Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Happy feast of St. Joseph the Worker!
Hopefully, we will be able to gather in person this May (not just on Zoom!).
Today’s Formation Friday might be a good way to begin May’s formation with a tribute to our Mother. Peace, Dona
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Mary Protectress of the Order (En español abajo)
“The Virgin Mary, humble servant of the Lord, was open to his every word and call.
She was embraced by Francis with indescribable love and declared the protectress and advocate of his family.
The Secular Franciscans should express their ardent love for her by imitating her complete self-giving and by praying earnestly and confidently”
Mary, Mother of Jesus, is the model of listening to the Word and of faithfulness to vocations.
We, like Francis, seek all the gospel virtues realized in her.
The brothers and sisters should cultivate intense love for the most holy virgin, imitation, prayer, and filial abandonment.
They should manifest their own devotion with expressions of genuine faith, in forms accepted by the Church.
Mary is the model of fruitful and faithful love for the entire ecclesial community.
Secular Franciscans and their fraternities should seek to live the experience of Francis,
who made the Virgin the guide of his activity.
With her, like the disciples at Pentecost, they should welcome the Spirit to create a community of love.
(SFO Constitutions: Article 16.1, .2)
Questions for Sharing and Discussion
• What qualities of Mary are attractive to you?
• What is Mary’s role in our lives and in the life of the Church?
• What is the goal of devotion to Mary? How do you discern whether your devotion to Mary supports your Franciscan life?
• What example does Mary set for us as Secular Franciscans?
María Protectora de la Orden