompted by the Spirit of God, we take the opportunity to explain to others the reasons for our belief, never becoming argumentative. For Francis the most perfect form of evangelization was martyrdom, in which we are united with Jesus, the perfect Evangelist, giving our lives completely for the Gospel message of God's love.

In such writings as "-The Canticle of Creatures-" and the "-Rule for Hermitages-", as well as in the interaction among the Lesser Brothers, the Poor Ladies and the Penitents, we see that from the very beginning the Franciscan movement combined feminine and masculine energies and talents. Historically and theoretically, Franciscan life implies mutual respect, co-operation and collaboration among men and women.

Francis' Great King was the same, yet very different, God of the Christians of his day. When the Church was waging a Holy Crusade against its enemies, the Saracens, Francis' interpretation of Gospel life and its demands were revolutionary. He was non-violent, creative and active in his approach to conflict. He was not passive. He took the initiative as an arbitrator and sought opposing parties for dialogue to achieve reconciliation. Francis was quick to dialogue with the wealthy Sultan, who was considered an enemy of Christians, and with the Wolf feared by the people of Gubbio. The friars were instrumental in bringing together the Bishop and Mayor of Assisi, not by shaming them with a public scolding, but by singing the Canticle of Creatures to them.

During a period of deep discouragement Francis wrote "-The Canticle of Creatures-". At that time he continued to experience perfect joy although he was ill, suffering the physical wounds of Jesus and the psychological discouragement of disappointment in his brothers. His joy in pain was not masochistic but was an honest acknowledgement of his pain and injury, accompanied by the surprising joy of being sustained in that injury. There had to be a grace, or Someone, supporting him in his suffering. Francis' joy came with the recognition that God's Spirit was sustaining him in his most painful situations. The Holy Spirit, the "-General Minister-", helped Francis to understand rather than be understood, to console rather than be consoled, to love rather than be loved. Franciscan joy is not a naive denial of human suffering and problems. It is a conviction that despite all that is bad in life, God's Spirit is always within us, in others and in Creation. Joy kept Francis from growing bitter in the midst of suffering and disappointment.

Conclusion

St. Francis and St. Clare had ways of gradually modifying and absorbing violence by love. With open eyes and affectionate respect for all classes of people, they chose to be poor among the poor. Rather than dwell on the negative and evil within their societies, they chose in prophetic ways to emphasize the positive with constructive action.

Franciscans have conscious and unconscious traditions of reading signs of the times revealed in the needs of the poor. Responses to these needs have been practical, often small, steps which have helped to unravel oppressive cultural systems.

Today, our collective and personal challenge is to develop these traditional Franciscan charisms according to our particular circumstances and cultures. While addressing the root causes and not merely the symptoms of problems, we must work diligently to devise constructive practical remedies.

With determined education and practice, we must take advantage of new instruments available to us for bringing about "-Peace and All Good-" within our societies. We hope that our Franciscan formation programs, both initial and continuing, will contain biblical, religious and moral reflections on justice, peace and the integrity of creation, as well as offer familiarity with the social, psychological and political sciences. We urge a more public and collective witness of our work and advocacy on behalf of peacemaking, concern for the poor and the care of creation.

With all people of goodwill we share an important obligation and challenge to respond to the problems of our planet and its societies. Given our tradition, our numbers, our education, and our moral influence within different societies, does not the international community have a right to expect the Franciscan Family to have considerable positive impact on the world's problems? "-From those, to whom much has been given, much will be expected.

Assisi, 12 December, 1993

Received from Regional Fraternity 2/28/2003:

Dear Regional Peace and Justice Commissioners,

As you know from the number of e-mails you have been receiving, the Holy Father and the Catholic Bishops are putting all of their moral authority on the line in their effort to prevent war in Iraq. Secular Franciscans can also participate in their own parishes. Today Dan Misleh has sent to the diocesan Social Justice Directors suggested Prayers of the Faithful for Ash Wednesday. They could also be used on Sunday March 2. They are from Bishop Steven E. Blaire of the Diocese of Stockton, California.

Secular Franciscans could respectfully pass them on to their pastor, if he has not yet participated in the stop the war effort of the Church. We do a lot of work in our parishes. It is not unreasonable to make suggestions to the pastor. When you have something printed out for his consideration, it is helpful to him. Here are the prayers:

Suggested Prayers of the Faithful

Ash Wednesday, 2003 or Sunday March 2, 2003

For our commander-In-Chief, President George Bush and our political and military leaders, that they may step back from the brink of war and tirelessly seek peaceful settlements to the situation in Iraq; we pray to the Lord.

