SECTION I: MONTHLY THEME

Topic I-3: Profession in the SFO
Ewald Kreuzer, SFO

Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment, by Fr. Felice Cangelosi, OFMCap, (n. 14-16)
Summary and comments

n. 14. St Francis of Assisi “made Christ the inspiration and the centre of his life with God and with people”. (Rule 4) This is an implicit exhortation to those who make profession in the Secular Franciscan Order, so that they may do the same.  For Secular Franciscans, to follow Christ is to be conformed to Him; it means to carry out the commitment involved in the profession to observe the gospel in the manner of St Francis by living all the demands of the gospel to its very depths, to the very end, including death, and thus to open oneself to receive the promises proclaimed by the gospel itself. 

For St. Francis, Jesus Christ was the centre of his life. He meditated, again and again, on His life from His birth in Bethlehem until His death on the cross in Jerusalem. The gospel of Christ is also the source for our joy, hope and peace.      

n. 15. The gospel message opens with a call to conversion: “The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the Good News” (Mk 1,15). The penitential dimension is at the heart of the Gospel and is essential to the evangelical life. For this reason Secular Franciscans, promising to live the gospel, in virtue of their original charism, commit themselves to live a penitential life.

Our vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” includes the willingness to conform our thoughts and deeds to those of Jesus Christ. Knowing our human frailty, it is “necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.” (Rule 7)

n. 16. The Ritual of the SFO speaks of a “consecration that is lived in the world”, and of “the will to live in the world and for the world” (Preface, 14a,d). Secular stateor Secularityand worldare essential for an understanding of the specific identity of Secular Franciscans and their particular mission which flows from Profession. Secularity indicates an existential and sociological condition: it is being in the world as human creatures and as communities of men and women, including the relationships, geographical, cultural, and social, in which one is born and lives. Secularity is given from birth, independently of an individual’s free choice. You do not become secular, you are born so.
There is also a theological dimension. Secularity flows from the acceptance of God’s inter-vention in human history and of His “becoming”, and is expressed as recognition of a world (saeculum) in which the Spirit is at work to “recapitulate” all things in Christ. The being and action of the laity and of Secular Franciscans take place in this context of “the world”.

God´s plan is to transform our world through the Holy Spirit who works in us and through us. There is no such thing as a “bad” world, since God Himself “has visited and redeemed His people“ (Luke 1,68).

Questions for reflection and discussing in fraternity:

1. What does it mean “to observe the gospel in the manner of St Francis”?
2. In what ways  do Secular Franciscans live a true “penitential life”?
3. What are the dimensions of the state of “Secularity” for Secular Franciscans?

SECTION II: SPIRITUAL INSIGHT

Topic III: The Lenten call to conversion and the SFO Penitential Identity
Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR
Who likes going to the desert? Usually going to a place that is almost lifeless is not very appealing, yet it is an experience often mentioned in the Scriptures and imbued with a great deal of theological significance - as it was for Moses and the Hebrews during the Exodus, for prophets such as Elijah and Ezekiel, for John the Baptist and Jesus, and for many other great friends of God. Following the example and experience of these great figures, who found so much spiritual growth in the desert, Catholics and other Christians embrace forty days of Lent as a personal invitation to make time and room for God’s word to resound in their hearts and minds more deeply. We do this so that we may turn to Him in humility and true love, which can only be done if we open ourselves to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Going into ‘the desert’ of conversion thus gives us the opportunity to honestly face our weaknesses and infidelities to God and to God’s kingdom and, more importantly, to renew our identity as God’s people as we recommit ourselves to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ more fully.
Secular Franciscans, since they have been known from the earliest beginning of the Franciscan movement in the 13th century as “brothers and sisters of penance”, find a particular connection with this penitential season of Lent. However, this penitential identity goes well beyond a single liturgical season since it should take root in the very core of their lives and challenge them to conform their whole existence to Christ. The Rule of the SFO Rule puts it this way:
United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance,” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel itself calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily. On this road to renewal the sacrament of reconciliation is the privileged sign of the Father's mercy and the source of grace. (SFO Rule 7)
Article 13 of the General Constitutions of the SFO can be read as a commentary of this article of the Rule. It defines continual conversion as a characteristic of the Franciscan vocation and indicates some ways to cultivate it both individually and in fraternity: “listening to and celebrating the Word of God; review of life; spiritual retreats; the help of a spiritual adviser, and penitential celebrations” (Art. 13,1). This variety of means – which is certainly not exhaustive – responds to the diversity of the areas of our lives that need to be incorporated into our conversion. For example, Article 13, 2 affirms that our contribution to the renewal of the Church requires personal and communal renewal and reminds us that works of charity are the fruits of conversion. The Constitutions also present important criteria for discernment and action regarding “penitential practices such as fasting and abstinence” stating that they “should be known, appreciated, and lived out according to the general guidelines of the Church” (Art. 13, 3).

Let us conclude with some words – both challenging and realistic – from  the Later Admonition and Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis of Assisi:

Let us love God, therefore, and adore Him with a pure heart and a pure mind … In addition, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. And let us love our neighbors as ourselves. And if anyone does not want to love them as himself, let him at least not do them any harm, but let him do good. (2LtF 18. 25-27)

Questions for reflection and discussion:

1. As we engage in personal and communal renewal, what are the diverse areas of our lives that we should consider?
2. How does our local fraternity understand and carry out works of charity?
3. What are the means that have helped us to cultivate continual conversion as Secular Franciscans?

SECTION III: SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

Block 1: Pope Benedict XVI Message for the 2010 World Day of Peace
IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION
Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR

Part III of 3: Excerpts from n. 11-14

11. “…Education for peace must increasingly begin with far-reaching decisions on the part of individuals, families, communities and states. […] A special role in raising awareness and in formation belongs to the different groups present in civil society and to the non-governmental organizations […] The media also have a responsibility in this regard to offer positive and inspiring models. In a word, concern for the environment calls for a broad global vision of the world; a responsible common effort to move beyond approaches based on selfish nationalistic interests towards a vision constantly open to the needs of all peoples. […] In this broader context one can only encourage the efforts of the international community to ensure progressive disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons …”
12. The Church has a responsibility towards creation, and she considers it her duty to exercise that responsibility in public life, in order to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction. The degradation of nature is closely linked to the cultural models shaping human coexistence: consequently, “when ‘human ecology’ is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits”. Young people cannot be asked to respect the environment if they are not helped, within families and society as a whole, to respect themselves. The book of nature is one and indivisible; it includes not only the environment but also individual, family and social ethics. Our duties towards the environment flow from our duties towards the person, considered both individually and in relation to others...”
13. Nor must we forget the very significant fact that many people experience peace and tranquility, renewal and reinvigoration, when they come into close contact with the beauty and harmony of nature. There exists a certain reciprocity: as we care for creation, we realize that God, through creation, cares for us. On the other hand, a correct understanding of the relationship between man and the environment will not end by absolutizing nature or by considering it more important than the human person. [...] The Church, for her part, is concerned that the question be approached in a balanced way, with respect for the “grammar” which the Creator has inscribed in his handiwork by giving man the role of a steward and administrator with responsibility over creation, a role which man must certainly not abuse, but also one which he may not abdicate...”
14. … The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. In the light of divine Revelation and in fidelity to the Church’s Tradition, Christians have their own contribution to make. They contemplate the cosmos and its marvels in light of the creative work of the Father and the redemptive work of Christ, who by his death and resurrection has reconciled with God “all things, whether on earth or in heaven” (Col 1:20) […] May this be clear to world leaders and to those at every level who are concerned for the future of humanity: the protection of creation and peacemaking are profoundly linked! For this reason, I invite all believers to raise a fervent prayer to God, the all-powerful Creator and the Father of mercies, so that all men and women may take to heart the urgent appeal: If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.
Questions for reflection and discussion

1. What do you think is the special role of Secular Franciscans in educating for peace within the context of environmental degradation?
2. How do professed Secular Franciscans participate in the Church’s responsibility to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone?
3. How can we incorporate our “duties towards the environment” in our prayer and liturgy?