For the people of the world, threatened by imminent warfare, that in their pursuit of justice, the leaders of nations will listen to the voices of peaceful people crying out for nonviolent resolution to global conflict; we pray to the Lord.

For Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government, that they undertake concrete steps to meet legitimate demands of the international community to avoid war and prove that they intend to change their ways; we pray to the Lord.

For every member of our armed forces, that the Lord will keep them safe and return them home quickly to families and friends; we pray to the Lord.

That the families, relatives and friends of our military members be strengthened in this time of concern and anxiety; we pray to the Lord.

For the people of Iraq, that they may not have to face once again the terror of war, the loss of loved ones, the destruction of homes and cities; we pray to the Lord.

That our homeland be preserved from violence and terrorism; we pray to the Lord.

That the hearts of all men and women will be moved to pursue true peace and justice; we pray to the Lord.

HINTS FOR ASSISTANCE ON JUSTICE-PEACE-INTEGRITY-OF-CREATION WORK
WITH THE SFO 
(From: CIOFS-L, Year 5, N. 10, 1999, Weekly edition
 From: Letter to the Assistants, 1998, N. 4)

 by Francisco O' Conaire, OFM, JPIC Office, OFM Curia, Rome, and is from the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Central America.

Is there such a thing as a Justice, Peace and Integrity of  Creation (JPIC) Christian spirituality? There isn't! I think we can only speak about Christian spirituality if it includes  JPIC as an integral part. In other words, without the JPIC aspect no Christian spirituality could call itself Christian. Just as "prayer and the spirit of devotion" is fundamental for Christian discipleship, so too is all that has to do with the love of neighbor and solidarity with whoever lacks the material and spiritual necessities to live a dignified life.

As an SFO assistant, are you convinced about this? As you can well appreciate, we transmit to others what we are convinced about ourselves. People are more impressed and affected by example than words. As assistants to the SFO (and seeing that this article is dedicated to JPIC), unless you believe in and are personally struggling with JPIC  issues in your own personal and fraternal life and living them out concretely, it will be impossible for you to serve as a catalyst and animator in these values for our SFO brethren. Animation is not just about helping people to know their responsibilities, but more importantly, is about helping them to act them out. A good animator encourages  others to assume concrete commitments and actions and is prepared to do likewise.

So my first practical suggestion is for you to clarify where you personally stand. Re-examine your attitudes in the light of our Rule, General Constitutions, especially Art. 1:1, and all the chapters and documents of the Order since Madrid 1971 which leaves us in no doubt that JPIC is not just an option, but an imperative. The OFM JPIC Handbook which will be published some time early next year may be worth looking at. The SFO Rule calls on all Secular Franciscans "together with all people of goodwill to build a more fraternal and evangelical world so that the Kingdom of God may be brought about more effectively " (Number 14). It states clearly that "both individually and collectively they should be in the forefront of promoting justice by the testimony of their lives and their courageous initiatives " (Number 15). The rule also encourages them to be "bearers of peace through dialogue" (Number 19), as well as respecting " all creatures animate and inanimate", based on " the Franciscan concept of universal kinship" (No.18). These and many other references in the Rule help us appreciate that JPIC is an integral part of Franciscan spirituality. I wish to share some practical ideas on how to encourage our SFO brethren to live out to the full our Franciscan spirituality with JPIC as an integral part.
 
SOME HELPFUL HINTS

(1) Find out what people feel about JPIC and social justice. What is their starting point? What are the fears and expectations of the SFO members? This will vary depending on the general ecclesial environment, the formation processes of the SFO and their personal and national histories as well as the present social, political, cultural and economic environment. The laity, similar to the friars, have very diverse ideas about JPIC.

(2) Involvement in social justice work requires the ability to critically reflect both individually and in fraternity on the happenings in the Church and society; to evaluate and analyze these happenings in the light of the Gospel and to work out what can and should be done according to the individual and collective resources available. This is commonly known as the "see, judge and act" model but it is not enough to know the theory, but more importantly to implement it in concrete and practical ways. Following the "see, judge and act" model, the personal and fraternal reflection on a specific JPIC topic or issue should at some stage be completed by agreement on specific actions. These actions will depend on the level of spiritual maturity of each of the individual SFO fraternities. It is a good rule of thumb to start with small, inclusive projects which are not too threatening. All these efforts should be evaluated. This can lead to a greater sense of confidence in the group and an eventual commitment to more difficult and sometimes controversial JPIC issues. Remember that the specific JPIC issues, in many respects, are not all that important, at least at the early stages of the Franciscan journey. What is important, however, is that the SFO fraternities and leaders appreciate we cannot remain indifferent to the sufferings of our fellow brothers and sisters and to the underlying causes of the suffering. Because most "social injustice" arise from the same root causes, attention to one issue can eventually bring the fraternity in touch with many other issues in this vast web of darkness. For example, a serious reflection on environmental destruction might bring the person to a deeper appreciation of the neo-liberal economic paradigm which tends to exploit the earth's resources as if they were infinite "see, judge and act" method. It can prove to be a helpful tool in encouraging the SFO members to live out the social aspects of the Gospel.

(3) Your work as assistants is primarily with the leaders of the SFO fraternities. In your meetings, formation seminars and retreats it is an ideal time to introduce and/or deepen  a reflection on JPIC issues. You personally may be unsure  about JPIC issues and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. This is can create a healthier climate to examine together with the SFO appropriate responses to the different JPIC challenges. If you lack confidence in promoting a consciousness on JPIC issues, be aware of the resources available. For example, you might involve the JPIC promoter of your own Province or entity, or indeed of the other branches of the Franciscan Family. The important thing is to be personally open to learning more about JPIC and concerned to see the SFO develop this central and fundamental area of their Franciscan spirituality.

(4) It commodity. Environmental destruction holds the key to understanding many of the ills of our time. Once a serious reflection is started on any topic like deforestation, waste disposal, desertification, global warming, acid rain, pollution, etc., people involved will become more aware of the origins of these problems, who are responsible and what their motives are for destroying the earth's limited resources. They will also appreciate that the poor are by far the most affected by this wanton destruction. A deeper understanding can also develop when the SFO fraternity decides to tackle a local injustice affecting them or their community. From a specific task or action, like cleaning up a street, planting trees, promoting a campaign for running water to homes, people can grow in their understanding of the broader and more global underlying principles involved behind many injustices, as well as contributing to the well being of others. This same approach can be applied to any other JPIC issue: refugees, the arms industry, debt, racism, intolerance, segregation, violence, slavery, right to life, education, health, child prostitution, etc.

(5) Our OFM General Chapter prioritized our commitment to refugees and those who have been forced to leave the land (8:4). In 1979 the then Minister General wrote a letter to  the whole Order encouraging the friars to be in solidarity with refugees. It is interesting to note the final emphasis is on the friars supporting existing initiatives, not necessarily Franciscan or Church based. This, I believe, is an important principle to remember. You might encourage the SFO fraternities to support and involve themselves in their local social justice parish programs and/or with other groups, committees, and societies that are working in favor of the poor and marginalized. These groups may have a local, national or even international focus. This networking promotes greater understanding between groups and leads to an intelligent and more efficient pooling of often limited resources.

(6) Encourage the brothers and sisters to keep in contact with what other SFO fraternities are doing. Much can be learned from one another. Even through this publication, you as assistants could share some of the wonderful initiatives taking place in your country or region. It often happens that SFO fraternities are doing wonderful apostolic work for the poor and do not see it as JPIC related action. As an SFO assistant, you can help the brothers and sisters discover their already existing efforts to live out the social dimension of the Gospel.

(7) Finally, so as to avoid dualism that has plagued us all for so long, you might introduce JPIC topics and themes into the fraternities' prayer life together. We need to bring into our prayer all the people and situations we encounter in our daily lives and apostolic work. We need to pray and intercede for specific people, problems, and situations, and not just become accustomed to generic prayer formulas. Recently, as we knelt in silence in front of the Blessed Sacrament during a holy hour here at the OFM Curia, distant from people and their everyday struggles, suddenly the door banged open and women with a baby carriage came in. The young child broke the silence with the usual inquisitive questions about what was going on and I smiled to myself and felt grateful that God had broken in!

You as assistants have the privileged responsibility of accompanying the Franciscan laity in their faith journey, as they discern how to translate, the values they profess into concrete actions of love within the fraternity and in the society. The future of the Church and quality of its testimony lies principally with our committed laity. Thank you for your service to them.

Youth Commission

Note: Until the Fraternity's annual Youth Commission report is received, the following gives some guideline what Youth Commissioners do.

Please click on: National Franciscan Youth Commission